The Almanac Rugby League Crew
A mini rave
Games played in the rain are not easy to watch but often provide quite a contest to cope with both the opposition and the conditions. The Knights v Wests Tigers was such a game. Appalling conditions but a determination by both sides to grind, hustle and bustle to find an elusive gap/mistake/inspired play to get the result. Momentum swung back and forth with opportunities presenting themselves, only to be missed or thwarted. When it came it was sensational – a 105 metre play that will go close to try of the year – and all the more audacious given the conditions! Loved it! And how about Ponga’s chase on Maskasini? Talk about one percenters! Or was it 101%? Whatever, it was the individual play of the round.
Round 17
The Rabbitohs had some very good moments against the Eels with Cody in very good form. Did he ever stand up Moses a few times! But the ongoing BLM saga is a major frustration. Parra looked ordinary and some of their on-field decisions and mistakes must really worry Coach Ryles. The Bulldogs had their best outing in a while and will be hoping for more of the same in the coming weeks. The Titans just couldn’t back up their effort against Penrith from the previous week. The Roosters got a couple rough calls against them in the first half against a Broncos side that has lost all confidence and scoring capability. The scoreline flattered them. The Dolphins and Warriors played one of the games of the year. Wasn’t it great to see such attacking flair from both sides, committed to entertainment and showcasing the skills of the game? The injury to Katoa will be a concern to Redcliffe. Think about it – what if these two sides made the grand final? What a prospect that would be! A full strength Panthers outfit just didn’t show up at the Cowboys’ headquarters and copped their second loss on the trot. That’s 2 competition points that the northerners probably hadn’t counted on. The Sea Eagles v Storm encounter turned out to be a bit of a fizzer with the visitors never really in the game. Fozball rolls on! The Raiders/Dragons game was hardly a great advertisement for the game but the Raiders will be grateful to get another win at last. Then the Knights eventually wore down the Wests Tigers in the rain, but what a denouement (see above).
Round 18
State of Origin impacts Round 18 and makes tipping a bit of a nightmare. Let’s try to make some sense of it.
On Friday night the stumbling Panthers take on a Souths outfit that might be beginning to believe in themselves a bit. The loss to the Cowboys clearly hurt Penrith if Coach Cleary’s press conference demeanour is anything to go by. This week they have several players on Origin duty while Souths lose Murray (not insignificant, by the way). The Rabbitohs won’t get a much better chance to chalk up a win over the perennial favourites. I’ll stick my neck out and, yet again, go with the Rabbitohs but only because of the unusual circumstances during the Origin period.
The Dragons take on the Wests Tigers in Saturday’s twilight game. The Dragons can’t take a trick after yet another narrow loss to Canberra; their opponents this week are also due to win a close one. I think the Doueihi/Luai dynamic will be the telling point. Somehow Dioueihi makes the Tigers a whole lot better, perhaps providing a second avenue of offence and keeping the opposition guessing about where the point of attack is coming from. I’ll be on the Wests Tigers. In the later game, the Broncos are at home to the Sharks and facing an eighth loss on the trot. The scoreline against the Roosters flattered Brisbane and they just don’t seem to know how to put a game together at the moment. The Sharks are coming off the bye and should be raring to go. I can’t see any relief in sight for Brisbane so I’ll go with the Sharks.
Come Sunday and the struggling Eels take on the Sea Eagles who are hot off their great win over the Storm. Take Moses out of the equation and the home side are really up against it. It’s hard to see anything but another win for Foran’s men. Get on Manly. Then the Knights meet the Dolphins, a difficult one to sort through. The Dolphins will be missing several players to Origin and Katoa to injury making this a real test. They’ve shown depth in recent times but this might just be one mountain too many. That said, the Knights will be missing at least Ponga and Best, two key players. I really am in two minds here. I’ll allow the heart to rule the head – Dolphins.
The Bulldogs, Cowboys, Raiders, Roosters, Storm, Titans and Warriors have the bye.
NRLW Round 1
NRLW 2026 kicks off tomorrow night with a season draw that runs in tandem with the NRL for the rest of the year. Obviously it’s hard to pick winners until we get a few games into the competition but the Roosters and the Broncos appear to be the favourites on paper. The wider commentary seems to be that the competition is evening up so let’s keep an eye on that. For now, here are my guesstimates for Round 1 winners: Knights, Roosters, Raiders, Broncos, Wests Tigers and Warriors.
Perhaps we’ll learn a lot this weekend to make more informed tips in the coming weeks.
Tipping
A commendable 6/8 but that was a pretty common score among tipsters. I’m not sure if I’ve moved up the table much but at least I’ve now caught up to Prop by the Sea. Should I start measuring up for that T-shirt?
The Round
To see the who, where and when of NRL Round 18 click here.
To see the who, where and when of NRLW Round 1 click here.
State of Origin
The teams have been named, both offering a few surprises and risks. Now it’s 9 days of red herrings, breathless absences from training, a mystery illness or two and, perhaps, a last minute withdrawal with a shock replacement. Yawn. Next Wednesday night is all that matters.
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To see the full 2026 season draw for the NRL click HERE.
To see the full 2026 season draw for the NRLW click HERE.
To see the details for State of Origin in 2026 click HERE.
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A former teacher with a (very) modest sporting CV enjoying his retirement years. A Queenslander through and through, especially when it comes to cricket and rugby league. Enjoys travel, coffee and cake, reading, McWilliam’s Cream Apera and a glass or three of wine. Footy Almanac’s Thursday online editor who moonlights as a hobby editor.
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