Post Origin footy is the best. Every week just continues to produce.
Round 21 confirmed our 2026 wooden spooners but everything else is still, very much, up for grabs.
The Roosters kept the pressure on the Panthers at the top, while losses by the Knights and Warriors opened up chances for the respective chasing packs.
The Wests Tigers, again, dominated off-field discussion ... for the wrong reasons. Always the wrong reasons.
Here are 20 thoughts from NRL Round 21, and beyond:
1. Another week, another round of headlines at the Wests Tigers, for all the wrong reasons. Across the past fortnight we've seen both of the Tigers first choice halves either walk out of the club or set up a quick exit from the club.
2. There's a serious question as to why the Tigers would play Adam Doueihi at lock? He's been their best half all season. The biggest question is why players think they can argue with the coach? Who is actually running team selections?
3. What the Tigers do need to do is stop this ridiculous "everything is ok" attitude. Every week they seem to release statements or hold press conferences, denying reports of unrest. Yet every week there is unrest. Get serious. If you're going to back the coach, walk Adam Doueihi out the door first chance and send a message. If Benji is your guy, act like it.
4. The greatest irony of the weekend is that Daine Laurie scored a hattrick against the Tigers after being asked to play out of position ... at lock! That may be the funniest outcome we'll see all season. While Tigers players are turning down First Grade games, Laurie is screaming for game time and making every post a winner.
5. I'm happy to admit that Canberra fans are a lot classier than I would have been. After the Leichhardt Oval send off they received earlier in the season, you could forgive Raiders fans for really laying into Tigers fans on the way out on Saturday afternoon. I spoke to a Raider fan who was there and the general feeling was that Canberra fans felt sorry for Tigers fans. That's worse!
6. Zac Lomax is back in the NRL after signing with the PNG Chiefs for 2028. I love this for all involved. The game is better with Lomax in it, while the Chiefs have a marquee signing. The money is reportedly very good while Lomax will likely, finally get to become a fulltime fullback.
7. The big negative here is that, again, the Perth Bears have missed out on a big signing. Even more worrying is the fact that Lomax is currently playing in Perth for the Western Force. He's contracted next year so you'd have to think he's established over there in some capacity.
8. For those who missed it last week, four NRLW superstars sat on a podcast laughing off suggestions that the competition is a two horse race. This despite the fact that everyone in the world, other than Roosters and Broncos players, would agree that it is indeed, a two horse race.
9. The below tweet I posted during last week will show the results across the past few seasons, where the Broncos and Roosters have dominated. Rusted on league fans, like myself, will watch no matter what. Try convincing a family to head to Leichhardt on a cold Sunday night to watch them lose by 30 to the Roosters though. Judging by the crowd, they weren't able to do that.
The Roosters NRLW girls sitting on a podcast claiming the NRLW isn't a two horse race and calling everyone names for suggesting such is exactly why the NRLW will never reach its peak
The only people who don't realise how much harm the 2 power teams cause is players and fans of…
— Sutho (Sharks) Dan (@SuthoDan2) July 24, 2026
10. People in the replies were quick to point out that the NRLW was won by Newcastle just two seasons ago. Adding context, the Knights two biggest stars now play for the Broncos. The competition will never capture the casual audience until it is a genuine playing field.
11. The NRL can have eras where the Panthers dominate. Firstly they weren't smashing teams by 30 points or more every single week. Secondly the competition was so close otherwise. A Penrith and Melbourne grand final four years in a row would drive fans of other clubs to not care anymore. I can't believe Roosters and Broncos players can't see this. Or, they see it and still sit on a podcast laughing at everyone else.
12. Perth are set to announce Junior Paulo and Morgan Smithies as their newest signings. Neither are game breakers but both are big ins for the struggling club. I don't want to be negative (hence no referee mentions today) but they really, really need to get that Cameron Munster signing across the line.
13. Kyle Flanagan is way ahead of Daniel Atkinson when it comes to partnering Luke Metcalf next season. It's not even close right now either.
14. Newcastle's chances of finishing in the top four are probably gone, whilst their grip on a spot in the top eight is likely to fall away now following injuries to two more star players. Dylan Lucas and Dylan Brown were both huge reasons for the Knights turnaround in 2026 yet will both miss the season, and World Cup. Even if they do slip to ninth or tenth, the turnaround has been massive in a short time.
15. Good to see the Dragons making absolutely zero effort to move on from allegations of being a "boys club" by interviewing three Dragons "boys". They didn't even pretend by interviewing an outsider.
16. Josh Hannay has quietly, and quickly, put together a young spine that is tailor made for modern day NRL. They're all super quick, huge gas tanks and super talented. They've matched their win total from last season and now have a genuine spine they can lock in for the better part of a decade.
17. South Sydney have reportedly frozen contract talks until November, despite some big stars coming off contract. If I were a Bunnies fan I'd want a long, difficult discussion held with Latrell Mitchell. How long can you keep paying a guy over a million dollars with his injury run? Manly are suffering with Tom Trbojevic on the sidelines as often as not. There's a lesson there.
18. That said, I'd be putting a monster deal in front of Tallis Duncan before any other club can get their claws on him. He's the future of the Bunnies.
19. There will be no crazy late season run for Brisbane this season. Well, of any significance anyway. Reece Walsh has been on fire the past two weeks, just as he was in the final two months of last season. Unfortunately no one else is going with him this time around.
20. In hindsight, Adam Reynolds and Ben Hunt probably should have bowed out, on top following last year's Grand Final. To think Ben Hunt was re-signed recently absolutely beggars belief. It can all turn quickly in rugby league.
