After last week's horror show, I was pleasantly surprised, and thankful, that Round 7 delivered in a very different way.
One of the all time great finishes in Darwin helped kickstart a fun weekend that wasn't dominated by referee howlers and rules being changes on the fly.
It was far from perfect, but much improved. Phew!
Of course the news didn't stop on the field, with the Dragons finally sacking coach Shane Flanagan. The fallout will be well covered here.
1. The Dragons have finally made the obvious decision to sack Shane Flanagan and General Manager of football Ben Haran. The choice was obvious, and many months overdue, but strangely enough I believe the uptick enjoyed by Manly since making a similar move actually helped them make the move.
2. Dean Young will lead them as interim coach but shouldn't be in any consideration full time. Nor Michael Ennis (who has since quit his post). I don't even like the idea of bringing Ben Hornby in. The club needs to move away from this boys club mentality. Go get Brad Arthur or Jason Demetriou if you need an experienced coach, or time to take a punt elsewhere. This boys club mentality has not worked for a decade now.
3. I don't believe players actively play to get their coach sacked, but I very much feel players don't play for their coach. Valentine Holmes missed ten tackles on the weekend. If he was being serious, that's utterly embarrasing for a player of his quality. His "efforts" should land in NSW Cup or the stands on Anzac Day.
4. Both coaches sacked this season, Anthony Seibold and Shane Flanagan, were in the first year of a brand new contract. Who was responsible for extending these blokes? All's it has ensured is both clubs are now on the hook for payouts where both coaches should have left for free at the end of last year.
5. Despite most games being hugely unbalanced, the competition itself is really close. The Sharks are three and three, the Tigers just dropped a game to the baby Broncos after a good run, the Eels copped 50 last week yet beat the team who beat the Panthers last week. The Dolphins are a coin toss, Newcastle are up and down. Penrith and the Dragons are the only teams with any consistency.
6. Speaking of the Tigers, they may never beat the Broncos at Campbelltown. Brisbane entered the game with no Walsh, Hunt, Carrigan, and on their fourth string hooker. They lost Payne Haas early, Jesse Arthars late and Kotoni Staggs was injured in the early goings. Might be worth taking that fixture to anywhere else until the curse is broken.
7. I honestly hope that the last game we see in Darwin in April. The conditions were extreme with Panthers players seen resting in a cool room whilst off the field. I have no issues with the Darwin fixture, but play it later in the season when it's slightly less hot and not 90% humidity.
8. I had someone to reply to a similar statement I made on social media, pointing out it's also hot in Townsville. The simple reply is that there's an NRL team based in Townsville, yet none based in Darwin. Plus the early season 6pm game only exists for Cowboys and Titans home games early in the year. Totally avoidable.
9. Cameron Ciraldo might be a good coach but he makes some horrible decisions. Naming Josh Curran in the centres was a worldly error. The Eels cut him to pieces all afternoon. I don't blame Curran, a middle forward, at all. Meanwhile young outside back Jonathan Sua sat on the bench. The Bulldogs, jokingly, have eight utilities and a former Dally M centre of the year but a lock had to play centre!
10. Staying with the Bulldogs, what was the rush to re-sign a fullback who was not in demand? Like, at all! I remember being annoyed that the Sharks extended Oregon Kaufusi without another club reaching out. Now they're locked into a player who splits the fanbase. For the record I believe Tracey has been among the Dogs best this year, but many don't share the same opinion.
11. Injuries are starting to pile up. Not for one second am I suggesting there haven't been mass injuries in years gone by but we are starting to see a huge increase in hip drop tackles leading to injury where tired players are losing their feet. If these faster rules stay in, we better be prepared for those incidents to rise.
12. Mark Nawaqanitawase is in the box seat to join Brian To'o on the wing for NSW. Now that Jacob Kiraz and Tom Trbojevic have been injured, it narrows the field further. That said, Tom Jenkins has out scored the Dragons in 2026 in terms of tries while Casey McLean debuted on the wing for New Zealand with four tries.
13. I could argue that Jackson Ford was a must pick for Laurie Dailey and the NSW prior to this weekend. With Payne Haas likely to miss the opener though, he simply has to be picked or the entire NSW set up needs to be removed from power right away.
14. It was a much better week in terms of the decline in referee howlers but we still copped the weekly Liam Kennedy special. Last week Braydon Trindall was penalised for the slightest of contact to James Tedesco. Will Kennedy was "struck" literally 10 cm from the ground and a high tackle was given. This week a closed fist connecting with a player's chin was ruled as "incidental contact". Farce!
15. I am not condoning the shot Jaydn Su'A put on during their game on Saturday night. That said, at least he had a go. There's a reason we don't see players run out and put shots on anymore. It's almost always a penalty and the risk is too high. There was no malice in the tackle but the send off was correct and I'm glad the officials didn't take the easy way out and use the Sin Bin. Good stuff.
16. It's almost at a point now where Manly have to appoint Kieran Foran. It's many years too early but if the good run continues, they'd be crazy not to stick with what works. I think rugby league is too rigid and there's an urge to go to what "should" be done rather than what is working.
17. Tom Chester has become the player, hasn't he? Another youngster locked down by the Cowboys.
18. Blayke Brailey and Apisai Koroisau both need to be named for NSW. Brailey deserves to start and can go the 80 if required, but Api off the bench is deadly. The new six man bench enables luxury players and the Blues should take advantage. Reece Robson has done a good job at Origin level but isn't in the same class as the other two right now.
19. Starting to think mullet hair cuts are the key to being a brilliant rugby league player. Can anyone name a bad, current player with a mullet?
20. Simi Sasagi has emerged as one of the elite centres in the competition across the opening two months. He is so versatile but I think centre might be his position. Samoa and New Zealand may have some cross words before the World Cup at the end of the year.
