Rugby League: NRL Preview - Round 19

Compiled by PETER JESSUP

Wests Tigers v St George Illawarra Dragons

Campbelltown Stadium; Friday, June 09, 9.35pm.

Tigers: Matt Seers, Joel Caine, Kevin McGuinness, John Carlaw, John Hopoate, Ben Duckworth, Craig Field, John Skandalis, Darren Senter (c), Shane Walker, Mark O'Neill, Luke O'Donnell, Tyran Smith; interchange Ciriaco Mescia, Steve Georgallis, Justin Doyle, Michael Gillet.

Dragons: Amos Roberts, Nathan Blacklock, Lee Hookey, Jamie Ainscough, Lee Murphy, Trent Barrett, Luke Branighan, Craig Smith (c), Nathan Brown (c), Luke Bailey, Darren Treacy, Andrew Hart, Wayne Bartrim; interchange Chris Leikvoll, Jason Hooper, Terry Lamey, Wes Patten.

Referee: Tim Mander

* The Tigers were well in control of Penrith 31-8, Craig Field running the game, when they knocked off and allowed the home side four tries in eight minutes, two to Kiwi giant Tony Puletua, for a 32-31 result last weekend. So they'll be keen to repair the psychological damage but face a Dragons side that were red-hot at Wollongong last week, Craig Smith all aggression and Trent Barrett devastating. Barrett should win the battle of the halves and that should win the game. The Tigers still miss Jarrod McCracken, talk now that he may not make the World Cup given the neck damage Steve Kearney did to him in a speak tackle. The Dragons seem more settled now David Waite's departure has been confirmed. Hard to see how he can last the season.

Auckland Warriors v Penrith Panthers

Ericsson Stadium; Saturday, June 10, 4.30pm.

Warriors: David Myles, Henry Faafili, Shontayne Hape, Nigel Vagana, Lee Oudenryn, Jason Bell, Stacey Jones, Joe Vagana, Robert Mears, Jerry Seuseu, Logan Swann, Ali Lauiti'iti, Scott Coxon; interchange Cliff Beverly, Tony Tuimavave, Matt Spence, Mark Tookey.

Panthers: Peter Jorgensen, Robbie Beckett, Ryan Girdler, Shane Elford, Chris Hicks, Steve Carter (c), Matthew Rodwell, Craig Greenhill, Craig Gower, Carl MacNamara, Tony Puletua, Matt Adamson, John Cross; interchange Mark Geyer, Jody Gall, Scott Sattler, Frank Puletua.

Referee: Sean Hampstead

* The TAB copped a bigger hiding than the Warriors last week as late money poured in for good odds on Canberra, hence the turnaround this week. But it says a lot that the local fans aren't betting with their hearts anymore, blindly backing the Warriors. The home team has never been worse than it was in the second half last week and it's hard to see them getting up to beat a five-win Panthers outfit brimming with confidence, injury-free and running towards the finals. Coach Royce Simmons rates this team as Penrith's best, ahead of the 1991 grand final-winning team he retired from. "Enjoyment," was Simmons' one-word answer to why his team were the competition giant-killers, wins over the Storm in Melbourne, Knights in Newcastle and Brisbane at Penrith.

Brisbane Broncos v North Queensland Cowboys

ANZ Stadium; Saturday, June 10, 9.35pm.

Broncos: Darren Lockyer, Lote Tuqiri, Tonie Carroll, Michael De Vere, Wendell Sailor, Ben Ikin, Kevin Walters (c), Bradley Meyers, Luke Priddis, Shane Webcke, Gorden Tallis, Brad Thorn, Kevin Campion; interchange Shaun Berrigan, Ashley Harrison, Michael Hancock, Carl Webb.

Cowboys: Tim Brasher, Geoff Bell, Julian O'Neill, Paul Bowman, Brian Jellick, Scott Prince, Nathan Fien, Robert Relf, Leigh McWilliams, John Buttigieg, Glen Morrison, Kyle Warren, Peter Jones; interchange Jeremy Schloss, Shaun Valentine, Jamie McDonald, Ben Rauter.

Referee: Tony Archer

* The $7.25 available for the Cows is about the biggest head-to-head dividend you'll see, but collection is as unlikely as snow in Townsville. The Broncos will have half their side backing up after Origin but will be far too good and will end the Cows' mathematical chance of making the playoffs. Instability continues at the club, half Paul Green sacked this week after an unhappy season. Brett Hetherington, Grant Reibel, Peter Clews and Martin Locke (all knee trouble) and John Doyle, Josh Hannay and John Rowbotham (all shoulder problems) are all out for the season. Out of this game are Brett Boyd and Shaun Valentine (knees). The Broncos are the only comfortable side in the comp, an 18-6 win/loss record and 26 points of the 28 reckoned to be needed for top-eight, complacency their only possible weakness.

Sydney City Roosters v Melbourne Storm
Sydney Football Stadium; Sunday, June 11, 4.35pm.

Roosters: Luke Phillips, Matt Sing, Ryan Cross, Shannon Hegarty, Anthony Minichiello, Brad Fittler, Adrian Lam, Dallas Hood, Simon Bonetti, Ian Rubin, Bryan Fletcher, Craig Fitzgibbon, Luke Ricketson; interchange David Solomona, Darren Burns, Craig Wing, Julian Bailey.

Storm: Matt Geyer, Brad Watts, Aaron Moule, Tony Martin, Marcus Bai, Tasesa Lavea, Brett Kimmorley, Ben Roarty, Richard Swain, Robbie Kearns (c), Paul Marquet, Matt Rua, Scott Hill; interchange Danny Williams, Peter Robinson, Russell Bawden, Brett O'Farrell.

Referee: Steve Clark.

* The Storm are one win, one loss with their Origin players backing up, a 20-23 loss to Penrith at home after Origin two. The Roosters have advantages in home ground, fewer Origin back-ups, and the tiredness that must be creeping into the Storm stars. They're off the back of four losses and starting to slide down the eight and so will come desperate to turn things around. There's little in the battle of the forward packs, both blessed with power, speed and ball-handling ability. The battle of the halves could decide things, this just the sort of game where Fittler steps up to stamp his class. They'll miss prop Scott Logan, suspended two weeks for a high tackle. Quentin Pongia is recovering far more quickly than expected after surgery to repair upper arm muscles.

Northern Eagles v Parramatta Eels

Brookvale Oval; Sunday, June 10, 4.35pm.

Eagles: Andrew King, Andrew Frew, Albert Torrens, Nigel Roy, Joshua Smith, Matt Orford, Jason Taylor, Steve Trindall, Geoff Toovey, Paul Stringer, Dragan Durdevic, Adam Muir, Steve Menzies; interchange Owen Cunningham, Daniel Gartner, Jamie Goddard, Damien Driscoll.

Eels: Brett Hodgson, Pat Richards, Daniel Wagon, Stuart Kelly, Jason Moodie, David Penna, PJ Marsh, Nathan Cayless, Dean Schifilliti, Michael Vella, Nathan Hindmarsh, Ian Hindmarsh, Jim Dymock; interchange Luke Burt, Jason Smith, David Westley, Andrew Ryan.

Referee: Mark Oaten.

* Brookvale has long been a graveyard for visiting sides and the Eels need to be wary. Jason Taylor returns to the halves for the home team and his performance could well dictate the outcome. He was hiding in the defensive line - something no NRL team can afford - in his last game before being dropped to first grade. Newcomer Matt Orford has handled five-eighth well in two games so far. The Eagles have their strongest bench for some weeks after several returns from injury and will again run Menzies off the ruck with Toovey, Muir, Cunningham and Gartner coming in the second wave. For the Eels, Jason Smith and wing Eric Groethe junior remain sidelined by similar foot injuries, Smith having undergone an arthroscope, and rake Wade L'Estrange has an ankle break.

Canberra Raiders v Newcastle Knights

Bruce Stadium; Sunday, June 11, 9.35pm.

Raiders: Brett Mullins, Jamaal Lolesi, Luke Williamson, Anthony Swann, Lesley Vainikolo, Mark McLinden, Andrew McFadden, Luke Davico, Simon Woolford, Todd Payten, Jason Croker, David Furner, Laurie Daley (c); interchange Brandon Costin, Justin Morgan, Ruben Wiki, Alan Tongue.

Knights: Adam MacDougall, Timana Tahu, Matthew Gidley, Mark Hughes, Lenny Beckett, Sean Rudder, Andrew Johns, Tony Butterfield (c), Anthony Buderus, Clinton O'Brien, David Fairleigh, Ben Kennedy, Bill Peden; interchange Matt Parsons, Steve Simpson, Josh Perry, Daniel Abraham.

Referee: Bill Harrigan.

* Raiders wing Greg Wolfgramm is dropped after being targetted by the Warriors in their first 40 last week and offering chances, the Auckland side failing to exploit his weaknesses in the second 40. Luke Davico comes back after being sent into space by Terry Hermansson. They continue to negotiate to hold David Furner. The Raiders were very ordinary last weekend, Auckland's performance shocking, and they'll have to lift to beat the visitors. Laurie Daley is playing on injured after receiving another knock to damaged ribs against Auckland and that may be the difference. A perfect record at Bruce, Origin hangover for three Knights and the ongoing angst over the Johns brothers are against the visitors but they have close to their first-choice side bar Matty Johns.

Canterbury Bulldogs v Sydney Sharks
Stadium Australia; Monday, June 12, 4.35pm.

Bulldogs: Rod Silva, Gavin Lester, Hazem El Masri, Darren Smith, Daryl Halligan, Brent Sherwin, Craig Polla-Mounter, Darren Britt (c), Jason Hetherington, Dennis Scott, Steve Price, Brad Clyde, Travis Norton; interchange Glen Hughes, Willie Mason, Jamie Feeney, Barry Ward.

Sharks: David Peachey, Mat Rogers, Andrew Ettingshausen (c), Russell Richardson, Colin Best, Adam Dykes, Blaine Stanley, Jason Stevens, Dean Triester, Martin Lang, Nathan Long, Chris McKenna, Nathan Long; interchange Andrew Pierce, Sean Ryan, Paul Mellor, Mitch Healey.

Referee: Paul Simpkins.

* Every Bulldogs game becomes a goal-kicking circus until Daryl Halligan snares the remaining 10 points he needs to better Mick Cronin's alltime scoring record of 1971, the Dogs running a sweep on their website. They're weakened in the centres with the loss of Shane Marteene and Steven Hughes to injury, Willie Talau still sidelined with his ankle break. Stand-in half Craig Polla-Mounter has been given permission to negotiate elsewhere for 2001. Troy Stone is gone for the season, shoulder reconstruction. The Sharks lose Paul McNicholas to two-week suspension for a high tackle. With their Origin props back and close to a first-choice backline after a season bedevilled by injury, the Sharks should have too much power up front and too much pace a flair out back, Halligan's kicking now a dodgy balance against his loss of speed.

Peter Jessup's picks:

Dragons

Panthers

Broncos

Roosters

Eagles

Raiders

Bulldogs

Success rate this season: 56%