Rain all week that will clear over the weekend creates plenty of intrigue ahead of Round 25, with the race for spots in the NRL finals coming down to the wire.
Friday night blockbusters headline Round 25, with the Panthers taking on the Raiders, and the Storm taking on the Bulldogs, while there are a handful of other big games, with the Sea Eagles clashing with the Dolphins in a game where the loser is done for the year.
The less said about last week’s try-scorer predictions the better. We did manage a couple, but it’s safe to say it wasn’t our finest hour.
That said, we go again.
Here are the five we expect to be in line for a try this weekend.
Xavier Coates (Melbourne Storm)
Coates has been in excellent form in recent weeks.
The towering winger has 18 tries in 17 games to his name this year, and has scored five in his last three, and eight in his last five.
The Storm, too, are playing for him to score. Their number one attacking strategy recently is to kick to his wing and let him fly.
Expect more of that against the Bulldogs, who are under the pump at the moment following a treacherous run of form.
Jake Averillo (The Dolphins)
Averillo’s form for the Dolphins has been exceptional this year, and coming up against a Manly side who have lost their way, he could find a way to cross again here.
He scored last week against Brisbane and always seems to pop up in the right spots when it comes to running support plays or finishing out wide.
The Dolphins need a big win over Manly to keep their slim finals chances alive, and we expect Averillo to play a role in that one way or another.
AJ Brimson (Gold Coast Titans)Â
Brimson hasn’t found the try line all that often for the Titans this year, but the side certainly looks better with him at fullback.
The return of Keano Kini, however, means he is splitting his time between the two roles, and given his try-scoring form early in the year at five-eighth, as well as the Warriors starting to look as if they are running out of puff, points should be in the offering for Brimson here.
Mark Nawaqanitawase (Sydney Roosters)
Rarely will you see an athlete as gifted as Nawaqanitawase.
While he still struggles defensively and position-wise at times, the rugby convert has made some freakish things happen in attack so far this year.
His try-scoring record is excellent, and against a Parramatta side that struggles defensively on the edge, he will have opportunities to score here as the Roosters put the pedal to the metal and try to force a top-eight spot.
Jaxon Purdue (North Queensland Cowboys)
Purdue has been in excellent form for a Cowboys side who have been well below their best, despite a big win over the Newcastle Knights last weekend.
Purdue found the scoresheet in that game, and now taking on the Wests Tigers at Leichhardt, it’s the sort of game where we expect points to be put up.
The Cowboys like attacking to the left-hand side where Purdue is stationed, and his running game makes him hard to shut down.
Value play of the week – Luciano Leilua (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Thursday night’s game between the Dragons and Rabbitohs could be absolutely anything.
Both sides are decimated by injuries, all but out of the finals race (in the case of the Dragons) and totally out (in the case of the Rabbitohs), and in the wet, it means it’s a tough one to predict.
While points may not be over the top, we’d still expect plenty of tries both ways as the two teams look to throw it around and pick up two competition points.
Luciano Leilua may have been rocks and diamonds recently, but his form is trending in the right direction, and his ball-running is explosive.
If he finds a gap, then a try could be on offer here.
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