A Weekend to Remember in Rugby League
The weekend of rugby league was a spectacle, with packed stadiums across the competition celebrating the most significant regular season weekend of the year. Off the field, everything went smoothly, but on the field, there were some moments that sparked discussion.
This week, we’ll avoid focusing too much on the referees, as it’s a topic that tends to frustrate everyone. Instead, we’ll highlight some positives for the Dragons, some negatives at the Sharks, and an unexpected downfall that has caught many by surprise.
Here are 20 thoughts from Round 8:
The Dragons had a fantastic off-field week, announcing the signings of Scott Drinkwater and Phillip Sami for next season. Drinkwater is set to be their most creative player, while Sami averages over 200 running metres per game. This is a smart move for the club.
Was Dean Young right to name Kade Reed in the Anzac Day game? Probably not. He’s young, and while it’s good he tried something, it’s better for him to play NRL football rather than sit in the NSW Cup. The Roosters targeted him, but there’s no better way to adapt to NRL than by playing it.
It’s clear that the Cronulla Sharks are too slow for 2026’s version of rugby league. They need a complete squad overhaul. Reports suggest they’re about to sign another unknown Super League player, which is a different approach, but it’s hard to see how this helps their current struggles. Their forwards are so poor that even someone unknown might be better than the current players.
Craig Fitzgibbon may be a good coach, but he’s too slow to react and too rigid in his decisions. Every week, I feel like he leaves Toby Rudolf on the field for too long. This week, Addin Fonua-Blake was left on the field gasping for air and targeted, leading to a try. It was a bad decision that didn’t count as a missed tackle.
After years of waiting, I can finally say the Melbourne Storm are terrible. This is the first time we’ve been able to express that, given that Twitter/X didn’t exist when they were last bad. Craig Bellamy is known for intimidating players and yelling, but it doesn’t seem to work in 2026.
Craig Bellamy has stepped down as an advisor to Laurie Daley for the upcoming Origin series. This decision was made weeks ago and is unrelated to the Storm’s performance. It’s a positive step to bring in fresh faces for the Origin setup, even if it starts with a new coach.
Tom Jenkins showed class on Sunday when Fletcher Sharpe (could have been Hunt) watched the ball bounce up, hit his leg, and go into touch. Jenkins quickly put his arm around his former teammate and tapped him on the back, while Isaiah Papali’i ran in and yelled in his face. Jenkins’ actions were commendable.
Noah Martin is determined to have Apisai Koroisau sin-binned. He’s scheduled for double ankle surgery after the Tigers tackle. Fans and journalists were quick to call Martin a milker for staying down, but the surgery suggests he wasn’t faking it.
Rugby league is a simple game, and it’s becoming even simpler in 2026. Hold the ball, you win; lose it, you lose. Teams are waiting for errors in the attacking zone and scoring off the scrum. The Cowboys demonstrated this on Friday evening.
I stood up with my arms extended when Jason Saab intentionally headed the ball forward off a bomb on Sunday. I thought it would be penalised, but it wasn’t. After checking the rules, it turned out to be illegal. The referee should have spotted it.
Matt Dufty has been a magician since returning, thanks to his speed and elusiveness. He’s gone from being a laughing stock to a player that multiple teams could use immediately. That’s impressive.
Players talking about Origin in press conferences is tiresome. While journalists ask, it’s refreshing to hear clichés like “focused on my team and my game.” Players who talk about Origin often perform poorly for their clubs soon after.
The Bulldogs are currently terrible, despite their fans arguing otherwise. They can’t attack, and their “star spine” has combined for only five try assists all season. It’s true, even if it’s hard to hear.
The attitude that players are “too young” is frustrating. If they’re good enough, they’re old enough. Jaxon Purdue, a Cowboys megastar, is 20 and has 40 NRL games under his belt. Age is just a number.
Another point for Dogs fans to be upset about: Stephen Crichton shouldn’t be in Origin 1. Latrell Mitchell and Kotoni Staggs are the form centres, and Casey McLean could also be considered. Picking an injured player is unwise.
PVL Ball is here to stay. There will be a team that scores 50 points but still loses. We saw two games this weekend where 78 and 80 points were scored. It’s only a matter of time before a team scores 100.
A shoutout to the NSW Cup competition. Newtown fullback Taj Ford delivered one of the best tackles you’ll ever see at Henson Park. Check it out below.
Reports confirm that Broncos veteran Ben Hunt wants to play on in 2027. While Ezra Mam and Jonah Pezet are expected to take over, Pezet’s performance at the Eels suggests the Broncos may need Hunt for another year.
Who will be the first coach to throw in the towel for 2026 and focus on 2027? Dean Young is a likely candidate, but he wants to win games to keep his job. Craig Fitzgibbon might be the one to admit 2026 is a lost cause.
Huge news over the weekend as Tigers star Jarome Luai was spotted in PNG touring facilities. He has an out clause in his contract, allowing him to make generational wealth there, possibly captain the club, and be featured in promotional materials. Alex Johnston has also announced he’ll join PNG, adding legitimacy to a club many doubt should exist.
