Dragons vs Rabbitohs

Dragons

Jordan Pereira.

Rabbitohs

Jaxson Paulo.

Doc's Word

Not much doing here, although Jordan Pereira and Jaxson Paulo may line up against each other to provide some funk. Paulo's had a weird two-game stretch to start his career, both of which were losses with Paulo getting 20 touches and 72 post-contact-metres on debut vs Knights, followed by last week's loss to Raiders in which Paulo registered 8 touches and 16 PCM.

Tigers vs Warriors

Tigers

Benji Marshall, Josh Aloiai.

Warriors

All but George Jennings, Blake Green, Jamayne Taunoa-Brown, Karl Lawton, Jack Hetherington, Wayde Egan, Daniel Alvaro, Lachlan Burr, Adam Keighran, Jack Murchie, Josh Curran.

Doc's Word

This may be best chance kiwi footy fans get to see Josh Aloai, well the 2020 version of Aloiai who has emerged as a certified leader of the Tigers forward pack. Aloiai has the most PCM of any Tigers player and Aloiai is the only Tigers forward in the top-50 for PCM, a product of Aloiai playing all 11 games for Tigers/Kiwis coach Michael Maguire. In those 11 games, all of which Aloiai has started at prop, Aloiai has played 40+ minutes in every game and 50+ minutes in six games along with missing more than 1 tackle in just two games. Big minutes, high workload and Aloiai is tacking at 94.6 percent efficiency.

Broncos vs Sharks

Broncos

Issac Luke, Jordan Riki, Pride Petterson-Robati, Jesse Arthars.

Sharks

Sione Katoa, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Shaun Johnson, Braden Hamlin-Uele, Briton Nikora, Siosifa Talakai, Jackson Ferris.

Doc's Word

Ideally, for #KiwiNRL folks, there are more waves of niggle to hit the Broncos as this is likely to open an opportunity for Jordan Riki or Pride Petterson-Robati to get some game time. Petterson-Robati has been named on an extended bench earlier this year and has toiled away at various clubs before impressing with Norths Devils in Queensland's Intrust Super Cup last year to earn a gig at the Broncos. Definitely eager to see the Upper Hutt Tigers junior get a crack at some point, yet given the hype around Hornby Panthers (Christchurch) junior Riki has been brewing for a few years now and his presence on the fringe of the Broncos' top-17 is lovely.

Riki is perhaps the most decorated junior in the #KiwiNRL prospect bucket at the moment, having moved through Aotearoa age-group representative teams to the point where Riki did the Junior Kiwis double despite the change in age category. In 2018, Riki was in the Under 20s Junior Kiwi and then last year, Riki captained the Junior Kiwis as they rolled out an Under 19 team.

Roosters vs Titans

Roosters

Joseph Manu, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Siosiua Taukeiaho, Sitili Tupouniua, Isaac Liu, Poasa Fa'amausili, Christian Tuipulotu.

Titans

Moeaki Fotuaika, Kevin Proctor, Sam Lisone, Erin Clark.

Doc's Word

Another #KiwiNRL prospect lurking on the fringe of NRL footy is Christian Tuipulotu, who came through St Paul's College in Auckland and joined the Roosters after they went hard at recruiting the Ellerslie Eagles junior Tuipulotu. Starting out as an edge forward, Tuipulotu has transitioned to an outside back at the Roosters and played the first game of Canterbury Cup this year on the wing for North Sydney Bears. This may stem from Asu Kepaoa making a move from the Roosters to Tigers as Kepaoa is an outside back who can't be too far away from a #KiwiNRL debut, now he's left there is a vacancy for Tuipulotu.

The Roosters have named their full crew of #KiwiNRL forwards, with Sitili Tupouniua getting another chance starting on an edge, Isaac Liu starting alongside Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Siosiua Taukeiaho in the middle and Poasa Fa'amausili coming off the bench again. This won't be the case every week, so take a moment to peep this game and saviour such hefty #KiwiNRL quality and quantity.

Cowboys vs Raiders

Cowboys

Connelly Lemuelu, Murray Taulagi, Jason Taumalolo, Esan Marsters, Emry Pere.

Raiders

Jordan Rapana, Siliva Havili, Joseph Tapine, Corey Harawira-Naera.

Doc's Word

Corey Harawira-Naera is chucked on to the Raiders bench straight away after leaving Bulldogs to link up with the Raiders and I'm fizzing to see Harawira-Naera and Joseph Tapine coming off the bench together. This will likely involve Harawira-Naera playing through the middle as John Bateman and Elliott Whitehead are named on the edges, so I'll be tuned in to see how Tapine and Harawira-Naera are deployed and their mobility, along with the general Raiders mobility in their forward pack could cause Jason Taumalolo and the Cowboys forward pack a few issues.

Sea Eagles vs Panthers

Sea Eagles

Danny Levi, Martin Taupau, Taniela Paseka.

Panthers

Caleb Aekins, Malakai Watene-Zelezniak, Jarome Luai, James Fisher-Harris, Zane Tetevano.

Doc's Word

After a three-game losing streak, the Sea Eagles have won their last two games and Danny Levi scored a try in both games. Levi isn't the busiest dummy-half-running hooker in the NRL, averaging 3.8 DHR per game while five hookers average over 5 DHR per game and while Manly have a varied game that doesn't need Levi scooting as much as possible, Levi may be a bigger factor against a mobile forward pack like the Panthers.

James Fisher-Harris is averaging 36 tackles per game, at 92 percent efficiency and along with James Tamou and Isaah Yeo, the Panthers have a middle forward crew who are best-poised to limit the influence of Martin Taupau and Addin Fonua-Blake. This battle will have a major impact on the result and I reckon this could see Levi get busier out of dummy half to offer variety in how the Sea Eagles counter that Panthers middle.

Bulldogs vs Eels

Bulldogs

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Kieran Foran, Jeremy Marshall-King, Raymond Faitala-Mariner, Sione Katoa, Ofahiki Ogden, Renouf To'omaga, Reimis Smith.

Eels

Dylan Brown, Marata Niukore, Brad Takairangi.

Doc's Word

Now that Corey Harawira-Naera has moved to the Raiders, it's all worked out rather nicely considering that Harawira-Naera's drama opened a chance for Raymond Faitala-Mariner on the Bulldogs edge. By round four, Faitala-Mariner took that opportunity and has now played 80mins eight games in a row.

Dylan Brown has back to back games against Aotearoa Kiwis legends Benji Marshall and Kieran Foran. Here is how the Brown vs Marshall match up ended up...

Dylan Brown: 14 runs, 114m @ 8.14m/run, 2 tackle busts, 45 touches, 28 tackles @ 100%, 3 kicks.

Benji Marshall: 16 runs, 111m @ 6.93m/run, 3 tackle busts, 55 touches, 15 tackles @ 100%, 13 kicks.

Storm vs Knights

Storm

Jahrome Hughes, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Kenny Bromwich, Brandon Smith, Albert Vete, Jesse Bromwich.

Knights

Herman Ese'ese, Mason Lino, Jirah Momoisea.

Doc's Word

Best case #KiwiNRL scenario for Storm: Jesse Bromwich returns and Albert Vete keeps his bench spot. Vete is yet to lose a game with the Storm after four games in three years and he hasn't missed a tackle in his last two outings vs Titans and Broncos, which may work in Vete's favour as the Storm move forward.

The Knights have Mason Lino and Jirah Momoisea on their extended bench, with Lino clearly not being in favour as a possible dummy half option despite the Knights hooking curse; that's all good as Lino is being viewed as a specialist half. Momoisea can play middle and edge, starting on an edge and playing 80mins in the first Canterbury Cup game of the season. That followed a 2019 season in Canterbury Cup in which Momoisea played 20 games and he is likely to be the next forward in the line for a crack.

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Peace and love.