Melbourne Storm vs Wests Tigers – Friday night – AAMI Park

If you are ever going to take on the Storm in Melbourne then this is the weekend to do it. With the big three in Origin camp and Will Chambers ruled out indefinitely with a blood disorder, the Tigers are facing a heavily shuffled Storm outfit. Coach Craig Bellamy has raised my eyebrows by moving Gareth Widdup to fullback and naming Blair and Kostjasyn in the halves. He has coached 249 more NRL games than I have so I won't second guess the man. The Tigers played their best game of football all season when they kept the Raiders scoreless in Canberra. I'm not willing to count them as a contender just yet but at least they are heading in the right direction. They lose Robbie Farah to Origin duty but they are one team that gets through the representative period of the season without too many interruptions. Friday night is an opportunity for the Tigers to notch up their first ever victory in Melbourne. Good things.  

Verdict – Tigers

Result - Tigers 10 defeated Storm 6

Newcastle Knights vs Canberra Raiders – Saturday night – Hunter Stadium

I have friends visiting from overseas this weekend, and they've never seen a game of rugby league in their lives. First impressions are important, so I need to make sure I don't introduce them to the greatest game of all by sitting them down in front of this little blockbuster. These sides leaked 90 points between them last round, and that was on rain-affected surfaces. When these sides clash the home team almost always wins, and I don't believe this game deserves any more consideration than that.

Verdict – Knights

Result - Raiders 32 defeated Knights 16

Cronulla Sharks vs Gold Coast Titans – Sunday afternoon – Toyota Stadium

I have a sneaky suspicion that Wally will tip the Titans in this game, and they are a big big hope. Their win over the Cowboys last Friday night was simply tremendous and they are in top eight form. If they can keep that form going they will win plenty of games this season, but I do doubt them on Sunday. With Luke Bailey injured and Myles, Harrison and Bird unavailable their makeshift pack will struggle to match it with one of the best forward packs in the competition. The Sharks are missing Paul Gallen from their pack also, but the last time he was unavailable the Sharks beat the Melbourne Storm. Their form since that win has tapered off somewhat, but the return to Toyota Stadium should see them over the line. If both sides were at full-strength this game would have been a beauty - and it still should be pretty darn good. 

Verdict – Sharks

Result - Sharks 22 defeated Titans 12

Sydney Roosters vs Brisbane Broncos – Sunday afternoon – Allianz Stadium

Grab all your chips and stack 'em up. Take off your wedding ring and rest it gently on top. Now push the lot into the middle. This is the bet of the season thus far. The Roosters are expected to win this and they're going okay but they've won just one of their last six games - against the Knights. The Broncos aren't exactly in stellar form, and they are missing five pretty important players (Thaiday, Civoniceva, Hannant, Gillett and Hodges), but every season the 'Baby Broncos' pull out a surprise win. This is their surprise win. Josh McGuire needs to have a blinder up front, but he will relish the opportunity. He'll be ably supported by one of the best backrows in the game in Parker*, Glenn and Teo and those kids in the backline can get the job done in the scoring department. I love Mrs Thinker very much, but the ring is coming off on Sunday.

* This just in...I'm hearing that Corey Parker has been called into Origin camp to replace Thaiday who has a dodgy shoulder. Doesn't help one bit but I'll stick with the Broncos.

Verdict – Broncos

Result - Broncos 40 defeated Roosters 22

Penrith Panthers vs New Zealand Warriors – Monday night – Centrebet Stadium

There is some chance I'll be recently divorced by Monday so I should have plenty of time to watch this game. At quick glance it looks like the Panthers are in better form than the Warriors but your eyes may be deceiving you. The Warriors have lost their last two but those losses were to the Storm and the Tigers. That form looks fair and they were competitive in both games. I know the Panthers beat the Sea Eagles last start but I'm willing to write that result off as a peculiar anomaly until they string some winning performances together. The Warriors have won just one game in Australia this season (against the Eels) but they need to win this game if they want to be contending in 2012. I keep looking at the Warriors pack of forwards and that enormous interchange bench and I can't see how the Panthers can stay with them. I wouldn't take all your winnings from the Broncos result and plonk them on the Warriors but I do think they'll sneak home.

Verdict – Warriors

Result - Warriors 30 defeated Panthers 16

Wally Lewis - round fourteen selections (in bold)

Note: tips from Wally will be published as soon as possible (usually on Thursday night or early Friday morning).

• Storm vs TIGERS
• KNIGHTS vs Raiders
• SHARKS vs Titans
• ROOSTERS vs Broncos
• Panthers vs WARRIORS