5 Things to Watch: Everything to keep an eye on in NRL Round 21

Several top eight hopefuls have been dealt fresh injury blows as they prepare for Round 21 whilst several others are holding onto their finals hopes by the skin of their teeth. Here are 5 Things to Watch in Round 20.

Roosters, Broncos set for SCG showdown

The last time the Roosters and the Broncos faced off at the SCG, Victor Radley found himself a victim of the infamous double sin bin in a 34-16 boilover against the 15th-place Broncos. Things this time around, however, will be a little different. The Broncos are eyeing a jump into the top four whilst the Roosters are desperate to stay ahead of their counterparts vying for the final spot in the postseason. Lindsay Collins and Egan Butcher will be absent for the Chooks whilst Brisbane will be without Origin star Patty Carrigan, however, Selwyn Cobbo will return from a month-long absence on the wing. Cobbo has scored 10 tries over his past six games and will matchup against veteran Daniel Tupou in one of the more enticing duels on the field. James Tedesco’s last month of football, meanwhile, has been superb; the 29-year-old has scored three tries and assisted on five over his past four games all whilst breaking 35 tackles and averaging 203 metres per game as he makes a late push for the Dally M Medal. The Roosters have won their past three games and have won five of their past seven against Brisbane. Carrigan’s suspension leaves some hole for Brisbane to fill as they aim to keep in touch with the top four.

Manly host Parramatta in must-win

The Eels and Sea Eagles’ decades-long rivalry will come to a head this Friday night when the blue-and-golds make the trip to the northern beaches. Manly will welcome back Haumole Olakau’atu, Josh Aloiai, Christian Tuipulotu, Toluta’u Koula, Toafofoa Sipley and Jason Saab after they missed last week’s loss to the Roosters, whilst Josh Schuster has been named among the reserves. Mitchell Moses, meanwhile, is expected to miss the next month for Parramatta with teenager Jakob Arthur replacing him in the halves. Parramatta are currently a win ahead of the seventh-place Rabbitohs but are still within touch of the top four if they can string some wins together. They will face Manly, South Sydney, Canterbury, Brisbane and Melbourne across the final five weeks of the premiership and will likely be without Moses for a majority of them. For Manly, a 10-point loss to the Roosters was a kick in the guts for their finals chances, however, a win over Parramatta this Friday night would change the picture for them. The Eels have managed just one win from their past four against Manly and will view this one as a major opportunity to cement their finals spot. Maika Sivo has scored two doubles in-a-row and has scored six tries over his past four.

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Can O’Sullivan and Salmon hold down the fort for Penrith?

With Jarome Luai and Nathan Cleary expected to miss close to the remainder of the regular season for Penrith, fill-in halves Jaeman Salmon and Sean O’Sullivan will have the opportunity to prove themselves behind one of the premiership’s most dominant forward packs. The Panthers are six competition points ahead of North Queensland and can guarantee themselves the minor premiership with three wins, however, there is a chance they may require even less. Their first challenge will be against the Raiders in Canberra this Saturday evening. The Raiders have won four of their past five and are firming as genuine top eight chances. Jordan Rapana returns for Canberra, whilst Corey Horsburgh has been named among the reserves and may be a late inclusion for Ricky Stuart. For Penrith, Stephen Crichton will make his return after sitting out their last-start loss with a concussion. Penrith have won seven of their past nine against Canberra who will be eager to come away with a statement victory and kick their finals charge well and truly into gear.

Debutant named at fullback for local derby

Another chapter in one of rugby league’s fiercest rivalries will be written this Saturday night in the Shire when St. George Illawarra make the trip across the bridge to face Cronulla. The Sharks will blood fullback Kade Dykes after it was confirmed William Kennedy will undergo ankle surgery set to keep him sidelined for up to six weeks. Dykes’ father Adam played 183 games for Cronulla and earned a Dally M Five-Eighth of the Year nod with the club in 2001 whilst his grandfather John also spent a season there. Dykes has appeared in 13 games for the Jets this season in NSW Cup, splitting time between fullback and five-eighth, scoring eight tries, assisting on nine, breaking 68 tackles and averaging 130 metres per game. Royce Hunt is also racing the clock to be fit with Braydon Trindall named as his replacement. The Dragons, meanwhile, are running with the same 17 that lost to North Queensland on Sunday afternoon at Kogarah. With their finals hopes hanging by a thread, head coach Anthony Griffin is entrusting his veterans to turn their season around. St. George Illawarra have played Cronulla more than they have any other side and have lost six of their past seven to them.

Can Canterbury keep their momentum going?

The Dogs have won four of their past six and are beginning to fire with ball in hand and, whilst it may be too late for a finals push, they will be eager to springboard into 2023 with the same attacking vigour they have displayed since Mick Potter took over from Trent Barrett in an interim capacity. They will face the second-place Cowboys in Bundaberg this Sunday afternoon in a clash that will help them identify just how far they have come. North Queensland possess the premiership’s second stoutest defence and have not conceded over 30 points once this season. The Cowboys have won eight of their past 11 against the Dogs and are currently eyeing a home qualifying final if they can stay ahead of the third-place Sharks. Kyle Feldt will miss the clash with a hamstring twinge with Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow coming onto the right wing whilst Raymond Faitala-Mariner is a chance to return for Canterbury. The Dogs have also named rugby union-convert Jeral Skelton in the reserves after a bumper fortnight of NSW Cup in which he crossed for three tries, broke 24 tackles, and 408 metres over two games. Cowboys rookie Jeremiah Nanai has broken the Cowboys forward record for most tries in a season with 16 from 16 games and has scored 10 over his past eight.

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