Canterbury Bulldogs vs Manly Sea Eagles – Friday night – ANZ Stadium

The Bulldogs have lost three of their opening four games of the season, and their only win was a narrow victory over the struggling Eels. There is much to like about the way they are playing, but they need to start finding some wins before the climb to the top of the ladder gets too steep. Scoring points appears to be the primary stumbling block at the moment, but the return of Ben Barba should go a long way toward alleviating that issue. There were signs of life in their mercurial fullback last week against the Bunnies, and he'll be better for the run. Losing Krisnan Inu for five weeks is a significant blow - on his day he's a dangerous strike weapon but he's also their first choice goal-kicker. They need every point they can find, and losing their best goalkicker hardly helps. Manly were under the pump for much of the first half last week against the Tigers. Much of that pressure was self-induced as a result of poor ball security, but the fact that they turned it all around, ran away with the game in the second half and kept their opponents to zero shows how well this team is going. Bulldogs coach Des Hasler knows a thing or two about the Sea Eagles, but I can't see that knowledge being converted into a victory on the paddock. Not yet anyway. A potentially epic encounter - Jamie Lyon will prove the difference.

Verdict – Sea Eagles

Result - Sea Eagles 20 defeated Bulldogs 6

Gold Coast Titans vs Brisbane Broncos – Friday night – Skilled Park

All hail the almighty power of The Thinker. I give the Broncos a decent spray last week and they come out and rack up 26 points against the Storm - and they did it without Justin Hodges. It wasn't enough to win, but it was a performance that the Broncos faithful can hang their hat on, knowing that their team has life in it yet. At the time of writing there are enough players named on the interchange benches to field a team, and it's difficult to know just who will turn up on Friday night. Hoffman has been named but he's doubtful, and Thaiday has been named but he'll be warming the bench all evening. The Broncos pack needs to match the Titans for metres in the middle. The return of Hodges actually helps in this regard, as his ball carries from dummy-half are close to the best in the business. I'm expecting Scott Prince to dig deep into the recesses of his brain and find his A-game. The Titans are the warmest of favourites and deservedly so, but if I keep tipping upsets I'll get one right eventually. A cracking game of football, and a field goal wins it for the visitors.

Verdict – Broncos

Result - Broncos 32 defeated Titans 12

Parramatta Eels vs Cronulla Sharks – Saturday night – Parramatta Stadium

The Eels were washed away in a sea of red, white and blue on Monday night. Any right-minded tipster would be selecting the Sharks in this game and moving on with their lives - but not this little black duck. This games marks the inaugural contest for the Jon Mannah Cup - the former Cronulla and Parramatta forward who lost his battle with Hodgkins Lymphoma in January this year. If Parramatta can't lift for their captain (Tim Mannah) they never will, and if Ricky Stuart knows one thing he knows how to lift a team for a big occasion. I wonder out loud if the Eels were already thinking about this game when they were beaten by the Roosters last week (come to think of it, that might explain the Sharks baffling loss to the Dragons). Many of the boys at Cronulla knew Jon Mannah well and this is a big game for both clubs, but I can't see the Sharks taking this game away from Tim. On paper this doesn't look like the game of the round, but this is the game of the round.

Verdict – Eels

Result - Eels 13 defeated Sharks 6

North Queensland Cowboys vs Penrith Panthers – Saturday night – 1300SMILES Stadium

Oh goodness gracious me. What has happened to the team I tipped to win the comp this year? They may not win the comp, but they win this don't they? Don't they? Penrith are trialling another halves combination and if Thurston and Morgan can't outplay Humble and Austin I might have to give this tipping caper away. Come on Cowboys. Don't make me give it away.

Verdict – Cowboys 44ish to beat the Panthers 14ish

Result - Cowboys 30 defeated Panthers 0

St George Illawarra Dragons vs Newcastle Knights – Sunday afternoon – WIN Jubilee Oval

Sam Thaiday lightly tugged on the shirt of an official last week and he's suspended. Danny Buderus fractured a players cheekbone last week (with a shoulder charge) and he's free to play. It's a funny old game sometimes. The Dragons finally found a way to the tryline last weekend but I'll write that result off as an irregularity until I see them repeat the dose. In the three games when the Knights have turned up to play they've scored a total of 104 points. Daytime conditions advantage them further and they are, quite simply, the superior outfit. Good things.

Verdict – Knights

Result - Dragons 19 defeated Knights 16

New Zealand Warriors vs South Sydney Rabbitohs – Sunday afternoon – Mt Smart Stadium

The Rabbitohs record against the Warriors is pretty darn awful. They've lost four of the last five, and in the last two games they were absolutely smashed. Mind you, I pointed out last week that the Rabbits didn't have much of a record against the Bulldogs and we all saw how that worked out for me. The Warriors are gradually improving, but they have quite a way to go before they are competing with this mob.

Verdict – Rabbitohs

Result - Rabbitohs 24 defeated Warriors 22

Canberra Raiders vs Sydney Roosters – Sunday night – Canberra Stadium

The only team the Raiders have beaten this season is the team that never beat the Raiders (St George). Outside of that victory their performances this season have been dog-ordinary (and their points differential and ladder position reflect that). Compare that form to the Chooks - whose only loss this season was to the unbeaten Rabbitohs. Since that round one loss, the Roosters have improved each week. Canberra Stadium gives the green machine some sort of hope, but the chickens pick themselves.

Verdict – Roosters

Result - Raiders 24 defeated Roosters 22

Melbourne Storm vs Wests Tigers – Monday night – AAMI Park

Despite all that possession and all that field position, the Tigers couldn't score a single point against Manly last weekend. That isn't the sort of form you want to be taking to Melbourne. The Storm lost every meaningful statistic against the Broncos on Good Friday - except for the one statistic that matters most. My tip of the round.

Verdict – Storm

Result - Storm 26 defeated Tigers 12

Wally Lewis - round five selections (in bold)

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

• BULLDOGS vs Sea Eagles
• TITANS vs Broncos
• Eels vs SHARKS
• COWBOYS vs Panthers
• Dragons vs KNIGHTS
• Warriors vs RABBITOHS
• Raiders vs ROOSTERS
• STORM vs Tigers