Match Preview

Despite coming off a recent loss to premiership leaders Souths Logan last weekend, the Hunters will bring plenty of confidence into this weekend’s fixture following a promising block of games over the last month.  
 
A stretch of four straight home games at the Santos National Football Stadium gave the Hunters a great opportunity to build into the season. Two big wins over the Tweed Seagulls and Western Clydesdales backed up a narrow loss to finals bound club the Northern Pride and followed by a tough blow against the Magpies.  
 

After playing out a golden point thriller two months ago, the Panthers and Knights meet again after both suffering narrow losses in Round 16. 

The Panthers on the other hand were the competition's hottest team prior to suffering defeat at the hands of the Cowboys in golden point last Friday, in what was their first loss since the end of April. 

Penrith have had it all over the Knights in recent times and haven't lost to them in their past seven meetings, while stretching back to 2014 Newcastle have tasted victory over this week's opponent just twice in 16 meetings. 

Wayne Bennett's men have found themselves languishing outside the eight after being blown off 4 Pines Park by Manly in Round 15 but will be desperate to turn the screws and finish the season the way it started as they hope to welcome back several troops this week. 

Putting his side's disappointing performance in Manly simply down to a "bad day", Bennett will be hoping last week's bye is enough for his Dolphins to regroup and get back to their winning ways at Sunshine Coast Stadium. 

Both sides are coming off big wins in Round 15 before recharging their batteries with a bye last week and while the Warriors go in as clear favourites, the Dragons should have every confidence they can produce an upset after overcoming both the Roosters and Rabbitohs in recent weeks.

With Shaun Johnson back to career-best form and leading the Warriors' charge up the NRL ladder, Andrew Webster's side has been a revelation this season, with fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak capitalising on the form of their veteran halfback.

Moses was superb in Monday's win over the Bulldogs, nailing his audition for an Origin recall, and he will watch on from Blues camp as his Parra teammates chase a fourth straight victory.

The Sea Eagles are riding high after putting a half-century on the Dolphins but they head into Round 16 without their dynamic duo of Daly Cherry-Evans and Tom Trbojevic, who go head-to-head at Suncorp Stadium next Wednesday in Origin II.

When the sides met at 4 Pines Park in Round 3 it was Manly prevailing 34-30 to consign the Eels to a 0-3 start.

Wests Tigers have shown significant improvement during the past six weeks but still find themselves equal last on the ladder with the Dragons and staring at a 12th consecutive season out of the finals.

The Storm are coming off a huge win over the Sharks but find themselves in the middle of the testing Origin period when their dynamic duo Cameron Munster and Harry Grant are in camp with Queensland, leaving Kiwi halfback Jahrome Hughes to call the shots and rally the troops.

With Kalyn Ponga at his electric best and Daniel Saifiti leading the way up front, the Knights led 20-12 lead with 12 minutes to play and were on track for just their second away win of the of the season before the Broncos conjured two late tries to escape 24-20.

The loss leaves the Knights one win outside the top eight and one point behind the Roosters, who are coming off a demoralising loss to the Panthers on home soil at Allianz Stadium.

While North Queensland will take the field refreshed from a Round 15 bye, the Panthers head to Townsville on the back of a comprehensive, but physically taxing, 30-6 victory over the Roosters. 

Penrith haven't lost a game in six weeks, while the Cowboys' last performance – a 45-20 win over the Storm – was arguably their best of the season. 

At Queensland Country Bank Stadium this year the Cowboys have won five of seven games and they were winners the last time they faced the Panthers too. 

The Storm conceded an uncharacteristic 45 points to the Cowboys in Townsville to continue their inconsistent season while the Sharks were beaten by a classy Broncos outfit on home turf. 

Both sides have shared a period of dominance against each other since the 2016 grand final with Cronulla winning five of their next eight before Melbourne returned serve, winning five of the last six between the two clubs.

Wayne Bennett's side fought bravely in the face of widespread changes last week in an eventual 30-6 loss at the hands of the Warriors in Auckland. 

Despite the task ahead of them against the Sea Eagles, they will take comfort from the fact that in all but one of their five losses this year they have bounced back to taste victory the following week. 

Given their own mounting injury toll, Manly will have appreciated the week off in Round 14, with a chance now to reload for the second half of the season as they seek to work their way back inside the top eight.