The 2024 NRL season is tight, with plenty of players injured or in and out of form, as clubs look to make their runs through the Origin period, tipping eight winners each weekend is nearly impossible, so each week we'll give you some extra help with three standout games.
The sure thing
Penrith Panthers vs. Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs, BlueBet Stadium, Friday May 10, 6pm (AEST)
It might seem cheap and lazy to go back to the Panthers again, but in all seriousness I could not see another game this weekend that I was absolutely sure about. Even with this game there is the outside chance that all of the former Panthers will rise up against their old club and pull an upset out of the bag. But looking through the round, this game, at Penrith, seems the most certain to me.
The Bulldogs came from behind to beat the Tigers in the second half last week, but it was a very scrappy performance against one of the lesser sides in the competition. The Panthers were shocked early by the enthusiastic Rabbitohs, but once they settled into their grove they were able to run away with the game after half time. They piled on a mountain of points without star halfback Nathan Cleary who returns this week to face the Bulldogs.
The Panthers, at their professional best, at home in front of their adoring fans, are still a class or two above the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs may eventually catch them, but not this year. They will be severely punished for any errors they make in attack and defence. The Panthers just don't waste too many opportunities.
Round 10 sure thing: Panthers
The toss of the coin
Melbourne Storm vs. Cronulla Sutherland Sharks, AAMI Park, Saturday May 11, 7:35pm (AEST)
The Sharks sit comfortably atop the NRL ladder, but have only played one Top 8 team so far this year and that was the Bulldogs, who they beat in Round 2. Things are about to get real as they face the Storm, Roosters, Panthers. Eels, Broncos and Dolphins in the coming weeks, before a well-needed bye. It's not their fault that they are playing the lower clubs, they can only take on what the draw puts before them and they have been quite convincing in their victories.
Having watched the way the Storm have meticulously picked apart teams so far this season, I would have been quite comfortable in suggesting that they are a class above the Sharks and would win this one at home. That was before they lost both Ryan Papenhuyzen and Jahrome Hughes to injury last week. The loss of those two superstars of the game really brings the Storm back to the field. Enough for me to be convinced that the Sharks will win this one? Well, no, not really convinced.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy is a master of making the players at his disposal work to a plan to match any team. Sure they will be weakened but I'm still not prepared to completely write them off. The Sharks are full of confidence, but they have been the high school kids bullying the primary school students. This will be a real toss of the coin game, which I think the Sharks just might nab, thanks to the slick combinations they have been building this year and because the Storm won't be at their best..
Toss of the coin game winner: Sharks
The roughie
Gold Coast Titans vs. North Queensland Cowboys, Cbus Stadium, Friday May 3, 6pm (AEST)
Thanks to the Raiders' come-from-behind effort against the Sea Eagles last week, the roughie section of this column has been correct three weeks running. So the pressure is on to spot another potential upset this weekend.
The Cowboys are a tough teams to get a gauge on, they really should have beaten the Dolphins last week and they seem to fade in and out of games, particularly with their defensive efforts. The Titans have been disappointing all year, but are slowly starting to find some cohesion in whatever it is Des Hasler is trying to impart on them. They gave the Storm a good run last week, and I think at home this week, they could upset the Cowboys.
Round 10 roughie: Titans
Click here for a full guide to Round 10 of the 2024 NRL season