Sea Eagles v Storm

Friday, Brookvale Oval, 7.35pm

Referee: Tony Archer

We've been waiting for it and now here it is - potentially the game of the season between the top two teams in the competition. They are in the right sort of form to give us what we want, having tuned up with big wins last weekend. The Sea Eagles rolled over the top of Penrith, 30-10, at home and the Storm disposed of the injury-ravaged Gold Coast, 44-4, also at home. They have already met once this season in round four, when the Storm won 26-4 in Melbourne.

The key to the match could come down to who is in and out. The Storm are virtually at full strength. Centre Will Chambers would be the only injured player capable of forcing his way into the side. The Sea Eagles are still missing five-eighth Jamie Lyon, second-rower Anthony Watmough and bench prop Jason King. But you have to balance that against the fact Manly are playing at home, where they have a 8-2 record. The Storm are only 4-5 away, but it must be pointed out that three of those losses came before State of Origin games, when they had nine or 10 star players unavailable. The Sea Eagles can cover well enough for King, but it depends whether you think the home-ground advantage can cancel out not having Lyon and Watmough available. I think it gives the Storm the right to be rated as the slightest of favourites, but a meeting of two heavyweights like this could go either way.