The Cowboys may live to rue their decision to let veteran playmaker Scott Drinkwater go to the Dragons in 2027.
Drinkwater is having a fantastic farewell tour of North Queensland, icing the all-important field goal that won Sunday’s golden point thriller against Manly to put the Cowboys back on track for finals footy.
Scott Drinkwater celebrates his field goal in golden point. Jason McCawley
Throw in the fact that he leads the NRL in line break assists, is equal third in try assists and you can see what a massive contribution he makes to the team’s attack.
A brilliant attacking weapon who plays what he sees in front of him, Drinkwater has match-winning class that will be difficult to replace.
The Cowboys do have some good young players coming through – but it may take them several years to get to the high standards Drinkwater has set in Townsville.
The Sea Eagles, meanwhile, have hit the wall, with losses in three of their last four games, with Sunday’s defeat their first under new coach Kieran Foran at Fortress Brookvale.
NRL reject demanding full-time deal
Matt Dufty is forcing South Sydney’s hand for a new contract despite being signed as a virtual afterthought earlier this season.
There were plenty of smirks from the critics when the Bunnies handed Dragons and Warrington reject Dufty a NSW Cup deal a few months ago.
But Dufty is playing the best football of his career and Souths now have plenty to think about.
They have two top class fullbacks in Latrell Mitchell and Jye Gray and Dufty isn’t even listed in their top 30 players.
But the tiny speedster was best on ground in the narrow 26-24 win over the Knights on Sunday, out-pointing the great Kalyn Ponga in the process.
Dufty ran for 215 metres – the most of anyone on the field – and finished with three try assists and a couple of line breaks.
The Bunnies had better make a move to re-sign the talented fullback – because if they don’t, another club will.
Teddy successor emerges
Cody Ramsey may well have stamped himself as the successor to James Tedesco’s fullback throne at the Roosters with a five-star display against the Eels on Saturday night.
Cody Ramsey of the Roosters passes the ball against the Eels. Izhar Khan
On an emotional night for the Roosters, with Daniel Tupou celebrating his 300th game with a hat trick, Ramsey’s effort was overshadowed.
But make no mistake, he was clearly the man of the match and his running game proved the difference in a 28-12 defeat of a gallant Eels outfit.
The Roosters have a decision to make, with Ramsey, who has made a remarkable comeback after nearly losing his life to a rare stomach disease a couple of years ago, able to talk to rival clubs in November.
The flying fullback may choose to go to the open market, with his chances at the Roosters limited behind the reliable Tedesco.
Why Raiders future is bright
It’s a big call considering he is a 22-year-old with just four games in the starting side this year, but Owen Pattie IS the future of the Canberra Raiders.
The nuggety hooker, who Ricky Stuart has been keeping up his sleeve for much of the past two seasons, was unleashed on the Bulldogs on Saturday night and was instrumental in the Raiders’ 40-16 win.
Pattie kicked two 40/20s, both of which led to tries, and had a hand in several more in the Raiders’ best display of 2026 to date.
Owen Pattie of the Raiders. NRL Imagery
The youngster has a touch of Harry Grant to his ball play out of dummy half and with hooker becoming such a key position in the modern game, he is set for a huge career in the national capital.
The Bulldogs were terrible in a home game they were expected to win and their season continues to spiral out of control, with more questions than answers.
Phins in danger of imploding
The next few days will be the hardest time in Kristian Woolf‘s coaching career as he attempts to resuscitate the Dolphins’ spluttering finals challenge.
The Phins have gone from equal second favourites to win the premiership to a basket case after a shock 66-0 loss at home to a rampaging Cronulla team on Saturday afternoon.
Sure, the Phins were without their Origin contingent but even the return of the likes of Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Selwyn Cobbo and co. may not be able to paper up the cracks.
In their short time in the NRL, the Phins have had a habit of collapsing in the run-in to the finals and are in danger of imploding again.
Back to back losses – and the magnitude of the Sharks massacre, have the Dolphins on tilt and they are sorely missing the cool leadership of brilliant halfback Isaiya Katoa.
Woolf will need to make wholesale changes, hold a brutal review session and tell his team that performance that included 42 missed tackles – is unacceptable for a team with premiership ambitions.
The Sharks were superb, with halves Braydon Trindall and Nicho Hynes carving up the defence with embarrassing ease.
Tigers fans set for more heartbreak
It’s tough being a Tigers fan in the last decade or more.
Tigers fans are used to disappointment but this season, thought they had turned it all around with a flying start out of the blocks in the early rounds.
But ever since Jarome Luai signed THAT deal with PNG, it’s all fallen apart… eight losses in the last 10 games, Luai now set to go a year early and a club clearly in crisis.
The Tigers haven’t won a Friday night game at Campbelltown for 16 years – when Benji Marshall kicked a field goal to get them home – and were thumped 32-6 by the rampaging Warriors to end a bad week.
Trouble on the field, trouble off it – the Tigers are a rabble yet again… finals football is no hope and there are still plenty more potential heart-breaking games to go.