Sign up now!!! <\/a><\/p>\n‘It’s a long way back’ Riccio on Broncos | 05:08<\/p>\n
KNIGHTS EXTEND RECORD NUMBER OF SPINE COMBOS AMID DOUBLE BLOW<\/p>\n
Knights vs Warriors Saturday 21st of March @ 3pm<\/p>\n
The Knights\u2019 impressive start to the season has hit a massive hurdle with their two highest paid stars sidelined for the next four to eight weeks. <\/p>\n
Kalyn Ponga will miss the next six to eight weeks with a hamstring injury, while Dylan Brown is out for a month with a knee injury. <\/p>\n
It means the Knights will field their NRL record 70th different spine since 2020, as Justin Holbrook aims to keep their resurgent season on track. <\/p>\n
The issue that haunted predecessor Adam O\u2019Brien was his constant revolving door of halves and spine combinations, which saw the side struggle for consistency, especially in attack as they failed to give Ponga support. <\/p>\n
The next closest number of spine combinations a team has used since 2020 is the Tigers with 59, while for context the team to use the least number of spine combinations are the Sharks with 24. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Knights have a horror record without Ponga, having lost their last 10 games without their captain dating back to last year\u2019s 25-6 win over an Origin depleted Panthers side in Bathurst. <\/p>\n
Since 2023 the Knights have won just nine of 26 games without Ponga (35 per cent) compared to 26 of 51 (51 per cent) with him in the team.<\/p>\n
Braith Anasta rates the Knights as one of the form teams in the NRL, but warned winning without their two biggest stars won\u2019t be easy. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs good as the Knights have been and they\u2019ve been amazing the first two weeks, the most impressive team and the big improvers of this year,\u201d Anasta said on NRL 360. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut a lot of that has been because of Ponga and Brown. Against Manly they were awesome without them. But it\u2019s going to be hard for eight weeks without Ponga and four weeks without Brown.\u201d <\/p>\n
Kalyn Ponga is out for two months.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
However, Gorden Tallis noted the Knights didn\u2019t have Brown or Ponga for much of the win over Manly and still performed well. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a big loss, but the way they covered it in the second half was impressive,\u201d Tallis said on NRL 360. <\/p>\n
\u201cKalyn Ponga went off before halftime. Brown didn\u2019t come back from halftime. <\/p>\n
\u201cI thought Fletcher Hunt was brilliant stepping up and the way they went about their business at Brookvale.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut there would be concerns because Ponga and Brown really lit it up and had they stayed on, it could have been anything.\u201d <\/p>\n
The Daily Telegraph\u2019s Brent Read noted the return of Fletcher Sharpe will help offset the double injury blow to a degree for the Knights. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a big blow but they also get Fletcher Sharpe back, so he\u2019ll obviously come into the halves with Sandon Smith and Fletcher Hunt looked great at fullback,\u201d Read said. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe saw Sharpe in Vegas for the opening 20 minutes or so and he was unbelievable, so that\u2019s huge for them.\u201d <\/p>\n
The Daily Telegraph\u2019s Dean Ritchie agreed Sharpe is one of the most natural footballers he has seen. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s absolutely outstanding,\u201d Ritchie said. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s just a natural player, isn\u2019t he? He\u2019s one of the most natural players I think I\u2019ve seen in all my years of covering rugby league.\u201d <\/p>\n
However, Ritchie questioned if the Knights are getting bang for their buck from Ponga, who is being paid $1.4 million a season and has missed a third of his games since 2018. <\/p>\n
\u201cI want to put this question out there and it\u2019s not having a dead set dig at Kalyn, but since 2018, Kalyn has played 139 games and provided he misses these eight weeks, which is what the Knights have suggested, that\u2019s 64 games he will have missed,\u201d Ritchie said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a 31 per cent rate that he misses games. The facts are facts. It\u2019s one in three games Kalyn misses. I know it\u2019s not his fault and injuries happen in rugby league. <\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, you could mount an argument to question whether $1.4 million a year is being worthwhile in terms of the Knights\u2019 salary cap for a bloke that misses one in every three games.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, Read countered that injuries are unlucky and the Knights are a better team with Ponga in it and warned if Newcastle didn\u2019t pay him that money he would just get it at another club. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s dumb luck, isn\u2019t it?\u201d Read said. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut when he plays, they\u2019re an infinitely better team. When he plays and he\u2019s at his best, he\u2019s an elite footballer. <\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, we did our ratings last week and I had him in the top five players in the comp when he\u2019s fit and healthy. <\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the fact he\u2019s got injured, I acknowledge that he\u2019s had some injury problems in the last few years, but you can\u2019t cater for that. <\/p>\n
\u201cAnd if he goes on the open market right now, I\u2019d argue that Kalyn would still get that amount of money.\u201d <\/p>\n
Who’s at fault for Xerri-Dogs drama? | 10:26<\/p>\n
ENFORCER UPS GAME IN BID TO ADD STEEL TO DOLPHINS SPARKLING ATTACK<\/p>\n
Sharks vs Dolphins Saturday 21st of March @ 5.30pm<\/p>\n
There have been a handful of bright lights for the Dolphins in what has been a mixed start to the season.<\/p>\n
No player has impressed more though than back rower Kulikefu Finefeuaki, who is set to have a monster year.<\/p>\n
The 22-year-old has taken his game to a new level this in 2026.<\/p>\n
He had a career best game against the Gold Coast last Sunday night, running for 170 metres and scoring a try.<\/p>\n
In fact, he has two tries this season which has already doubled last year\u2019s meagre total of 1.<\/p>\n
While he\u2019s always been a very explosive, the knock on him in the past has been that he can sometimes float in and out of games but so far this season, he\u2019s done anything but, averaging 145 metres, three tackle busts, a try and 29 tackles.<\/p>\n
Importantly, his conditioning has improved sharply, with Finefeuaki playing all 80 minutes in both games this season.<\/p>\n
Kulikefu Finefeuiaki has had a strong start to the season for the Dolphins.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf praised Finefeuaki and his entire forward pack after the Titans win, firing a warning shot to the rest of the comp that the best is still yet to come.<\/p>\n
\u201cBoth our backrowers have been good. Kuli is certainly putting his hand up and getting us forward. He\u2019s been great the last two weeks with how he\u2019s done that,\u201d Woolf said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou see the potential there. You see we\u2019re going to do something there when we put it <\/p>\n
Finefeuaki, who started at the Cowboys before joining the Dolphins in 2025, was highly spruiked very early on.<\/p>\n
He has steadily improved all aspects of his game in his four years in the league, and now, has a grasp on just how devastating he can be in attack and defence.<\/p>\n
His combination with star half Isaiya Katoa has also proved a handful<\/p>\n
\u201cMe and Kuli get along really well. He\u2019s actually really annoying off the field.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s my bodyguard when we\u2019re on the field. I just have to make sure I keep talking to him defensively because when he\u2019s on defensively, honestly he just runs over blokes and he does it for fun.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a halfback I\u2019ve got to make sure I get him either one and ones or put him into space because when he\u2019s running, he\u2019s pretty hard to stop<\/p>\n
altogether so we have to work hard to put it altogether.\u201d<\/p>\n
Finefeuaki and the Dolphins\u2019 engine room will need to continue their early season form this weekend when they take on Cronulla\u2019s talented pack, which could be bolstered by the return of Teig Wilton.<\/p>\n
Bronson Xerri nearly walks out at Dogs | 09:31<\/p>\n
FORGOTTEN SOUTHS EDGE SET TO SHINE AS KEY PLAYMAKER RETURNS<\/p>\n
Rabbitohs vs Tigers Saturday 21st of March @ 7.35pm<\/p>\n
South Sydney\u2019s firing attack has been one of the hot topics of the 2026 season, and will be a key point to consider as they look to infiltrate the defence of a fast-starting Tigers outfit.<\/p>\n
The Rabbitohs are yet to field their best attacking side this season, but will do so at Gosford on Saturday with Jamie Humphreys returning to halfback following a two-game suspension that ruled him out for the Bunnies\u2019 opening matches.<\/p>\n
With Jye Gray now calling the shots from fullback, and Latrell Mitchell completing what many are calling the \u2018most potent\u2019 left edge in the league from centre, Souths are going to be a handful \u2013 and that\u2019s before factoring their right-side attacking arsenal.<\/p>\n
For NRL 360 host Braith Anasta, the Rabbitohs\u2019 right combination has equal ability to give rival coaches headaches in defence.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause there\u2019s such a threat on the left side, I see this right side with so much potential,\u201d Anasta said. <\/p>\n
\u201cCampbell Graham and Jack Wighton are a powerful combination on the right side.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jamie Humphreys returns at halfback against the Tigers.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Campbell Graham agrees. According to the Rabbitohs winger, Souths now have what he considers the best attacking squad available on the park \u2013 with Latrell at centre and Gray at fullback.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere wasn\u2019t much resistance in that move,\u201d he revealed to NRL 360. <\/p>\n
\u201cLatrell\u2019s a leader in our group and the way he has gone about handling that positional change is a credit to him. We want to play the best players that we have in the club, and Jye Gray is one of those players.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe believe that, for our team, his best position is fullback, and Trell is probably the best centre in the world so it\u2019s not too much of a headache to have him playing out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Wests Tigers will need to be at their best defensively. Benji Marshall\u2019s men were strong in their opening match against the Cowboys last week, though did endure some nervous moments during a brief three-try blitz from North Queensland.<\/p>\n
‘Ok I am questioning his commitment!’ | 07:42<\/p>\n
YOUNG GUNS SHINE AS EELS FIND PERFECT BALANCE <\/p>\n
Eels vs Dragons Sunday 22nd of March @ 4.05pm<\/p>\n
The Eels were one of the most disappointing teams in Round 1 after being thrashed by the Storm 52-4, but bounced back with a 40-32 comeback win over the Broncos thanks to a starring display from two young guns and a key fix. <\/p>\n
Isaiah Iongi has gone from a great buy for the Eels to one of the game\u2019s best fullbacks and had 163 run metres, seven tackle busts, two linebreaks and two tries against the Broncos. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, star recruit Jonah Pezet had two linebreak assists, four try assists and a try to guide the Eels to a comeback victory for the ages. <\/p>\n
Eels veteran Junior Paulo lauded the influence of the star young guns in the victory over Brisbane, ahead of their clash with the Dragons. <\/p>\n
\u201cIongi\u2019s been consistently one of our best performers week in week out and Pezet is quite the character and plays with a lot of confidence, but also a lot of resilience as well, so he\u2019s been a great addition to us,\u201d Paulo said on NRL 360. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think he\u2019ll be the one to say that there\u2019s definitely areas to improve on for next week, but I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll be taking a lot of confidence on the back of that.\u201d <\/p>\n
Paulo noted the work Jason Ryles did with the team in his first year at the helm in 2025, will hold the players in good stead this season. <\/p>\n
\u201cLast year was a bit of a learning year for us with Ryles coming in and guys learning new systems and I think heading into this year we hit the ground rolling,\u201d Paulo said. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe probably don\u2019t have an excuses now as to why we can\u2019t be able to put together those performances that we knew that we had in us. <\/p>\n
Isaiah Iongi has been a revelation for the Eels.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cTrying to find that balance between consistency every week is probably going to be the challenge for us now.\u201d <\/p>\n
Braith Anasta noted how much the Eels pack has changed in terms of physique since the six-again rule changes have made the game so much faster. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe game is faster, you\u2019ve got to be more mobile and you have dropped a lot of weight that\u2019s been well noted over the past couple of years and you got it right on the weekend,\u201d Anasta said. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf you control the footy you\u2019ve got a really talented forward pack. Lots of ball playing and you can strike from anywhere on the field. <\/p>\n
\u201cFirst week you didn\u2019t get it right. Second week you did. Is it just about finding that balance?\u201d <\/p>\n
Paulo agreed, the Eels have the strike players to do damage, but the key is setting the platform up front and controlling completions and possession. <\/p>\n
\u201cFor us it was about putting in an 80 minute performance that we knew we were training hard for throughout the pre-season, so the disappointing thing in Round 1 was not completing it a certain standard that we wanted to,\u201d Paulo said. <\/p>\n
\u201cHeading into that game against Broncos. I think that was more so our focus heading into that week was completing high and giving ourselves a chance.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs cliche as it sounds you\u2019ve got to be able to complete high in order to give yourselves the opportunity to win a game. <\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, in that Round 1 game we didn\u2019t complete high. The amount of possession we gave Melbourne and you give any other team in the competition that amount of possession you\u2019re probably going to be on the wrong end of the stick. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe set ourselves a standard of completing high against Broncos. It wasn\u2019t about the result, it was about completing high and giving ourselves a chance.\u201d <\/p>\n
All eyes on Burton after Xerri dropped! | 02:01<\/p>\n
SOMETHING ON COWBOYS<\/p>\n
Cowboys vs Titans Sunday 22nd of March @ 6.15pm<\/p>\n
The Cowboys sit on the edge of disaster coming into Round 3.<\/p>\n
They were resoundingly beaten by the Tigers in their last outing and head coach Todd Payten is under mounting pressure to keep his job.<\/p>\n
North Queensland\u2019s playing group have lacked the desire and will to fight for a full 80 minutes, and according to league legend Cooper Cronk, there\u2019s big issues at the club.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not NRL360 here Matthew… (but) there is something not right,\u201d Cronk said on the Matty and Cronk podcast.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey played the Penrith Panthers in a game where Penrith sent their reserve grade team and the Cowboys were great.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was like \u2018okay, they\u2019ve changed their tune a little bit\u2019. They go to Vegas, just lost the moments.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd then Todd Payten knows what Leichhardt, knows what the Tigers are trying to do, and would have steeled his team for this onslaught that was coming.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe knew this was coming, and for them to just fall over the way they did. At no stage did they get consistency, their completion rate, whatever.<\/p>\n
\u201cLast year their best football was good, their worst football was really bad. There\u2019s no doubt they are under pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Tigers ticked off a host of milestones in their Round 1 triumph, including recording their biggest ever win to start a campaign.<\/p>\n
Their previous best was a 16-point win over the Rabbitohs in 2017, while their victory was also their first opening match win since 2020.<\/p>\n
The Cowboys were blown away by the Tigers.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
The merger club also enjoyed their biggest win against any opponent since their 66-18 defeat of the Cowboys in Round 12 of the 2023 season.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s fair to say those stats are damning for Payten, who is comfortably the NRL\u2019s most under-siege mentor.<\/p>\n
In conceding 44 points, defence is clearly a major issue \u2014 as illustrated by the Cowboys missing more than 50 tackles, for the fifth time since the start of the 2025 season.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a sobering reality considering North Queensland conceded the second most points of any team last season, behind only the Titans.<\/p>\n
So what was Payten\u2019s reason for their latest ugly loss?<\/p>\n
\u201cI like the way the game was refereed in Vegas, it was a bit different to this game today. But it\u2019s bringing fatigue into the game and the game is fast enough,\u201d Payten said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe referees are just more willing to blow those ruck infringements. You\u2019re not really sure what they\u2019re for.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would prefer that if it\u2019s not a full-blown penalty, don\u2019t give it a ruck infringement. But we\u2019ve opened it up and this is the game and we\u2019ve got to move forward and handle ourselves better.\u201d<\/p>\n
Clearly, he took umbrage with the NRL\u2019s willingness to give repeat sets away, which has created generally faster contests to start the 2026 season.<\/p>\n
But The Australian\u2019s Brent Read wasn\u2019t buying it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s easy for Todd to sit there and complain, his side needs to show some resilience. Some of these tries on the weekend, their defence was pathetic,\u201d he said on NRL360.<\/p>\n
And this weekend shapes as a huge test for the Cowboys, who will be desperate to secure their first win of the season against the Titans.<\/p>\n
A loss could shape as a final nail in the coffin, while a win could kickstart their campaign.<\/p>\n
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