Opinion
When responding to criticism of its fast-forward 2026 model, the NRL can produce Sunday’s Canberra-Penrith game as Exhibit A for the defence.
The scoreline, a 30-18 Penrith win, doesn’t represent what a fabulous game this was. A first half with 38 completed sets and no knock-ons from either side, blistering play-the-ball speeds and ferocious tackling that still couldn’t keep out five tries was followed by a second half in which Penrith defended desperately while Canberra kept throwing everything at them.
The speed and time of ball in play did not lead to touch football or a blowout, but to a match of grand final quality, showing that if you hold on to the ball and play with precision, this version of rugby league can be what the label says it is.
Dyeing for the colours
Jake Trbojevic will die for the Manly jersey, his brother Ben said after Jake’s 250th game on Saturday. But what jersey is it? Manly’s mainly white 2026 strip, with the maroon lurking above red and blue stripes, seems “inspired” by the infamous Pepsi can jersey in which they won the competition 30 years ago. You’d have to use your imagination to want to die for it.
Clubs messing around with their colours to create fresh merch has never been more than a saccharine hit for finances, and experimentation always leads back to their ‘heritage’ colours, upon which everyone breathes a sigh of relief. On Saturday night, Brisbane wore a strange midnight blue uniform worthy of 20 dropped balls and 42 missed tackles. If players are asked to die for their colours, they deserve to know what those colours are.
A little help please for big Mal’s Bears
Whatever’s happening or not happening with Mal Meninga and the Perth Bears, the ARLC has to clear the bad odour lest the Bears re-enter the league with a long-suffering look before they’ve even played a game. It’s all very well to sup from the well of rugby league DNA, but the Bears were league’s perennial losers before their kamikaze dive as the lesser half of the Northern Eagles.
Call it club identity or call it baggage, you don’t want them to be carrying the burden from day one. Being based in Perth, they’ll already think the world’s against them.
Whether it’s through cap concessions, more help with third-party deals or other tools at the ARLC’s disposal, it makes more sense to help the Bears now than to be digging them out of the pit of despair in 2027 or 2028.
Fearful predictions
Ten rounds in, and the NRL competition is sorting itself out. Here are some fearful predictions. Penrith deserve clear premiership favouritism, with the Roosters a serious threat and the Warriors not far behind. At the bottom, the Dragons will hope they can contest the spoon with the Titans and the Eels won’t make the eight.
That’s the easy bit, and fits largely with pre-season predictions. I’m saying Canberra and Brisbane, once they get their troops back, are the teams that can disturb the top three.
The Knights and Dolphins are excitement machines who could sneak through and have a thrilling finals run if they’re lucky with injuries. Melbourne could make a late surge like Penrith last year, but won’t win the comp. Souths, Manly, the Tigers and Cowboys are peaking now.
Cronulla and Canterbury will continue to underwhelm. In the end, keeping key players on the paddock will be the decisive factor, and right now, as if they didn’t need any more help, Penrith have the shortest injury list.
There you go: today’s best guesses, tomorrow’s fish and chips wrapper.
Home truths about Magic Round
Magic Round is always fun, even watching on television where, like every week, all the games are at the same venue (your lounge room).
At Lang Park, random Souths guy in the crowd is joined by random guys in every jersey celebrating as neutrals.
The NRL did well to nab the name ‘Magic’ Round before the AFL, which has settled for the not-quite-right pun ‘Gather’ Round. But the anomaly of Magic Round each year is that the Broncos get to play a nominal away game in their own packed stadium.
Their victim is usually a hard-up club that receives financial compensation in exchange for losing the home advantage.
This year it’s the Warriors’ turn, playing “at home” against the Broncos in Brisbane on Sunday afternoon.
The Dolphins, likewise, get an “away” game against South Sydney. The unfairness could easily be fixed by having a Broncos-Dolphins fixture as the annual centrepiece of the round.
Malcolm Knox is a journalist, author and columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald.