2026 NRL – NRL Round 20 and NRLW Round 3: Who’d be a tipster?

 

 

A mini rave (and a tongue in cheek rant)

Three cheers for Roosters winger Daniel Tupou – 300 NRL matches (all for the Roosters) and three tries to mark the occasion! The third highest try-scorer of all time. One of those players of whom it can be said, ‘he’s an ornament to the game’. One of the, if not the best aerialist wingers (alongside Xavier Coates) we’ve seen, a great team and club man and, by all reports a champion person. Take a bow, Toops!

Why does tipping have to be so infuriating at times? Maxwell Smart may often have ‘missed it by that much’, usually meaning a hair’s breadth. I missed the Sharks v Dolphins tip by a mere 66 points but got closer with the Raiders v Bulldogs by a comparatively narrow 24 points before doing my Agent 86 by missing the Rabbitohs v Knights by 2 and the Cowboys v Sea Eagles by 1! To borrow from both RITV and Prop by the Sea, ‘Give me strength!’ and ‘You gotta love footy!’

 

NRL Round 19

The Luai situation at the Wests Tigers is showing on the field. The man himself had one of his worst outings in a long time as the Warriors won every battle across the park to cement second place on the ladder. Grand finalists? They’ll go close. The Sharks more than mauled a pathetic Dolphins outfit with Nico Hynes having a picnic. But can the men from the Shire mix it with the Panthers, Roosters and Warriors? Only time will tell and put this scoreline into perspective. The Raiders showed glimpses of their 2025 form, albeit getting an almost lucky break by playing the whistle to score their first try against the run of play. From then on it was one way traffic. The Bulldogs imploded, as they have all too often this season. The Roosters were tradesman like in dismissing the Eels but it was all about Daniel Tupou, and rightly so. The Rabbitohs should be swabbed due to their inconsistency after an admirable win over the Knights who will be fuming over a game that got away from them. Those lost points may hurt by the end of next month. The Sea Eagles (and Turbo) looked in control for much of their clash against the Cowboys but just couldn’t put them away. An off day with the boot by Fogarty didn’t help. “Thanks for the invitation”, said the Cowboys as Drinkwater sealed a gutsy win with a field goal in golden point. The Storm had to dig deep to get the chocolates at the end against the Titans. I can’t see either playing in the finals.

 

NRL Round 20

With State of Origin now out of the way, we return to regular full fixtures from here on. Tomorrow night the top of the table Panthers take on the dreadful Broncos in what should be another humiliation for the defending premiers. How did it get to this? Panthers.

On Friday evening, the surging Sharks are at home to the close-but-not-there-yet Knights. There’s a certain unfashionable element about the Sharks but they’ve been getting the business done of late – two trips north for two good wins in the past fortnight. The Knights are thereabouts but lack a killer punch at the moment. This could be the match of the round as both seek to press their credentials. On form you’d have to say the Sharks. In the late game we have the other match of the round contender, the Roosters v the Storm. Melbourne simply have to win to have any chance of making the finals; the Roosters are looking to build towards a strong finals campaign where they’ll feature prominently. The Storm aren’t what they used to be while the Roosters are getting closer and closer to another flag. I’ll go with the better team at the moment – the Roosters.

Come Saturday afternoon it’s the battle of the inconsistent frustraters, Canberra v Rabbitohs. Did their last win herald the return of the Raiders? I hope so because they can be such entertainers when at their best. The Rabbitohs? Who knows what mood they’ll turn up in! It must be a wild ride to be their supporters at the moment. Cody and BLM? Perhaps two of the biggest frustraters. I’ll have to go with the Raiders. The Warriors host the improving Dragons in the twilight game (AEST) but in spite of their recent improved form, you have to go with the 2026 version of the Warriors, especially on their home turf. The late game is the battle of the west between the Bulldogs and the Wests Tigers, both in the doldrums at the moment. As mentioned elsewhere, the Luai saga seems to be ripping the Tigers apart – perhaps he should be let go immediately so the Benji can start working towards 2027. The Bulldogs haven’t lived up to expectations this season but they’re probably a bit more settled than their opponents so I’ll go with the Dogs this week.

On Sunday the Titans are back on the coast to host the Sea Eagles, both narrow losers last weekend. This is a tight one for tipsters with both so close but so far in recent times. Somehow I think Manly have more in them than the Titans, and if Fogarty has his kicking boots on they should get home. I’ll be on the Sea Eagles. The round concludes with the Dolphins taking on the Cowboys. How do you explain last weekend’s Dolphins? Sure, they had a few key players on the sidelines, but 66 points? By contrast the Cowboys refused to concede and pipped Manly in golden point. You’d have to say Cowboys but stranger things have happened. The Dolphins have cost me a few tipping points lately and I’d love to see them resurrect their situation but I don’t think it will be this weekend. I’ll be on the Cowboys.

The Eels have the bye.

 

NRLW Round 2

The Sharks took the game right up to a strangely uninspired Broncos outfit but, in the end, class (in the form of the incredible Tamika Upton) won out. A bit of an escape, actually. On that form, the Sharks will be finalists for sure. The Wests Tigers continued their winning form over the Cowboys and look like being more of a force this year while the Cowboys have yet to build on their breakout 2025 season. The Titans showed that they’ll be thereabouts again this year with a strong win over the Bulldogs. Jamie Chapman was at her best before succumbing to an injury. The Roosters v Knight game lived up to its billing with the Roosters just holding on. It looks like there is life in Newcastle after Southwell, so watch them press for finals this year. The Raiders play a good game and racked up a big win over the Warriors. Have we found yet another finals contender? I reckon so. Likewise with the Dragons who seem to have rediscovered their mojo after a modest 2025. The Eels look like facing a long season.

 

NRLW Round 3

We’ll find out more about the Raiders when they take on heavyweights the Roosters on Saturday afternoon. Both teams have attacking flair but the Roosters also have the goods when it comes to toughing it out. Has Canberra got that capacity? We’ll find out. It’s  just not possible to tip against the Roosters at any time and I’m not going to this week either. It’s make or break time for both teams when the Warriors play the Cowboys. A win is essential to stay alive, even this early in the season. I’ll go with the Cowboys purely based on what I think they can produce when compared with their opponents. The Bulldogs v Sharks game presents a similar scenario for the Bulldogs – lose and you’re a long way behind on the ladder. But the Sharks showed me enough last week to suggest that they’ll have this one well in hand.

The Titans are at home to the Eels on Sunday afternoon with that same scenario in play yet again. The Eels have to win or start looking towards next season. The Titans are finding their form and this, plus their history in recent seasons, should see them home comfortably. The Broncos v Wests Tigers is the match of the round and should be a beauty. The Broncos will have to rediscover their mojo somewhat after an unusually flat performance last week. They can’t expect Upton to save them every week. Wouldn’t the Tigers love to pull off an upset over the reigning premiers? I think they’re quite capable of doing so but I don’t think it will be this week. I’ll stick with the Broncos. Finally, the Knights play the Dragons in the other contender for match of the round. Both are showing good form and both want to impose themselves as genuine contenders. Both were impressive last week but there can only be one winner at the end of the day. I think it will be the Knights.

 

Tipping

Enough said already but, for the record, 3/7. That t-shirt is a slipping away. C’mon!

 

The Round

To see the who, where and when of NRL Round 20 click here.

To see the who, where and when of NRLW Round 3 click here.

 

 

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