Round 6 preview

Every year I expect the big guns of the competition to hit their straps in round six. Players have match fitness and the first five rounds all teams get to learn the ins and outs of playing together on a weekly basis but this year getting an idea on form has been very difficult but I?ll have a shot this week and see how we go.

The woeful Warriors take on the Bulldogs in Wellington this evening and all the talk has surrounded how poor the crowd will be based on the Warriors form and the Bulldogs well publicized dramas. This game in previous years has always been a fantastic spectacle but with the crowd expected to stay away in droves, Wellington may kiss their 16th team chances goodbye. Having said that, I think the Bulldogs will win because Stacey Jones is not running to the line and giving the Warriors outside backs a chance to exploit any weakness in the opposition defences. The Bulldogs have problems of their own after Manly came ho so close to running them down last weekend. The Bulldogs have no pace out wide and again if the4 Warriors are smart, they will use Meli and Fa?afili against Utai and El Masri to get them across the line. It?s a tough game to pick but I am leaning the Bulldogs way. Bulldogs by 2.

The Sharks lost Nigel Vagana to suspension this week and that alone has severely dented the Sharks hopes of beating the Canberra Raiders at Toyota Park tomorrow night. The Raiders know how to win the close games and have the best away record in the NRL so I expect the Raiders to keep it simple and overpower the Sharks pack with straight, hard running from Davico, Wiki, Hodgson and O?Hara. Test spots are up for grabs so Kimmorley will be out to impress and it is vital for the Raiders to keep him well contained if they are to keep their place in the top four and possibly the outright premiership lead should results go their way. Raiders by 8.

The Queensland derby is upon us again and whilst some may have been thinking at the beginning of the year that the tide was finally turning the Cowboys way, how wrong they were. Nothing has changed and I don?t expect things to change on Saturday night although to see the Cowboys finally win one against their ?big brother? would be a huge boost for the Cowboys, poor home form and a knack to perennially underachieve leaves me no alternative but to tip the Broncos. Brisbane by 12.

The Melbourne Storm are the best 1-3 you will ever see. They have had an incredibly tough start to the season and only Penrith have had a harder draw. The Storm have been desperately unlucky in all the their losses this year and should get back in the winners circle when they take on the unpredictable Bunnies at Olympic Park. Rodney Howe has been dropped for the first time in his career and it remains to be seen if his axing will spur him on to regain his spot or see him ride off into the sunset and never see first grade again. Souths are a chance and will be in the match up to their eyeballs through the leadership of Bryan Fletcher and the power game of the Macdougall brothers. I don?t think it will be enough though. Storm by 10.

Easily the match of the round and will be played before a packed house at WIN Stadium. The Dragons are reverting to the scarlet Illawarra strip for this match and are looking to continue their ominous form when they clash with the Premiers. Penrith have been flying along beautifully but look close to a loss after just getting across the line against the Storm last weekend. They have had the hardest draw of any side with matches against Newcastle, Canberra, Warriors, Roosters, Storm and now the Dragons. It?s only natural for a team to lose their intensity after such a tough start and it would be no shame to lose to the Dragons at home. I think the Dragons will get up but you never know which Dragons team has shown up to play do you? I?ll take a punt and get behind the Dragons this week. Dragons by 6.

Remember the good old days when Manly and Parra were the dominant teams and each match was like a grand final? My how the times have changed. Manly are close to the bottom while Parramatta are slowly rebuilding after letting half their team travel down the Hume Highway to assist the Raiders who have been most appreciative I must say, especially as they are currently sitting in second place. Parramatta will win this as Manly are shocking at home and Parra are starting to earn some respect. Hopefully for the fans sake there will be some end to end action as two of the games best finishers are in action. Eric Grothe and Scott Donald are explosive runners and there is nothing better in Rugby League than a winger in full flight and even though Grothe and Donald are on opposite wings, we can only hope and pray that one is chasing the other at some stage throughout the match. Eels by 16.

Newcastle return home for their first match of the season and it?s against the Roosters. The match also marks the opening of the new look Energy Australia Stadium so a full house will be in attendance. The Knights are coming off an impressive win over the Warriors in Auckland but will find the going much tougher against the Roosters who have recorded back to back losses for the first time since 2002. The knights could well make it three in a row and another loss would raise serious questions over the Roosters title aspirations but even though the Knights have plenty to play for, I feel the Roosters will come out breathing fire and hand the Knights a first up loss at home. Roosters by 4.