After starting the 2026 season with six consecutive losses, Shane Flanagan could be facing the final couple of days as head coach of the St George Illawarra Dragons with a board meeting set to determine his future on Tuesday evening.
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Meanwhile, the NRL’s most controversial rule is back in the spotlight after a series of decisions that caught the attention of coaches, players, media pundits and fans.
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Elsewhere, the Canterbury Bulldogs have provided the perfect blueprint on how to defeat the Panthers after ruining their unbeaten winning streak.
Read on for the key Talking Points from Round 6.
BULLDOGS PROVIDE CLEARY BLUEPRINT IN STATEMENT WIN
Bronson Xerri and Lachlan Galvin proved the old adage, a week is a long time in rugby league, true with starring displays in the Bulldogs’ win over the Panthers in the upset of the season.
Just as talk of the Panthers going through the season undefeated emerged, the Bulldogs shut it down with an emphatic 32-16 victory and Xerri and Galvin had their fingerprints all over it.
Xerri returned from a month out of the team after being axed to be one of the best players on the field and finished with 148 metres, four tackle busts, a linebreak, a linebreak assist and a try assist in a dominant display after replacing injured skipper Stephen Crichton.
And Galvin had his best game for the Bulldogs to finish with 46 run metres, four linebreak assists and a try assist, while his kicking game was on song.
Bryan Fletcher felt Galvin was the difference between the two teams.
“I thought Galvin didn’t overplay his hand. He wasn’t running as much and was just giving good service to his forwards,” Fletcher said on the Late Show with Matty Johns.
Galvin steers Dogs to upset over Penrith | 02:59
“It was a great team effort. Some people will say Penrith were off their game but I feel the Dogs forced that on them.
“They did the video tape because they were going to Blaize Talagi a lot and Jacob Preston got a lot of joy.
“I though Galvin was the difference. He wasn’t trying too much and wasn’t quite as erratic. He was just playing that general role.”
Speaking of the joy the Bulldogs had targeting Talagi, the Panthers five-eighth may have been found out but few halves would have much luck tackling Preston, who is one of the best line runners in the game.
Galvin’s combination with Preston has long been considered a clear strength for the Bulldogs, yet the fact the Panthers still weren’t able to stop it spoke volumes to how much the young halfback’s playmaking has developed.
“One of the things you see about Galvin now is he has found his man,” Matty Johns said.
“Every playmaker needs to form a combination with someone and he and Preston have formed a really good combination and it is good for both of them.”
As for Xerri, coach Cameron Ciraldo said after the win that his communication was the “most pleasing” part of his game.
Xerri called his demotion to NSW Cup the “kick up the a**e I needed” and Johns felt that the Bulldogs centre showed why he is so crucial, especially in the absence of Crichton.
“We have spoken a lot about Xerri, but I reckon tonight he showed his worth,” Johns said.
“Not just as far as setting up tries and finishing them and making breaks, it is his yardage work. He is an extra forward out there.”
Roosters legend Jared Waerea-Hargreaves agreed Xerri plays like another front-rower for the Bulldogs.
“He is so strong, every time he gets the ball he shows his power and he gets on the outside of his opposing centre and he has great hands,” Waerea-Hargreaves said.
“And he is super strong coming out of his own end.”
The forward pack also laid a strong platform, with the former Roosters enforced paying tribute to the Dogs’ pack, who beat the Panthers at their own game.
“Sitili Tupouniua I thought he was massive tonight and scored a good try,” Waerea-Hargreaves said.
“The way he finished the game he brought that energy. But the Bulldogs were physical through the middle and they took it to them.”
They also put Nathan Cleary under pressure for the entire 80 minutes in his 200th game, affording the Panthers halfback little time to operate in what Nathan Hindmarsh believes could be a blueprint for other teams.
“They pressured Cleary all night and the forwards for the Dogs were outstanding,” Hindmarsh said.
“From the kick-off they ran harder, faster and they looed like they had more energy than the Panthers.
“We all thought the Panthers were going to come and get them and they tried and had patches, but the Bulldogs’ defence just kept turning them away, so that’s a massive win for the Dogs.”
In the upset of the season so far, Johns feels it could be the catalyst for a Bulldogs premiership push.
“I don’t think any of us saw this coming,” Johns said.
“If you are going to beat Penrith you have got to beat them through the centre field and the Bulldogs did that.
“They had to win because there is so much going on at the club.
“I know it is early in the season, but sometimes a win is not about the two points. It is about what goes on through the group and trying to quieten the noise and they showed that desperation from the start of the game.”
Galvin’s best game in blue & white? | 04:39
FLANNO ‘WON’T LAST A WEEK’ AS ‘DRUMS ARE BEATING’ AT DRAGONS
St George Illawarra’s 28-18 loss to the Manly Sea-Eagles in Wollongong was a stark reminder of where the Dragons are as a club currently.
The chorus of booing ringing around WIN stadium was a damning assessment of the club’s start to the season by their own fans, but the worst thing was is it’s the second time in seven days it had happened.
Those boos could spell the end of coach Shane Flanagan’s tenure at the club.
Commentary around the Dragon’s squad has been around how it isn’t strong enough to compete regularly in the NRL, but it’s an argument lost on Fox League host Brath Anasta.
“What I can’t get my head around is how do you blame the players or the roster that you’ve got when you’ve formed those players and bought those players yourself? I just can’t get my head around that and I don’t see that as an excuse as a head coach,” Anasta said.
“The fans are now getting pretty frustrated… And you’re talking St George-Illawarra fans, which is a huge fan base who are very passionate, and the drums are beating and it’s not looking good for Shane.”
It was a sentiment echoed by four-time premiership winner Cooper Cronk, scathing of the lack of reaction from the Dragons’ players.
“You coach what you got, and it’s his job to get the best out of those players,” Cronk said.
“Look at the example of Manly. Manly moved on Anthony Seibold, and they’ve had a reaction through Kieran Foran with two wins in a row.
“Todd Payten was under pressure losing the two first games, those players have responded and won four in a row for Todd Payten because their coach was under pressure.
“This playing group… haven’t won anything, and you know Shane Flanagan has been under pressure and what’s that, 10 losses in a row now?
“Pressure is mounting, those decision makers will come at some stage, and it’s whether he coaches against South Sydney this week or not.”
It seems the pressure isn’t going away any time soon with reports Jayden Su’a is set for a remarkable switch, leaving the club early to join the Parramatta Eels.
Code Sports reported the second-rower informed team mates of his decision to leave the club through a WhatsApp group chat on Saturday morning.
One can only wonder if he sees the writing on the wall at the Dragons.
Dragons sixth loss ‘not good enough’ | 05:44
THE ‘RISK’ IN DRAGONS’ DRINKWATER BID
Since reports emerged linking him with an exit from the North Queensland Cowboys, Scott Drinkwater has taken his game to a new level and helped the side achieve five consecutive wins after opening the season with back-to-back losses.
This was further illustrated on Friday night after he produced a stellar performance in the Queensland derby against the Broncos, hours after being granted formal permission from the Cowboys to explore his options on the open market.
“This sort of game is built for a player like Scotty and anytime he got any sort of ruck speed he was on it and did not miss hit,” Shaun Johnson said on Fox League.
“I thought he recognised rucks really well. It’s obviously a strength of his game, where he need to get over that ad (advantage) line or find a pass.
“There were a couple of times in the middle part of the field where it almost looked like he’s just going to take a carry then he steps up and starts using the ball a bit and getting it to his edges to generate some ball speed.
Scoring one try, making three line-breaks, providing two try assists, running 148 metres and kicking a field-goal, the fullback could have done no wrong in Round 6.
Kevin Walters added, “I thought he was a bit more in control of his match tonight. Sometimes he tries too hard and tries things that are not really on.
“He played a good style of footy tonight and used his brain really well. The field-goal was excellent. It was a really tough fied-goal to convert and the way he injected himself into the game was really smart as well.
“He was heavily criticised only three weeks ago and he’s hit the go button and on the back of that the Cowboys have had four-in-a-row now.”
But this begs the question… have the Cowboys made a mistake by letting him go?
Although he is not seen as their long-term option in the No.1 jersey, Drinkwater remains one of the elite fullbacks in the NRL competition and is an X-factor in attack who can change the outcome of matches in an instant.
This has seen him heavily linked to the under-performing St George Illawarra Dragons who remain winless after the opening six rounds of the 2026 season.
Walters said Drinkwater would “certainly make a difference” to a Dragons team struggling for points, but the defensive concerns surrounding his game are warranted.
It is part of the reason why Drinkwater can be such a rocks-and-diamonds player, which makes his signing a “risk” for a Dragons team that isn’t providing its spine with much of a platform to play off.
“What brings Scott Drinkwater to life is ruck speed and a pack that can generate some go-forward. Watching the Dragons earlier, it is an area they are struggling with at the moment,” Johnson said.
“He would be a handy addition for most sides but nowadays, the modern-day fullback has to be equally as dominant on the defensive side. The role they play defensively, he is almost the anchor. He is the heartbeat of your defensive line.
“I’m sure he is going to want to make strides in that area and Scotty if he commits to that, you’ll probably see that filter through the rest of the side.”
If not, as Cooper Cronk warned, the move could end up backfiring for Drinkwater.
“He likes to play fast, front-foot, free-flowing and the Dragons are not playing well at the moment. They don’t have athletic forwards like Taumalolo or Luki to generate ruck speed, so that would be a risk,” Cronk said.
Drinkwater’s manager, Gavin Orr of Pacific Sports Management, has confirmed that the Perth Bears and PNG Chiefs are also in the mix to land his signature after he was granted formal permission by the Cowboys to explore his options elsewhere.
“First of all, I’d like to just acknowledge how well he’s handled the past 48 hours,” Cowboys coach Todd Payten said, providing the latest on the fullback.
“I was hopeful that it wasn’t going to break until after the game, just so it wasn’t a distraction for him – it was his 150th game.
“The way he handled that and the way he played is a credit to him. I haven’t spoken face-to-face with the kid so I’ll make this comment.
“His management asked us if it was okay for him to negotiate with other clubs on Wednesday and we gave him the green light. I don’t want to make any more comment on that til I speak to Scott face-to-face.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen. Not pushing him out the door. Got to have a conversation with him and see where it lands but we value what he does for this club.”
Drinky granted permission to test market | 01:02
DISRUPTOR RULE BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT AS COACHES DUMBFOUNDED
The NRL’s most controversial rule found itself back in the spotlight in Round 6, with multiple coaches dumbfounded by decisions that were either overturned or made under the disruptor rule.
Labelled “bizarre” by Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire, Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson stated that the NRL needs to give a “clear statement” on the interpretation of the disruptor rule so everyone, from fans to players, can wrap their head around it and expect consistency week in, week out.
“I’ve got no idea, it’s bizarre,” Maguire said when asked if the rule had started to become confusing.
“They (the NRL referees) have either got to get consistency around it or don’t touch it..but if they are going to down that path, well make sure there is consistency.
“The outside backs, their job is to catch the ball. We practise that all day, every day.
“I just don’t quite understand what they are trying to do with the rule when the ball was already was through the arms, so I don’t get it.”
A day later, Trent Robinson admitted that it had “gone too far” since it was first introduced to protect players going up for catches against people who weren’t competing.
“Choosing my words carefully on that,” Robinson said.
“The direction that they (were) heading was right. There was too much disturbing of fullbacks, there’s people that weren’t competing, (but) that’s gone too far.
“That was a clear example of two guys in a contest. Both guys looking at the ball. I mean, that’s overcompensation. If someone tries to defend that, then we’re heading in the wrong direction. I think that’s the most extreme.
“I know there was a bit last night in the Brisbane game, but I don’t think anybody can argue that, that was a disrupter.
“That wasn’t the point of the rule. They’ve overcompensated. Hopefully there’s a clear statement within a couple of days saying that we went to far, we need to get it right.
“I think everyone will go, yeah cool, I can understand that.”
‘Are You Sure?!’ Disruptor denies Chooks | 00:29
Cronulla Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon added, “I’m a bit lost now. I though theirs was a tough one in the first half and then I don’t know. I’ve got to look at him in isolation but I don’t know.”
“I think if it’s a fair play on the ball, it’s a fair play on the ball. I think they sort of had a two-handed rule, but I think they’ve adjusted it if he misses it, it’s a penalty.
“There’s rules around it but it still comes down to what happens on the call of the day.”
While the three NRL coaches remain puzzled by the ruling, Code Sports reports that the NRL are expected to remind match officials on how to police the disruptor rule and two controversial decisions are already under review.
These are Scott Drinkwater being penalised for taking out Josiah Karapani in the Queensland derby and the decision to deny Robert Toia a try in the contest between the Sydney Roosters and Cronulla Sharks on Saturday afternoon in Perth.
“I didn’t like this call at all,” former NRL player turned analyst Cooper Cronk said on the Super Saturday show on Fox League regarding the latter decision.
“I understand that there’s a lot of conjecture around the disruptor call. I understand when someone physically knocks the catcher out and doesn’t have eyes on the football but this is the NRL.
“This is the best rugby league players on the planet and we’re rewarding mediocrity when someone puts a fingertip.
“Rob Toia barely touches Stonestreet there and they say it disrupts an elite player catching the ball. Part of the outside backs’ job is to catch. I don’t like that one.
“Sometimes when they bump into them and disrupt them I get it but not that one. That is not a disruptor.”
‘Headed in the wrong direction’ | 08:40
Meanwhile, Roosters captain James Tedesco was dumbfounded with the decision made by the referee to take the try off Toia in the club’s come-from-behind victory against the Cronulla Sharks.
“Robbo sort of hit the nail on the head there, they’re slowing it down to the millisecond to see if there was contact before but there was a contest,” Tedesco added.
“Two blokes looking at the ball, going for the ball.
“If Bobby wasn’t looking at the ball and he’s disrupting the catchers ability to catch it, then that’s understandable but when you’ve got two guys competing for the ball, a contest is going to happen.”
Mal outlines recruitment plan for Bears | 04:58
HOW DOUBLE GRAND FINAL HEARTBREAK ARE LEAVING MASSIVE STORM SCARS
Storm legend Cooper Cronk recounts the period Melbourne lost five games in a row all the way back in 2012.
There were concerns at the time but ultimately, the Storm were able to turn it around and go on and win the comp.
While it gives the current Storm crop hope, unfortunately for them, Cronk doesn’t find many parallels between the five-game losing streak 14 years ago and the horror run Melbourne are in the midst of now.
After starting the year strong with two thumping wins, the Storm dropped their fourth straight on Saturday night, downed 38-14 by the Warriors.
They’ve now lost their past two games by a combined margin of 64. That’s simply unheard of in the Bellamy era.
“Melbourne Storm lost five games in 2012 and still went on to do something at the end of that year but I think this is a little bit different. The scoreline’s are blowing out,” Cronk said.
“This is off the back of two losing Grand Finals. I think that’s a key part of what’s happening with the Melbourne Storm. Yes, they came out and won the first couple of games, but now it’s four losses in a row and they were just outmuscled, outcompeted, outskilled in every department of the game tonight.
“I would have thought they would have bounced back last week against Penrith. No, 50 points. I thought they would have bounced back at home against the Warriors. No, 38 points.”
There were some average performances across the park by individuals.
Back rower Joe Chan was given a spray by Bellamy at half time and ultimately benched but several of his teammates can also lay claim to having tough nights.
For this reason, Cronk envisages that changes are afoot.
“Craig Bellamy doesn’t overcomplicate things when his team’s under pressure. He’ll basically hang up the Melbourne Storm jersey and say who wants to represent this week and if you can’t do it he’ll find someone else who can,” the premiership winning halfback said.
“He said that last week so I dare say there are going to be some changes this week in the Melbourne Storm jerseys.”
The Storm have lost the past two grand finals, and it’s seemingly left some psychological scars.
Cronk may have won several deciders but he also lost two as well and he says they “are hard to bounce back from”.
Warriors legend Shaun Johnson says it’s jarring to see the Storm in this sort of form.
“I was sitting in the green room watching the game and I was saying this is something I’ve never seen from a Melbourne Storm. That’s what it felt like for me watching,” Johnson said.
“When you think about a Melbourne Storm, you think about the best in the comp, nail the basics, never beat themselves especially on their home deck.
“There’s a lot to unpack for the Melbourne Storm and the version we saw of them tonight was so far off what I’ve got in my mind of what they can produce and it’s just a wild sport when you can think of a team that just fluctuates and week to week can be so different.”
Bellamy blasts Chan in halftime spray | 00:34
DUFFY PLACING PRESSURE ON PEZET AS BRONCOS LONG-TERM NO.7
Jonah Pezet may be heading to Brisbane next season and while he’ll be expected to win the starting No. 7 jersey, he’ll be kept honest by his intra-club competition.
That competition will be Tom Duffy, who was super impressive in his Broncos debut on Friday night in the loss to North Queensland.
A Townsville product, Duffy played six games for the Cowboys before being allowed to leave his contract early to join Brisbane.
Injuries to Ben Hunt and Adam Reynolds opened the door for Duffy to play on Friday and he made the most of his opportunity, setting up two tries and kicking a field goal to put Brisbane ahead with five minutes to play before the Cowboys ran them down.
What was most impressive was Duffy’s poise in a high pressure game given it was only the 7th time playing at this level.
Reynolds is expected to retire at season’s end and be replaced by Pezet, but Duffy’s emergence will give Michael Maguire something to think about in the offseason ahead of 2027.
“I thought he was strong. I’ve been really pleased with how Duff has gone. He’ll be around the first grade level for a while,” Maguire said.
Broncos stand-in skipper Pat Carrigan was also left excited about Duffy’s future after playing alongside him.
“He was great. He’s a great person,” Carrigan said.
“He reminds me of Jock Madden and I mean that in the best way with obviously Jock’s form at the moment. They train exceptionally hard.
“He spent a lot of time with us in the pre-season. Obviously Reyno had a few niggles in the pre-season so we were really confident going into the game.
“He’s got a great future. I think he’s only 22. I’m really excited he is at our club, he works really hard and he was great tonight.”
For now, Pezet is considered the future at halfback at Red Hill, but Duffy will be putting plenty of pressure on.
In fact, it’s being reported that the Broncos have begun contract talks with Duffy to potentially extend his current contract beyond this year.
“We are in discussions now about an upgraded and extended contract for him,” Duffy’s agent Sam Ayoub told Code Sports.
“Tom deserves it. We’re working through it.”
Madge blasts disrupter rule | 07:40
WHY COMEBACK KING’S RETURN MARKS SHIFT IN TIGERS’ FORTUNES
Patrick Herbert would love to forget one moment from his career way back in 2021.
The Titans’ qualifiying final loss to the Roosters came down to the wire, and Herbert had a golden opportunity to win his side the contest.
All he needed to do was pass to Corey Thompson. But who cares when you can send lobbed passes over backlines like prime Tom Brady on your return to the NRL?
The 29-year-old last featured in first grade way back in Round 23 of the 2022 season but was handed a train-and-trial deal by Benji Marshall in unique circumstances.
He was spotted playing in a tournament live-streamed on YouTube, which earned him a rare shot as a return to a rugby league career.
“I was actually watching a Maori tournament on YouTube and he was playing for a team that I had no idea who they were,” Marshall said.
“I thought ‘is that Patrick Herbert?’. So I watched him play, man of the match and then I have him a text and said ‘what are you up to?’. He said ‘nothing’ and I said ‘well come on a train-and-trial’.
“Then he trained really good in pre-season and impressed all the boys with his work rate and his effort and we rewarded him with a contract.
“So a great story, I thought he was outstanding tonight. I thought he did his job perfectly. It’s a testament to our leaders in our group that we have someone (who) falls out of the team.
“And he can just step in and do his job. So really happy for him. It’s been four years since he played NRL, so to come back from a torn Achilles, ACL and put in the hard work.”
Crowd ERUPTS for Insane Herbert pass | 01:31
So that’s all it takes? Hard work.
Well that makes sense, when you take a look at a Tigers side who sit second on the NRL ladder after six games, completing a resounding win over the Knights.
The merger club recorded 723 more running metres than their opponents, while also missing 25 less tackles and running 21 more decoys.
They also held 60 per cent of possession and dominated the territory battle 72 to 28 per cent, smashing the Knights through the middle of the park.
Alex Twal is having a career-best season, while the likes of Fonua Pole, Terrell May and Royce Hunt are all delivering.
That then allows the outside backs to flourish, with Sunia Turuva scoring a hattrick on the wing while Adam Douieihi has been simply excellent in the halves.
But Herbert’s success marks a shift in the fortunes of one of the most succes-starved clubs in the NRL, who hold the longest current finals drought of any team.
In the past, Marshall had made changes in the hopes of sparking something new in his side — in the hopes of winning.
Now changes are being made to strengthen a side full of forward momentum, and a player like Herbert can perform to his full potential.
The potential for the Tigers to make the finals in 2026 is also growing legs, and Marshall had no plans to stop the hype surrounding his side.
“I don’t need to keep a lid on it, we’ve just got to keep working hard, it’s as simple as that,” he said.
“It’s a marathon this season, I’ve heard a few people say it’s not a sprint, we still have 20-odd games left. I just love the effort that the boys show during the week, preparation wise.
“They’re putting in to their footy and they’re getting rewarded for it. But I guess that last 20 just shows when you take the foot off the pedal, that’s what happens.
“So a good lesson for us at the same time.”
‘Unacceptable’: Benji honest despite win | 07:23
KINI PUTS STAMP ON TITANS FULLBACK DEBATE
Before the start of the 2024 season, the biggest call at the Gold Coast Titans was not on the futures of David Fifita and Tino Fa’asumaleaui, nor was it about who would lead them to glory.
Instead, the biggest debate was about who should wear the No.1 jersey.
AJ Brimson seemed the obvious choice and was the favourite, while many called for it to be worn by Jayden Campbell which would have seen him follow in the footsteps of his father, Preston Campbell.
However, to the surprise of many, it was gifted to a young prospect from Palm Beach Currumbin, named Keano Kini.
Twenty-four months on, Kini has showcased why he was awarded the prestigious jersey with arguably his greatest 80-minute performances in his career to date and it’s hard to think that there was ever a discussion on who would wear it.
Hannay: “We’re on a different journey” | 05:01
Helping the Titans put on 50 points – only the second time in the club’s history – the New Zealand international took the Parramarra Eels to the cleaners with an attacking showing so clinical it saw Eels fans boo off their own players.
“Watch the footwork here of Keano Kini. One-on-one with Mitchell Moses. He shapes to go to the outside, snaps back off the left and spins back around,” Cooper Cronk said on Fox League in awe of Kini after he set up the second try of the match, which saw AJ Brimson cross over for a try.
“There’s not to many players that can do that. Then beats the fullback and flips the pass over the top to Brimson.
“How good is this. Entertainment plus from Keano Kini. You can not give Keano Kini any open space.”
As Cronk continually described Kini as one of the best attacking fullbacks in the NRL on his day, Titans coach Josh Hannay was full of praise for his showing against the Eels.
Out of form over the past few weeks, he held a conversation with Hannay who is dramatically turned it around.
In 80 minutes, he ended up with four line-breaks, three line-break assists, four try assists, nine tackle busts and over 220 running metres.
“I said this to the kid during the week, ‘I hate to tell this to you bud, but you’re going to have more bad days in front of you’,” Hannay said.
“It’s all in front of him. So what he’s going through at the moment, he’s had a couple of games where he wasn’t at his absolute best.
“But I don’t know if you’re watching footy at the moment because there are a lot of fullbacks under a lot of pressure with the high ball.”
Kini FOOLS Parra with dynamic footwork | 00:45
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