Brisbane Broncos vs Manly Sea Eagles – Friday night – Suncorp Stadium

Wayne Bennett appears to have adopted a crop (or is that prop) rotation policy to get his troops through the Origin period. Thaiday and Hodges are back while Parker lies fallow for this round. Ben Hunt, presumably, takes over goal-kicking duties. Even with Parker resting, the starting pack for the Broncos has plenty of punch. They have a clear advantage over their opponents on that front and it's difficult to imagine them losing that all-important yardage battle. With room to move, Hunt and Milford could have a night to remember. My Friday night curse is a powerful spirit, but I'm backing the Broncos at home...confidently.

Verdict – Broncos by 14

Result - Broncos 44 defeated Sea Eagles 10

Wests Tigers vs Gold Coast Titans – Friday night – Leichhardt Oval

The Tigers don't like to lose at Leichhardt, but they did the last time they played here (in an extraordinary game against the Raiders). Losing two in a row at their spiritual home seems unlikely, but I'm struggling to warm to the line-up the Tigers have named. With Farah unavailable, Dene Halatau moves into dummy half. That's not a huge surprise, but Chris Lawrence starting in the second row is. This leaves the Tigers with a fairly inexperienced centre pairing of David Nofoaluma and Deloise Hoeter. It looks like Hoeter has been tasked with holding out James Roberts - sheesus! You all know about me and my Friday nights, but this game reeks of an upset. A quick check of the weather forecast and, for once, conditions in Sydney don't look too bad - another tick for the Titans. Don't trust me...I'm haunted.

Verdict – Titans by 2

Result - Titans 27 defeated Tigers 20

Newcastle Knights vs Canberra Raiders – Saturday afternoon – Hunter Stadium

The first of three daytime games this round (yay) and both these sides are better for the scheduling. More shuffling in the halves for the Knights as Kurt Gidley returns to replace Tyrone Roberts and Carlos Tuimavave gets another run at five-eighth. Both these sides lost last weekend but their were signs of life in each case. The Knights are the logical favourite at home but with just one win since round four I have my doubts - I think the post-Bennett hangover may have set in. The Raiders are bringing a settled line-up on the road and I'm going green.

Verdict – Raiders by 2

Result - Raiders 44 defeated Knights 22

South Sydney Rabbitohs vs New Zealand Warriors – Saturday night – NIB Stadium (Perth)

Note the venue - it's the perfect crime. The Bunnies drag the Warriors to the other end of the earth for this game every season. They get paid to take a game to Perth and they still, theoretically, have a home ground advantage. It is devilishly clever, and they tend to fly home with two points (and a bag of cash) as a result. Adam Reynolds (and Glenn Stewart) are still a few weeks away but the rest of the line-up looks solid. Night-time suits the Bunnies too - the Warriors play better during the day and the time zones push this game past the bedtimes of most of the lads from Auckland. As I said...it's the perfect crime.

Verdict – Rabbitohs by 8

Result - Rabbitohs 36 defeated Warriors 4

Penrith Panthers vs Melbourne Storm – Saturday night – Pepper Stadium

There could be a dozen line-up changes in this game before Saturday night, but I'll go with what I know. Slater is back and Soward is playing. We shall find out on the night. A slightly strange performance from the Storm on Monday night - the Roosters were at or near their best and it was almost as if Craig Bellamy put his queue in the rack. The purple machine rarely put in successive sub-par performances but they are on a quick back-up, and successive away games brings the Panthers well and truly into contention. The injury to Matt Moylan sways me - his exclusion limits the Panthers attacking options and the Storm know a thing or two about closing down the attack of their opponents. I'm far from confident, and if Slater is a late withdrawal I'd be changing my tip.

Verdict – Storm by 4

Result - Storm 20 defeated Panthers 0

Cronulla Sharks vs Sydney Roosters – Sunday afternoon – Remondis Stadium

Paul Gallen, aka 'The Gentleman of Rugby League', returns to lead his beloved Sharks. Sadly, for Gallen, he faces a red-hot Roosters outfit with an unchanged line-up that just demolished the team that was on the top of the ladder. The Sharks have also jagged the Sunday afternoon timeslot, which has been something of a death sentence for the lads from the Shire. They often save their worst for Sunday afternoons, and did so again last weekend when they got comprehensively destroyed by the Dragons. I am reminded of the Knight from Monty Python (it's just a flesh wound). I say Chickens....I say Chickens by a considerable margin.

Verdict – Roosters by 30

Result - Sharks 10 defeated Roosters 4

Canterbury Bulldogs vs St George Illawarra Dragons – Monday afternoon – ANZ Stadium

Which bookmaking genius woke up and decided to make the Bulldogs favourite on Monday afternoon? All of them apparently. The Dragons were ruthless and brilliant last weekend and sit perched at the top of the ladder - deservedly so. Their defence is still holding up, and in the last two rounds they've been scoring points as well. Meanwhile the Bulldogs are outside of the eight and have conceded more than twice as many points as the Red V this season. As soon as I can find Ms Thinkers' handbag I shall be emptying it onto the Dragons I tells ya. Emptying it...gamble responsibly.

Verdict – Dragons by 8

Result - Bulldogs 29 defeated Dragons 16

Parramatta Eels vs North Queensland Cowboys – Monday night – Pirtek Stadium

The Cowboys record in Sydney has never been great, and at Pirtek Stadium it's arguably worse -particularly when you consider that the Eels haven't exactly been the best Sydney team in recent years. I guess with each successive win the Cowboys edge closer to their next loss, but the same can be said for the Eels...and everyone. The Cowboys keep on winning, and an all Queensland grand final is entirely plausible this season. The Eels needed their share of luck to get the win last weekend, although to be fair a bit of luck was due to fall their way. I have to stick with the northerners - the weather in Sydney on Monday shouldn't kill them.

Verdict – Cowboys by 2

Result - Cowboys 36 defeated Eels 30

Wally Lewis - round thirteen selections (in bold)

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

• BRONCOS vs Sea Eagles
• TIGERS vs Titans
• KNIGHTS vs Raiders
• RABBITOHS vs Warriors
• Panthers vs STORM
• Sharks vs ROOSTERS
• Bulldogs vs DRAGONS
• Eels vs COWBOYS