The second half of the 2018 season kicks off with several teams facing the uncertainty of having their stars back up following the opening game of the State of Origin series.

Some clubs will be more disadvantaged than others and some clubs will handle the problem better. Deciding which clubs is what makes this round even more challenging than the first 13.

Good luck with your tips.

Friday, June 8

Canberra Raiders vs. Penrith Panthers, GIO Stadium, 6:00pm (AEST)

Raiders: 1 Jack Wighton, 2 Nick Cotric, 3 Jarrod Croker (c), 4 Joseph Leilua, 5 Jordan Rapana, 6 Blake Austin, 7 Aidan Sezer, 8 Dunamis Lui, 9 Siliva Havili, 10 Shannon Boyd, 11 Iosia Soliola, 12 Elliott Whitehead, 13 Josh Papalii - Interchange: 14 Ata Hingano, 15 Luke Bateman, 16 Charlie Gubb, 17 Liam Knight - Reserves: 18 Emre Guler, 19 Michael Oldfield, 20 Jack Murchie, 21 Craig Garvey

Panthers: 1 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 2 Christian Crichton, 3 Tyrone Peachey, 4 Dean Whare, 5 Tyrone Phillips, 6 James Maloney (c), 7 Nathan Cleary, 8 Trent Merrin, 9 Sione Katoa, 10 Reagan Campbell-Gillard, 11 Corey Harawira-Naera, 12 Isaah Yeo, 13 James Fisher-Harris - Interchange: 14 Wayde Egan, 15 Kaide Ellis, 16 Viliame Kikau, 17 James Tamou - Reserves: 18 Jarome Luai, 19 Tyrone May, 20 Thomas Eisenhuth, 21 Nick Lui-Toso, 22 Caleb Aikins, 23 Liam Martin

Verdict: The Raiders have had a mixed season with more bad games than good, while the Panthers have been flying at the top of the ladder. A lot will depend on how Penrith's State of Origin halves pair pull up after Wednesday's night's series opener at the MCG. If they play they should be too good for the Raiders.

Tip: Panthers

TAB odds: Canberra $1.85 (-1.5 $1.95) Penrith $1.95 (+1.5 $1.85)

Gold Coast Titans vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs, Cbus Super Stadium, 7:55pm (AEST)

Titans: 1 Michael Gordon, 2 Anthony Don, 3 Dale Copley, 4 Brenko Lee, 5 Phillip Sami, 6 AJ Brimson, 7 Ashley Taylor, 8 Jarrod Wallace, 9 Nathan Peats, 10 Ryan James (c), 11 Kevin Proctor, 12 Will Matthews, 13 Jai Arrow - Interchange: 14 Mitch Rein, 15 Max King, 16 Moeaki Fotuaika, 17 Keegan Hipgrave - Reserves: 18 Jack Stockwell, 19 Bryce Cartwright, 20 Kane Elgey, 21 Morgan Boyle

Rabbitohs: 1 Alex Johnston, 2 Campbell Graham, 3 Greg Inglis (c), 4 Dane Gagai, 5 Robert Jennings, 6 Cody Walker, 7 Adam Reynolds, 8 Thomas Burgess, 9 Damien Cook, 10 George Burgess, 11 John Sutton, 12 Angus Crichton, 13 Sam Burgess - Interchange: 14 Adam Doueihi, 15 Cameron Murray, 16 Jason Clark, 17 Tevita Tatola - Reserves: 18 Robbie Farah, 19 Hymel Hunt, 20 Mark Nicholls, 21 Tyrell Fuimaono, 22 Mawene Hiroti, 23 Dean Britt

Verdict: Another game that could be influenced by the ability of one team's Origin stars to back up just two days later. Although last week we witnessed what the Rabbitohs fill-in players were capable of when they dismantled the Sharks. I can't see the Titans winning this one no matter who they face in the red and green.

Tip: Rabbitohs

TAB odds: Gold Coast $3.15 (+7.5 $2) Souths $1.35 (-7.5 $1.80)

Cameron Smith of the Melbourne Storm. Scott Barbour/Getty Images

Saturday, June 9

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles vs. New Zealand Warriors, AMI Stadium, 3:00pm (AEST)

Sea Eagles: 1 Tom Trbojevic, 2 Jorge Taufua, 3 Moses Suli, 4 Brian Kelly, 5 Akuila Uate, 6 Trent Hodkinson, 7 Daly Cherry-Evans (c), 8 Addin Fonua-Blake, 9 Apisai Koroisau, 10 Martin Taupau, 11 Joel Thompson, 12 Shaun Lane, 13 Jake Trbojevic - Interchange: 14 Matthew Wright, 14 Toafofoa Sipley, 16 Frank Winterstein, 17 Taniela Paseka - Reserves: 18 Thomas Wright, 19 Bradley Parker, 20 Lewis Brown, 21 Lloyd Perrett

Warriors: 1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (c) 2 David Fusitu'a, 3 Peta Hiku, 4 Solomone Kata, 5 Ken Maumalo, 6 Blake Green, 7 Shaun Johnson, 8 James Gavet, 9 Issac Luke, 10 Agnatius Paasi, 11 Isaiah Papali'i, 12 Tohu Harris, 13 Adam Blair - Interchange: 14 Karl Lawton, 15 Chris Satae, 16 Bunty Afoa, 17 Simon Mannering - Reserves: 18 Gerard Beale, 20 Mason Lino, 21 Sam Lisone, 22 Liligiigo Sao

Verdict: The Sea Eagles were given a hiding at home last week by the Cowboys and will need to really lift their effort to take on the Warriors. The Warriors will be fresh from the break and with no one involved in Origin, they should hit the field ready to fire up their charge to the semi-finals.

Tip: Warriors

TAB odds: Manly $2.20 (+2.5 $1.90) New Zealand $1.68 (-2.5 $1.90)

Newcastle Knights vs. Sydney Roosters, McDonald Jones Stadium, 5:30pm (AEST)

Knights: 1 Kalyn Ponga, 2 Ken Sio, 3 Sione Mata'utia, 4 Cory Denniss, 5 Shaun Kenny-Dowall, 6 Connor Watson, 7 Jack Cogger, 8 Herman Ese'ese, 9 Slade Griffin, 10 Daniel Saifiti, 11 Lachlan Fitzgibbon, 12 Mitchell Barnett, 13 Aidan Guerra (c) - Interchange: 14 Danny Levi, 15 Chris Heighington, 16 Jamie Buhrer (c), 17 Josh King - Reserves: 18 Jacob Lillyman, 19 Luke Yates, 20 Nicholas Meaney, 21 Brock Lamb

Roosters: 1 James Tedesco, 2 Daniel Tupou, 3 Latrell Mitchell, 4 Joseph Manu, 5 Blake Ferguson, 6 Luke Keary, 7 Cooper Cronk, 8 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, 9 Jake Friend (c), 10 Dylan Napa, 11 Boyd Cordner, 12 Siosiua Taukeiaho, 13 Isaac Liu - Interchange: 14 Zane Tetevano, 15 Kurt Baptiste, 16 Mitchell Aubusson, 17 Victor Radley - Reserves: 18 Nat Butcher, 19 Lindsay Collins, 20 Frank-Paul Nuuausala, 21 Paul Momirovski, 22 Billy Smith, 24 Mitchell Cornish

Verdict: The Knights had a bit of a return to form last week, but they were only playing the dismal Eels. The Roosters won a hard-fought battle last week and showed a lot of determination in defence to hold the charging Tigers out. This could be closer than expected with the Knights feeling renewed confidence, but the Roosters should be too good.

Tip: Roosters

TAB odds: Newcastle $3.15 (+8.5 $1.85) Sydney Roosters $1.35 (-8.5 $1.95)

Parramatta Eels vs. North Queensland Cowboys, TIO Stadium, 7:30pm (AEST)

Eels: 1 Bevan French, 2 Josh Hoffman, 3 Michael Jennings, 4 Jarryd Hayne, 5 George Jennings, 6 Clint Gutherson (c), 7 Corey Norman, 8 Daniel Alvaro, 9 Cameron King, 10 Peni Terepo, 11 Manu Ma'u, 12 Brad Takairangi, 13 Nathan Brown - Interchange: 14 Reed Mahoney, 15 Tim Mannah (c), 16 David Gower, 17 Marata Niukore - Reserves: 18 Siosaia Vave, 19 Suaia Matagi, 20 Jaeman Salmon, 21 Raymond Stone

Cowboys: 1 Michael Morgan, 2 Kyle Feldt, 3 Justin O'Neill, 4 Enari Tuala, 5 Antonio Winterstein, 6 Te Maire Martin, 7 Johnathan Thurston (c), 8 Matthew Scott (c), 9 Jake Granville, 10 Sam Hoare, 11 Gavin Cooper, 12 Coen Hess, 13 Jason Taumalolo - Interchange: 14 Shaun Fensom, 15 Kane Linnett, 16 Corey Jensen, 17 Ethan Lowe - Reserves: 18 Lachlan Coote, 19 Ben Hampton, 20 Mitchell Dunn, 21 Javid Bowen, 22 Francis Molo

Verdict: The Eels hit a new low last week against the Knights, losing Mitchell Moses to a knee injury and any semblance of an attacking clue seemingly went with him. The Cowboys showed hints of their best in beating the Sea Eagles at Brookvale. The Cowboys should win this one comfortably, but nothing would surprise me.

Tip: Cowboys

TAB odds: Parramatta $3 (+7.5 $1.90) North Queensland $1.40 (-7.5 $1.90)

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Sunday, June 10

Cronulla Sutherland Sharks vs. Wests Tigers, Southern Cross Group Stadium, 2:00pm (AEST)

Sharks: 1 Valentine Holmes, 2 Sione Katoa, 3 Jesse Ramien, 4 Ricky Leutele, 5 Edrick Lee, 6 Matt Moylan, 7 Chad Townsend, 8 Andrew Fifita, 9 Jayden Brailey, 10 Matt Prior, 11 Luke Lewis, 12 Wade Graham (c), 13 Paul Gallen (c) Interchange: 14 Joseph Paulo, 15 James Segeyaro, 16 Jack Williams, 17 Jayson Bukuya Reserves:: 18 Kurt Capewell, 19 Ava Seumanufagai, 20 Scott Sorensen, 21 Sosaia Feki

Tigers: 1 Tuimoala Lolohea, 2 Malakai Watene-Zelezniak, 3 Esan Marsters, 4 Mahe Fonua, 5 Corey Thompson, 6 Benji Marshall, 7 Luke Brooks, 8 Russell Packer, 9 Elijah Taylor, 10 Ben Matulino, 11 Chris Lawrence (c), 12 Michael Chee-Kam, 13 Matthew Eisenhuth Interchange: 14 Alex Twal, 15 Josh Reynolds, 16 Josh Aloai, 17 Tim Grant Reserves: 18 Robbie Rochow, 19 Tyson Gamble, 20 Pita Godinet, 21 Kevin Naiqama

Verdict: The Sharks really should have done better last week against a depleted Rabbitohs, but were blown off the park. The Tigers fought gallantly against the Roosters, but just couldn't get the job done. I expect the Sharks to bounce back this week at home.

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Tip: Sharks

TAB odds: Cronulla $1.53 (-4.5 $1.90) Wests Tigers $2.50 (+4.5 $1.90)