NRL 2026 Season: First 13 Rounds Review

The 2026 NRL Telstra Premiership season has completed its first 13 rounds, featuring significant team performances, coaching changes, injury crises, and a State of Origin series that has impacted club rosters.

Penrith Panthers lead the competition with a near-flawless season—only one loss, to Canterbury in Round 6.

Team Performance Summary

Competition Leaders

Penrith Panthers (1st)
The Panthers have maintained a near-flawless season with only one loss, to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in Round 6. They lead the competition in points scored and fewest conceded. Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo, Dylan Edwards, and Casey McLean have been standout performers. Coach Ivan Cleary announced his departure at season's end.

New Zealand Warriors (2nd)
The Warriors hold a strong position despite multiple halfback injuries. Tanah Boyd emerged at halfback before a season-ending ACL injury. Luke Metcalf and Mitch Barnett also suffered injuries. Key contributors include James Fisher-Harris and Jackson Ford. The team has been described as a genuine premiership contender by analysts.

Sydney Roosters (3rd)
The Roosters have shown excellent form in many matches, including scoring 62 points against the Dragons, but have also lost consecutive matches scoring only 16 points in each. James Tedesco has performed at a career-best level. Consistency has been identified as a key issue.

Knights (4th)
Newcastle has experienced a major turnaround under coach Justin Holbrook. Their attack is efficient, requiring only seven tackles in the opposition 20 to score a try. Kalyn Ponga regained the Queensland No. 1 jersey. Mat Croker and Dylan Lucas also performed well.

Mid-Table Teams

Sea Eagles (5th)
After a diabolical start prompting the sacking of coach Anthony Seibold, Manly has won six of nine games under interim coach Kieran Foran. Clayton Faulolo emerged as a reliable fullback.

Rabbitohs (6th)
South Sydney has been inconsistent, with impressive wins (48-6 vs Storm) followed by puzzling losses (30-18 vs Cowboys). Jye Gray stood out at fullback. Injuries to Latrell Mitchell, Jack Wighton, and others have hampered consistency.

Dolphins (7th)
After mixed early results, the Dolphins achieved four consecutive wins after their Round 6 bye—a franchise first. Defense improved significantly. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki averaged 139.6 run metres per game.

Sharks (8th)
Cronulla has been inconsistent, with big wins followed by heavy losses. Defensive lapses have been a recurring issue in defeats. Braydon Trindall performed well, ranking sixth in Dally M votes.

Lower-Ranked Teams

Cowboys (9th)
North Queensland experienced a turnaround after an early loss to the Tigers. Jason Taumalolo revived his form with reduced minutes. However, defensive inconsistency has persisted.

Tigers (10th)
The Tigers had a solid start with wins over the Cowboys and Warriors but suffered a heavy loss (52-10) to the Sharks in Round 9. Defensive issues emerged during a four-game stretch conceding 158 points. Adam Doueihi and Alex Twal were standout performers.

Broncos (11th)
Brisbane has been inconsistent, with strong patches undermined by poor starts and injuries to Payne Haas, Adam Reynolds, and Reece Walsh. Forward Xavier Willison and centre Kotoni Staggs have been standout contributors.

Raiders (12th)
After a golden-point win over Manly in Round 1, the Raiders lost four of their next five games. They have been inconsistent despite impressive performances from Hudson Young and Ethan Strange.

Storm (13th)
Melbourne has experienced a surprisingly poor season, losing seven consecutive games at one point, including heavy defeats to the Rabbitohs (48-6), Panthers, and Warriors (38-14). However, they won two of their last three. Sua Fa'alogo excelled at fullback.

Bulldogs (14th)
Canterbury has won only four games in 13 rounds despite being the only team to defeat Penrith. Inconsistency has plagued the side. Sitili Tupouniua was the standout forward.

Eels (15th)
Injuries to Mitchell Moses have derailed Parramatta's consistency. Dylan Walker excelled in a ball-playing lock role but remains off-contract. Defense has been a major concern, conceding 30+ points in four straight games.

Titans (16th)
New coach Josh Hannay's first season has shown few improvements. Defense is comparable to fourth-placed Knights, but attack is the most inefficient in the competition, scoring only 17.5 points per game.

Dragons (17th)
St George Illawarra has experienced a diabolical season, with one win ending a 295-day losing streak. Coach Shane Flanagan was sacked in Round 7; interim Dean Young lost 62-16 to the Roosters on Anzac Day. Young forwards Ryan Couchman, Toby Couchman, and Hamish Stewart were bright spots.

Key Coaching Changes

St George Illawarra Dragons: Flanagan Out, Young Interim

Shane Flanagan's tenure ended after the Dragons' seventh consecutive loss to start the 2026 season. The club held a meeting with Flanagan on Sunday following the 30-12 loss to the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The decision was described as being made by mutual agreement.

Flanagan's win rate during his tenure was 35%—19 wins from 54 games. The team was on an 11-game losing streak, reportedly the longest in club history.

Dean Young, a former Dragons premiership player and assistant coach at the club and North Queensland Cowboys, was appointed interim head coach for the remainder of the 2026 season. Young previously served as the Dragons' interim coach in 2020.

Assistant coach Michael Ennis also departed following Flanagan's exit. Ennis joined the Dragons this season as an assistant coach under Flanagan, with whom he won a premiership at Cronulla in 2016. Ennis served as the attacking coach, while Young was the defensive coach.

Young named his first team, selecting 20-year-old Kade Reed to make his NRL debut as starting halfback. Kyle Flanagan, who had been the first-choice halfback since joining the Dragons in 2024, was moved to the bench. This change occurred less than 24 hours after Young replaced Shane Flanagan, Kyle's father, as coach.

Manly Sea Eagles: Seibold Sacked, Foran Interim

The Manly Sea Eagles commenced their 2026 season with consecutive losses. Following a narrow defeat by last year's minor premiers, the team struggled in their subsequent match against a depleted Newcastle Knights side.

Coach Anthony Seibold acknowledged the team's performance, stating they were "well beaten and well below par." He identified issues with the team's resolve and execution.

After the team's third consecutive loss, a 33-16 defeat to the Roosters, Seibold was dismissed. Kieran Foran was appointed as interim coach. Manly player Jake Trbojevic stated that a mid-season coaching change causes "a bit of shock around the group, a bit of uncertainty."

Reports indicated a potential divide between Seibold and the playing group. Key senior players, including the Trbojevic brothers, were reportedly uncomfortable with Seibold's playing style. There were also reports of personality clashes and concerns within the football department regarding player fitness levels not meeting leading club standards.

Under Foran, Manly won six of nine games from Round 4, losing only to the Panthers and Sharks.

Key Player Movements and Roster Changes

Bronson Xerri Situation

Bronson Xerri was removed from the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs' NRL team roster prior to their match against Canberra. Coach Cameron Ciraldo stated that "preparation" was a contributing factor to the decision to drop the centre.

Reports emerged suggesting that the Bulldogs had informed Xerri that his contract would not be extended beyond the 2027 season. When questioned about these reports, Ciraldo stated he was "not totally sure" about the validity of such claims and did not believe they were accurate.

Xerri subsequently returned to the starting side for the Bulldogs' Round 6 match against the Panthers. Coach Ciraldo praised Xerri's communication during the game as the "most pleasing thing." Xerri stated he accepted his demotion to reserve grade and was grateful for another opportunity.

Luke Metcalf Signs with Dragons

The St George Illawarra Dragons signed Luke Metcalf on a three-year contract reported to be worth $2.7 million. Metcalf has played 43 games in five years and has a significant injury history.

Scott Drinkwater Granted Permission to Negotiate

North Queensland Cowboys fullback Scott Drinkwater was granted permission by his club to negotiate with other NRL teams. The St George Illawarra Dragons have been linked as a potential destination.

Cowboys coach Todd Payten stated: "His management asked us if it was OK for him to negotiate with other clubs on Wednesday, and we gave him the green light. I don't want to make any more comment than that until I talk to Scott face-to-face."

Stephen Crichton Shoulder Injury and Positional Change

Canterbury captain Stephen Crichton sustained an AC shoulder injury during the Good Friday loss to South Sydney. Initial assessments suggest a high-grade two or possibly grade three AC injury, indicating an extended period of absence.

Following Crichton's return, coach Cameron Ciraldo moved Crichton to five-eighth for the first time in his NRL career for the Round 17 match against Manly. Matt Burton shifted to left centre, and Bronson Xerri was relegated to the bench.

Other Notable Player Movements

• Matt Dufty returned to the NRL for the first time since 2022, replacing the injured Jye Gray at fullback for the Rabbitohs
• Reed Mahoney debuted for the Cowboys against his former team, the Bulldogs
• Jamal Fogarty debuted for Manly, replacing Daly Cherry-Evans
• Daly Cherry-Evans joined the Sydney Roosters after 15 seasons with Manly
• The Bulldogs signed Leo Thompson from the Knights

Injury Reports

Severe Injuries

• Tanah Boyd (Warriors): ACL, season-ending
• Luke Brooks (Manly): Suspected ACL, season likely ended
• Payne Haas (Broncos): Grade 3 MCL, 6-8 weeks
• J'maine Hopgood (Eels): ACL, season-ending
• Kalyn Ponga (Knights): Torn hamstring, 6-8 weeks
• Tom Dearden (Cowboys): Syndesmosis, 6-8 weeks
• Reece Walsh (Broncos): Fractured cheekbone, 4-6 weeks
• Ben Hunt (Broncos): MCL, 6-8 weeks
• Jai Arrow (Rabbitohs): MND diagnosis, retired
• Adam Elliott (Rabbitohs): Deltoid rupture, season-ending
• Talanoa Penitani (Rabbitohs): Torn hamstring, 12-14 weeks
• Jackson Ford (Warriors): Pectoral, 10 weeks
• Jaydn Su'A (Dragons): Pec, minimum 12 weeks
• Jamayne Isaako (Dolphins): Knee, several weeks

Other Notable Injuries

• Tui Kamikamaca (Storm): Medical episode (stroke recovery)
• Corey Jensen (Broncos): Pulmonary embolism
• Nicho Hynes (Sharks): Calf, out for multiple weeks
• Blayke Brailey (Sharks): Broken arm
• Latrell Mitchell (Rabbitohs): Back injury, later ruled out of Origin I
• Moses Leo (Storm): Concussion
• Shawn Blore (Storm): Concussion, HIA protocol
• Kurt Capewell (Warriors): Calf
• Mitchell Barnett (Warriors): Thumb
• Marata Niukore (Warriors): Calf
• Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (Warriors): Neck

State of Origin

Game I

New South Wales won Game I after Queensland fullback Kalyn Ponga was sent off for a Grade 2 shoulder charge. Under NRL rules, Ponga received a fine rather than suspension, to avoid penalizing clubs for representative incidents.

Game II

The Blues squad for Game II featured several changes. Payne Haas replaced Daniel Saifiti in the starting front-row. Mitch Moses was named in the squad despite a hamstring injury but needed to prove fitness. Stephen Crichton was ruled out with a shoulder injury; Casey McLean started in his place. Mark Nawaqanitawase was called up as 19th man.

Dylan Lucas was added to the squad and could make his Origin debut. Mitchell Moses is expected to start at five-eighth if fit, moving Ethan Strange to the bench. Api Koroisau replaced the injured Blayke Brailey as backup hooker.

Ethan Strange, who debuted in Game I, was retained but likely to move to the bench if Moses starts.

Impact on Clubs

Several players missed club matches due to Origin duty. The Roosters lost up to seven players to NSW and Queensland selections. The Dolphins had five players in Maroons camp. Penrith rested Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo, and Brian To'o following the game.

Notable Match Results

• Round 3: Penrith Panthers 40-4 Sydney Roosters
• Round 4: Roosters 33-16 Manly Sea Eagles
• Round 4: Wests Tigers 32-14 New Zealand Warriors
• Round 6: Canterbury Bulldogs 32-16 Penrith Panthers (Panthers' first loss)
• Round 6: Roosters 34-22 Cronulla Sharks (Roosters scored 24 unanswered points in second half)
• Round 6: Gold Coast Titans 52-10 Parramatta Eels (Eels' largest loss at CommBank Stadium)
• Round 7: Warriors 38-14 Melbourne Storm (Warriors' biggest win against Storm, ended 17-game losing streak)
• Round 7: Roosters 62-16 Dragons (largest margin in fixture history)
• Magic Round: Dolphins 32-10 South Sydney Rabbitohs
• Magic Round: Sea Eagles 46-18 Wests Tigers
• Round 11: North Queensland Cowboys 18-12 Sydney Roosters (ended Roosters' five-match winning streak)
• Round 13: St George Illawarra Dragons 30-26 Brisbane Broncos (Dragons' first win of season)