The Raiders opened Friday night footy with a 26-22 victory over the Storm in Canberra.
That’s five losses in a row for the Storm for just the third time in their history while the Green Machine are back on track after two wins in a row.
Hudson Young, Simi Sasagi and Ethan Sanders were immense for the Raiders, who had to withstand a late charge from the Storm to claim the two points.
Our second match takes us to Darwin where the Panthers are looking to bounce back from their first defeat of the season in hot and steamy conditions.
The Dolphins have won just the two games in 2026 and are coming off a humiliating home loss to the Sea Eagles before a bye in Round 6.
Follow all the action from Round 7 of the NRL Telstra Premiership on NRL.com’s live blog.
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Dolphins v Panthers at TIO Stadium, Darwin
Dylan dazzles: The Panthers No.1 racked up 134 metres from 13 runs and busted a couple of tackles as he continued his slashing start to the season. Paul Alamoti ran for 93 metres and Brian To’o 83 metres as the Panthers’ outside backs came to the party.
Half-time: The Panthers are just too clinical for an ill-disciplined Dolphins outfit who lost Kodi Nikorima to the sin bin and completed just 14 of 20 sets.
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Tom Jenkins Try
39 min: Blaize Talagi’s kick is pinpoint and Tom Jenkins gets up above Jamayne Isaako to come up with his 15th try of the season. Jenkins has now scored in seven straight games. Nathan Cleary converts. Panthers 18-0
37 min: A high tackle penalty against Tom Flegler gives the Panthers possession but Herbie Farnworth gets it back with a one-on-one steal.
35 min: A tap-on by Herbie Farnworth is spilled by Selwyn Cobbo as the Dolphins come up with a seventh error.
33 min: Slick hands by the Dolphins creates space for Jamayne Isaako but his flick pass back inside is intercepted by Penrith who had scrambled well in defence.
31 min: Blaize Talagi grubbers into the in-goal and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow shadows the ball dead to get the Dolphins a seven-tackle set.
28 min: Ray Stone is penalised for dissent after the Dolphins squander another attacking opportunity.
26 min: Freddy Lussick looks to sneak over from dummy half but some desperate Dolphins defence denies him and he loses the ball.
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Blaize Talagi Try
20 min: Blaize Talagi gets through some flimsy defence to post the Panthers’ second try. Nathan Cleary converts. Panthers 12-0 as we head to our first drinks break.
19 min: Nathan Cleary grubbers and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow gets across to clean it up. The Dolphins’ short dropout fails to go 10 metres and the Panthers are again camped in the red zone.
18 min: Kodi Nikorima is placed on report and sin binned for a hip drop tackle on Mitch Kenny who hobbles off with what looks to be a leg injury.
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Edwards opens the scoring in Darwin
13 min: Nathan Cleary splits the Dolphins defence and finds Dylan Edwards looming in support for the game’s opening try. Cleary converts. Panthers 6-0
11 min: A big shot by Max Plath forces an error from Isaiah Papalii and the Dolphins are out of strife.
10 min: Blaize Talagi grubbers, Jamayne Isaako cleans up and forces the ball in-goal. Isaiya Katoa’s line dropout is easily collected by Brian To’o and the Panthers reload.
9 min: Selwyn Cobbo makes a mess of a bomb catch but fortunately for the Dolphins it spills backwards and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow cleans up.
4 min: Francis Molo comes up with an early error to put the Dolphins under pressure and a six-again call piggybacks the Panthers into the red zone.
3 min: Selwyn Cobbo spills a high ball and it ends up with Nathan Cleary but the Dolphins recover quickly to shut Cleary down.
Late Mail
Dolphins: A late change in the pack with Francis Molo starting and Felise Kaufusi going to the bench. Brad Schneider is set to play a role off the bench after Kurt Donoghoe was ruled out with injury. Schneider wore No.14 in the Dolphins loss to Manly prior to last week’s bye, but coach Kristian Woolf opted to inject Donoghoe into the contest instead. Jeremy Marshall-King also remains sidelined as he slowly works his way back to fitness from a knee injury.Â
Panthers: The Panthers line up 1-19 with no late changes. Izack Tago is set for his first chance in the top-flight this season and will start in the centres in place of the suspended Casey McLean. It will be Tago’s 100th NRL appearance. Penrith have been dealt a big blow with Liam Martin ruled out with a knee injury. The representative forward will be replaced by Luke Garner in the starting side, with Kalani Going the new face on the bench.Â
Numbers Game
Dolphins fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has scored six tries in three games against the Panthers.
Panthers prop Moses Leota has scored a try in all three games against the Dolphins.
Dolphins centre Jake Averillo has scored seven tries in his last six NRL games.
Panthers centre Izack Tago will make his 100th NRL appearance.
Dolphins winger Jamayne Isaako requires three points for 800 points for the club.
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Raiders v Storm at GIO Stadium
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Raiders v Storm – Round 7, 2026
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NRL Press Conference: Raiders v Storm – Round 7, 2026
Young gun: Canberra’s back-rower Hudson Young had 20 runs for 152 metres, five tackle breaks and 33 tackles in another Origin-class performance. Centre Simi Sasagi was again a standout with 19 runs for 229 metres.
Full-time: The Raiders have their first home win for the season and the Storm have lost five in a row for the first time since 2012.
79 min: The Storm throw the ball to the right but the Raiders scramble superbly and wrap up back-to-back wins.
78 min: Hudson Young puts on a huge chase and forces the ball loose from Sua Faalogo with a big tackle. Young picks the ball up and puts Zac Hosking over but the bunker finds high contact by Young on Faalogo. Young goes on report. Faalogo goes for a HIA. Storm penalty.
77 min: A poor end to the Storm’s set with Tyran Wishart’s chip kick not deep enough and the Raiders difusing the situation.
75 min: Kaeo Weekes sends the kick-off way over the dead ball line and the Storm go on the attack again.
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Nick Meaney 2nd Try
74 min: Still hope for the Storm with Nick Meaney finishing off a long-range try that started with Cameron Munster putting Cooper Clarke into space and the big man delivering a superb offload for Sua Faalogo to surge into the back field and deliver to Meaney. Raiders 26-22
73 min: Will Warbrick makes a good catch on an attacking bomb but Hudson Young wraps him up immediately.
69 min: Stefano Utoikamanu is penalised for tackling a player without the ball. Ethan Sanders knocks over the penalty goal. Raiders 26-16
63 min: Slick attack from the Raiders sees Simi Sasagi put Jed Stuart away but the pass is ruled forward.
62 min: Big runs by Sua Faalogo and Will Warbrick put the Storm in good field position again but Cooper Clarke’s error sees the Raiders come away.
61 min: A poor offload by Josh King is intercepted by Simi Sasagi and the Storm have blown their opportunity.
59 min: Seb Kris comes up with a drop on a regulation catch and the Storm get a chance from 30 metres out.
55 min: Ethan Sanders chips over the top, Simi Sasagi tries to chase and is impeded by Trent Loiero. Penalty to Canberra. Sanders bangs it over. Raiders 24-16
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Matthew Timoko Try
51 min: Too much speed on the left edge from the Raiders as Matt Timoko burns Jack Howarth on the outside and crosses for his first try of the season. Ethan Sanders converts. Raiders 22-16
50 min: Manare Waitere is placed on report for high contact after racing out of the line to try and shut down the Raiders.
49 min: A great attacking set by Canberra ends with Ethan Sanders going high and Sua Faalogo cleaning up just metres from his line.
45 min: The Raiders strike the first blow after Simi Sasagi leaves Manare Waitere and Cameron Munster in his wake and offloads for Ethan Strange to score. Ethan Sanders’ conversion hits the upright. 16-16
43 min: Simi Sasagi comes up with an intercept and sprints 50 metres before the Storm run him down and regroup. Hudson Young grubbers into the in-goal on the last play to force the Storm into a line dropout.
42 min: Josh Papalii has to be assisted from the field with a calf injury.
Sizzling Sua: Melbourne’s fullback Faalogo was a constant danger to the Raiders with 86 running metres, a try, a line break and three tackle breaks. If the home side give the electric No.1 any space he will make them pay. He finished the night with 245 run metres and five tackle breaks.
Corey’s mixed bag: Raiders big man Corey Horsburgh grabbed himself a try and ran for 100 metres and had five tackle breaks but gave up a crucial penalty for dissent that invited the Storm into the red zone and they struck through Sua Faalogo.
Half-time: The desperate Storm showed plenty of heart to fight back from 12-0 down to lead 16-12 at the break. The Storm had 51 per cent of the ball and completed 15 of 20 sets while the home side went 19 of 23 sets at 82 per cent.
38 min: A neat chip over the top by Ethan Strange is chased hard by Kaeo Weekes who reaches out and gets a touch on the ball. Knock-on is ruled and the Storm hang on.
36 min: Kaeo Weekes chips ahead and Sua Faalogo cleans up and is caught in goal. The Storm go long with the dropout to halfway.
35 min: Alec MacDonald loses the ball and Harry Grant throws in a captain’s challenge. Replays show no strip so the Storm retain their challenge but Canberra are on the attack late in the half.
34 min: The Raiders look dangerous on the left edge but Kaeo Weekes comes up with an error to let the Storm off the hook.
32 min: Cameron Munster kicks early in the count and finds touch to get the Storm out of their own end after the Raiders had cranked up the pressure.
25 min: Shawn Blore is sent into the game by Craig Bellamy for his first NRL action of the season.
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Nick Meaney Try
24 min: Harry Grant and Jahrome Hughes stamp their class on an attacking set before the ball is swept left through Cameron Munster to Sua Faalogo to Manare Waitere who sends the final pass for Nick Meaney to score untouched. Meaney adds the extras. Storm 18-12
22 min: Another chance on the right edge for the Storm but Sua Faalogo’s lofted pass to Will Warbrick is called forward and the Raiders come away.
19 min: Cameron Munster tries to sneak up the short side by the pass is a tough one for Manare Waitere to handle and the ball is lost.,
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Will Warbrick Try
16 min: A strong charge by Stefano Utoikamanu has the Storm close before Jahrome Hughes drifts right and sends a perfectly timed pass for Will Warbrick to score. Nick Meaney fails to convert. Raiders 12-10
14 min: Jed Stuart makes a great catch tracking back to take a high ball but then loses it as he tries to get to his feet. The Storm have a scrum 10 metres out.
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Sualauvi Faalogo Try
12 min: The Storm make the Raiders pay for Horsburgh’s indiscretion as Sua Faalogo explodes into space from close range off a Jahrome Hughes pass. Nick Meaney adds the extras. Raiders 12-6
11 min: Corey Horsburgh is penalised in possession for complaining to referee Peter Gough who pings him for dissent.
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Corey Horsburgh Try
9 min: Ethan Sanders launches another high ball which the Storm fail to handle and the ball spills to Corey Horsburgh who defies four defenders to get the ball down for Canberra’s second try. Sanders converts. Raiders 12-0
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Simi Sasagi Try
5 min: The Green Machine strike first when Ethan Strange finds space and beats Cameron Munster before setting up Simi Sasagi for a try. Ethan Sanders converts. Raiders 6-0
4 min: Ethan Sanders goes to the air, Will Warbrick makes the catch and is tackled but tries to put the ball into the field of play while being dragged back into the in-goal. The Storm winger drops the ball and Hudson Young pounces to score the game’s opening ‘try’ but the bunker rules an accidental offside after the ball touched two Raiders players simultaneously before Young picked it up.
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No better sight than the Viking Clap
Late Mail
Raiders: Josh Papalii and Noah Martin have moved to the bench 90 minutes before kick-off as they did last week with Ata Mariota and Zac Hosking starting the game. Centre Matt Timoko is set for his first match since Round 2 as Ricky Stuart rejigs his backline for Friday night’s clash. Seb Kris moves to the wing as a result and Savelio Tamale has dropped back to NSW Cup.
Storm:Â A late switch with Manaia Watere moving to centre and Nick Meaney switching to the right wing. No other changes to the starting side as Melbourne battle to avoid five-straight losses for the first time since 2012. Shawn Blore is part of the bench as he chases his first NRL appearance of the season after three games in NSW Cup.
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Last time they met: Raiders v Storm
Numbers Game
The Raiders have not defeated the Storm at GIO Stadium since 2016.
The Storm are aiming to avoid five straight defeats for the first time in 14 years.
Storm centre Nick Meaney will make his 100th appearance for the club.
The Raiders have conceded 32 points or more in their last three game.
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