With only five games played in Round 19 and a stack of players out due to Origin commitments, three contests proved to be absolute nail-biters with climactic finishes. The Titans and The Dolphins played out a Golden Point thriller, while the Bulldogs survived a late surge from the Rabbitohs to bounce back from a previous round drubbing.
St George Illawarra remains only marginally ahead of the Wests Tigers at the foot of the ladder despite taking it to the Canberra Raiders late in the game.
Round 20 has seven matches in the schedule with the Dragons, Rabbitohs and Raiders all out with the bye.
Newcastle Knights vs Wests Tigers
Friday 14th July 8:00pm | McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
Why the Knights will win: Fresh off the bye, the Knights' last encounter was a sublime flogging of the hapless Bulldogs. Kalyn Ponga has been in red hot form after deciding to focus his attention to club land, while Jacob Saifiti and Bradman Best will return from excellent stints in Origin Game Three, full of confidence. Newcastle has the edge across the teams sheets in spades and should romp this one home.
Why the Tigers will win: The Tigers were starting to look a whole lot better before injury ruled out two of their most influential players in Apisai Koroisau and Luke Brooks. Koroisau returns this week and his creativity, communication and leadership will improve both attack and defense.
Fansided tip: Newcastle by 16
SuperCoach notes: Kalyn Ponga was heavily doubted earlier in the year but appears to have shaken off the doubters now that he's more protected and creative at fullback. He's owned by 28.7% of players. Jahream Bula passes the eye test each week but has dropped to a 3-round average of 33 - well below his season average of 63.1. Shawn Blore has been drafted into a lot of teams, but last week's game was an outlier for him, with a 2.5PPM well above his standard 0.9. He's also selected on the interchange.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs vs Brisbane Broncos
Saturday 15th July 3:00pm | Belmore Sports Ground, Sydney
Why the Bulldogs will win: Toby Sexton looked right at home in his first NRL game for the 'Dogs, and his involvement seemed to take the weight off the shoulders off Matt Burton who was far more creative and willing to run the ball. No Reece Walsh, Patrick Carrigan, Thomas Flegler or Payne Haas will give Canterbury hope. There will be plenty of emotion at Belmore this week too - it's completely sold out and will be filled with fired up fans who will be there to say goodbye to Josh Reynolds in his final game.
Why the Broncos will win: Brisbane has been consistently one of the top three sides all year and they have strength, grit and flair across the park. They will be bolstered by the return of Kurt Capewell. Reece Walsh is still suspended, but young Tristan Sailor is an exciting fullback and has superstar DNA.
Fansided tip: Broncos by 8
SuperCoach notes: Pockets of the Bulldogs Kennel forum have been suggesting that Jacob Kiraz is potentially a long-term centre option, rather than a winger. He will play centre this week in Josh Addo-Carr's absence and at $425K could be worth consideration. Already a somewhat astute buy, Brendan Piakura has jumped $89K in just a handful of games and will enjoy a tasty match-up this week, reveling in the absence of Flegler, Haas and Carrigan.
Manly Sea Eagles vs North Queensland Cowboys
Saturday 15th July 5:30pm | 4 Pines Park, Sydney
Why the Sea Eagles will win: Manly's last start was a Round 18 win over the Roosters who aren't traveling well but are still a determined, talented side. At home in Brookvale, the Sea Eagles have named Daly Cherry Evans and Jake Trbojevic to back up and this could prove pivotal as both sides wrestle - just one win out of the top eight.
Why the Cowboys will win: Valentine Holmes, Murray Taulagi, Jeremiah Nanai and Wally Lewis medal winner Reuben Cotter return after an emphatic State of Origin series win and will now turn their attention to helping the Cowboys return to the finals. They'll be burning after failing to get the clean sweep done in Sydney. Many had written the Cowboys off this year but their form reversal has been stunning. Their last round match was a record-shattering 74-0 beat-down of the Wests Tigers.
Fansided tip: Cowboys by 7
SuperCoach notes: Valentine Holmes is exxy but is surely a consideration with a 119.3 3-round average and a 100.4 5-round average. He will benefit from the spark that Scott Drinkwater has injected into the side. The electric fullback has a staggering 3-round average of 136 and a 5-round average of 125.8.
Sydney Roosters vs Melbourne Storm
Saturday 15th July 7:35pm | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Why the Roosters will win: James Tedesco had been on shaky ground for some time, and while he didn't set the world on fire in Origin Game Three, he did captain the side to victory and set up an important try with a sleek line break. It remains to be seen whether he will be rested or not. Lindsay Collins also returns from a successful rep campaign, full of confidence and on a mission. The Roosters can still make the finals but they need to find their potential this week and make a statement.
Why the Storm will win: The Storm are still one of the form teams in the competition and are poised to time their run to the finals under the helm of one of the best coaches in the game. Still a notch below the Penrith Panthers, the Storm will look to stamp their credentials all over this match and Cameron Munster and Harry Grant should have a field day.
Fansided tip: Storm by 14
SuperCoach notes: With State of Origin done and dusted for 2023, Harry Grant should be your go-to hooker to round out the season. Bad news for Jake Turpin owners as it looks like Brandon Smith will return for the Roosters, who don't appear to have too much SuperCoach relevance. Billy Smith ($360K) passes the eye test and averages just under 50, although he can be prone to missing matches through injury.
New Zealand Warriors vs Cronulla Sharks
Sunday 16th July 2:00pm | Go Media Stadium, Auckland
Why the Warriors will win: The Sharks are yet to beat a contender side in 2023 and beating the Warriors at home will be tough ask. There is a different mindset among the Warriors' playing group in 2023, and it seems that whoever puts on the jersey has earned their spot. New Zealand is unit full of confidence. They aren't a team of individuals anymore.
Why the Sharks will win: Shaun Johnson is once again an uncertainty as he is still on call, ready to fly back to be there for the birth of his second child. The Sharks are once again at full strength and have had easy victories over the Dragons and Tigers in the past two weeks. They'll be fresh and full of confidence.
Fansided tip: Warriors by 4
SuperCoach notes: Nicho Hynes is the most owned player in NRLSC at 57.3% and has the highest average in the comp by a whopping 15 points. He also boasts the second-highest 3-round and 5-round average behind Scott Drinkwater. Warriors players Marcelo Montoya, Luke Metcalf, Jackson Ford and Mitchell Barnett are all scoring 10-20 points above their season average across the past three rounds.
The Dolphins vs Penrith Panthers
Sunday 16th July 4:05pm | Kayo Stadium, Redcliffe
Why the Dolphins will win: He was in the conversation for the Wally Lewis medal, and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow will come back into a Dolphins side still on a high after a dramatic Golden Point win over the Titans. The Redcliffe-based side will also welcome back their enforcer Felise Kaufusi who will look to make a statement. With a home crowd, and up against a side potentially resting five Origin stars, the Dolphins can start a late surge to return to the top eight.
Why the Panthers will win: Such is the juggernaut that is the Penrith side, they still come into this match $1.15 favourites (ATTOW) despite speculation that their Origin stars will all be rested. Additionally, Nathan Cleary is ominously sitting on the extended reserves list, hinting at a potential return this week. Penrith have the systems and structures in place to offer resilience during challenging periods. They will have a plan for all potential situations.
Fansided tip: Panthers by 10
SuperCoach notes: Keep an eye on the 24-hour team lists. If you've been planning on bringing Cleary back in, he could play and prove the difference in your head-to-head. Not too much to speak about in this one, although Valynce Te Whare is averaging close to 50. He's awkwardly priced at $400K but has plenty of tackle busts and offloads in his game.
Parramatta Eels vs Gold Coast Titans
Sunday 16th July 6:15pm | CommBank Stadium, Sydney
Why the Eels will win: Both sides will welcome back a host of Origin players, but the significance of Mitchell Moses and Clinton Gutherson's return outweighs the return of Titans big men. Moses and Gutherson are supreme game managers who offer so much creativity, spark and control to this Parramatta side, building towards the finals. The Eels will be too strong at home to finish the round.
Why the Titans will win: The Titans will be hurting after a last-gasp loss in extra time last round. Things will have been intense at training during the week and they will be looking to make a statement against the fancied home side. While Parramatta gets big names back, the return of in-form players in AJ Brimson, Moeaki Fotuaika, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and David Fifita will give Kieran Foran and Tanah Boyd plenty of space to create.
Fansided tip: Eels by 12
SuperCoach notes: Klese Haas ($312K) is a super POD at just 2.3% ownership and he is set to increase in price by around $40K after this round. His 3-round average is 50.7. If you're looking to find money in the 2RF/HOK position, Erin Clark is a solid downgrade. At just $290K, he's got a 3-round average of 41 and plays around 35-40 minutes per game. Plus, he's versatile and could get more minutes if any Titans go down with an injury.