Manly Sea Eagles vs Canterbury Bulldogs – Friday night – Brookvale Oval

I'm the first to admit that the Sea Eagles are hard to beat at Brookvale, and their recent record over the Bulldogs is difficult to ignore. Surely though, the bookies assessed this game incorrectly when they marked Manly as a short-priced favourite on Friday night. The Dogs haven't lost since round ten, and during that run of wins the only sides the Sea Eagles have beaten are the Roosters (twice), the Dragons and the Eels. While the Sea Eagles record at Brookvale looks imposing, their wins at home this season are over teams going poorly - the Tigers when they couldn't beat anyone, the Panthers, the Raiders, the Roosters, the Dragons and the Eels. Brett Stewart won't be playing and he usually scores half their tries at Brookie, and there's still a doubt over his brother Glenn - the man who creates half their tries at Brookie. I can't see Manly winning this game in attack, so they'll need to win with their defence. They did that in round eight when they beat the Bulldogs 12-10, but they did that at a time when the Bulldogs attack hadn't quite come together. In three of their four games prior to that loss the Bulldogs failed to score more than ten points. But since that round eight loss to Manly, the Bulldogs have been averaging 28 points per game. I'm not convinced that this Manly side, without at least one Stewart brother, can score 28 points on Friday night.

Verdict – Bulldogs

Result - Bulldogs 20 defeated Sea Eagles 12

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

The Titans are one of a bunch of teams in a bottleneck for a top eight finish and they are playing some very nice football at the moment. They'll be quietly confident of springing an upset on Friday night but it's been quite some time since the Titans have won their local derby. The Broncos were convincing winners in round eight and although I expect this clash to be more competitive I expect big brother to hold out little brother once again. It may not seem like it at first glance but this could be the game of the round. Broncos by 1-12 looks about right to me.

Verdict – Broncos

Result - Titans 14 defeated Broncos 10

Parramatta Eels vs Melbourne Storm - Saturday night – Parramatta Stadium

Many racehorses have a flat spot - a point in their run when they appear to lose momentum and look to be floundering. Average racehorses hit their flat spot and can't get out of it, but the really good ones get going again when it matters most. The Melbourne Storm are a very good racehorse, and I suspect this is their flat spot before the run into the finals. It's better to be losing now than losing in a few weeks time, but even a flat Melbourne should be too good for the Eels.

Verdict – Storm

Result - Eels 16 defeated Storm 10

New Zealand Warriors vs Newcastle Knights – Saturday night – Mt Smart Stadium

If this is the dawning of a new era for the Knights, as suggested by their supercoach, then it will be a bright dawn indeed if they can knock off the Warriors this weekend. The Knights have beaten the Warriors just twice since 2007 - both those victories were narrow and both were in Newcastle. I don't give them any chance at all, but I've been wrong at least once already this season. Konrad Hurrell returns for the Warriors and at this point in his NRL career his try-scoring tally equals his games played. I can't see the Knights holding him out for eighty minutes. That narrow loss to the Broncos in Brisbane last round looks like pretty good form to me. Good things.

Verdict – Warriors

Result - Knights 24 defeated Warriors 19

South Sydney Rabbitohs vs St George Illawarra Dragons – Saturday night – ANZ Stadium

The bunnies proved on Monday night they can score more points in two minutes than the Dragons can score in eighty. And with that in mind I was a little surprised to see that the Rabbitohs are at rather backable odds in this game - $1.60 looks like bargain shopping to me. I did hear a whisper that Greg Inglis may not play but he's been named and it was only one whisper. They've definitely lost Issac Luke to suspension and he does make quite a deal of difference to their attack, but at least they have an attack. I've never doubted the Dragons for enthusiasm or effort but I cannot imagine how they could find enough points to beat the bunnies at the moment. More good things.  

Verdict – Rabbitohs

Result - Rabbitohs 36 defeated Dragons 14

Cronulla Sharks vs Canberra Raiders – Sunday afternoon – Toyota Stadium

Oh those wacky Raiders! One week they smash the Storm in Melbourne and the next they get smashed by the Titans in Canberra. I have no idea what they'll do on Sunday and I doubt they do either, but at least we know what we'll get with the Sharks. They haven't lost at home since round two, and they piled on 44 points against the Raiders in Canberra earlier this year. I can't say they're good things, but I can't tip against them.   

Verdict – Sharks

Result - Raiders 36 defeated Sharks 4

Penrith Panthers vs Sydney Roosters – Sunday afternoon – Centrebet Stadium

Forgive me for saying what I'm about to say, but the Roosters could still make the finals this season. To do so they need to win at least six of their last seven games. That would be quite a turnaround given they've won just one of their last eight, but they do have a reasonably cushy run to September. Only really bad mathematicians would give Penrith any hope of such a feat, but they do have something to play for while they have their noses in front of the last-placed Eels. They tried hard against the Tigers last week, but you always felt like the Panthers were going to lose that game...eventually. Neither side has any momentum going into this clash but all is not well in Panther town and I'm giving the chooks a chance of springing an upset. Here's hoping the heart-breaking loss to the bunnies didn't break the spirit of the tri-colours.

Verdict – Roosters

Result - Panthers 28 defeated Roosters 16

North Queensland Cowboys vs Wests Tigers – Monday night – Dairy Farmers Stadium

Of all my tips this weekend this looks to be the one I'll regret the most. The Cowboys were tremendous against the Storm and they look set to have a decent crack at finals football in 2012 - but the Cowboys don't beat the Tigers. In the last nine clashes the Tigers have won eight, and that one loss was way back in round two of 2009. Adam Blair and Gareth Ellis return for the Tigers just in time for a match-up against one of the toughest forward packs in the game. If I pick enough upsets this weekend I'm sure to jag one eventually.

Verdict – Tigers

Result - Cowboys 29 defeated Tigers 16

Wally Lewis - round twenty selections (in bold)

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

• SEA EAGLES vs Bulldogs
• Titans vs BRONCOS
• Eels vs STORM
• WARRIORS vs Knights
• RABBITOHS vs Dragons
• SHARKS vs Raiders
• Panthers vs ROOSTERS
• COWBOYS vs Tigers