Panthers vs Sharks

Panthers

Starting: Caleb Aekins, Dean Whare, Jarome Luai, Sione Katoa, James Fisher-Harris.

Bench/Extended Bench: Corey Harawira-Naera.

Sharks

Starting: Sione Katoa.

Bench/Extended Bench: /Ava Suemanufagai, Sosaia Feki.

Doc's Word

One Kiwi Panther goes down injured, up steps another Kiwi Panther with Caleb Aekins replacing Dallin Watene-Zelezniak at fullback for Penrith Panthers. This is a serious case of the stars aligning as Dylan Edwards started the season at fullback and Watene-Zelezniak then earned an Aotearoa fullback spot through his performances in filling the whole left by a season ending injury for Edwards. Now with Watene-Zelezniak out for a few weeks, it's Aekins turn as the third fullback used by Penrith this season.

Aekins hails from Northland and is yet another product of the slick partnership between Penrith Panthers and Northland rugby league. A few years ago, Phil Gould and the Panthers identified Northland as an area they could target to bolster their recruiting stocks and it has yielded fantastic results; this week Aekins will play alongside James Fisher-Harris and Corey Harawira-Naera who were also scooped up out of Northland by the Panthers.

This was and still is an un-matched move by Penrith Panthers, the type of collaboration between and NRL club and Aotearoa region that I'd suggest many other NRL clubs will soon follow. Northland was largely ignored as a rugby league region, but with rugby league's presence in Aotearoa growing, the Panthers got in at the perfect time and now enjoy the rewards. It started with Fisher-Harris making his debut and settling nicely into the NRL, earning a Kiwis call up, then Harawira-Naera made his debut and looked at home in the NRL, now Aekins gets his chance, but most importantly, all three will play together in the same team.

Knights vs Eels

Knights

Starting: Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Danny Levi, Herman Ese'ese.

Bench/Extended Bench: Haters.

Eels

Starting: Marata Niukore, Brad Takairangi.

Bench/Extended Bench: Peni Terepo.

Doc's Word

Slade Griffin's gone for the rest of the season, setting up Danny Levi for a steady crack at the hooker role for Newcastle Knights. Levi had this job last season and earned a Kiwis call up on the back of a strong season, then Griffin arrived and pushed Levi down on the depth chart and with no certified hooking cover on the bench, Levi could get an 80 minute shift.

Nathan Ross and Jamie Buhrer are named on the Knights bench, or someone from the extended bench could come into the 17, but those options won't be as potent as Levi. This is brewing as one of the funkiest #KiwiNRL narratives for the end of the season as Levi has a huge opportunity to showcase what he can do and with Mitchell Pearce returning from injury, perhaps help the Knights crack the Finals. There is plenty of Kiwis hooking depth (Issac Luke, Slade Griffin, Brandon Smith, Nathaniel Roache) and Levi has to impress if he wants a shot at the end of year fixtures for Aotearoa.

Bulldogs vs Rabbitohs

Bulldogs

Starting: Reimis Smith, Jeremy Marshall-King.

Bench/Extended Bench: Fa'amanu Brown, Ofahiki Ogden/Francis Tualau.

Rabbitohs

Starting: Haters.

Bench/Extended Bench: /Matt McIlwrick.

Doc's Word

Big chur to Matt McIlwrick for sneaking on to the Rabbitohs extended bench. Adam Doueihi is a very nifty utility and will cover any hooking duties, but with Damien Cook on Origin duty, McIlwrick could get a chance.

My fandom of NRL teams is super fluid, I stay neutral but some teams demand my attention through their #KiwiNRL funk. Despite being a neutral, the Bulldogs were always near the bottom of my viewing guide for various reasons led by the lack of a genuinely interesting #KiwiNRL players and overall group. Things change, there is a flow to the NRL and now the Bulldogs have some very interesting #KiwiNRL pieces that now have me ensuring that I catch the Bulldogs every week.

Reimis Smith is getting consistent game time on the week and the cookie is crumbling in his favour with Marcelo Montoya out for the season via injury, as well Josh Morris announcing his departure to Crollua Sharks for next season. Smith can now set up shop on the wing, knowing that it's his for the time being.

Jeremy Marshall-King is now building an intriguing combo with Lachlan Lewis and the consistency of selection around this halves combo is most important. They are both playing for selection next season when Kieran Foran returns, thus making Marshall-King's performances each week very interesting.

Then we have Ofahiki Ogden, who has come into the Bulldogs 17 in recent weeks and is commanding selection every week. Ogden has benefited from the departure of Aaron Woods and has been a bright spot for the Bulldogs, working through the middle.

Sea Eagles vs Storm

Sea Eagles

Starting: Addin Fonua-Blake, Manase Fainu, Martin Taupau.

Bench/Extended Bench: /Toafofoa Sipley.

Storm

Starting: Jahrome Hughes, Jesse Bromwich, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Kenny Bromwich.

Bench/Extended Bench: Brandon Smith/Albert Vete.

Doc's Word

Manly have named Manase Fainu and we don't really know what will happen here with Fainu battling off-field drama. It would be very weird for Fainu to play given the situation.

Far more exciting is the return of Jesse Bromwich and Jahrome Hughes sliding back into the halves. Hopefully we can get some consistent game time from Jesse as he's had a terrible year plagued by injury, after bouncing back from his situation last year and playing a major role in the Storm's Premiership run. Jesse needs to stay injury free and get reps in ahead of the Finals, especially with young bro Kenny starting at lock; their slick passing game can be lethal.

Hughes was once again super impressive at fullback last week in the Storm's big win over the Dragons, now with Billy Slater returning at fullback, Hughes moves to halfback. I reckon Hughes' best position is fullback and Brodie Croft was also low key impressive at halfback last week, but with Slater returning it's Croft who has to make way.

Origin could impact this rotation if something happens to Slater, or Cameron Munster. Otherwise I will again pay close attention to Hughes at halfback; he'll primarily play on the right, Munster on the left and Hughes won't have to do the same amount of kicking/game-control as most halfbacks with Cameron Smith running the show.

Raiders vs Cowboys

Raiders

Starting: Jordan Rapana, Joseph Tapine.

Bench/Extended Bench: Siliva Havili, Iosia Soliola.

Cowboys

Starting: Antonio Winterstein, Te Maire Martin, Jason Taumalolo.

Bench/Extended Bench: Haters.

Doc's Word

It's the flow of the NRL that again peaks my interest with Canberra Raiders rolling through changes each week, as they compete for a Finals spot. Brad Abbey got a brief chance at fullback but is out of action this week via concussion and Nick Cotric gets a crack as Jordan Rapana makes his return to the wing. Given what we have seen from Cotric in his career thus far, there is every chance that Cotric takes his fabulous form from the wing into the fullback role and Abbey could be waiting a bit longer.

After starting at lock last week, Siliva Havili makes way for Josh Papalii's return. Josh Hodgson is an 80 minute hooker, so there's no need to carry a hooker on the bench and Blake Austin has again been named on the bench; Havili's role will be as a middle forward. I love that and following Havili's journey this season has been excessively fun.

Broncos vs Warriors

Broncos

Starting: Jordan Kahu, Jamayne Isaako, Kodi Nikorima, Alex Glenn.

Bench/Extended Bench: /Sam Tagataese.

Warriors

Starting: All but Blake Green.

Bench/Extended Bench: All but Karl Lawton, Blake Ayshford.

Doc's Word

All about Kodi Nikorima, as it usually is for me when watching Brisbane Broncos. Nikorima was slick in the Broncos win over Gold Coast Titans, although the whole Broncos team was impressive and against a Warriors team that should offer stiffer opposition, Nikorima's imput into the play-making duties, or more importantly the game-management will be of greater importance.

Dragons vs Tigers

Dragons

Starting: Jason Nightingale.

Bench/Extended Bench: Leeson Ah Mau/Patrick Herbert.

Tigers

Starting: Esan Marsters, Benji Marshall, Russell Packer, Ben Matulino, Josh Aloiai, Elijah Taylor.

Bench/Extended Bench: Michael Chee Kam/Malakai Watene-Zelezniak.

Doc's Word

When Wests Tigers had their best #KiwiNRL crew in their team, they didn't have Moses Mbye at fullback and Robbie Farah at hooker. The arrival of Mbye has made Tuimoala Lolohea expendable and Farah's arrival now means that Pita Godinet has fallen down the pecking order, with Matt McIlwrick going the other way to the Bunnies; there has been #KiwiNRL collateral damage from the Tigers leveling up with Mbye and Farah.

You can't ignore the fact that the Tigers have got a whole lot better and that will have a positive impact on the remaining - very strong - #KiwiNRL group. Especially now that Benji Marshall returns to the halves and the Tigers also get back to playing with Russell Packer, Ben Matulino and Elijah Taylor playing through the middle; Taylor's ball-playing in conjunction with Farah's work at dummy half will be something to keep an eye on.

The low key selection move is Josh Aloiai getting promoted to start on the edge and Aloiai has done a job where ever he's needed this season, now he gets a sneaky chance to start in what I view as his best position. Robbie Rochow and Chris McQueen are Aloiai's major competition, both are out of action and Michael Chee Kam has also played a lot of edge this season. Chee Kam could rotate in with Aloiai, or add his footwork and offloads to the middle.

Titans vs Roosters

Titans

Starting: Kevin Proctor.

Bench/Extended Bench: Moeaki Fotuaika.

Roosters

Starting: Joseph Manu, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Sio Siua Taukeiaho, Isaac Liu.

Bench/Extended Bench: /Sitili Tupouniua, Poasa Faamausili.

Doc's Word

The battle for the Roosters #KiwiNRL middle trio against Jarrod Wallace, Ryan James and Jai Arrow will be crucial to deciding this game. If Waerea-Hargreaves, Taukeiaho and Liu can maintain parity, or roll through the Titans, especially with the footwork of Taukeiaho and Liu, then the Roosters have too much class and firepower for the Titans. That's what we have to expect from these Roosters forwards, but at full-strength the Titans have a quality middle group who will love the challenge of slowing these Roosters down.

With Origin impacting selections, teams can name an extra player on the extended bench and the Roosters have both Sitili Tupouniua and Poasa Faamausili on their extended bench. Tupouniua made his debut a few weeks ago, while Faamausili is yet to play NRL and both are Junior Kiwi reps; Faamausili in 2016 and Tupouniua in 2017.

Jahtearoa Premiers

Fullback: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
Wings: David Fusitu'a, Jordan Rapana.
Centres: Esan Marsters, Dean Whare.
Halves: Shaun Johnson, Benji Marshall.
Middles: Jesse Bromwich, Martin Taupau, Jason Taumalolo, Issac Luke.
Edges: Alex Glenn, Joseph Tapine.
Bench: Kodi Nikorima, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, James Fisher-Harris, Sio Siua Taukeiaho.

Jahtearoa Reserves

Fullback: Peta Hiku.
Centres: Joseph Manu, Jordan Kahu.
Wings: Ken Maumalo, Jamayne Isaako.
Halves: Te Maire Martin, Jeremy Marshall-King.
Middles: Russell Packer, Ben Matulino, Kenny Bromwich, Danny Levi.
Edges: Simon Mannering, Corey Harawira-Naera.
Bench: Brandon Smith, Isaac Liu, Leeson Ah Mau, Herman Ese'ese.

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Peace and love 27.