The third instalment of the NRL’s season-opening double header in Las Vegas is officially in the books, and once again, it didn’t lack controversy.
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No player in the comp had his name in the headlines more than Lachlan Galvin last season following his mid-season switch to the Bulldogs but he shut down any doubters for now with a classy performance at halfback.
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Meanwhile, the Knights started the Justin Holbrook era with a bang and answered some questions around the halves… although there is an early speed bump.
Read on for the NRL Talking Points from Las Vegas.
LACHLAN GALVIN MAKES THE NO.7 HIS OWN
Entering the 2026 under immense pressure, Lachlan Galvin has silenced doubters with a strong showing in the No.7 jersey to kick-off the regular season in Las Vegas.
Arriving at the Bulldogs mid-way through last year, the youngster was made the scapegoat for the side’s performances at the backend of the season which saw them exit the finals series in straight-sets.
Joining the club after being embroiled in a messy exit from the Wests Tigers, many pundits and former players believed that the Bulldogs were wrong to replace Toby Sexton with him at the time.
However, he has shown that he is truly the future of the Bulldogs.
“I thought last year when he came into the side unsurprisingly he looked lost at times. Tonight he’s been very, very dominant. You can see he is comfortable within this team,” Matthew Johns said.
Growing up as a five-eighth, Galvin has been rocketed into the halfback role and while many fans may not see a large difference between the two positions, the reality is far more complex.
Although it has taken him some time to get going and adjust to the role, he flourished against the St George Illawarra Dragons.
“It was the perfect start for Lachlan Galvin,” Braith Anasta said.
“I love what he’s doing tonight. He’s playing square, he looks fit and that’s a beautiful ball. It was exactly what Galvin and the Bulldogs needed.”
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Finishing the contest with a try assist, a line-break assist and 46 running metres, Galvin was lethal in setting up the attack and his best moment came in the opening half when he put Jacob Preston over for a try.
The duo have developed a tremendous connection on the right-hand side. This saw Preston finish as the team’s highest try-scorer last season.
“This is brilliant ball-playing from 20-year-old Lachlan Galvin. He takes the run down the right-hand side and then they rest the middle of the field,” Cooper Cronk said.
“Instead of allowing the ball to go to the left he calls it back to the right-hand side…isolates Preston inside (Moses) Suli.”
Johns added, “He’s a good player isn’t he. That was really good ball-playing. When you take the ball to the line, every ballplayer’s got a target defender you’ve got to get to then you look for your back-rower to replace that space.
“He gets to his target and Preston compliments it by hitting the right gap.”
The former NRL playmakers and premiership-winners continued to praise Galvin’s performance, in particular the way he requested the ball to put Preston over the line.
It is something that some playmakers are scared to do at the early points of their playing career.
“That’s a good sign for a 20-year-old halfback who would normally allow the ball to go to the other side of the field with the senior playmaker but signs of confidence that he calls the ball and sets up the first try,” Cronk said.
HAVE KNIGHTS FOUND THEIR FUTURE SPINE?
They may have only played 25 minutes together but the Newcastle Knights have found their future spine.
Fielding one of the most expensive spine’s in the NRL, Kalyn Ponga, Fletcher Shape, Dylan Brown and Phoenix Crossland produced moments of brilliance throughout their match against the Cowboys
While they were only on the field for a limited time before Sharpe excited with a non-contact leg injury, the quartet showed fans that the club is in for a bright future.
“It’s only early doors here but Brown, Ponga and Sharpe are all looking so good,” Braith Anasta said.
Matthew Johns added: “We talked about who is going to run the show? The concern was can Dylan Brown push the side around the park? You can see this already.
“They are sharing duties, and importantly they are setting up parts of the field which gets Kalyn Ponga into his sweet spot. Every time there is a bit of broken play or there is a loose ball, he (Sharpe) comes up with it.”
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After missing the opening two trial matches due to returning from a Lisfranc injury, Ponga looked in sensational form to open the clash and provided a beautiful kick which saw Sharpe leap onto it and cross the line for a try.
“Without a doubt he is Newcastle’s most important player. We saw what he did when he won the Dally M,” Cooper Cronk said.
“If he can turn up and start to become the everywhere man at Newcastle. Play first-receiver, play fullback, be the main kicker if he has to.”
Meanwhile, Brown and Sharpe both provided a try assist of their own and their combination looked terrific before the latter departed the field.
This showed new coach Justin Holbrook that they should both be ahead of Sandon Smith in the pecking order.
“Every single one of them in the spine is doing their job,” Braith Anasta said.
Even dummy-half Phoenix Crossland was able to put his mark on the game with some brilliant moments including a 40/20.
Despite being a New Zealand Kiwis international, there were calls during the off-season that he hadn’t done enough to be their regular No, 9 with Smith lurking in the background.
“It’s a beautiful kick from Phoenix Crossland and again it’s the advantage of having so much strike power in the 6, 7 and 1 that takes all eyes of Phoenix,” Braith Anasta said.
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UNSUNG HERO FOR KNIGHTS SOLVES POTENTIAL INJURY ISSUE
There was plenty to like about the performance of Newcastle new-look spine (see above) before and after the injury to Fletcher Sharpe.
After a willing pre-season battle, Sharpe won the right to start alongside Dylan Brown in the halves, beating out former Rooster Sandon Smith.
Given Sharpe’s scintillating 25 minutes before he suffered a knee injury, it was probably the right choice from Justin Holbrook.
As it turned out though, Smith would be given his chance much, much earlier than expected when Sharpe succumbed to injury.
Named in the No. 14 jersey, Smith was on the six-man bench to play a utility role or to cover halfback, five-eighth or hooker if injury struck.
In relief of Sharpe, Smith handed in a very classy performance, as Matty Johns noted in commentary.
“If you talk about this game, obviously Kalyn Ponga was outstanding. Sandon Smith though, while he won’t attract many headlines, coming on in that No. 14 role to deputise and have a bit of insurance there,” Johns said.
“He wasn’t brilliant but he was good. He was strong.”
Smith ran the ball five times for 47 metres and had a try assist and a line break assist.
He played a big part in Bradman Best’s try early in the second half, giving a lovely inside ball to Ponga, who raced through a big hole before giving the last pass to an unmarked Best.
“I love the work from Sandon Smith,” Anasta said after the try.
“The recognition to know who to get the ball to and to play out to play in with the deception. He took Dearden on and then he knew Ponga was back on the inside.
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“When you pass it to Kalyn at the right moment and give him any opportunity whatsoever he turns it into points.
“Not just in case there is an injury, the fact is if that spine wasn’t working. Very smart player. Great direction,” Johns added.
Sharpe has been cleared of a serious knee injury but will go to scans and could miss a few weeks, meaning Smith will be tasked with the job of wearing the No. 6.
Based on his performance against the Cowboys, the Knights will be confident Smith can help lead this side to wins.
Holbrook certainly is.
“The fact Sandon (Smith) had to go there, he’d done that much training there, I was really confident and obviously (he had) a really big play in that second half,” Holbrook said in his post match press conference.
“When he took the ball to the line and gave it on the inside to Kalyn (Ponga) for Bradman’s try, I thought it could have gone either way at that stage.
“To score off that, you know, we needed it and it was a great play from Sandon, he slotted in perfectly which we needed.”
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FORGET ATTACK, THIS IS WHY DRAGONS’ NEW-LOOK HALVES GET A TICK
Another halves pairing that had been in the spotlight in the lead-up to the 2026 season was the Dragons.
The Red V’s major signing, Daniel Atkinson, slotted straight into the No.7 jersey with a battle for the No.6 emerging between Kyle Flanagan and Lykhan King-Togia.
Flanagan emerged victorious, winning a spot for the Las Vegas season opener – and that duo came desperately close to winning in their first game as a halves pairing.
While it wasn’t a dangerous attacking showing that impressed, it was the pair’s defence that shined bright.
Although Flanagan was left wanting after an early Jacob Preston try, from there, Atkinson and his halves partner did not skip a beat.
The Dragons’ halves made a staggering 49 tackles in total, missing eight, with a huge amount of traffic focused in their direction by Dogs coach Cameron Ciraldo.
Regardless, Shane Flanagan spoke glowingly of Atkinson’s Dragons debut in the post-match press conference.
“I didn’t want to put too much pressure on him, he hasn’t played a lot of games at halfback in the NRL… I thought he did a good job, his kicking was great,” Flanagan said.
“He competed really hard, he will get better week in, week out.”
Meanwhile, skipper Damien Cook explained that Atkinson and Flanagan’s attributes balance each other out.
While Atkinson takes the game on, with a focus on running the ball, Flanagan keeps a cool head and looks to get his team into prime field position.
“I thought we gelled together really well, I loved playing with Atko (Atkinson) for the first time. He is someone who takes the ball on, he’s very competitive,” Cook said.
“Looking to always take the game on, and I think that’s where Kyle (Flanagan) has a really good balance. He keeps his calm, keeps us to the game plan.
“It’s probably the same mix that Gutho (Gutherson) and myself have, really good mix amongst the spine. Tonight I felt like we were good.”
The duo’s performance comes after Flanagan opened up on the staggering abuse he and his family have received since he took over at the Dragons, coaching his son.
On Fox League’s Face to Face, he explained the abuse has taken a toll, saying: “I’m not worried about me. I worry about Kyle, he’s got a wife, a child, a young baby and I worry about his sisters and his mum.
“They see things and read things. That’s what hurts me. I know that hurts Kyle as well. It doesn’t worry me, I can get on with it. I’ve been in this business for a while.
“Sometimes you got to use that (the criticism and commentary) as a plus because that’s money to the game.
“Eventually that’s siphoned through to the players and clubs. We’re such a big game these days, but they’re still that personal.”
Regardless, Flanagan and Atkinson’s performance, taking the Bulldogs to golden point, will give the Dragons’ fan base a huge amount of confidence heading into the rest of the 2026 season.
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NRL RETURN ON THE CARDS FOR CROFT?
Brodie Croft has pledged his case for another chance in the NRL as the competition prepares to introduce two new expansions teams over the next couple of years.
While all eyes were on the four NRL teams competing in Las Vegas, in the shadows Croft helped lead Leeds Rhinos to a 58-6 victory over the newly-crowed World Club Challenge winners, Hull KR to kick-off the matches in Sin City.
Leading the attack with Jake Connor, Croft featured heavily throughout the contest with two tries, two line-breaks, one line-break and one try assist.
“Croft has been great,” Braith Anasta said.
Leeds Rhinos coach Brad Arthur continued the praise of his performance, “In Crofty, he brings a heap of energy, plays fast and is always a threat when he has the ball.”
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Once touted as the future successor of Cooper Cronk, Croft failed to fire during his six seasons in the NRL (2016-21) and under-performed despite having multiple chances
A former Churchie First XV teammate of Kalyn Ponga and Jaydn Su’A, he featured in only 65 appearances for the Melbourne Storm and Brisbane Broncos.
“It was an interesting time wasn’t it for Brodie Croft (in the NRL). He came through as the understudy to Cooper Cronk at the Melbourne Storm then headed to the big club (and) bright lights of the Broncos,” Greg Alexander said.
“Named captain of the Brisbane Broncos for a small period of time but has ventured over to the UK.”
However, he excelled overseas in the Super League for the Salford Red Devils and Leeds since making the switch and even won the Man of Steel Award in 2022.
This has seen him knock on the door of a return to the NRL, especially with the Bears and Chiefs on the lookout to add players to their inaugural roster for the 2027 and 2028 seasons.
“He came with enormous promise after a brilliant time with Salford,” 14-time Great Britain international and former Newcastle Knights winger Brian Carney said.
“Won Man of Steel – our Dally M award – and a lot expectations at Leeds and he probably didn’t shine to the level that people expected of him but this is a work in progress.”
Other players from Leeds that could gain the attention of either the Perth Bears or PNG Chiefs include former Sharks and Newcastle fullback Lachlan Miller and front-rower Cooper Jenkins who was previously linked with at least four different NRL teams before making the switch overseas.
Miller finished with 176 running metres, four tackle busts, two offload, one line-break assist and a try assist.
Meanwhile, Jenkins was the standout of the forwards with 139 running metres, 15 tackles, two line-breaks and two tries.