NRL finals berths will go on the line in Round 23 and the wooden spoon could also be decided on the Gold Coast.

The various races for the minor premiership, top 4, top 8 and to avoid finishing last are all heating up and after a series of upsets last weekend and near misses anything is possible in what has been an unpredictable season all round.

Brisbane’s hopes of sneaking into the top 4 will vanish if they cannot come away from Melbourne on Thursday night with two competition points against the Storm.

Friday’s action gets underway with Newcastle now playing for pride when they host Penrith who are now just one point outside the top 4 following their lengthy winning streak.

Canberra are clinging on to top spot and need to put away Manly in the later game while the Sea Eagles have dropped to 10th and are desperate to make amends after losing to the Roosters last weekend.

Saturday’s schedule starts with a bang when St George Illawarra try to keep their flickering finals hopes alive against the surging Sharks.

The middle game featuring the Dolphins and Roosters has monumental consequences for each side as they duel for the final spot in the top 8.

Canterbury and the Warriors face off later in the evening in another match that will have ramifications for where each team finishes.

Sunday’s Spoon Bowl between the Titans and Rabbitohs is a toss of the coin with Souths set to be boosted by the return of Latrell Mitchell and Brandon Smith.

The round ends with the least consequential game as Parramatta host the slumping Cowboys at Commbank Stadium.

Here’s how The Roar experts see Round 23 unfolding.

Stuart Thomas

Storm, Panthers, Raiders, Sharks, Dolphins, Warriors, Titans, Eels

The time to stand up has come for the Broncos. I’m predicting they fall flat on their faces and the Storm towel them up in Melbourne. The Panthers have a dangerous match-up with the Knights but with so much at stake, their quality might just sneak them home.

The Sea Eagles look to have given up the ghost for 2025 and Canberra need to recapture some form. A thrashing in the capital. Plenty at stake for the Sharks off the back of a strong wing last week. Dragons losing interest after this one.

The Dolphins injury list looks horrific. Can they lift again and stay in the finals race? I say yes with plenty of doubt. Really, I just enjoy seeing the Chooks get beat. I’m still unconvinced by the Dogs and the Warriors are better than they have been showing of late. 

Come on you Titans in the spoon bowl. An epic encounter and a win for Des. I’m not sure sacking him is the answer Gold Coast needs. The Eels and Cowboys is very unpredictable. I’ll go the way of Parramatta, with over 70 points to be scored in the match if the weather is good.

Lachlan Galvin. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

Nick Wasiliev

Storm, Panthers, Raiders, Sharks, Dolphins, Bulldogs, Titans, Eels

NRL continues to be an enigma wrapped in a riddle, feels about right this time of year; teams either plough on ahead or drop off a cliff due to complacency or waiting for the season to end.The Storm were uninspiring last week, though the rain didn’t help in Parramatta. I expect them to be a lot better back at home, and while the Broncos demolished the Bunnies, AAMI Park is a different prospect.

Knights will be rested and back at home, so this game will be a close one. Funnily enough, the Panthers haven’t dropped a game in their last eight matches, but the last one was against Newcastle. Given their propensity to put away teams lower on the ladder, they should come home here.

The Green Machine might’ve lost to the Dragons, but top of the ladder and back home is a big difference. Sea Eagles have fallen off the last fortnight, so this could get ugly. For the life of me, I cannot get a read on the Dragons this year. Injuries and mixed form, then suddenly beating the team coming first last week.

Cronulla should be good – but I don’t say that with confidence.

Ditto the Dolphins and Chooks. I’m going home-ground advantage, but again, not with a lot of confidence. 

Ohh, match of the round here! Both the Bulldogs and Wahs are coming off surprise losses, and the Warriors have been particularly down the last fortnight. I still have a good feeling about the Doggies, and I expect them to bounce back well here. Great opportunity to put to bed any doubt of their title credentials and lock in a potential top-four finish here, with the Lions close behind.Has Spoonbowl 2025 come early? If so, I’m calling the Titans to take this one. 

You know what? Sure, the Storm didn’t play well, but conversely, Parramatta also became a real thorn in their side. I back the men in yellow and blue to come through here, with only one point separating them and the Cowboys, this match is fair game for either. 

Mary Konstantopoulos

Storm, Panthers, Raiders, Sharks, Dolphins, Bulldogs, Titans, Eels

This first game is match of the round between two teams that have Premiership aspirations. The Broncos were exceptional last week against a Souths team riddled with injury and as for the Storm they had a hard fought victory against the spirited Eels. I’m sticking with my rule and not tipping against the Storm, but this should be a great way to start the round.

The Panthers, Raiders and Sharks will all get the two points and be too classy for their opposition. 

I’m also looking forward to the game between the Dolphins and the Roosters, two teams who have some of the most exciting attach in the competition. Despite injury, the Dolphins are one of the in form teams in the competition and I would love to see them make finals. Herbie Farnworth is a huge loss, but the Phins do welcome back some forwards which should help them win the battle up front.

The Bulldogs and Warriors both need a win this weekend, but I am more confident in the Bulldogs, given some of the personnel the Warriors are missing.

The Titans and Eels both deserve wins this weekend so I’m tipping them both in the hope they turn up against lesser opposition the way they did last week.

Corey Allen celebrates with teammates (Photo by Mark Kolbe Photography/Getty Images)

Paul Suttor

Storm, Panthers, Raiders, Sharks, Dolphins, Bulldogs, Titans, Eels

The Storm are motoring along nicely while the Broncos are still not quite in the upper echelon of title contenders. Storm by 6.

Newcastle haven’t got much of a hope against the Panthers. Penrith by 14.

Manly are going backwards at the wrong time of year and should be easy pickings for the Green Machine in the national capital. Raiders by 12.

St George Illawarra will battle away for the entire 80 minutes against Cronulla but Craig Fitzgibbon’s team has too much to play for. Sharks by 4.

The Dolphins and Roosters should be a barn burner. The home side have been travelling just a touch better in recent times. Dolphins by 8.

Canterbury will bounce back after their surprise loss to the Tigers by taking out their frustration on the Warriors. Bulldogs by 16.

Gold Coast are in a rare position of being favourites when they host South Sydney. Titans by 7.

Parramatta should be way too strong for a Cowboys side which has long since given up the Ghost. Eels by 20.

Blaize Talagi celebrates the winning try. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

AJ Mithen

Storm, Panthers, Raiders, Dragons, Roosters, Bulldogs, Titans, Eels

Not much excitement this round I reckon. Storm will paste Brisbane, Panthers will grind out Newcastle, I like the Dragons to upset Cronulla and the Roosters to have too much for the Dolphins sans Farnworth. 

Bulldogs in an unconvincing one over New Zealand, Titans will smack the bunnies and while Parra will put 40 on the Cowboys, they might win by just a couple. 

Oh and I almost forgot, your presumptive champions, the people’s team, the Canberra Raiders will welcome their bogey team Manly to the capital before laying a casual 56 on their hapless opposition, ending the serious part of the Sea Eagles for 2025.

Mike Meehall Wood

Storm, Panthers, Raiders, Sharks, Dolphins, Bulldogs, Titans, Eels

My reign of terror continues through what, realistically, looks like a relatively straightforward weekend of tipping.

Off the bat, let’s pencil in Penrith, Cronulla and the Titans in for victories. Newcastle, St George Illawarra and Souths aren’t a chance. Yes, I know the Dragons won last week, but that’s their one performance for the month boxed off.

We can throw Canberra in too, as me tipping against Manly is just a permanent feature now. I hope I manifest a performance from my Beaches Boys, but this reverse psychology tip is powering me to another tipping title. Sorry AJ, too.

The Dogs are a lot better than the Warriors and have a stinging defeat to motivate them, while Melbourne are at home and (my Beaches Boys aside) don’t really lose there, especially not against the Fools Gold Broncos.

That leaves us with the two toss-ups.

First up, Parra are at home and the Cowboys can’t tackle, so I’ll take the Eels.Second, the Phins are wounded without Herbie but I can’t back Easts to win more than one game in a row. Given they beat Manly, that probably means they lose here.

David Shilovsky

Storm, Panthers, Raiders, Sharks, Roosters, Bulldogs, Titans, Eels

We’ll find out more about these two contenders, and a Brisbane victory would not shock me, but I’ll tip the Storm at AAMI. Penrith to keep rolling, the Raiders at home are always a tough proposition, Sharks to make it five in a row.

The Dolphins still have plenty of strike even without Farnworth but Easts looked good with Walker back towards his best, Bulldogs over Warriors, Spoonbowl might have been interesting if Souths could field an actual NRL 17, and Payten’s days are numbered in Townsville with the Cowboys sinking fast.