2026 NRL – Maori v Indigenous and the World Club Challenge: Serious Business!

 

 

A mini rant

Here’s the go! Witzer Pre-season Challenge to date? Who cares? Just look at the team sheets. Recognise many of the players? Not really. It’s just a chance to give the fringe and up-and-comers a run along with a few regulars to see if they cut the mustard. Or is it a case of not wanting to risk the main merchandise? Somehow I think the Cowboys mis-read the script – or maybe the heavy rain up north cut communications! Whatever, they put on a cricket score against the no-name Panthers. Even the Charity Shield was more than a bit faux and, perhaps, even a bit disrespectful to the long-running history of that match. But maybe that’s what you get when you schedule this particular game in the pre-season time slot. Let’s see what RITV makes of it. Now look at the team sheets for Round 3 – almost completely new, near full strength lists as a ‘warm up’ ahead of the looming Round 1.

 

Maori v Indigenous

The ‘real’ stuff started on Sunday with the annual Maori v Indigenous games in both women’s and men’s divisions. Rep games, no less. First grade players across the board. And, by and large, it showed. Limited demerit points for being played in quarters and for the generous interchanges allowed. But a credit point for not going to golden point in the men’s fixture – who needs to exhaust players in the middle of February with 27 rounds, finals, Origin series and a World Cup yet to come.

Sooner or later you have to use a code cliché, and here it is. In the women’s clash it was the proverbial ‘game in two halves’. The Maori girls skipped out to a very handy 14-0 lead at the main break, courtesy of a handy breeze, some sloppy Indigenous play and a few penalties. They looked good! After the break it was one way traffic – same on field direction of flow but the other team in control this time. Four unanswered tries to the Indigenous got them home 20-14. Standard-wise it was pretty good for a start of season game, but you’d expect that from some of the best players in the comp. In the end, and at the very end, it was a searching, solo, 75-metre run from Jada Taylor that made the difference. An early contender for ‘try of the year’ in the female version of the code. Crystal Blackwell won the Trish Hina Medal, adjudged Player of the Game with a good all-round effort, a try of her own, and she threw the long pass to give Taylor the space to begin her match winning run. Played in good spirit to boot. It was the Indigenous team’s third win in a row, so bragging rights deserved.

Probably the best thing you could say about the men’s game was that it was full of energy and played at good speed. But it was probably a limited preparation that didn’t really see combinations click all that well. Both teams wanted to attack and were willing to throw the ball around but somehow it just didn’t reach any great heights. There were a few enthusiastic exchanges of opinion here and there, a few of the younger roosters tried to stake their territory (but without too much success), and Nicho Hynes came in for his usual share of attention. To his credit, he kept his cool and played the ball. In the end, a 16-16 draw was probably a fair result although both sides did have their chances in the closing minutes. Maori fullback Keano Kini took home the Preston Campbell Medal for Player of the Match after an energetic, elusive effort. A draw meant that the Maori team retained the Arthur Beetson Trophy after winning last year’s game.

 

World Club Challenge

You’ll need to set your alarm if you want to catch the start of this game which kicks off at 5.30am AEDT tomorrow morning (4.30am AEST). Check out the following link for the respective expected teamsheets: https://www.nrl.com/draw/world-club-challenge/2026/round-1/hull-kr-v-broncos/ The Broncos haven’t actually named their side yet but the above looks pretty close to likely given the squad they’ve taken to the Old Dart.

The HKR outfit has a smattering of former NRL players plus a couple members of the England squad, so they’re no pushover. In fact, coming well into the Super League season, they should be very much on their game – although they did have an unexpected loss just recently.

The Broncos aren’t far off full strength but may be missing Brendan Piakura who had a strong end to last year’s NRL season. Billy Walters is on the long term injured list so Ben Hunt is the probable No. 9 which gives Ezra Mam the opportunity to make the case for a permanent starting spot at No. 6.

It’s hard to know what to expect from this game apart from the fact that it is likely to be very willing early on. The home side has home ground and climate on their side as well as match fitness and overall good form. The Broncos have to overcome the cold and the cobwebs. But any Madge-coached side won’t be unprepared or looking for excuses. Watch out for Haas, Carrigan, Mam and Walsh for the crash and flash with the rest of the cast each doing his appointed role.

Broncos by 8+.

 

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Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

 

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