NRL 2026

Good write up @mariner4life . Dont have time to do one of my own this week, so will just come with my prediction list

Don't think Sticky will fall, think squad will largely improve, even without Fogarty (who I agree team was based around)
While Walsh is fit, Broncos to find a way. Penrith will be back. Souths assuming stay injury free will mount a resurgence. Similar to other leading contenders. Hence while I think Moses and Douehi are core to respective teams, I doubt either stay fit for an entire season. Siebold first coach fired.
Warriors only rated this high as I assume when Metcalf does come back we climb someway back up the ladder. I dont expect us to start well especially if we end up playing key forwards in the centres and DWZ on the wing. We will score tries but we will unfortunately leak them as well

Roosters
Raiders
Broncos
Dogs
Cronulla
Penrith
Melbourne
Souths
Dolphins
Eels
Warriors
Tigers
Cowboys
Dragons
Titans
Knights
Manly

@antipodean They'll improve without the Galvin circus dragging the club down but are a good player or two from being a top 8 side.

Makasini looks a absolute unit and have him rookie of the year.

@bayimports said in NRL 2026:

Good write up @mariner4life .

Agree. Picking up where sneak left off. Did we ever work what happened to sneak?

@MacDazzler said in NRL 2026:

@antipodean They'll improve without the Galvin circus dragging the club down but are a good player or two from being a top 8 side.

Makasini looks a absolute unit and have him rookie of the year.

Makasini is a weapon by all accounts was a union boy who drifted to the dark side

FUCK

Barnett to be released a year early.

@mariner4life said in NRL 2026:

FUCK

Barnett to be released a year early.

Really? Ouch he added real starch. Hopefully frees up some big money

to buy who? There aren't a lot of like-for-like replacements. Tapine sounds good.

Brisbane just had a shit ton of front row cap freed up...

@mariner4life said in NRL 2026:

to buy who? There aren't a lot of like-for-like replacements. Tapine sounds good.

Brisbane just had a shit ton of front row cap freed up...

Season has just started I’m sure some one will get sick of their contract soon. We do need a strike centre

I’m up for spreading rumours that wolf was seen with Herbie’s girlfriend

as long as it's not another 32 year old broken kiwi wanting us to fund their move back home.

More Fish, less Blair

@mariner4life said in NRL 2026:

FUCK

Barnett to be released a year early.

That's not good news. Hopefully they and buy some washed up OG just wanting a last paycheck. They need a tough guy they can build around

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@mariner4life said in NRL 2026:

as long as it's not another 32 year old broken kiwi wanting us to fund their move back home.

More Fish, less Blair

apparently we're trying to do a player swap...with anyone interested

Why anyone wants to sign Zac Lomax i don't know. Can he play? yes. Does he seem to be a massive drama going somewhere to happen? Also yes.

Parra have subpoenaed the NRL for all correspondence with Melbourne around their attempt to sign Lomax. Delicious.

Parramatta and Brisbane were the first two teams to contact the warriors re Mitch and swap deal. Newcastle for me still seems most likely.

In saying that I can see a world where Warriors give Mitch to Parra, announce a big signing like Lomax only for him to disappear a year later as he goes to next venture.

So Vegas has started. I feel for the cows as that game felt like it will be a long season for them. Newcastle on the other hand if can keep fit could cause a few upsets.
Dogs continue to play the least attractive footy in the competition. Currently in a slugfest with the Dargons

Golden point comes to Vegas. Dogs will do well again this year based on their strong defence. Their attack will again be why they are one of the first out of the finals

@bayimports said in NRL 2026:

Golden point comes to Vegas. Dogs will do well again this year based on their strong defence. Their attack will again be why they are one of the first out of the finals

Pretty much this. They're in the same bracket (slightly better) as the Wahs. Both fight hard on D and have grit, but are like a heavyweight boxer with no power in their punch(es).

A day of two games

First was pretty entertaining really, Newcastle jumped out of the blocks and looked a million bucks, while the Cowboys looked like they came straight from the airport. Had a two try lead and all of the play very quickly. Then Sharp gets hurt and the entire game changes. Cowboys right on top but, as is usual for them, they were their own worst enemies. Way too lateral on attack. Dearden unusually quiet (having him parked on the right hand side is a waste of his talent). Purdue is a dogshit centre, Drinkwater needs to be rissoled. Set after set on teh Knights line wasted. The flip side of this is, the Knights have learned how to defend. Ponga played well, and the Knights managed to pull away for a good win.

The 2nd game was just a bad game of rugba league. The Dragons stink, the Dogs have no attack, so it turned in to a shitty arm wrestle. The Dogs were absolutely kissed on the dick by the ref all afternoon, getting not only the 50/50s, but the fucking 30/70s turned in their favour as well. I picked the Dogs for the top 4, but if they don't get new halves, then the refs are going to have to do a lot of heavy lifting for them.

Once again Vegas seems a success, 40+ thousand through the gates for the day is good. Thought it was telling that the English supporters provided so much to that crowd, and it was noticably flatter when they finally left.

@mariner4life said in NRL 2026:

The Dogs were absolutely kissed on the dick by the ref all afternoon, getting not only the 50/50s, but the fucking 30/70s turned in their favour as well.

Setu Tu gets hit high, in the first game thats a yellow, if its a warrior thats a yellow but no..precious dogs captain doesnt get anything.
Not to mention the host of smaller decisions that also went their way.

Dont think it will be the last time this year the dogs will be involved in some controversy

i am not one to buy in to the conspiracy rubbish, but i do think the NRL treats star players way better than anyone else.
Crichton is a star, he's not getting binned there. I would be willing to bet if it was Tu hitting Chrichton we would get "direct contact with the head" and a binning.

The first test of the season is going to be the Cowboys winger who got binned for hit his shot on Ponga. Again, regular first grader v name player. I very much doubt he gets the Cleary discount from last week for an identical hit.