NRL: five things to look out for this weekend

1) Thurston in, Tamou out

Once upon a time professional punters would hang on the words of North Queensland’s physiotherapist about whether Johnathan Thurston would play. Fortunes were won by the party that first heard about Thurston’s availability. But now, not so much. For not even the magician with the wacky cackle and Dumbo ears has been able to spark life into these once-sacred Cows. They’re second-last. They’ve lost five straight. Jimmy Tamou’s been rissolled and fined five figures. But even with the big yin they’ve been bad, Cows. And it’s hard to know why. Fast backs, champion half, crazy people in the pack. Kangaroos. The Sims brothers. Kid called James Taumalolo could be Bradley Clyde. The Dragons? Who knows? Playing in Wollongong on a Friday night they’ll get maybe 10,000 fans along, which is 9,993 more than North Queensland. But the Saints … dunno. Be glad you don’t follow them. They’re kooks.

2) Battle at Brookvale

Match of the round Friday might when Canterbury Bulldogs travel to the northern beaches of Sydney Town to battle Manly at Brookvale. Hot game here, fans, with more than a few subtexts. Des Hasler comes back to the ground he played 12 years on, the club he coached to two premierships. Manly folk thought he was furniture if not royalty, Dessie, and when he brushed the premiers for the Dogs less than a week after they won the comp in 2011 it was not appreciated by local piss-pots. Yet Hasler still lives, walks his dog and drinks the odd beer in Collaroy, and seems affected by very little in life. Good luck to him. And his Dogs are rolling on. Funky kid Ben Barba is approaching some of that hot-footed form that won him the Dally M. Krisnan Inu hasn’t been suspended for a week. And their maggot-hard forward pack is causing opponents pain weekly. They’re all giants, they run straight and there’s lots of them. A heady combination. And I reckon they’ll get the biscuits Friday.

3) Josh Papali

Canberra versus Penrith once meant Meninga v Izzard; Stuart v Alexanders; Everybody versus Big MG. Today it’s Josh Papali v Nigel Plum. Hit and be hit. For Plum it’s a chance to show the people why Penrith signed the 30-year-old for two more years. For Papali, 21, it’s his last hit-out before the second Big Dance of Origin, the last chance to impress Big Mal. But Mal’s already impressed. And if the big man has any sense of theatre – and as the termination of his political career one minute into his first radio interview shows, he does – then Meninga will throw Papali straight into the front-row and the fray and Paul Gallen’s face. Dare. To. Dream.

4) Once more, Warriors?

And so the high-flying Roosters of the eastern suburbs of Sydney Town take on the improving Warriors of New Zealand. Could be a good one. The visitors have tossed the ball about the last couple of weeks, recording a bash-up of Newcastle, an obliteration of Brisbane, and a grinder against Manly. A month ago they lost 62-6 to Penrith. These people are crazy. But at least you’ll be entertained. The Chooks? Remain third on the competition ladder and have their full complement on board Saturday night. Top fullback, fast wingers, fine centres, smart halves, tough forwards, and Sonny Bill Williams. You could quibble that their bench is a little thin (not that you’d describe Frank-Paul Nuuausala thus, but you get the gist) but you’d be clutching at so many straws. For if the Chooks keep this squadron fit and in this form, they will go deep into 2013.

5) Tigers to be mauled again

So, not only have Wests Tigers lost several players and most of their games, but a stakeholder of the joint venture has upped shop and taken their leagues club with them. The “Wests” part of the joint venture, at least as far as the Campbelltown part of the “West” bit goes, looks shaky. Will it affect their game against Brisbane at Suncorp? Not as much as Justin Hodges will. The big centre’s in form and ready to rough up a Tigers backline who call on Sean Meaney, David Nofoaluma and Tim Simona. Curtis Sironen is half-back, Robbie Farah’s not hooker, and the Tigers bench – Sauaso Sue, Jack Buchanan, Ava Seumanufagai and Jarred Farlow – could walk into their own homes and not be recognised. The Broncos aren’t lighting up the skies of Brisbane by night. But they should beat these Wests Tigers. If not, Anthony Griffin could need Centrelink.