Inside the Dragons’ den: Can Shane Flanagan find a winning formula?

St George Illawarra’s fifth straight defeat means it’s their worst start to a season since the club’s merger and coach Shane Flanagan admits he doesn’t have the answers yet. Can he turn things around or will we see another coach die by the sword in 2026? Flanagan isn’t the only coach under pressur…

The Sea Eagles are bleeding out, so who will make Manly great again?

After three straight losses, Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold has been sensationally sacked by Manly. But was it fair? And how will interim coach Kieran Foran cope? Plus, as the Panthers continue to dominate, will Nathan Clearly be crowned the NRL's greatest player of all time? This week, rugby l…

Broncos in crisis: Why are the premiers imploding this early?

The Brisbane Broncos are the gift that keeps on giving for rugby league journalists. The reigning premiers can’t stay out of the headlines, and now we have defensive coach Ben Te’o resigning after a heated altercation with head coach Michael Maguire. So why are the Broncos imploding so close to th…

Are the Dogs at war with Bronson Xerri and is it dire straits for Manly already?

Bronson Xerri has thrown his toys out of the cot after being dropped to reserve grade by Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo. But did a breakfast with general manager Gus Gould smooth everything over? And who’s more under the pump this week – the Sea Eagles or the Broncos? After shockingly poor perform…

The 'sloppy' Zac Lomax circus and round two's brutal reality checks

The Zac Lomax circus continued this week as he inked a deal with Rugby Australia, joining the Western Force for two years. Lomax's comments about his dream of “one day representing the Wallabies on a truly international stage” left International Rugby League chairman Troy Grant less than impressed,…

Zac Lomax affair uncensored: Explosive texts, blindsides, and 'bully boy' tactics

The NRL season for 2026 kicked off under dazzling lights in Las Vegas - blinding some, but not our league experts. Here, we put players, coaches and clubs under the blowtorch for the remainder of round one. Will DCE be under the pump? Will Shane Flanagan’s honesty cost his team? And what of Zac Lo…

NRL Grand Final week: A new Kangaroos era begins, and a Rugby 360 poaching raid looms

There are only a few sleeps away from NRL Christmas with the Brisbane Broncos and the Melbourne Storm facing off in the Grand Final on Sunday. But has the new rebel Rugby 360 competition, looking to poach marquee NRL players, spoiled the party like the Grinch? And is this the beginning of a new e…

NRL finals week three: Can Brisbane deal with Cleary and have Cronulla really earned our respect?

As the last days of September loom only four teams remain in the NRL competition, and by the end of the weekend we’ll know who will face off in the grand final. So now the Sharks have our respect, can they weather the Storm in Melbourne? Can the Broncos superstar spine deal with Panthers four-tim…

NRL finals week two: Was the sanction against Victor Radley too heavy-handed?

The first week of the finals did not disappoint, and with the Roosters and Warriors exiting the competition, six teams now remain. So this week, can the Sharks earn the respect they’ve asked for or will the Raiders prove too difficult? Can young gun Lachy Galvin steer the Bulldogs to a win over t…

NRL finals week one: ‘There’s six teams that can win the comp’

Finals footy is here and although grand final day is only four weeks away, no one can settle on a favourite to lift the trophy. Will the Bulldogs return to form as Sexton comes back in and Mahoney is axed? Will the Warriors fans rattle the Panthers in Auckland on their quest for five premierships…