NRL Round 4 Preview
SNAKE
Rabbitohs vs Bulldogs
Match Up: David Tyrrell vs Aiden Tolman. Two workhorse props who don't get the loving they deserve, both will be crucial with Tyrrell in need of a big game against the Doogies' pack and Tolman's going to have to tidy up a lot through the middle to slow the Bunnies.
Key Man: Cody Walker offers a bit of razzle dazzle and he's shown it throughout the start of the season. The Bunnies lack a bit of that this week and will desperately need Walker's running and kicking game to help break down the Bulldogs' defence.
Keep An Eye On: Can a forward pack of battlers (Nathan Brown, Kyle Turner, Paul Carter, Tyrrell) actually hang with a typically epic Bulldogs pack?
Verdict: Bulldogs <12. No, that Rabbitohs pack can't hang and the Doggies have some firepower to put points on the board.
Broncos vs Cowboys
Match Up: Alex Glenn/Matt Gillett vs Gavin Cooper/Ethan Lowe. These are the two best edge-forward combinations in the NRL, hence these teams are really good. They hit short balls running great lines, they run good decoys, they can pass and they are difficult to stop running the footy.
Key Man: Kodi Nikorima will come off the bench and look to bring the ruckus around through the middle, which could work against a Cowboys forward pack who like to do plenty of work attacking up the guts.
Keep An Eye On: Jordan Kahu at centre, giving the Broncos Kahu on one edge and James Roberts on the other. Nikorima up the guts and/or shift it wide to these blokes.
Verdict: Broncos <12. There aren't many teams who boast such depth in middle forwards and the Broncos have the cavalry to win that battle up the guts.
Raiders vs Titans
Match Up: Where do I begin in the forwards? The starting props will be fun to watch, both teams have high calibre locks, there's threats on either edge but I reckon the battle of the benches will be the most interesting. Ryan James has been good recently and he will come up against a Raiders bench that has Paul Vaughan and Jeff Lima, brutal.
Key Man: Elliot Whitehead's presence ensures that the Raiders are all good without Blake Austin or Aidan Sezer. Sam Williams will kick and pass, allowing Whitehead to do some ball-playing and he's big enough to play as an extra forward also.
Keep An Eye On: Brenko Lee has been a highly touted centre on the fringes for a while now and he's getting some consistent game time.
Verdict: Raiders >12. At home and the Raiders have Josh Hodgson who is an absolute gun. Peep this game, it's my game of the round and there's going to be lots of niggle, big contact and plenty of funk.
Roosters vs Sea Eagles
Match Up: Latrell Mitchell vs Brett Stewart. The young gun vs the OG. Mitchell certainly looks like an excellent fullback while Snake showed what a class act he is, returning last week and slotting straight into his Snakey shenanigans.
Key Man: Daly Cherry-Evans will gain confidence as the Sea Eagles gain confidence and if he's near his best, he's got a plethora of weapons around him to utilise or use as distractions when he wants to run it.
Keep An Eye On: Feleti Mateo and Lewis Brown - I suspect one of these two will move into Martin Taupau's starting spot. Mateo adds something to this Manly team that no one else offers with his sublime handles while Brown is far more nimble than any other Manly forward.
Verdict: Sea Eagles <12. Roosters will be solid, however Manly still have that experienced/tough edge.
Dragons vs Panthers
Match Up: Jason Nightingale vs Josh Mansour. Both could legit play as props, such is their intent when running the footy but they are specialist try-scorers and will be going at each other all game.
Key Man: Jame Soward showed how good he is at controlling a game last week and if he's in that sort of mood then the Dragons will consistently be coming out from deep in their own half, from which the Panthers defence can attack.
Keep An Eye On: Euan Aitken is a low key gun of a centre, I also want to see more of Siliva Havili, more minutes that is.
Verdict: Panthers <12. The Panthers' starting 13 gets me excited and then I look at the bench and see my favourite player in the NRL Tyrone Peachey and some rugged forwards in Lelani Latu, Suaia Matagi and Elijah Taylor.
Warriors vs Knights
Match Up: Jacob Lillyman/Ben Matulino vs Sam Mataora/Korbin Sims. Both Lillyman and Matulino haven't been at their best and come across two young bucks, eager to right the Newcastle ship. Don't sleep on Mataora or Sims.
Key Man: Trent Hodkinson must know that the Knights aren't much chop this season, he can however still earn his cash and steer this team around expertly. There's a few weapons available so he's got to control the game and get them in the right area of the field.
Keep An Eye On: Cory Denniss scored a double on debut last week and is a dangerous aerial threat.
Verdict: Warriors >12. They should win, should.
Wests Tigers vs Eels
Match Up: Luke Brooks vs Kieran Foran. A lot has been said about Mitchell Moses and James Tedesco, but I've loved the work of Brooks who sets all those plays in motion at first-receiver and I reckon Brooks could put Foran in the shade here.
Key Man: Aaron Woods is a top-five NRL prop and the Eels have a very aggressive forward pack who will be looking to inflict pain. The Tigers have a low key beastly pack of their own, however it starts with Woods who's gonna have to take plenty of carries, make over 150m and offload.
Keep An Eye On: Kiwi bench forwards from either team. Josh Aloiai will be out to impress while Ava Seumanufagai will be an enforcer, up against Peni Terepo and Kenny Edwards who are both big, mobile and powerful.
Verdict: Tigers <12. Robbie Farah is back and I've got the Tigers forward pack surprising a few people.
Sharks vs Storm
Match Up: Andrew Fifita vs Jesse Bromwich. Two of the best props in the NRL who take a lot of carries, make a lot of metres and each have a bit of funk with Fifita likely to pop up anywhere and Bromwich the king of late footwork and offloads.
Key Man: Blake Green needs to have the Storm's left edge firing at an equal level as Cooper Cronk's right edge. Green has Tohu Harris and Kenny Bromwich to work with so expect the Storm to send plenty of traffic that way.
Keep An Eye On: Wtf is Gerard Beale up to on the bench?
Verdict: Storm >12. Cronulla are tough and will make a game of this, although I've got the Storm's spine of Cameron Munster, Green, Cronk and Smith out-playing their opponents ... and that's all it takes.