Canterbury Bulldogs vs Brisbane Broncos – Thursday night – ANZ Stadium

If the media are to be believed we have two unhappy camps here, as speculation mounts that two of the most respected coaches in the game are struggling to keep their teams together. In a role where getting sacked seems to happen every other week, Bennett (30 years) and Hasler (13 years) have never lost their job. That speaks volumes. It looks like Hasler is under the most scrutiny at the minute, given the Bulldogs start to the season and that bafflingly poor performance against the Sea Eagles in round four. Perhaps the Bulldogs want to snap up Ivan Cleary before the Tigers get their claws on him. We will wait and see. If the Broncos are unhappy they aren't playing that way, with wins or very narrow losses against the top four teams from 2016. Every game they've been involved in has been the highest quality of rugby league we've seen in the round. They've lost as many games as they've won, but they look like contenders again in 2017. Their best seventeen will take to the field on Thursday, while Matt Frawley slots in for Moses Mbye in the halves for the Dogs. The Dogs failed to trouble the scoreboard attendant against the Sea Eagles and the Broncos are a sterner test than that. If they want Hasler as their coach they'll compete and lose, and if they don't this is a gap job. Des deserves an effort – let's hope we get one.

Verdict – Broncos by 8

Result – Bulldogs 10 defeated Broncos 7

Sydney Roosters vs Manly Sea Eagles – Friday night – Allianz Stadium

In the last two weeks the Sea Eagles have scored 66 points and conceded only 8 against competitive opposition. I can't get a read on that form but I can't ignore it either. That said, Friday night is a true test. The Chooks sit at the top of the table, and appear to have regained the swagger that saw the tri-colours win three successive minor premierships. Jake Friend, Blake Ferguson and Kane Evans are named on the extended bench but whether they all make the final seventeen remains to be seen. The tricolours just look too good to me, but we better keep an eye on this game just in case the Sea Eagles are the real deal.

Verdict – Roosters by 4

Result – Sea Eagles 18 defeated Roosters 12

North Queensland Cowboys vs South Sydney Rabbitohs – Friday night – 1300SMILES Stadium

Jason Tenmillionolo returns for the Cowboys and adds some much-needed beef to the pack. The last time he laced on the boots he ran for 231 metres and played for 87 minutes. He's come a long way from the promising youngster that was good for 10 minute bursts here and there. It sounds like a lot of money, and let's be honest it bl00dy well is, but he's probably worth it. Lachlan Coote is back too, and while his inclusion isn't quite as important, it does complete one of the best spines (1,6,7 and 9) in the NRL. Their last performance at home was one to forget. On Friday night I expect they'll give the people up north a performance to remember.

Verdict – Cowboys by 16

Result – Cowboys 20 defeated Rabbitohs 6

Cronulla Sharks vs Newcastle Knights – Saturday afternoon – Southern Cross Group Stadium

I fear the Knights have peaked already, and for them peaking was about half a kilometre short of base camp and a long way from the pointy end of Everest. They never looked likely against the Panthers and I'm expecting a very similar result here.

Verdict – Sharks by 30

Result – Sharks 19 defeated Knights 18

Canberra Raiders vs Parramatta Eels – Saturday afternoon – GIO Stadium

Before this season kicked off I spent some time reading tea leaves and poking at the entrails of a small animal, and on the back of that research I predicted that the Eels were a top four team this season. Now I may be sexy and popular with the ladies, but I'm also humble enough to admit that occasionally, once or twice a season, I get things wrong. Perhaps I was poking around inside the wrong animal – that can happen to the best of us. Well I'm not too proud to admit that I am the best of us and I was wrong. The Raiders on the other hand are giving their all, and my top two prediction is still within the realms of possible. Now the Eels may very well give us their best performance this season and if they do they'll be winning and I'll be wrong (again), but until such time as they bring consistent football week in and week out they are making up the numbers. They've fooled me twice...they shan't be fooling me thrice. Now...where did I leave that bandicoot?

Verdict – Raiders by 14

Result – Raiders 30 defeated Eels 18

Melbourne Storm vs Penrith Panthers – Saturday night – AAMI Park

Plenty of people will be thinking of tipping the Panthers on Saturday night, and I don't blame them for a minute. But there is one important statistic you need to remember above all others – the Panthers have never won a game at AAMI Park. Sure they've been competitive at times, they've even been a touch unlucky a few times, but they never win. Tipping is about finding the winner, so the winner is...

Verdict – Storm by 7

Result – Storm 28 defeated Panthers 6

New Zealand Warriors vs Gold Coast Titans – Sunday afternoon – Mt Smart Stadium

Last week I pointed out that Foran was named for the Warriors but almost certainly wouldn't play (and that the Dragons were specials). This weekend he's been named again, and although our potato friend has doubts I'm quite certain he will play this time. That doesn't make the Warriors specials, because they never are, but I am tipping them for once. This is just their second game at Mt Smart for the season, and their first was played in apocalyptic conditions against the Storm. This is easier.

Verdict – Warriors by 10

Result – Warriors 28 defeated Titans 22

Wests Tigers vs St George Illawarra Dragons – Sunday afternoon – ANZ Stadium

Note the neutral venue tipsters, negating any advantage the Tigers may have gained if this game were taking place at Leichhardt or Campbelltown. The Tigers showed some spirit last start before the ever-professional Storm pulled away when it counted. That was better, but can they repeat the effort, and even then, is that enough? Littlejohn moves into the halves in the absence of Brooks while the Dragons name the same side that won convincingly over the Warriors. If you shop around you can get $1.80 for the Dragons and that's good shopping. Shop responsibly.

Verdict – Dragons by 8

Result – Dragons 28 defeated Tigers 6

Wally Lewis - round five selections (in bold)

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

• Bulldogs vs BRONCOS
• ROOSTERS vs Sea Eagles
• COWBOYS vs Rabbitohs
• SHARKS vs Knights
• RAIDERS vs Eels
• STORM vs Panthers
• WARRIORS vs Titans
• Tigers vs DRAGONS

Last one on the Couch competition

For those of you looking for the Coach Potato competition you can find it in the Lounge section of the website. Just click on 'The Lounge' tab at the top of the page, or you can find it here.