Brisbane Broncos vs New Zealand Warriors – Friday night – Suncorp Stadium

The Broncos welcome back their representative brigade for the run to the finals, and it's worth noting that five of their six losses were during the Origin-effected part of the season. The Warriors are aiming up for their third win in a row against their third Queensland team in a row, and they are one of the few teams with a handy record over the Broncos (convincingly winning three of the last five clashes). Both sides have much to play for (don't they always).  The Broncos need to shore up a top four spot and make a run for a top two finish, while the Warriors are a real risk of missing the top eight altogether. The Warriors have some key players missing on Friday night. Their captain Michael Luck has succumbed to injury and with that they lose plenty of experience and composure but they have also lost Konrad Hurrell - the Warrior that has overtaken Vatuvei as their go-to man when it comes to finding the try-line. And I still have lingering doubts about the Warriors away from home - their victories in Australia this season have been over the Eels, the Panthers and an understrength Titans last weekend. A near full-strength Broncos is a tougher test.

Verdict – Broncos

Result - Broncos 10 defeated Warriors 8

Canterbury Bulldogs vs Parramatta Eels – Friday night – ANZ Stadium

When these sides met in round nine the Bulldogs racked up 46 points. The Bulldogs are a better team now than they were in round nine. I see two possibilities on Friday night - the Eels give this game an almighty shake and lose in a gallant display, or the Bulldogs rack up 46 points again. Either way the result is the same, and I'm already feeling for Nathan Hindmarsh. I'm not sure I can watch this one - perhaps I'll go shopping with Jarryd Hayne instead.

Verdict – Bulldogs

Result - Bulldogs 32 defeated Eels 12

Melbourne Storm vs North Queensland Cowboys - Saturday night – AAMI Park

When Melbourne played Manly in the 2008 Grand Final they lost 40-0. Last week they played the Raiders and lost 40-12. The common denominator in those games is that Storm captain Cameron Smith didn't play, and it shows (to me anyway) what a vital cog he is in the Melbourne machine. He returns this weekend to steer the purple people around the park, and I expect him to steady the ship and get his side back on course. The Cowboys are close to full-strength but they are a team that usually struggle against Melbourne. We have some cracking games this weekend, and this might be the pick of a very nice crop.

Verdict – Storm

Result - Cowboys 20 defeated Storm 16

Newcastle Knights vs Manly Sea Eagles – Saturday night – Hunter Stadium

Manly don't enjoy the trip to Newcastle, but even without Brett Stewart the Sea Eagles just look too classy for the Novacastrians. A quick comparison of the forward packs leaves me convinced that the Knights can't win that battle over eighty minutes. A big home crowd will keep things close for a while, but the final result appears inevitable.

Verdict – Sea Eagles

Result - Knights 32 defeated Sea Eagles 6

Wests Tigers vs Penrith Panthers – Saturday night – Campbelltown Sports Stadium

Cat fight! The Tigers are close to the shortest priced favourites in this round and those odds are toxic. Even if you find a dollar coin in a urinal you shouldn't put it on the Tigers this weekend. Despite that I have to tip them here, because it's a game they should be winning, and the return of Robbie Farah should give the stripey cats some much-needed direction. But beware the black cats. They have already proven they can find a way to win when it's least expected (their last victory was an 18 point win over the Sea Eagles). The bookies will give you 11.5 points start if you want to back the Panthers at $1.90. Perhaps you should plonk your urinal dollar on that.   

Verdict – Tigers

Result - Tigers 26 defeated Panthers 18

Canberra Raiders vs Gold Coast Titans – Sunday afternoon – Canberra Stadium

I can only assume the Raiders don't want Ricky Stuart as their coach next year, because they pulled out one of the best performances of the season (by anybody) when they knocked off the Storm in Melbourne. If their goalkicker was wearing his kicking boots they might have racked up 50 against a team that don't leak points. That is tremendous form, but the Raiders form is about as reliable as a bus full of teenagers. Cue the Katy Perry music (you're hot then you're cold you're yes then you're no etc). What one can usually rely on is the form of these sides when they meet - they do have an uncanny habit of letting the home side win. Go green.  

Verdict – Raiders

Result - Titans 38 defeated Raiders 26

St George Illawarra Dragons vs Cronulla Sharks – Sunday afternoon – WIN Stadium

Good grief! How are the Dragons favourites to win this one? And here I was thinking I was taking a mad punt on the Red V. A few things are conspiring against the Sharks this weekend. Paul Gallen and Jeremy Smith are still unavailable, they back up from Monday night, they back up from a golden point game and they hit the road and head to Wollongong. The Dragons are never going to score a truckload of points but if this is one of those tight low-scoring games I have to tip the boot of Jamie Soward over the boot of Todd Carney. This could one of those grinding games, but at least we'll get a nice ocean view in the background if the game itself is a little ho-hum. 

Verdict – Dragons

Result - Dragons 18 defeated Sharks 10

Sydney Roosters vs South Sydney Rabbitohs – Monday night – Allianz Stadium

The Roosters lift for this game every single time and their recent record over the bunnies is astonishing. In their last five clashes the chooks have prevailed on four occasions, and that one loss was by a solitary point. When they met in round one this year the rabbits were home and hosed, until the chickens scored two tries in the last two minutes to snatch the most unlikely of victories. On form you couldn't tip the chooks to your mother-in-law, and even though they conjured up a draw last weekend they were simply awful for much of that game. I'm tipping the bunnies because my mother-in-law is reading this, but if you wanted to take your urinal winnings from the Penrith game and plonk them on the chickens I wouldn't talk you out of it. While you're plonking make sure you plonk yourself in front of this game on Monday night - it usually delivers something special.

Verdict – Rabbitohs

Result - Rabbitohs 24 defeated Roosters 22 (did I mention this game delivers?)

Wally Lewis - round nineteen selections (in bold)

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

• BRONCOS vs Warriors
• BULLDOGS vs Eels
• STORM vs Cowboys
• Knights vs SEA EAGLES
• TIGERS vs Panthers
• RAIDERS vs Titans
• DRAGONS vs Sharks
• Roosters vs RABBITOHS