NRL Weekly Watch: Everything to keep an eye on in Round 22

Broncos host desperate Chooks at The Gabba

The round opens with the high-flying Broncos facing off against the Roosters at The Gabba on Thursday night.

Brisbane are without Jesse Arthars (suspension) and Martin Taupa’u (suspension) but welcome back Thomas Flegler (foot).

Deine Mariner comes onto the wing with Flegler and Piakura coming into the starting pack and Keenan Palasia reverting to the interchange.

For the Roosters, Victor Radley (hamstring) returns pushing Nathan Brown to the interchange and rookie Siua Wong to the reserves.

The Roosters have won five of their past six against the Broncos but have won just six of their past 17 total games in Brisbane.

Wests Tigers, Rabbitohs meet in Tamworth

The Wests Tigers will take on the Rabbitohs at Tamworth’s Scully Park on Friday evening with Jason Demetriou’s men aiming to spark a run towards the postseason.

Luke Brooks (hamstring) and Charlie Staines (stomach) return into the starting 13 for Tim Sheens with Shawn Blore and Will Smith coming onto the bench.

Tommy Talau, Brandon Wakeham, Tallyn Da Silva and Alex Seyfarth are the men to drop out with Junior Tupou shifting into the centres.

For South Sydney, Latrell Mitchell (calf) has been named to make his much anticipated return along with Jed Cartwright.

Blake Taaffe misses out whilst Jai Arrow shifts to prop, Jacob Host to an edge, and Thomas Burgess to the interchange.

Souths have won six of their past seven against the Wests Tigers with Sheens’ men having won one of their three clashes in Tamworth over the years.

Storm face Eels at Marvel in high stakes clash

Parramatta will make the journey to the Victorian capital on Saturday night for a pivotal clash against the Storm at Marvel Stadium.

The Storm will be without Nelson Asofa-Solomona (finger), Justin Olam, Reimis Smith (adductor) and Tariq Sims (suspension).

Marion Seve and Young Tonumaipea make up a new-look centre-pairing with Eliesa Katoa (eye) returning onto the interchange alongside Tyran Wishart.

Shaun Lane (elbow) is missing for the visitors with Andrew Davey promoted into the second row and midseason acquisition Joey Lussick joining the interchange.

Melbourne have won just one of their past five against Parramatta.

Knights journey to nation’s capital Saturday

The Raiders come up against the in-form Knights on Saturday afternoon at GIO Stadium in a bid to stay within reach of the top four.

Ricky Stuart has named the same 17 that went down to the Warriors in Auckland a week ago.

Daniel Saifiti (thigh) is missing for Newcastle with brother Jacob starting up front and Brodie Jones coming onto the interchange.

The Raiders have beaten the Knights in five of their past six in Canberra with Newcastle having won just six of 28 at the venue over the years.

Sea Eagles head to Wollongong for DCE’s 300th

The Dragons will look to make it back-to-back wins for the first time this year when they face Manly in Daly Cherry-Evans’ 300th NRL game at WIN Stadium on Saturday evening.

The only change to the Dragons side that got over the Wests Tigers last round is the addition of debutant Connor Muhleisen who replaces Super League signee Moses Mbye.

A 22-year-old hooker, Muhleisen came through the Illawarra system and has spent the past two seasons as a pillar of the club’s KOE NSW Cup side.

For Manly, Taniela Paseka (knee) and Josh Aloiai (shoulder) are out with Toafofoa Sipley and Matt Lodge making up a new front-row pairing and Ethan Bullemor joining the bench.

The Dragons have won seven of their past nine against Manly and eight in a row against them in Wollongong.

Panthers take on reeling Sharks at BlueBet

The Panthers look to continue their winning ways against a Sharks squad desperate to turn their season around at BlueBet Stadium on Saturday night.

Spencer Leniu (knee) and Luke Garner drop out for the Panthers with Zac Hosking and Matt Eisenhuth joining the bench.

Dale Finucane (bicep) and Jesse Colquhoun (suspension) are out for Cronulla with Cameron McInnes starting at lock, Wade Graham (toe) retuning onto an edge, and Siosifa Talakai coming onto the bench.

The Panthers have beaten the Sharks in five of their past six and four in a row at BlueBet Stadium.

Dogs face off against Dolphins in Bundaberg

The Bulldogs will meet the Dolphins for the first time in club history when they travel to Bundaberg’s Salter Oval on Sunday afternoon.

It is changes galore for Canterbury with Viliame Kikau (pec), Josh Addo-Carr (hamstring), Jacob Preston (illness), Toby Sexton (head knock) and Braidon Burns (abdomen) all returning.

Hayze Perham, Paul Alamoti, Jeral Skelton, Harrison Edwards and Jayden Okunbor drop out of the side with Jake Averillo shifting to the back, Reed Mahoney to hooker, Tevita Pangai Jr. and Raymond Faitala-Mariner to the middle and Corey Waddell and Kyle Flanagan to the interchange.

For the Dolphins, Isaiya Katoa, Harrison Graham, and Ray Stone drop out with Jeremy Marshall-King (shoulder), Tesi Niu, and Josh Kerr all returning.

Kodi Nikorima shifts to six, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to the back, Valynce Te Whare into the centres, Kenny Bromwich to lock and Anthony Milford to the bench.

Titans, Cowboys square off in all-QLD derby

The Cowboys make the trip south to take on the Titans at Cbus Super Stadium on Sunday afternoon in search of their seventh win on the trot.

It is the same 17 that went down to the Roosters last week for the Titans, however, Isaac Liu and Joe Stimson have been named to start with Chris Randall and Klese Hass off the bench.

For North Queensland, Jeremiah Nanai (shoulder) and Griffin Neame (head knock) are out with Kulikefu Finefeuiaki starting and Jamayne Taunoa-Brown and Sam McIntyre joining the bench.

The Cowboys have won 13 of their past 16 against the Titans including four of their past six on the Gold Coast.

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