Round 12 produced a mix of statement victories, tense finishes and one of the stories of the season, with St George Illawarra finally breaking through for their first win of 2026. Elsewhere, Cronulla overcame adversity to hold off Manly, Newcastle continued its surge up the ladder, and Penrith reclaimed top spot after surviving a late Warriors fightback.

Round 11 produced another chaotic weekend of NRL action, with the Dolphins continuing their surge up the ladder, the Bulldogs finally breaking through against Melbourne, and the Warriors extending both their own winning streak and the Dragons’ nightmare season. Elsewhere, Manly survived a major scare from the Titans while the Cowboys handled South Sydney in Townsville.

Magic Round returned to Brisbane with packed crowds, big scorelines and plenty of pressure beginning to build across the competition. The Sharks opened the weekend in style, the Dolphins continued their rise, Manly piled on the points again under Kieran Foran, and the Warriors deepened Brisbane’s misery in front of their own fans. Penrith meanwhile closed the round looking every bit the competition benchmark once again.