NRL Weekly Watch: Everything to keep an eye on in Round 27

Our team have looked over every game this round and here’s what you cannot miss below

Baby Broncos host understrength Storm at Suncorp

The round opens with a Thursday night matchup between the Broncos and Storm at Suncorp with both sides opting to rest a large collection of their first-choice squad.

Reece Walsh, Herbie Farnworth, Selwyn Cobbo, Ezra Mam, Billy Walters, Payne Haas, Kurt Capewell and Kobe Hetherington are all being rested with Adam Reynolds (calf), Patrick Carrigan (foot), and Kotoni Staggs (suspension) also missing.

Kevin Walters has named a pair of debutants – Josh Rogers at five-eighth and Blake Mozer at 14 – whilst Tristan Sailor comes in at fullback and winger Jordan Pereira earns his first NRL outing of the season among other changes.

For Melbourne, Nick Meaney, Marion Seve, Xavier Coates, Cameron Munster, Tui Kamikamica, Christian Welch, Trent Loiero, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Will Warbrick and Tom Eisenhuth are all out along with Jahrome Hughes (knee) and Harry Grant (shoulder).

Ryan Papenhuyzen has been named to make his first start of the season at fullback whilst Sualauvi Fa’alogo and Jack Howarth have been named to make their NRL debuts off the bench.

Melbourne have won an absurd 13 in a row against Brisbane and have not lost to them at Suncorp since Round 2, 2009.

A win secures Brisbane their first minor premiership since 2000 whilst Melbourne can leapfrog the Warriors into third spot should the former win and the latter lose.

These two sides will face each other in the opening week of the postseason next week if the Broncos win.

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Wests Tigers head to 4 Pines for Sea Eagles meeting

The Sea Eagles and Wests Tigers will play their final game of the season at 4 Pines Park on Friday evening.

Dean Matterson replaces Kelma Tuilagi on the bench for the hosts.

Stefano Utoikamanu, John Bateman, Will Smith and Aitasi James are all missing for the Wests Tigers with Apisai Koroisau named at seven and Alex Twal and Jake Simpkin coming into the 17 alongside debutants Josh Feledy and Kit Laulili’i.

The Wests Tigers need to win and make up a 69-point for-and-against differential to catch the Dragons – who face Newcastle on Saturday night – in order to avoid their second-consecutive wooden spoon.

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Rabbits face Roosters with potential finals berth at stake

The Rabbitohs and Roosters face off in a highly-anticipated Friday night showdown at Accor Stadium with the winner’s finals hopes kept alive.

Souths will be without Latrell Mitchell (suspension) whilst Taane Milne, Jacob Host, and Siliva Havili also drop out of the side.

Blake Taaffe will wear the No. 1 jersey whilst Izaac Tu’itupou comes onto the wing, Michael Chee Kam onto an edge, and Davvy Moale onto the interchange.

Joseph Manu (hamstring) and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (suspension) are both out for the Tricolours but James Tedesco (head knock) and Angus Crichton both return.

The winner will find themselves in the top eight at the end of the night with results in the Panthers-Cowboys and Sharks-Raiders matchups determining if they remain there at the end of the weekend.

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Warriors rest stars for Dolphins matchup

With a top four spot secured and a qualifying finals matchup in Brisbane or Penrith already locked in, the Warriors have opted to rest a number of their stars for their meeting with the Dolphins at Suncorp on Saturday afternoon.

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Shaun Johnson, Addin Fonua-Blake and Wayde Egan will all not play whilst Tohu Harris (back) and Luke Metcalf (hamstring) are nursing injuries.

Mitchell Barnett (leg) returns in a big boost whilst Te Maire Martin (leg) has been named to make his first appearance since Round 6 at five-eighth.

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Cowboys BlueBet-bound for high-stakes showdown

North Queensland will face Penrith at BlueBet Stadium on Saturday evening needing to win to keep their finals hopes alive.

The Cowboys have named the same 17 that took care of business versus the Dolphins a week ago.

Penrith will be without Jarome Luai (shoulder) but welcome back Dylan Edwards, Sunia Turuva, and Scott Sorensen whilst Izack Tago (leg) is listed among the reserves.

Luke Sommerton is the hooker whilst Jack Cogger lines up at five-eighth.

A win will see the Cowboys finish in the top eight unless the Rabbitohs and Raiders both win.

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Ponga-less Knights journey to Kogarah to face Dragons

With a home qualifying final locked in, the Knights head to Kogarah undermanned to face the Dragons on Saturday night.

Jack de Belin (suspension) returns for the Red V whilst Mathew Feagai comes onto the wing to replace Round 26 debutant Sione Finau (ankle)

Kalyn Ponga (shoulder) is missing for the visitors whilst Tyson Frizell, Dane Gagai, and Phoenix Crossland are being rested.

Lachlan Miller is the fullback with Enari Tuala and Brodie Jones coming into the run-on side and debutant Riley Jones joining the interchange.

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Titans, Dogs face-off on Gold Coast

The Titans host the Bulldogs at Cbus Super Stadium on Sunday afternoon in the final outing of the year for both outfits.

Moeaki Fotuaika returns for the hosts at the expense of Isaac Liu.

Tevita Pangai Jr. and Harrison Edwards are both out through injury for the Bulldogs with Sam Hughes and Kurtis Morrin coming onto the bench.

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Sharks clash with Raiders with finals seeding at stake

The final regular season outing of 2023 firms as a key one with the sixth-place Sharks hosting the seventh-place Raiders at PointsBet Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Nicho Hynes (quad) returns for Cronulla with Braydon Trindall shifting to six and Matt Moylan reverting to the interchange.

Josh Papali’i (biceps) and Corey Horsburgh (suspension) are expected to miss the remainder of the season for Canberra with Hohepa Puru coming onto the bench for his NRL debut.

Jack Wighton has been named in the centres, Jordan Rapana at the back, and Sebastian Kris on the wing.

A win will secure either side a home qualifying final, however, a loss for the Raiders could spell trouble due to their poor for-and-against.

A Raiders loss coupled with a Cowboys win would knock the Green Machine out of the finals picture.