Parramatta Eels vs South Sydney Rabbitohs – Friday night – Pirtek Stadium

Does anyone remember Daryl Millard? I'm not seeing a lot of hands, but Daryl is back in the NRL this weekend, replacing Dylan Walker in the centres for the Bunnies. The last time he played in the NRL was in 2009. He's been busy in the meantime, plying his trade in the south of France with the Catalans Dragons - and who could blame him. The Bunnies coach, having studied at the esteemed Bellamy College of Fine Arts and Rugby League, knows how to find troops to slot into the system seamlessly. Millard will do just fine. The Rabbits were below their best last weekend, but were still good enough to beat an in-form opponent pretty comfortably. Parramatta will lift for the big occasion at home but they need to. I could be tempted into backing the Eels with the handicap start, but we have to keep tipping the Rabbits until they give us enough good reasons to stop. Right now I can't even think of one.

Verdict – Rabbitohs by 8

Result - Eels 29 defeated Rabbitohs 16

Wests Tigers vs Canterbury Bulldogs – Friday night – ANZ Stadium

Tipsters note the location of this Tigers 'home game'. Two of the more popular Sydney clubs will draw a decent crowd but there'll be no shortage of blue and white in the stands. The Bulldogs bring an unchanged line-up from their victory on the northern beaches (literally). Brett Morris has taken to the custodian role at the Bulldogs with gusto, and at this early stage in the season he's looking like the buy of the year. The Tigers, much like last season, have started the year well, but face another tough test here. Given the extra two days preparation for the Bulldogs I'm tipping them with some confidence, but I'm not expecting a runaway victory. I'm expecting the Dogs to test the Tigers left edge defence throughout - watch for Brett Morris sniffing around in support when the time is right.

Verdict – Bulldogs by 8

Result - Bulldogs 25 defeated Tigers 24

Newcastle Knights vs Penrith Panthers – Saturday afternoon – Hunter Stadium

There is a saying in sport - you can only beat the opponent in front of you. The Knights keep doing just that, but doing just that is about to get a lot harder. The Knights scraped home against the Titans, and a week earlier the Panthers beat the Titans 40-0. The Knights just beat the Cowboys, and on current form I'd expect the Panthers to tear the Cowboys apart. A parochial crowd in the Hunter and the sheer size of the Knights across the park keeps them in this contest, but at some point I expect this exciting Panthers backline to fire. Moylan, Mansour, Whare, Idris and Zelezniak - if that isn't the best backline in the NRL it will be by seasons end. The oldest of those five is 24 - we'll see some very exciting football from that group in the years ahead.

Verdict – Panthers by 8

Result - Knights 26 defeated Panthers 14

Cronulla Sharks vs Gold Coast Titans – Saturday afternoon – Remondis Stadium

14th plays 15th and the one positive thing I can say about this game is that it will be close. In the end the team that throws this game away the least will prevail. I'm not sure that makes a lot of sense but I'm sticking with it. Kane Elgey gets a chance at halfback for the Titans and I'm sure those big Sharks forwards will let him ease into the game gently. Hyuk Hyuk Hyuk. Ben Barba is out for the Sharks with Wade Seccombe pulling on the six jersey - I doubt it will fit. If you're going to miss one game of footy this weekend I suggest it should be this. Home side by two points, on the back of a silly penalty from Greg Bird or Dave Taylor or both.

Verdict – Sharks by 2

Result - Titans 24 defeated Sharks 22

St George Illawarra Dragons vs Manly Sea Eagles – Saturday night – WIN Stadium

Keiran Foran and Jamie Lyon return for the Sea Eagles, and they are a much more balanced outfit as a result. They still look one prop forward short of a football team, but I could say exactly the same thing about the Dragons. A lot can change through the course of a year, but it's hard to see either side battling it out with the big guns at seasons end. Manly are still a top eight side, but they'll need to be winning games like this to get there.

Verdict – Sea Eagles by 4

Result - Dragons 12 defeated Sea Eagles 4

New Zealand Warriors vs Brisbane Broncos – Sunday afternoon – Mt Smart Stadium

Three games down and I haven't got the Broncos right yet, so this prediction should come with a health warning. I'm a bit keen on them here. The Broncos only loss this season was to the Bunnies and there's no shame in that. Their win last week was bordering on clinical, and while everyone is focussing on how poor the Cowboys were, few have given much credit to the Broncos for winning. Consequently they're outsiders across the ditch and the Broncos do love the underdog tag. Ben Hunt was back near his best last weekend and Milford improves every week. All we need is those Kiwis in the Broncos pack to lift in their homeland and give the Broncos backline a platform. Note that Tomkins is out for the Warriors - a major blow.

Verdict – Broncos by 8

Result - Broncos 24 defeated Warriors 16

Sydney Roosters vs Canberra Raiders – Sunday afternoon – Allianz Stadium

I have a large piece of timber at home. I keep it next to the couch in the TV room at 'Casa del Thinker'. It's there because about once a month I tip the Raiders and convince myself to sit down and watch them play. On the opening whistle I retrieve said block of wood and rest it on my lap. I then spend most of the 80 minutes that follow banging my head into it. You'd think I would learn, but the damage to my cerebral cortex caused by season after season of baffling losses by the Raiders has left me unable to learn much at all. Needless to say the timber and my cerebral cortex got quite the workout last Saturday night. I'm still hurting. Raiders don't play em much gooder....me must tip em Roosters.

Verdict – Roosters by 14

Result - Roosters 34 defeated Raiders 6

North Queensland Cowboys vs Melbourne Storm – Monday night – 1300SMILES Stadium

Here comes my Tony Abbott impersonation. "The Cowboys...are favourites....to win this game. In this game..........the Cowboys...........are favourites..................to win". Like most things Tony Abbott says, it doesn't matter how many times I hear it I simply can't believe it. The Storm destroyed the Sharks and the only change to that line-up is an extended bench. I'm stunned and I'm lost for words, except to say that I wish Antonio Winterstein all the luck in the world in his return - a try would be nice.

Verdict – Storm by 10

Result - Cowboys 18 defeated Storm 17

Wally Lewis - round four selections (in bold)

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

• Eels vs RABBITOHS
• Tigers vs BULLDOGS
• Knights vs PANTHERS
• SHARKS vs Titans
• Dragons vs SEA EAGLES
• Warriors vs BRONCOS
• ROOSTERS vs Raiders
• COWBOYS vs Storm