The business end of the NRL season has arrived as the battle for places on the ladder kicks up a gear or two.
A clash between two heavyweights opens proceedings on Thursday night, while Penrith will attempt to keep their winning streak alive when they travel to the Hunter.
What is sure to be a feisty local derby takes place on Saturday afternoon before the Dolphins and Sydney Roosters face off in a top-eight fight. Meanwhile, Canterbury and New Zealand will be desperate to get back to winning ways.
Elsewhere, Parramatta could inflict yet more misery on Todd Payten and his North Queensland side in the final match of the weekend.
The Sporting News delivers its predictions and best bets for select Round 23 matches in the NRL below — all odds per bookmaker Sportsbet.
MORE: NRL injury list | NRL draw, fixtures | NRL ladder, standings
Storm vs. Broncos prediction, tip, best bet
A blockbuster kicks off the round when Melbourne hosts Brisbane.
AAMI Park has infamously been a graveyard for the Broncos as they have failed to win at the ground since 2016.
However, Michael Maguire's side has a great chance to finally break the hoodoo, with the Storm not in the best touch and currently dealing with the loss of their general, Jahrome Hughes.
Melbourne were beaten by Manly on home soil, before scraping to narrow victories over the Sydney Roosters and Parramatta.
In the past month, the Storm have conceded a boatload of tries to wingers.
Dom Young bagged a double for Newcastle in Round 19, before Jason Saab and Reuben Garrick crossed for the Sea Eagles, Daniel Tupou scored two for the Chooks and Josh Addo-Carr touched down for the Eels.
The Broncos switched their wingers around ahead of their clash against South Sydney last week as Selwyn Cobbo and Deine Mariner replaced Jesse Arthars and Josiah Karapani.
Cobbo scored a four-pointer during the 60-14 rout of the Rabbitohs, while Mariner registered a double in the second half.
The duo will fancy their chances of crossing the stripe again in what promises to be an entertaining affair.
Prediction: Storm by 6
Best bet: Player A & Player B to combine for 2+ Tries - Selwyn Cobbo and Deine Mariner ($2.88)
Raiders vs. Sea Eagles prediction, tip, best bet
Canberra's nine-game winning streak was finally brought to an end last week against St George Illawarra amid the swirling wind and heavy rain.
The Raiders had no trouble in posting plenty of points during this unbeaten run before they were kept to just 12 against the Dragons.
However, given their past record, this inefficiency can be chalked down to the dire conditions in Wollongong.
Ricky Stuart's outfit will have been stung by the surprise defeat and should come out firing as they attempt to lock up the minor premiership in the coming weeks.
Matt Timoko has scored back-to-back doubles and will likely be in the thick of the action once again following Manly's backline re-shuffle.
However, the home side's backrowers have also been a source of four-pointers this campaign with Hudson Young, Zac Hosking, Matty Nicholson and Simi Sasagi all crossing numerous times.
The Sea Eagles are heavily compromised on the edges with first-choice backrowers, Haumole Olakau'atu and Ben Trbojevic, out injured.
Michael Chee Kam has been drafted in for his maiden game in Manly colours this season, while Corey Waddell will start on the opposite side of the field.
A starting backrower hasn't scored for the Raiders since Hosking managed to do so against the Eels in Round 20.
But that run could be halted in the nation's capital, with Young looking for his first four-pointer in just under three months.
Prediction: Raiders by 10
Best bet: Hudson Young anytime tryscorer ($2.45)
Titans vs. Rabbitohs prediction, tip, best bet
Spoon Bowl has arrived early on the Gold Coast with the Titans to welcome South Sydney to the Glitter Strip.
Both clubs have had seasons to forget, with Des Hasler coming under fire during just his second term in charge, while his counterpart, Wayne Bennett, hasn't exactly enjoyed a fairytale return to Redfern.
The Rabbitohs began their season under the master coach's guidance in impressive fashion, but injuries soon curtailed their campaign.
The Bunnies have now lost nine games on the bounce and the walls really started to cave in last week when the Broncos hammered them.
Souths are set to get a few troops back for their trip up to the Gold Coast, but will they be able to inject enough into a tiring and injury-ravaged side to help them climb off the bottom of the ladder?
It appears unlikely, given the Titans' ability to field a strong spine consisting of AJ Brimson, Kieran Foran, Jayden Campbell, and Sam Verrills.
The hosts have notched 50 points in total during their past two matches, running Penrith close last week while also knocking off the New Zealand Warriors.
The Titans should simply have too much firepower for the Rabbitohs - who are leaking tries all over the field - especially now Alofiana Khan-Pereira has been brought back into the fold.
Prediction: Titans by 12
Best Bet: Total match points - Over 53.5 ($1.90)