Oh, rugby league! Why do you do this to me?<\/p>\n
Round 10 certainly produced plenty of talking points. For that, I am very thankful.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately it’ll be remembered for one of the all time officiating clangers before anything that was produced by the players.<\/p>\n
It wasn’t all bad though as we saw the continued emergence of an Origin bolter, the return to form of the Storm and another Alex Johnston<\/a> hattrick of tries.<\/p>\n Here are 20 thoughts from Round 10’s round of NRL<\/a> action:<\/p>\n 1. Show of hands, who actually thought Robert Toia<\/a> scored on Friday night? I guarantee you only the hand of Adam Gee is raised, after one of the all-time horror officiating decisions. The Bunker has been an abject failure and a senior referee’s inability to see the clearest of knock ons has to be questioned. The fact the NRL<\/a> quickly admitted error shows it all. They usually roll out Graham Annesley to tell us we’re all wrong. It was so bad that they didn’t even bother trying to hide it. <\/p>\n 2. As if that were not bad enough, the Sharks Jesse Colquhoun<\/a> was robbed of a clear try on Saturday evening also. The Bunker, shockingly, ruled that Souths had grounded the ball after Jye Grey had stripped Colquhoun of the ball in goal. The only issue here is that Colquhoun had grounded the ball a full second before a Souths player even got close. The NRL<\/a> have hidden away on this one but that was blatant. What is going on in that Bunker!?<\/p>\n 3. I had far less issue with the awarding of the Daniel Tupou<\/a> try. The feeling was “well, he can’t disappear”. True … but it opens up the can of worms regarding the thousand tries that are taken off due to players not being able to disappear. He was in front of the player who took the ball, and blocked a defender. This will be referenced by coaches moving forward, 100 per cent guaranteed.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n 4. Nicho Hynes<\/a>, the Sharks million dollar halfback, was caught on Saturday evening giving up chasing an attacking player and instead brushing his hair back behind his ear. I won’t link the tweet I posted here (due to foul language) but source the vision. Hynes, beaten with ease in the first place, stops running, fixes his hair and starts jogging back. That is unacceptable for anyone past the Under 6’s, let alone a First Grade halfback. Some will say I’m overreacting but if the call doesn’t go out for him to cut his hair, or tie it back, the Sharks are not serious. The vision suggests Hynes isn’t!<\/p>\n 5. How’s about Craig Fitzgibbon’s Press Conference after their loss to Souths? The guy who has picked pretty much the same team from the second he sat in the coaching chair said he’s sick of waiting on players to produce. Umm, mate!? I swear I, and other Sharks fans, are being stitched up. <\/p>\n 6. Speaking of stitch up, Briton Nikora<\/a> is on over $600,000 per season. He ran for 29 metres in an 80 minute “effort”. In what world is that good enough? If a rookie produced those numbers he’d be back playing park football. If Craig Fitzbibbon actually wants to get serious and coach, he needs to make an example out of that hideous “effort”. <\/p>\n 7. First off, Liam Kennedy nailed the decision on Friday night in regards to awarding a penalty from in front despite Mitch Moses<\/a> landing the match winning field goal. I take major issue with the rule though, in Golden Point. The obvious question is, what if the penalty goal hits the post and the Cowboys run up and score? Well, it’s a dead ball. The Eels have already won the game. Ok, so we’re refereeing under the assumption that decisions in Golden Point need to be made the same as in normal time, but the outcomes are different? Huh?<\/p>\n 8. If this is the case with a field goal, why aren’t conversions taken? Rules have to be applied the same in every circumstance, evidently. Take the conversion after a Golden Point try then. Penalty try? Kick from in front. Eight point try? Take both conversions. One or the other …<\/p>\n 9. If the game is being refereed the same in Golden Point, why was Scott Drinkwater<\/a> not sin binned? Ok, game is over and it doesn’t effect anything, but if that’s 10 minutes from full time in regular time, he’s followed through and connected with the kicking leg. Textbook Sin Bin. We are not serious as a competition sometimes.<\/p>\n 10. I never thought I’d see the day but Victor Radley<\/a> has finally been suspended. After ducking a suspension, despite numerous reportable offences last week, it finally caught up with him this week. What a moment in time.<\/p>\n 11. To anyone questioning my opinion that we have a genuine officiating crisis in rugby league, watch the below footage. This was ruled as onside! The linesman is in line with the play and the referee is only metres away …<\/p>\n This was ruled ON SIDE pic.twitter.com\/g5au2P797v<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ‘Champ’o Dan (@SuthoDan2) May 10, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n 12. Greg Alexander, on Friday evening, said he hoped Spencer Leniu<\/a> played well and landed an Origin spot. The fact Alexander thinks Leniu is anywhere near Origin quality right now has me shocked that Alexander was involved in the Origin set up for so long. Let’s be serious though, Laurie Daley<\/a> is picking the side, anything is possible. <\/p>\n 13. With a wing spot free for the Blues<\/a>, can I interest anyone in Jack Bostock<\/a>? Could be a smokey. I have a feeling if he had another month of footy under his belt, he’d be very much in the conversation. <\/p>\n 14. Tom Dearden’s injury could see him miss the entire Origin series. He’s already been ruled out of Game One. It’s time for Sam Walker<\/a> to step up and make that seven spot his, at least for this series. I understand calls to go back to Daly Cherry-Evans<\/a> but it has to be Walker!<\/p>\n 15. Nice of Cameron Munster<\/a> and Harry Grant<\/a> to remember they’re both potential Immortals with Origin only a few weeks away. Thanks Gents.<\/p>\n 16. The Dragons were utterly deplorable on Saturday afternoon but they just have to grit their teeth and proceed with the younger players. The Couchmans, Kade Reed<\/a>, the lot. Clint Gutherson<\/a> needs to follow Damian Cook in heading to England<\/a>. His days as an NRL<\/a> First Grader are done. Yes it’ll get worse before it gets better but 2026 is a complete write off and only 2027 matters now.<\/p>\n 17. I make this statement whilst fully knowing I am in the minority. I’m just not that excited about Magic Round<\/a>. Unless you are there, it’s nothing special. In fact the lack of noise coming from fans, despite the monster crowd, due to split fan bases, plays a part. So to does longer breaks between play and the fact that Suncorp is always shredded by the final day. <\/p>\n 18. There’s a very real chance that Mal Meninga<\/a> isn’t coach for the Perth Bears<\/a> by Round 1. David Sharpe resigned as the inaugural General Manager of Football following internal conflicts. An assistant coach is reportedly at odds with Meninga and close to leaving. I didn’t like the appointment at the time and it honestly wouldn’t shock me if it’s ultimately reversed.<\/p>\n 19. Why are the NRL<\/a> allowing salary cap relief to the Bears after telling us the Bears got in on merit? <\/p>\n 20. Blake Brailey’s record of almost 140 straight NRL<\/a> matches will come to an end unless the Sharks can overturn the comical Category One “head knock” decision. Watching the replay (below for those who haven’t seen it) Brailey cops a knee to the, let’s go with mid section. Anyone who has ever copped a shot will know exactly why he grabbed at his stomach and stayed down. If that is not overturned within one replay, the Sharks will have grounds to be very upset.<\/p>\n Blayke Brailey left the field & didn\u2019t return after being deemed to have shown clear\/obvious signs of concussion (Category 1 HIA) by the independent Dr after this tackle.<\/p>\n Will enter NRL\u2019s concussion protocol with associated 11 day stand down period, meaning he is unlikely to\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/Tm1L362fLw<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) May 9, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n