NRL Weekly Watch: Everything to keep an eye on in Round 4

Grand Final rematch, Battle of the West rolled into one at CommBank

Round 3 opens with a highly-anticipated rematch between 2022 Grand Finalists Penrith and Parramatta at CommBank Stadium as the Eels look to avoid their first 0-4 start since 2018 – a year in which they ran last.

Parramatta welcome Ryan Matterson back into the second-row after a three-week suspension he copped for a crusher tackle in the aforementioned Grand Final with Matt Doorey back onto the interchange and Jack Murchie (head knock) out.

Penrith junior Brendan Hands – a hooker with the versatility to shift into the halves or middle – will debut off the bench for Parramatta with Jirah Momoisea dropping onto the reserves list.

Hands’ inclusion may signal an intent to lessen starting nine Josh Hodgson’s workload with the 33-year-old having played 244 minutes across the first three games or the debutant may be relied on simply as playmaker cover à la Jakob Arthur for much of last season.

Fresh off a bye, Penrith’s only change comes in the form of Scott Sorensen returning onto the interchange for Matt Eisenhuth after missing their Round 2 win with a head knock.

Penrith have won six of their past eight against Parramatta with Brian To’o having scored seven tries from his past five games against the blue-and-golds.

Can Munster’s return steady Melbourne’s ship against hapless Wests Tigers?

The Storm, fresh off back-to-back losses, host the winless Wests Tigers on Friday evening and are set to welcome back star six Cameron Munster as they aim to make a return to their winning ways.

Munster slots in at five-eighth with rookie Jonah Pezet expected to partner him in the halves after Jahrome Hughes was hit with a two-match ban for dangerous contact on Tanah Boyd.

Wests Tigers head coach Tim Sheens, meanwhile, was busy back at the drawing board, making a number of changes to the 17 that was beaten by Canterbury on Sunday afternoon.

Adam Doueihi shifts from five-eighth to fullback with Brandon Wakeham named in the six jersey and Charlie Staines moving from the back to the flank.

Isaiah Papali’i will start in the second-row alongside John Bateman after missing last week through suspension whilst Daine Laurie has been named in the 14 jersey after missing last week with a knee complaint and Alex Seyfarth comes onto the interchange for Joe Ofahengaue, who has been named among the reserves.

Melbourne have not started a season 1-3 since 2004 and have won seven of their past nine against the Wests Tigers.

Dolphins, Broncos to ignite in Battle of Brisbane

The inaugural Battle of Brisbane will explode when the undefeated Dolphins host the undefeated Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

Kevin Walters has named the same 17 that finished with a flurry to dispatch of the Dragons on Saturday, however, Kobe Hetherington has been named among the reserves as he progresses towards a return from a bicep injury.

The Dolphins will be without Felise Kaufusi after the hard-hitting edge forward was smacked with a four-match ban for a late shot on Knights playmaker Jackson Hastings.

Jarrod Wallace is expected to start at prop after a week off with Kenny Bromwich and Connelly Lemuelu on either edge and rookie Kurt Donoghoe dropping to the reserves.

The Broncos have not started a season 4-0 since 2003 as they look to end a three-year postseason drought.

Cowboys desperate to prove 2022 was not an outlier

The Cowboys and Titans will face-off in another Queensland derby on Saturday evening with Todd Payten’s men looking to put a tough start behind them and prove that last season’s Top 4 heroics were nothing abnormal.

Griffin Neame starts at prop for the Cowboys in place of Reuben Cotter (knee) whilst James Tamou comes onto the interchange.

Mitchell Dunn has been named among the reserves for the first time since tearing his ACL at the start of last season.

Justin Holbrook has named the same side that upset the Storm last weekend on the Gold Coast.

North Queensland have won 12 of their past 15 against the Titans and nine of their past 10 against them in Townsville.

Can Manly continue their strong start against Souths?

The 2-0 Sea Eagles face a Rabbits side fresh off an intense loss to the Roosters as they eye their first 3-0 start to a season in 16 years.

South Sydney’s middle forward stocks have been hit hard going into this one with Tevita Tatola (knee), Hame Sele (head knock), and Shaquai Mitchell (foot) all unavailable.

Daniel Suluka-Fifita and Thomas Burgess will start in the front-row with Jacob Host coming into the second-row and pushing Michael Chee-Kam onto the bench.

Blake Taaffe will wear the 14 jumper after not playing in  last week’s loss to the tricolours.

For Manly, Anthony Seibold has named the same 17 that outlasted the Eels at 4 Pines Park on Thursday night.

South Sydney have won their past six games against Manly and have not lost to them at Accor Stadium since the 2013 preliminary final.

Will the Warriors or Dogs improve to an unlikely 3-1?

Both the Warriors and Bulldogs have been revelling under new head coaches to start season 2023 and will do battle at Mount Smart Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

In their first game at Mount Smart this season, the Warriors welcome back fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad after he missed their last-start win over North Queensland with a head knock with Round 3 debutant and understudy Taine Tuaupiki dropping back to the reserves.

Jackson Ford also returns onto an edge after missing Round 3 with a head knock, replacing Mitch Barnett (neck) whilst Freddy Lussick replaces in-form nine Wayde Egan (head knock) at hooker.

Cameron Ciraldo has named the same side that got the job done against the Wests Tigers at Belmore on Sunday.

The Warriors have won five of their past six against the Dogs including four in-a-row but have lost nine of their past 12 at Mount Smart.

Papali’i returns as Raiders eye back-to-back wins

The Raiders will welcome back veteran big man Josh Papali’i when they face the Knights in Newcastle on Sunday afternoon with both sides eyeing their second win of the season.

The Knights welcome back several key men including Daniel Saifiti, Jayden Brailey, Kurt Mann and Jack Johns after falling to the Dolphins last week.

Daniel Saifiti starts in the front-row alongside Leo Thompson with Jack Hetherington dropping onto the bench whilst Brailey’s return pushes Phoenix Crossland back into the 14 jumper.

Mann starts at lock with last week’s debutants Ryan Rivett, Dylan Lucas, and Tom Cant dropping out of the side.

Tyson Frizell has been named among the reserves as he eyes a return from an ankle issue.

Adam O’Brien has also sensationally opted to hand Greg Marzhew a club debut in place of Roosters-bound Dom Young.

For the Raiders, Papali’i returns from a calf injury which pushes Emre Guler back to the interchange and Trey Mooney to the reserves whilst Zac Woolford starts at nine in place of Danny Levi (broken jaw) to re-form the hooking combination he developed with Tom Starling at the end of last season that helped dragged the side to the postseason.

The Knights have won just one of their past five against the Raiders in Newcastle.

Kogarah hosts fierce local derby as Dragons face Sharks

The Dragons and Sharks – set to be spurred by the inclusion of reigning Dally M Medallist Nicho Hynes – will clash in a fervent local derby on Sunday evening to cap off the round.

The Dragons welcome back rookie middle Toby Couchman onto the interchange in place of Michael Molo in the only change for Anthony Griffin’s men.

The Sharks, meanwhile, will be with Hynes for the first time this season after he succumbed to a calf issue in the preseason; his addition sees Braydon Trindall drop back to the bench and Jack Williams to the reserves.

Cronulla have won seven of their past eight against the Dragons, however, the Red V have run out victors in 10 of their past 11 home games.

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