The NRL Round 10 Thread

[THE RED ROOSTER]

NRL round 10 and most of these matchups have a clear favourite but there are three very close games upcoming. Like Dan Ginnane on commentary at the Panthers -Manly game what a relief to see a tight contest without the scoreline looking as though it is coming from the NBA

The Dolphins v Canterbury Bulldogs

Dolphins retain the starting XIII that beat the Storm with significantly  Jeremy Marshall-King named ion the bench

The Dogs make the one change with Josh Curran Benched and replaced in the second row by
Sitili Tupouniua.

Big win for the Fins over Melbourne in aquatic conditions at Suncorp last week. Conditions that do not suit the Dolphins game and significantly the potential return of Jeremy Marshall-King seen as key to the functionality of this Dolphins outfit.

Tip - Dolphin

Sydney Roosters v Gold Coast Titans

For the Roosters, Cody Ramsey replaces the injured Mark Nawaqanitawase on the wing, and Spence Leniu the concussed Lindsay Collins in the front row.

Josh Hannay rings the changes for the Titans, Lachlan Ilias is dropped and replaced by Jayden Campbell in the halves joined by Zaine Harrison. Oliver Pascoe replaces the benched Sam Verrills at Hooker. Sialetili Faeamani is replaced by Jensen Taumoepeau on the wing. Klese Haas  benched Kurtis Morrin in the front row,  with benched Arama Hau replaced in the second row by  Chris Randall whose position at lock is taken by Cooper Bai.

Josh Hannay was speechless about the Titans failure against Ricky’s Ravaged Raiders as was I who tipped them. Does this mean there is no hope at Allianz. Here’s a few points in their favour.

• ·         The Roosters played their best football of 2026 in the first half against the Bronx will their performance drop off this week.
• ·         The Roosters have a few injuries this Week.
• ·         The Titans won the corresponding game last year.
• ·         No-one gives the Titans a chance so they can play without fear.

Tip - Rooster

North Queensland Cowboys  v Paramatta Eels

Only the one change for the Cows with Jeremiah Nanai replaced by Sam Mcintyre in the second row)

Two changes for the Eels with Will Penisini replaced by Jordan Samrani at Centre and Tallyn Da Silva Ryley Smith at hooker.

Back in Tropical Townsville, I think the cows have too much firepower for the deleted Eels. It’s tough to win in Townsville with your starting XIII let alone when you have so many out. Eels main chance is to hit the Cows early and establish a lead because North Queensland strike me as frontrunners and not a team that can handle an early deficit.

Tip - Cowboy

St George-Illawarra Dragons v Newcastle Knights

For the Dragons fresh from the bye, Clinton Gutherson returns from a hamstring injury at fullback replacing the benched Tyrell Sloan, Dylan Egan also returns from an ACL injury to replace Luciano Leilua in the second row with Hamish Stewart replacing the benched Josh Kerr at lock .

Knights starting XIII unchanged.

At the ‘Gong, Will the Dragons put together a winning performance at WIN against a Knights team that can score repeatedly and often.

The Key to this game is whether it develops into a shootout. If the Dragons can hold Newcastle to 20 points or less, they are ion with a  chance. If the Knights get over 20 points Dragons could struggle. There is also the Gutherson factor, now he has been a great player and still has Rugby League nous, but when I watched him live last season it was obvious that Gutho had lost a yard in pace and should have been moved to the centres. That view remains more succinctly summed up by an Aussie Journo as “While the game has speeded up Gutho has slowed down” and fullback is a role in which you need a turn pf pace in today’s NRL.

Tip -  SGI to make more of a game of it but ultimately Knight!

South Sydney v Cronulla Sharks - SKY

Rabbits make heaps of changes with the injured Jack Wighton replaced at centre by Campbell Graham moving off the wing where he in turn is replaced by Edward Kosi,  Jye Grey returns at fullback for the benched Matt Dufty. Ashton Ward replaces Jamie Humphries in the halves. Keaon Koloamatangi moves to the front row from the second row  replacing the benched Tevita Tatola with Euan Aitken taking his place in the second row

Sharkies stick with the starting XIII that put 52 on the Tigers.

A close encounter looms at Accor, Souths are a serious team, and Wayne Bennet has also made the bold choice of replacing matt Dufty at Fullback with the future of the club in Jye Gray back from Injury. As I have written before the NRL is based upon defence and Dufty’s defence is lacking at NRL level which is why he never stuck at SGI or the Dogs before departing to Super League.

Latrell is playing lights out footy at the moment but also seems to have moments in the game where he appears to want to punch someone’s lights out. It will go badly for Souths if he is 10 minutes in the bin.

Another acid test for the Sharks in taking on a contender for the premiership as opposed to an ordinary side. The key to the game lies in defence. The Sharks kept West Tigers at bay having conceded 40 plus to the Cows the previous outing whereas Souths conceded 42 to the Knights which is why Wayne Bennett has shuffled the pack

Tip – Close but Shark

Manly Sea Eagles v Brisbane Broncos - SKY

The Silvertails welcome back Jamal Fogarty at Halfback replacing the benched Joey Walsh with Concussed  Kobe Hetherington replaced by Ethan Bullemore  in the front row.

The Bronx on the other hand have Jesse Arthurs replacing the suspended Kotoni Staggs in the Centre, Antonio Verhoeven replacing the Injured Deine Mariner in the wing and crucially Thomas Duffy replacing Adam Reynolds in the halves.

Match of the round with the battered Bronx travelling to Brookvale. The Silvertails impressed in defeat against the Penny Panthers and that game was a lot closer than I personally thought it would be which is credit to the Silvertails and Keiran Foran

I think the loss of Adam Reynolds is key here. It’s vital for the Bronx that he is on the field walking the side around the park, without hi things can get directionless which is why yjere has beena  late rush to get Ben Hunt back in the side from injury.

Tip - Silvertails

Melbourne Storm v West Tigers

One change for the storm with Jahrome Hughes making an earlier return than anticipated replacing Tyran Wishart in the halves.

Heaps of changes for the Tigers, with significantly Adam Doueihi replaced by Jock Madden in the halves. Faaletino Tavana replaced on the wing by Sunia Turuva who in turn is replaced at fullback by Heath Mason. Patrick Herbert replaces Starford To'a at Centre. Kai Pearce-Paul replacing  Samuela Fainu in the second row), and Siobe Fainu replacing Tony Sukkar in the second row.

Having declared Melbourne untippable last week they would have to fancy their chances of snapping a seven-game losing streak against the troubled tigers where the wheels are starting to come off due to injuries If they are going to win a game then it’s this one and Cameron Munster needs to aim if he is going to make the Quuensland Origin team.

Tip – Coin Flip but Storm

Canberra Raiders v Penrith Panthers - SKY

For Canberra Hudson Young returns in the Second Row at the expense of  Joseph Roddy Daine Laurie is benched at Fullback and replaced by Kaeo Weekes whose spot in the halves is taken by Ethan Strange with Morgan Smithies replacing the benched Jayden Brailey at Lock.

Penrith stick with the same starting XIII

Big win for Ricky’s Rejuvenated Raiders at Gold Coast given the depleted numbers and are boosted by the return of Hudson Young who was immense against the storm

The Penny Panthers are not playing as well as they did earlier in the season but like all great sides were able to get into the grind against a spirited Silvertails outfit and get the result. Now that’s the real mark of a championship side not putting 50 odd points on an ordinary side but getting the competition points when you are not firing on all cylinders.

Tip - Panther

[Futtocks]

Odd first half. The Bulldogs were all over the Phins for most of the time, but the home side took the lead before HT.

14:12

[Graham]

Dogs have given it a go and led at one point. The game is getting away from them now as Dolphins gather points.

Edited May 7 by Graham

[Graham]

Latest 26-12 Phins

20 minutes left.

[Futtocks]

Phins looking great now, as Bostock touches down their latest. Good to see him back - both he and his sister Indie suffered season-ending injuries around the same time in 2025.

32:12

Edited May 7 by Futtocks

[Futtocks]

44:12 at FT.

Although the Dogs rallied a bit towards the end, they couldn't score off it.

[marklaspalmas]

I think we all thought this would be closer. Big score from Dolphins and Hammer was quietish and Farnworth did almost nothing! Nikorima is obviously important to setting their back line going. 

I've always liked Isaako. Great goal kicker, good finisher, that mid-air inside ball to Bostock, looks a bit like Mbappe, etc, etc

[Anita Bath]

As with last weeks win over the Storm, dolphins looked pretty ordinary in the first half. Second half played like they had a different team out.

[Graham]

Titans score first . The try came on the back of a penalty and then a six again .

6-0 Titans

[Futtocks]

SYD 28:12 GLD with a couple of minutes left.

[Graham]

That was the final score.

[Futtocks]

Close so far between the Cowboys and the Eels.

NQL 18:16 PAR with half an hour left.

[Futtocks]

30 all, touchline conversion attempt to come for the Eels, 3 minutes left.

A cracker!

Edited May 8 by Futtocks

[Futtocks]

The kick looked good, but just faded past the left post in the end.

All square.

[Futtocks]

Clifford with the first DG attempt, but it is touched by Paulo's fingertip and bounces off the post.

Edited May 8 by Futtocks

[Futtocks]

Moses has a go for the Eels but the kick is charged down. Accidental offside, so no penalty kick awarded.

Golden Point.

[Futtocks]

The Cowboys will kick off GP1.

[Futtocks]

Moses lands the DG, but the Eels also get a penalty for contact with him as he kicked. Volkman kicks the penalty for a three-point win in extra time. Has that ever happened before?

NQL 30:33 PAR

[Anita Bath]

9 hours ago, Futtocks said:

SYD 28:12 GLD with a couple of minutes left.

Some really poor bunker calls….including one clearly dropped ball over the line for a roosters ‘try’. How on earth did the clowns get that one wrong?

[Futtocks]

That's over 100 points conceded in 2 games by the Dragons.

SGI 10:44 NEW

[Futtocks]

Jye Gray is back for the Bunnies, with Dufty on the bench.

[Futtocks]

Souths' second try was a thing of beauty.

[Futtocks]

Latrell Siegwalt is looking excellent on debut and delighting a large bunch of his mates in the crowd.

He qualifies for France through his father's side of the family.

[Futtocks]

Johnston's just scored his 100th try at Homebush.

[Futtocks]

Souths leading 18:0 at