NRL NRL 2025 - Round 26

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https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/pickem/picks/2025-official-bigfooty-nrl-tipping.183/?week_id=461

Thursday 28th August
Canterbury-Bankstown vs Penrith (Accor Stadium - 19:50)

Friday 29th August
New Zealand vs Parramatta (Go Media Stadium - 18:00)
Melbourne vs Sydney Roosters (AAMI Park - 20:00)

Saturday 30th August
Canberra vs Wests Tigers (GIO Stadium - 15:00)
St.George-Illawarra vs Manly-Warringah (Jubilee Stadium - 17:30)
North Queensland vs Brisbane (Queensland Country Bank Stadium - 19:35)

Sunday 31st August
Cronulla-Sutherland vs Newcastle (Sharks Stadium - 14:00)
Dolphins vs Gold Coast (Suncorp Stadium - 16:05)

Bye: South Sydney

 

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xx

 

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NRL Team Lists: Round 26

Official team lists, updates and injury news for Round 26 of the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership.

www.nrl.com

 

[Roobs321]

Panthers make SIXTEEN changes for the Bulldogs, only returning player didn't take the field against the Raiders

 

[Aucklander]

That's a really poor look.

 

[PhatBoy]

That's a really poor look.

Why? They’re trying to win a fifth straight title and this is how they’re aiming to do it.

Their obligation is to themselves and their fans, No one else, and to trying to win the competition.

They have played 3 golden point games in 4 weeks. Their best player has missed a heap of football this season with injury and when he has played, has often looked busted. Their other two best players - also rep players so they too have a higher workload than just about every other player in the competition over the last few years - have had fitness issues. You’ve just shown over the last two weeks you’re good enough to match the two best teams in the competition.
Winning at this point doesn’t really gain them much and even home ground advantages within the bottom part of the 8 don’t gain them that much given that they don’t have the home ground advantage they used to.

Their sole, singular purpose now is built around one thing: winning 4 games in a row starting in the first week of the finals. That’s it. What other teams do is absolutely irrelevant. And what happens to them is absolutely irrelevant between now and then. In fact if anything it probably gives a few players a chance to push into the frame if needed.

And if you’re going to do it, you probably do it now when you know you’re going to be playing a strong team, not the week before, so you can have a tune up against an ok but not powerful Dragons team a week before the proper stuff starts.

 

[Carn The Berries]

Why? They’re trying to win a fifth straight title and this is how they’re aiming to do it.

Their obligation is to themselves and their fans, No one else, and to trying to win the competition.

They have played 3 golden point games in 4 weeks. Their best player has missed a heap of football this season with injury and when he has played, has often looked busted. Their other two best players - also rep players so they too have a higher workload than just about every other player in the competition over the last few years - have had fitness issues. You’ve just shown over the last two weeks you’re good enough to match the two best teams in the competition.
Winning at this point doesn’t really gain them much and even home ground advantages within the bottom part of the 8 don’t gain them that much given that they don’t have the home ground advantage they used to.

Their sole, singular purpose now is built around one thing: winning 4 games in a row starting in the first week of the finals. That’s it. What other teams do is absolutely irrelevant. And what happens to them is absolutely irrelevant between now and then. In fact if anything it probably gives a few players a chance to push into the frame if needed.

And if you’re going to do it, you probably do it now when you know you’re going to be playing a strong team, not the week before, so you can have a tune up against an ok but not powerful Dragons team a week before the proper stuff starts.

Agree 100%. But at least be upfront about it. I saw a quote where he defended it by saying the team on the weekend wasn't going out to "make up the numbers". When you rest your entire starting side, that's exactly what you're doing.

Same as when Freo and St Kilda did it years ago... If you can do it I have no issue with it at all... But own it.

 

[PhatBoy]

Agree 100%. But at least be upfront about it. I saw a quote where he defended it by saying the team on the weekend wasn't going out to "make up the numbers". When you rest your entire starting side, that's exactly what you're doing.

Same as when Freo and St Kilda did it years ago... If you can do it I have no issue with it at all... But own it.

They rested half their starting side (granted that’s a lot different to 16 players) against the warriors, flew to NZ and beat them earlier in the year.

I would be very surprised if he’s not still going to do everything in his power to make them as competitive as possible while also accepting that a loss is likely and not the end of the world.

No coach can really front up and say ‘we are going to lose this week’ even if they know it’s a strong chance of happening

 

[Jatz]

I don’t like it. They already get two byes through the season. I get resting a player or 3 but 16 is just absolutely match fixing.

 

[balmainforever]

I don’t like it. They already get two byes through the season. I get resting a player or 3 but 16 is just absolutely match fixing.

You remember that they rested all original players for the warriors game and they still won that.

 

[Jatz]

You remember that they rested all original players for the warriors game and they still won that.

How many origin players were there? Feels different from essentially the entire team.

 

[Andronicus]

The NRL don't give a shot about compromising certain fixtures.

The fact that Brisbane and the Storm both had byes the week before both of the first 2 origin fixtures speaks volumes.

 

[moto748]

I don't think teams in SL are allowed to do this. But if it's allowed, and it seems it is, then you can't blame Cleary for doing it.

 

[PhatBoy]

How many origin players were there? Feels different from essentially the entire team.

5 at least off the top of my head: Cleary, Yeo, Martin, To’o and Edwards.

It’s completely different to sitting out 16 players but it was only three months ago that the head league writer for the Courier Mail or whatever Brent Reid is, said that the Roosters should deliberately ‘throw’ more or less the last 9 games of the season by leaving out Sam Walker as they would have nothing to play for. Of course that changed as we did enough to put ourselves in finals contention and it was laughed off anyway but when he suggested it there was no issue with the idea that it was going to be illegal or anything as it was a matter of looking towards the bigger picture (ie. next year)
I don’t see why this is much different. Punters don’t run the game

 

[Jatz]

5 at least off the top of my head: Cleary, Yeo, Martin, To’o and Edwards.

It’s completely different to sitting out 16 players but it was only three months ago that the head league writer for the Courier Mail or whatever Brent Reid is, said that the Roosters should deliberately ‘throw’ more or less the last 9 games of the season by leaving out Sam Walker as they would have nothing to play for. Of course that changed as we did enough to put ourselves in finals contention and it was laughed off anyway but when he suggested it there was no issue with the idea that it was going to be illegal or anything as it was a matter of looking towards the bigger picture (ie. next year)
I don’t see why this is much different. Punters don’t run the game

That is not even remotely close to the same thing. Leaving out one player (who hadn't had a pre season) is entirely different to dropping the entire squad.

The Punters don't run the game...the TV deals certainly do though. How stoked do you think they are to have lost what would've been one of the highest rating games of the season?

 

[PhatBoy]

That is not even remotely close to the same thing. Leaving out one player (who hadn't had a pre season) is entirely different to dropping the entire squad.

The Punters don't run the game...the TV deals certainly do though. How stoked do you think they are to have lost what would've been one of the highest rating games of the season?

The principle is the same: deny yourself the best chance to win in the now, to set yourself up for the future. It happens in white ball cricket routinely.
If world cups were finals, bi-lateral series are home and away games. Does anyone seriously think Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc aren’t going to be bowling alongside Josh Hazlewood when push comes to shove? No. But they weren’t in Darwin or Mackay recently. Because there is an Ashes series coming up and a T20 World Cup coming soon.
It’s not match fixing to leave them out, though.

So who determines where the ‘line’ is? In a sport as physical as NRL why not take an opportunity to rest as many players as you can

 

[PhatBoy]

That is not even remotely close to the same thing. Leaving out one player (who hadn't had a pre season) is entirely different to dropping the entire squad.

The Punters don't run the game...the TV deals certainly do though. How stoked do you think they are to have lost what would've been one of the highest rating games of the season?

I actually think while obviously not going to be as high profile as what it would have been, the curiosity factor is going to ensure plenty of people still watch it

 

[Jatz]

I actually think while obviously not going to be as high profile as what it would have been, the curiosity factor is going to ensure plenty of people still watch it

Perhaps initially. The ongoing viewing numbers will drop like flies, especially if the Dogs don't blow them out. If they win comfortably by 20 odd points, no one will bother continuing to watch.

 

[Fabab]

Im a bulldogs fan and im wondering what to expect ,just dont turn up and think its gonna be easy so our players better be up for a hard game.
Cleary is giving Panthers their best chance to win another comp so all respect to him and his players.

 

[Fabab]

Panths started well.

 

[Andronicus]

What's the point of the ref calling held when they let the tacklers keep driving them backwards with a continued tackle?

Every game it's the same thing.

 

[Fabab]

Dogs struggling so far.

 

[Around the Wicket]

Bulldog’s were a better side pre Galvin imo

 

[Jatz]

Bulldog’s were a better side pre Galvin imo

Yep, shoehorning him in midseason was a really poor idea.

 

[Jatz]

O'Brien agreed to walk away, as was expected.

Our longest tenured coach, he did alright. Never really threatened to even challenge though tbh. In his defence, with the way the club is set up, very few would be able to succeed with us. It's an absolute travesty the club is so poorly run. The Novocastrians deserve better.