Brisbane Broncos vs Cronulla Sharks – Friday night – Suncorp Stadium

The Broncos have been kind to me. Looking back over the season there have only been three games where I've got them wrong. That could soon be four, because I'm keen on the Sharks on Friday night. At first glance it looks like one of those games where you tip the Broncos without giving it too much thought. But I'm here to think, and the more I think about it the more I like the visitors. The weather in Brisbane has been bleak all week. Conditions look set to improve by Friday night but the Suncorp surface will be rain-affected. This should advantage the visitors, who get plenty of practice in wet conditions in the Shire. Much of this game will be played in the middle-third of the park, and this is where the Sharks hold some advantage. Paul Gallen won't be there but the rest of the pack looks first-rate, and the Broncos pack will be without Thaiday, Civoniceva, Hannant, Parker, Teo and Gillett - that's an awful lot of muscle and experience to take out of a team. Almost everyone will stick with the Broncos on Friday night and with good reason. The Sharks record away from home isn't great and their recent record against the Broncos is simply awful, but they'll go into this game believing they can win. I believe it too. 

Verdict – Sharks

Result - Sharks 26 defeated Broncos 12

Parramatta Eels vs Newcastle Knights – Saturday night – Parramatta Stadium

Here's some numbers that raised my eyebrows a little. In the last three clashes between these sides they have scored a total of just 44 points - that's only seven tries in four hours of football. I've seen rugby union tournaments with more tries than that. What is also quite amazing is that both sides go into this clash on the back of a win last round, and one of these teams is, barring a draw, going to win back-to-back games for the first time this season. The Knights don't have a great record at Parramatta Stadium but I'll tip them here. I'm assuming a convincing win over the Tigers is better form than a golden point win over the Panthers. The Knights do have a short back-up from Monday night, but those extra ten minutes the Eels played last week tend to hurt. They've played nine golden point games since the introduction of extra time, and on eight occasions they have lost the following week. This game will be uglier than a bucks night hangover, and I think the Knights will wake up the next morning with the points...and a raging headache. 

Verdict – Knights

Result - Knights 20 defeated Eels 12

South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Penrith Panthers - Sunday afternoon – ANZ Stadium

Since round two this season the only sides to beat the Bunnies are the Storm (in Melbourne), the Broncos (twice), the Warriors (in New Zealand) and the Bulldogs. The Panthers are playing a different sport to those sides, and for this game they are missing their Origin representatives (Lewis, Grant and Jennings) and both their regular halves (Walsh and Burns). Nathan Merritt gets a chance to shine at fullback while Greg Inglis is in Camp Queensland, and if he doesn't score a try on Sunday afternoon I'll sign up for a Panthers membership in 2013. Nathan Merritt 12 - Panthers 10.

Verdict – Rabbitohs

Result - Rabbitohs 38 defeated Panthers 12

New Zealand Warriors vs North Queensland Cowboys – Sunday afternoon – Mt Smart Stadium

Can a team forfeit a game? If the Cowboys simply conceded they could save themselves the trouble of overseas travel and their for and against would remain as is. It's a good thing Greg Chappell isn't the Cowboys coach or we might see that playing out this weekend. The Cowboys face that enormous Warriors pack without their starting props in Scott and Tamou and they take on that exciting Warriors backline without their two most influential attacking weapons in Thurston and Bowen*. Sadly what could have been a fantastic test for both sides has been reduced to a one-sided farce. Warriors 38 - Cowboys 6.

* Matthew Bowen has been named in the Cowboys line-up but I assume he can't play because of his Origin call-up.

Verdict – Warriors

Result - Warriors 35 defeated Cowboys 18

Canberra Raiders vs St George Illawarra Dragons – Monday night – Canberra Stadium

Since 2005 the Dragons have beaten the Raiders once. Once, and that was way back in 2007. So for those seasons under Wayne Bennett when the Dragons were beating everybody they still couldn't beat the Green Machine. And I don't just mean in Canberra either - I mean anywhere. Given the injuries to the Raiders I could entertain the Dragons if they were at home, but playing Canberra in Canberra on a June night is no fun at all. As evidence I cite the weather forecast for Canberra on Monday (westerly winds with a maximum of 11 and a minimum of minus three). The Dragons couldn't find the tryline if they painted it white, stuck a corner post at each end and some whopping goalposts in the middle. And despite all that they're a short-priced favourite on Monday night. I can't have them. I simply can't have them.  

Verdict – Raiders

Result - Raiders 22 defeated Dragons 18

Wally Lewis - round seventeen selections (in bold)

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

• BRONCOS vs Sharks
• Eels vs KNIGHTS
• RABBITOHS vs Panthers
• WARRIORS vs Cowboys
• RAIDERS vs Dragons