NRL Weekly Watch: Everything to keep an eye on in Round 18

Round kicks off with local derby at PointsBet

The Sharks host the Dragons in a fervent, local derby to kick-off Round 18 on Thursday night with a tonne on the line for both sides.

Fresh off a bye, Craig Fitzgibbon has named the same 17 that took down the Bulldogs in Round 16 with Toby Rudolf listed among the reserves as he looks to return from a toe injury that has kept him sidelined for close to three months.

As for St George Illawarra, Moses Suli (head knock) and Jack Bird (knee) are unavailable with Tautau Moga coming into the centres and Ben Murdoch-Masila starting on an edge for his 100th NRL game.

Zane Musgrove drops off the interchange with Toby Couchman and Jaiyden Hunt the new faces.

The Sharks have won eight of their past nine against the Dragons including six on the trot.

Souths look to turn things around in Auckland

South Sydney will look to put an abrupt stop to their recent woes when they make their first trip to Auckland since 2019 to face a stellar Warriors outfit on Friday.

Marata Niukore (suspension) is missing for the hosts with Josh Curran coming into the starting unit and Mitchell Barnett joining the pine.

For South Sydney, Michael Chee-Kam comes into the second row for Jacob Host (suspension) whilst Jed Cartwright and Peter Mamouzelos are replaced on the interchange by Siliva Havili and Shaquai Mitchell.

The Rabbitohs have won an absurd 14 of their past 15 against the Warriors including four-straight in Auckland.

Storm host Panthers in heavyweight showdown at Marvel

Melbourne will host defending premiers Penrith at Marvel Stadium in a mouth-watering, first-versus-third clash on Friday night.

Cameron Munster (rest) returns for the Storm with Jonah Pezet dropping out whilst Tui Kamikamica (calf) and Kane Bradley come onto the bench in place of Tyran Wishart and Aaron Pene.

Origin stars Isaah Yeo, Liam Martin, Jarome Luai, Brian To’o and Stephen Crichton all return for Ivan Cleary with Matt Eisenhuth, Luke Garner, Zac Hosking, Tom Jenkins and Tyrone Peachey making way and Jaeman Salmon moving from six back to the interchange.

Jack Cogger remains at halfback with Nathan Cleary still sidelined with a hamstring issue.

Both sides have won four of their past eight against one another in a list of games that includes Melbourne’s 2020 Grand Final win and Penrith’s 2021 preliminary final win.

Titans head to nation’s capital, look to continue winning ways

The Titans make the journey to Canberra to face Ricky Stuart’s Raiders on Saturday afternoon in a bid to build on back-to-back wins.

Josh Papali’i (hamstring) is out for the Raiders with Pasami Saulo starting up front and Ata Mariota joining the interchange.

For the Gold Coast, skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (rest) returns at prop with Jaimin Jolliffe reverting to the interchange and Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui dropping out.

Canberra have won seven of their past eight against the Titans.

Wests Tigers Townsville-bound for ’05 GF rematch

The Wests Tigers travel to Townsville on Saturday evening to face a Cowboys side that they are only six weeks removed from shellacking 66-18.

Reuben Cotter will start for the Cowboys with Jake Granville dropping back to the bench in the only change to the side that took care of business against the Bunnies a week ago.

For the Wests Tigers, Stefano Utoikamanu (rest) is back whilst Daine Laurie comes in at five-eighth for his first NRL outing since Round 4.

Starford To’a shifts to the centres, Asu Kepaoa and Fonua Pole move to the bench, and Alex Seyfarth drops out.

The Wests Tigers have beaten the Cowboys in eight of their last 12 and have won three of their past four in Townsville.

Battle of Brisbane heats up at The Gabba

The Dolphins and Broncos will face off at The Gabba in the second ever Battle of Brisbane on Saturday night.

Reece Walsh (suspension) misses out for the Broncos with Tristan Sailor expected to line-up at fullback whilst Thomas Flegler (foot) and Jordan Riki (foot) are also out.

Keenan Palasia will start up front with Xavier Willison coming into the second row for his second game of the year.

For the Dolphins, last week’s debutants Brayden McGrady and Harrison Graham drop out of the side with Tesi Niu returning onto the wing and Jeremy Marshall-King (shoulder) back at hooker.

Sean O’Sullivan partners Isaiya Katoa in the halves after making a successful return from a long-term, pectoral injury last week with Kodi Nikorima on the bench.

Rugby league matches at The Gabba have proven few and far between over the years with a 1968 clash between Queensland Firsts and a touring Great Britain the last official clash at the venue.

Knights, Bulldogs look to end skids at Homebush

Newcastle and Canterbury will meet on Sunday afternoon at Accor Stadium with both sides in desperate need of two competition points.

Josh Addo-Carr and Matt Burton return from Origin duty for the Dogs with Braidon Burns and Kyle Flanagan dropping out whilst Khaled Rajab earns his first start at five-eighth in place of Karl Oloapu.

Max King start up front with Chris Patolo and Corey Waddell dropping out whilst Harrison Edwards (head knock) and Jackson Topine come onto the bench.

Dane Gagai (foot) is out for the Knights with Enari Tuala coming into the centres whilst Lachlan Fitzgibbon’s (concussion) return pushes rookie Dylan Lucas out.

Canterbury have won nine of their past 13 against the Knights.

Sea Eagles host Roosters in pivotal Sunday clash

The round concludes with a crucial clash between top eight hopefuls Manly and Sydney at 4 Pines Park on Sunday afternoon.

In a major boost, Jake Trbojevic (calf), Kelma Tuilagi (facial fracture), Jason Saab (shoulder), Ben Trbojevic (hamstring) and Brad Parker (elbow) are all available for Anthony Seibold’s Sea Eagles.

Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega, Morgan Harper, Sean Keppie, Karl Lawton and Ben Condon are the men dropping out with Ethan Bullemor and Aaron Woods reverting to the interchange.

Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i returns from suspension to line-up on the wing outside 150-gamer Joseph Manu with Junior Pauga making way whilst Fletcher Baker (knock) and debutant Siua Wong come in for Angus Crichton (knee) and Egan Butcher (head knock).

Having progressed through the grades at the Roosters, Wong made his international debut for Fiji last year at the World Cup and earns an NRL call-up after an impressive month at NSW Cup level.

Victor Radley and Naufahu Whyte make up a new back-row pairing with Nathan Brown named at lock.

The Roosters have won six of their past eight against Manly including four of their past five on the Northern Beaches.

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