Friday night footy kicks-off in Homebush, where the Dogs will be desperate for a win to lift them off the bottom of the ladder.
Then we head out to Penrith, where Wayne Bennett will be looking to pile more pressure on the Panthers, and make it win number six for his side in the process.
Before placing your NRL bets, make sure to check out our match previews and NRL betting tips below.
Canterbury Bansktown Bulldogs vs North Queensland Cowboys
Two of the competition's cellar-dwellers do battle on Friday, with the winner set to shift themselves a little further up the ladder.
The Bulldogs were gallant in last week's loss to the Rabbitohs, showing a defensive fortitude that has been missing for large chunks of their 2019 campaign.
North Queensland's defence also improved significantly, keeping the Warriors to just 10 points across the ditch.
Whether they can back that up with another gritty performance on the road remains to be seen.
Why Bulldogs can win
The Dogs have shown in 2019 that they can mix it with the league's best.
They were well in the contest in the games against both Melbourne and South Sydney, and probably should've come away with at least one win from these games.
However, those results were either side of a 40-4 drubbing at the hands of the Dragons.
It's difficult to know which Bulldogs we'll get- the resilient side that almost toppled the Storm, or the leaky defence that conceded 40 against not just the Dragons but the Warriors in Round 1.
Why Cowboys can win
With Michael Morgan at halfback, the Cows have the class and experience to prove too much for the Dogs to handle.
However, it's North Queensland's forwards that are their biggest strength.
Last weekend's clash against the Warriors was dominated by the forwards, with both Jordan McLean and Josh McGuire having huge games.
McGuire in particular was immense, running for 220 metres and making 42 tackles.
Therefore, even if this clash becomes a slug-fest, the Cowboys look to have the Bulldogs covered.
Key NRL Stat
The previous 3 clashes between these sides have been won by the away team: Cowboys to win @ $2
NRL Betting Tip: No bet.
Reasoning: It's hard to know which Dogs side we'll get, while the Cowboys might throw up a stinker in their second consecutive away match.
Just when the Panthers looked set for a much needed win last week, they collapsed in the final twenty minutes against the Sharks, blowing a 14-point lead in the process.
South Sydney meanwhile held on for an unconvincing 8-point win over the Bulldogs.
While it wasn't the prettiest game, a win's a win. And with five of them in 2019, the Bunnies are in the box seat to make it six.
Why Panthers can win
If they miraculously pull it all together and play for a full eighty minutes, then Penrith have the capacity to get the job done in style.
But based on what we've seen of them thus far, this looks to be a bridge too far against a strong South Sydney outfit.
A major concern is James Maloney's defence.
While Maloney did have good display at the attacking end with 2 try assists, he also missed 8 tackles, increasing his lead as the comp's worst tackler.
Considering team-mate James Fisher-Harris is in second place with 29 missed tackles for the season, there are plenty of holes that need stopping in Penrith's defensive line.
Why Rabbitohs can win
After the Bunnies burst out of the blocks in 2019 with two terrific wins, it has been slightly downhill since then.
Their three subsequent wins have been by 8 points against the Titans, 4 points against the Warriors and 8 points against the Bulldogs.
This suggests that they've been doing just enough to win each time, and that they're set for a defeat when coming up against a decent team.
Luckily for them, Penrith aren't a decent team anymore.
If the Bunnies complete most of their sets, then the halves combination of Cody Walker and Adam Reynolds will create enough in attack to scrape over the line.
Key NRL Stat
4 of the past 5 fixtures between these sides have been decided by 6 points or less: Either team to win by 6 points or less @ $2.
NRL Betting Tip:Rabbitohs to win by a margin of 1-12 points @ $3
Reasoning: Souths just have too much quality not to scrape over the line.
Apr 26, 2019 07:01 PM
AAP
Key NRL Stat
NRL Betting Tip: No bet.
2018 media tipster champ: Cowboys
