Manly Sea Eagles vs Brisbane Broncos – Friday night – Brookvale Oval

Many are surprised that the Sea Eagles continue to perform on the field despite the off-field dramas, but this team have been battling off-field dramas for years - clearly they are used to it and these things simply don't phase them when they lace up the boots. I expected Brisbane to respond to off-field dramas last weekend and they disappointed. Perhaps the road trip will galvanise them, but if they do it's just another game I'll be getting wrong in season 2014.

Verdict – Sea Eagles by 4

Result - Sea Eagles 16 defeated Broncos 4

Canterbury Bulldogs vs Penrith Panthers – Friday night – ANZ Stadium

Two team who might be starting to get a little wobbly as we enter the business end of season 2014. The Bulldogs have disappointed in successive rounds but their lineup this weekend is just one prop forward and one centre short of their best seventeen. Peter Wallace is in casualty again and Will Smith steps up for the Men in Black in a playmaking role. Tick Tick Tick Tick Booom! Two of the best packs of forwards confront each other at ANZ on Friday night and this may end up being quite the game of football. After seven away teams won last weekend this could be a strange way to pick a winner, but the Dogs at home.

Verdict – Bulldogs by 2

Result - Panthers 22 defeated Bulldogs 16

Cronulla Sharks vs Parramatta Eels – Saturday afternoon – Remondis Stadium

The Sharks don't win out of turn, but when they do it seems to me that the Knights bob up with a win in the very same round. Clearly the desire to avoid the spoon is strong, and it may be worth keeping an eye on that little kernel of information as we near the finishing line. I have a theory  (that may not stand up to close scrutiny) that the Sharks perform better at night. I think partly because night-time conditions mean their opponents have to play a tighter more controlled style of football, and that style of football is just the way the Sharks like it. So with that I'm tipping the Eels, a team with a style of play suited to daytime conditions like no other. They just have more points in them I think, and it's uncanny how often scoring more points than your opponent wins you the game. Profound is it not? You won't see analysis like that on The Footy Show.

Verdict – Eels by 8

Result - Eels 32 defeated Sharks 12

North Queensland Cowboys vs Gold Coast Titans – Saturday night - 1300SMILES Stadium

If the Cowboys were in the top four they'd nearly be favourites to win the comp this year. Their football in recent weeks (even when they've lost)  has been tremendous, and after successive victories in Sydney you have to start taking notice of them again. Sadly, they're in a battle just to make the eight, but they're finally in the eight, and their points differential should make a world of difference. This game presents an opportunity to improve their differential even further. They win this and they win this well. You can trust me folks, I haven't been wrong all season.

Verdict – Cowboys by 14

Result - Cowboys 28 defeated Titans 8

Sydney Roosters vs St George Illawarra Dragons – Saturday night – Allianz Stadium

It may be time the check the expiration dates on my various medications, but I'm wondering if the Dragons could sneak into the top eight from here. It would be quite an effort, given they punted the coach not so long ago and asked the guy carrying the water bottle to hold the clipboard for the rest of the season. SBW isn't around this weekend which means the best backrow in the competition is now ummmm....okay it's still the best backrow in the competition. Surely I jag an upset at some stage this year, at which point you can all bask in my greatness. I like what I see from the Dragons, and they'll go close to having half the support in the stands on Saturday night. Widdop plays a blinder, and that under-rated backline gets the Red V over the line. I'll be backing the Red V with the handicap start and taking the $1.90, for what that's worth (hopefully $1.90).

Verdict – Dragons by 4

Result - Roosters 30 defeated Dragons 22

Canberra Raiders vs New Zealand Warriors – Sunday afternoon – GIO Stadium

Those Warriors will be pleased they're getting away from that New Zealand winter to spend a beautiful afternoon in balmy Canberra. But don't feel sorry for our Kiwi cousins, feel sorry for The Thinker and Ms Thinker, who are sneaking away from the Thinklings this weekend for some quality time in Tasmania. Have any of you seen the weather in Tasmania at the moment? Sheesh! I hope Ms Thinker lets me keep my socks on. With my perfect round riding on the Raiders last weekend I watched their performance quite closely. Apparently the Raiders were disappointed with themselves on Monday night and with good reason. Some of their options with the ball in hand were simply baffling. Daytime conditions will help some of that razzly dazzly stuff stick, but no-one matches the Warriors when it comes to the razzle dazzle. If both teams are on song this could be the game of the year. Back the overs - this game has a 42-34 scoreline written all over it.

Verdict – Warriors by 8

Result - Warriors 54 defeated Raiders 18

South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Newcastle Knights – Sunday afternoon – Barlow Park

If the Sharks win on Saturday afternoon the Knights may just pull out a rabbit on the Rabbits, and 'Rabbits' Warren will be there to tell us all about it. Too may rabbits....in this preview. I'll take the 'home' side, who are looking more and more like a contender.

Verdict – Rabbitohs by 10

Result - Rabbitohs 50 defeated Knights 10

Wests Tigers vs Melbourne Storm – Monday night – Campbelltown Stadium

You probably thinking I get a lot of things wrong on this site...and you'd be right. But I may have been right a few weeks ago when I said the Storm were the team most likely to push into the top four. Just before Cooper Cronk broke his arm the Storm were into about $5.50. Then they were out the gate to as much as $31. Oh to have some of that $31 now. Tricky venue for the purple machine, but they are still one of the most professional sides in the comp and they'll do what they have to do.

Verdict – Storm by 10

Result - Storm 28 defeated Tigers 6

Wally Lewis - round twenty-one selections (in bold)

Note: tips from Wally will be published on Thursday night or early Friday morning.

• SEA EAGLES vs Broncos
• BULLDOGS vs Panthers
• Sharks vs EELS
• COWBOYS vs Titans
• ROOSTERS vs Dragons
• Raiders vs WARRIORS
• RABBITOHS vs Knights
• Tigers vs STORM