This is your weekly dose of NRL truth-telling, as tipster and rugby league raconteur Nick Tedeschi tears through the good, the bad and the indefensible, with absolutely no regard for bruised egos.
Global Round The Next Step in Global Domination
If the AFL was not so insular, arrogant and talented at naval-gazing – or dealing with the utter abomination of their Commission Chair of contractually forcing a player to take legal responsibility for any future head trauma – it would quickly realise that the NRL was no longer in the rearview mirror but streaking away from them in terms of how the game is run. Say what you will about Peter V’Landys and there is plenty to be critical of in the micro, he has proven himself a visionary whose dream of making the NRL the best run game in Australia and the most popular sport in Australia by taking it to the world is very much on the path to happening. Financial stability has been a massive tick. Competition expansion including getting the government to fund PNG is an even bigger tick. Television audiences have never been larger. Vegas has been a resounding success. Global Round is the next iteration along with the 20th team almost certainly expanding the competition to the South Island of New Zealand and purchasing Super League.
The NRL is set to start the 2028 season playing in not only Las Vegas but London, Hong Kong and Tokyo with Miami also a possibility. The critics will come out and say this will not make Rugby League a factor in Japan – and it probably won’t – but those critics miss the point completely: that it makes the NRL bigger locally. Nobody talks about the AFL when Vegas is on. Nobody will pay any attention to the AFL in the weeks leading into the season with Global Round outside of the diehards.
While the NRL will never be a serious presence in Japan and Hong Kong, both nations have plenty of expats and there is very much an opportunity to eat into the popularity of union in both countries. It is hard to believe a country that was given the opportunity to follow both would choose union.
Global Round is serious. It will happen if PVL says it will. And it will be big … very big.
Magic Metcalf Is Finally Back – And Now He Must Stay
Anyone who knows anything about Rugby League knows that Luke Metcalf is the Warriors’ best half. He was leading the Dally M Medal when he went down with an ACL last year and was being touted as a possible bench Origin player. His recovery forced him to miss the start of this season and the Warriors committed to Tanah Boyd. A midweek injury led to Metcalf being a late callup against the Panthers and he was utterly scintillating, scoring two tries, setting up another, breaking four tackles and putting to bed the club’s goalkicking woes in landing four from five conversions. Andrew Webster needs to stick with him at No.7 if the Warriors are any hope of winning their first title.
Requirement No.1 For A Fullback – Catch The Ball
Connor Tracey has been a complete liability for Canterbury all season and his ineptitude against the Sydney Roosters at the worst possible time will likely cost the Bulldogs a finals spot. The Bulldogs led the Roosters deep into the final quarter of the match when Tracey just watched a Roosters bomb hit the ground. He showed absolutely zero intent to defuse the dangerous kick, standing back, either concerned for his health or expecting a player travelling backwards to catch it. It was utterly amateurish and exactly what the Bulldogs deserved for continuing on with him at the back. He is a No.14 at best and is without question the worst starting fullback in the competition. The Bulldogs’ negligent treatment of their spine investment has come back to bite.
Ricky’s Rage Eviscerates Red
No coach in the NRL rages better than Ricky Stuart. Craig Bellamy has the walk off and the swearing. Wayne Bennett has the look. Todd Payten has the surliness. But nobody evaporates someone in his sights with a few sentences better than Ricky Stuart. Think “weak gutted dog”. Think hooking Savelio Tamale. And now Corey Horsburgh, who will be very lucky to ever play for the Raiders again. Canberra had been shopping him and after his slap cost the Raiders an opportunity to take the lead, he is so deep in the Stuart doghouse that it would be safer for him to just leave his belongings and get out of Canberra as soon as possible. “It was a f* brain exploding and we lost the opportunity … it wasn’t everybody’s fault, there’s 16 other blokes there that made a massive effort … there’s one s decision choice that has cost us”. It was utterly moronic from Horsburgh and all but ensures he will be elsewhere in 2027, likely Brisbane.
Referee Gradings
This week’s gradings:
- Adam Gee (B)
- Gerard Sutton (B-)
- Grant Atkins (B)
- Kieren Irons (C-)
- Todd Smith (B-)
- Wyatt Raymond (C-)
- Ashley Klein (D+)
- Liam Kennedy (C)
The Willie M Team of the Week
This week’s team of dopes and drongoes:
- Connor Tracey (Bul)
- Jethro Rinakama (Bul)
- Reuben Garrick (Man)
- Kotoni Staggs (Bri)
- Jason Saab (Man)
- Jayden Campbell (GC)
- Jamal Fogarty (Man)
- Corey Horsburgh (Can)
- Brandon Wakeham (Man)
- Addin Fonua-Blake (Cro)
- Corey Waddell (Man)
- Liam Martin (Pen)
- Jaeman Salmon (Bul)
——————————————————- - Ryley Smith (Par)
- Blake Mozer (Bri)
- Teancum Brown (Par)
- Luron Patea (Pen)
——————————————————-
Coach: Craig Fitzgibbon (Cro)
The 2026 Field Goal Update – 18
No field goals kicked in Round 23 so we will look ahead to the finals. There have been six players over the last 20 years to kick multiple finals field goals: Adam Reynolds (4), Nathan Cleary (3), Cooper Cronk (3), James Maloney (2), Jamie Soward (2) and Daly Cherry-Evans (2).
Fun Fact #1
Just five minor premiers in the last 15 seasons have gone on to win the minor premiership.
Fun Fact #2
Newcastle are set to become just the third wooden spooner to make the finals the following season across the last 15 years.
Fun Fact #3
Just six teams in premiership history have a winning record in Grand Finals: Brisbane, Penrith, Newcastle, Wests Tigers, South Sydney and St George.
Rumour Mill
The PNG Chiefs are expected to make some significant announcements over the coming weeks including landing a big-name Panther. Jack Bostock is another who is expected to sign with the Chiefs. Sebastian Kris is on the verge of signing with the Warriors. Canberra are set to sign young Bulldogs Lipoi Hopoi. Jamie Humphreys is set to knock back interest from the Tigers after doing the same with the Bears to stay with South Sydney.
The Coaching Crosshairs
Willie Peters is the hottest young coach in the game and will make a major impact on the NRL when he takes over the Chiefs but he has made a major error in judgment signing Anthony Seibold to be his chief assistant. Surrounding yourself with close mates is typically a red flag while Seibold’s record of one winning record in his last five-and-a-half seasons as well as his long history of both confusing his players with his complex schemes and his politicking do not make him a good candidate to be an assistant coach. All has been going well at the Chiefs and this is their first stumbling block.
Moronic Coaching Decision of the Week
Ivan Cleary is not one to make moronic decisions but his call late in the game against the Warriors to leave Blaize Talagi on the bench and play Luron Patea was confusing. The Panthers needed to chase points. They had been smashed through the middle early and had lost Isaah Yeo but with points needed Talagi was a far better proposition to use even with his defensive frailties.
Watch It
We have the last couple of years to add in but The Roar’s 10-minute compilation of the best Ricky Stuart blowups is one of the great watches – and it doesn’t even involve some of his best stuff. The video speaks for itself. Watch it below.