The annual festival of footy at Magic Round kicks off with a Friday night double featuring two sides searching for their best form in game one and two sides capable of scoring tries for fun in game two.
The Sharks (4-5) and Bulldogs (3-6) get us underway on Friday night with both sides looking to their halves to ignite a turnaround before their season slips away.
Both these sides boast enough big-game players to make a statement on the Magic Round stage and kick start a run towards the finals so a classic contest is on the cards.
And that takes us into a high-octane clash that pits Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Jamayne Isaako and Herbie Farnworth against Latrell Mitchell, Campbell Graham and Cody Walker in a sizzling showdown.
The Rabbitohs look every inch a title contender on the basis of their wins over the Sharks, Storm and Bulldogs, while the men from Redcliffe are capable of running any defence ragged on their day and will be keen to avenge a 40-30 loss to Souths in Round 1.
Follow all the Magic Round action on NRL.com’s live blog.
Sharks v Bulldogs at Suncorp Stadium
52 min: On the back of a spilled bomb by Will Kennedy the Sharks are forced to defend back-to-back sets on their own line but Billy Burns cleans up a bouncing ball and the Sharks come out of trouble.
49 min: Another mistake from the Bulldogs inside their own half by Jaeman Salmon and they are under the pump again.
44 min: Billy Burns powers onto a pass from close range and loses it as he tries to play it but referee Gerard Sutton rules ruck interference. A simple shot at penalty goal for Nicho Hynes from right in front. Sharks 32-6
43 min: Lachlan Galvin launches a bomb and Sam Stonestreet comes up with another high-flying take and the Sharks march down field.
Origin audition: Addin Fonua-Blake was immense as he pushed his case for a NSW Blues Origin jersey. AFB had 13 runs for 126 metres and peeled off 23 tackles for good measure as Cronulla dominated through the middle.
Too good by halves: Braydon Trindall had two try assists and two line break assists to go with a four-pointer of his own while Nicho Hynes also bagged a try and had three tackle breaks as the Sharks’ playmakers came to the fore.
Half-time: The Sharks take a 30-6 lead to the sheds on the back of 55 per cent of possession and an outstanding completion rate of 92 per cent. The Bulldogs came up with seven errors to the Sharks’ two.
40 min: A chip kick from Connor Tracey bounces away from the Bulldogs chasers and Braydon Trindall is on hand to clean up and take the ball dead.
39 min: Lachlan Galvin grubbers into the in goal, Will Kennedy knocks on. The Bulldogs get another chance to post points.
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Nicholas Hynes Try
33 min: Great footwork by Nicho Hynes as he leaves three Bulldogs defenders in his wake and slams the ball down for another Sharks try. The playmaker converts his own try. Sharks 30-6
32 min: Jonathan Sua makes a meal of a play-the-ball and is ruled to have knocked on. The Bulldogs throw in a captain’s challenge and come up empty. The Sharks take over from 20 metres out.
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Jacob Preston Try
30 min: Lachlan Galvin goes to the left edge and picks up a rampaging Jacob Preston who runs a great line to cross for the Dogs’ first try. Preston’s fourth try of the season will give the blue and whites a huge lift. Stephen Crichton converts. Sharks 24-6
29 min: A monster spiral bomb from Matt Burton is put down by Will Kennedy and the Bulldogs get a golden opportunity to open their account.
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Hohepa Puru Try
24 min: Hohepa Puru gets out of dummy half and muscles his way through some feeble goal-line defence from the Bulldogs to post the Sharks’ fourth try and the first of his NRL career. Connor Tracey, Max King and Leo Thompson all tried to hold Puru up but he was too strong. Nicho Hynes converts. Sharks 24-0
20 min: Matt Burton grubbers for the in goal and Ronaldo Mulitalo cleans up. The Sharks go short with the dropout and the Dogs reload inside the red zone.
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William Kennedy Try
17 min: The Sharks strike again as Will Kennedy dummies his way through on the left edge. Stephen Crichton raced in and came up empty and Kennedy motored through the hole. Nicho Hynes adds the extras. Sharks 18-0
16 min: Jonathan Sua is ruled to have knocked on as he tried to defuse a Braydon Trindall bomb. Sharks scrum.
13 min: Ronaldo Mulitalo takes a high ball on the full and offloads for Jesse Ramien who is bundled into touch as the Bulldogs hang on.
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Ronaldo Mulitalo Try
10 min: Welcome back, Ronaldo. In his first game back from an ACL injury the Sharks winger is over in the corner thanks to great work on the inside from Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall. That’s 101 career tries for Mulitalo. Bulldogs fullback Connor Tracey makes high contact as Mulitalo is grounding the ball and is placed on report. It’s also a potential eight-point try for the foul play. Hynes misses the first conversion attempt from wide out but nails the second shot from in front. Sharks 12-0
9 min: A poor pass from Matt Burton is put down by Jacob Preston and the Sharks go on the attack.
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Braydon Trindall Try
4 min: We have our first try of Magic Round after Will Kennedy flies high to bring down a Nicho Hynes bomb before flicking a pass out which is knocked down by Jaeman Salmon. The ball rolls into the in-goal and Braydon Trindall is on hand to plant the ball down. Hynes converts. Sharks 6-0
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Let the Magic begin!
Late Mail
Sharks: One change on game day with Hohepa Puru to start at hooker and Jayden Berrell going to the bench. Winger Ronaldo Mulitalo and centre Jesse Ramien are on track to return from knee injuries. The NRL’s longest consecutive game streak will come to an end after Blayke Brailey was ruled out of Friday’s match due to a head knock. Cam McInnes has also been ruled out due to an ankle injury. Jesse Colquhoun returns to the starting side in his place.
Bulldogs: No further changes on game day after Sam Hughes was ruled out with a neck injury and Josh Curran succumbed to a rib injury on Thursday. Lipoi Hopoi and Jack Underhill were added to the six-man bench. Five-eighth Matt Burton is back after illness ruled him out of last week’s loss to the Dolphins. Prop Max King returns from a broken jaw and Kurt Mann (concussion) is also back.
Numbers Game
The Sharks have won seven of their last nine games against the Bulldogs
The Bulldogs have won only one of their six Magic Round games.
Sharks centre KL Iro has scored seven tries in his last three games.
Bulldogs captain Stephen Crichton will make his 150th NRL appearance.
Sharks halfback Nicho Hynes requires eight points for 1000 career points.
Rabbitohs v Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium
Late Mail
Rabbitohs: The Bunnies are 1-19 with no late changes. Latrell Mitchell returns from a back injury after missing last week’s win over Cronulla. No such luck for Alex Johnston, who succumbs to a leg injury that he battled through last Saturday night. Bayleigh Bentley-Hape is due for his first appearance of the season as a result.
Dolphins: Prop Francis Molo has been ruled out on Thursday due to an ankle injury suffered against the Bulldogs in Round 10. Felise Kaufusi will start the game in No.17. Coach Kristian Woolf confirmed that Kurt Donoghoe would make his return from a niggling hamstring injury that has hampered him in recent weeks while Oryn Keeley and Tevita Naufahu join the bench.
Numbers Game
The Rabbitohs have scored 30 points or more in their last six games.
Dolphins right winger Jamayne Isaako has scored 50 points in his last three games.
The Rabbitohs have lost five of their last six games at Suncorp Stadium.
Dolphins left winger Selwyn Cobbo has scored six tries in four Magic Round games.