A new year is here, one that should be filled with much sport, early and often, and at this stage of the year there’s more questions than answers available about the sporting year ahead and in particular here about rugby league. So here to answer all the easy questions is our very own Captain Hindsight with his Obvious 2026 NRL Predictions.
With so many other better websites and publications, and News Ltd, rolling out their “bold 2026 sporting predictions, The Gurgler is going down a different path, opting for the sensible know-it-all obviousness of Captain Hindsight to give the obvious rugby league predictions in advance, before he would tell you that they were going to happen after the event.
Only Captain Hindsight can deliver the most obvious predictions, using his special 0-0 hindsight in advance powers to deliver opinions and predictions that are so obvious they can be found on breakfast TV shows.
No one does obvious 2026 Sporting Predictions like Captain Hindsight and The Gurgler.
READ MORE: THE GURGLER’S FULL NRL 2026 GEAR
We’ve been working hard for you to bring you the 2026 NRL Season Previews from every angle possible.
NRL DONKEY’S 2026 SEASON PREVIEW
BOLD NRL 2026 SEASON PREDICTIONS
CAPTAIN HINDSIGHT’S SENSIBLE NRL 2026 SEASON PREDICTIONS
WHY YOUR TEAM CAN’T WIN THE 2026 NRL PREMIERSHIP
NRL 2026 RATINGS PREDICTIONS
2026 NRL JERSEY RATINGS WITH AI GREK NORMAN
2026 NRL DRAW ANALYSIS
2026 NRL DRAW ANALYSIS – TEAM BY TEAM
THE A TO Z OF THE 2025 NRL SEASON
Captain Hindsight’s Obvious 2026 NRL Predictions
Here they are in all their sanitised, risk-free, slightly dull blandness.
THE NRL BUNKER WILL STUFF UP A CALL WITHIN THE FIRST FOUR WEEKS OF THE COMPETITION
It’s not a matter of if, but when. And then will be early, and then often.
A RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYER WILL BE SORRY TO THEIR TEAM MATES, THEIR CLUB, THEIR FAMILY AND RUGBY LEAGUE ITSELF BEFORE MAY
We can see it now. The press conference in front of the sponsors boards, with as much sorrow on the face of the players as the poor Manager of Social Media for the rugby league club, and the family standing awkwardly off to the side. Thankfully the animal involved isn’t forced to front the media this time, and the giant mascot of the alcohol-based sponsor was told to take the night off. But everyone will be sorry, that’s a Captain Hindsight obvious special.
RICKY STUART WILL GET ANGRY AT SOMETHING
Ricky Stuart aka the Angry Ant (and Carlos Smearson) will blow up at something. Hopefully early in the season, and often. We love Ricky Stuart, and rugby league would be poorer without him around all the time, so here’s hoping for another Minor Premiership.
CANBERRA RAIDERS WILL BE LINKED TO MANY NEW PLAYERS BEFORE THEY MYSTERIOUSLY (NOT) RE-SIGN WITH THEIR CLUB OR ANOTHER CLUB ON MORE MONEY
Maybe it’s players using the Canberra Raisers as a bargaining chip that makes Ricky angry.
FOX SPORTS WEBSITE WILL CONTINUE TO USE PEOPLE’S TWITTER COMMENTS AS ARTICLES
When not bashing the Wests Tigers, discussing Lachlan Galvin, or giving oxygen to Buzz Rothfield, Fox Sports seemed to enjoy using Twitter to write half of the articles. Often the title of the article was a direct quote of one of the tweets.
Which gives hope to our website, which means any old garbage from the internet is basically a part time journalist. Who needs a degree.
Either that or they serve up a transcript of NRL 360 as fresh content.
BUZZ ROTHFIELD WILL BE A BITTER OLD MAN AGAIN IN 2026, APPEARING TO HATE RUGBY LEAGUE AND EVERYTHING ABOUT IT WHILE EMPHASISING TO ANYONE WHO’LL LISTEN HOW IMPORTANT HE IS TO RUGBY LEAGUE WITH ALL HIS RUMOURS BUT NO ONE REALLY CARES NOR WILL THEY MISS HIM WHEN HE FINALLY RETIRES FROM HATING RUGBY LEAGUE AND STOPS ARGUING WITH EVERYONE ON NRL 360.
Buzz is a lemon.
(This was written before he announced his retirement, so can act as a fitting farewell tribute instead.)
COOPER CRONK WILL BORE MOST PEOPLE TO TEARS WITH HIS TEDIOUSNESS
Once Cooper Cronk thinks he’s hit on an interesting point you know he’s going to hit on it again and again and again. Maybe it’s a by-product of winning lots of NRL titles over and over again. But whatever the origin, it makes for tedious watching and listening. Almost as bad as….
CRITICISM OF THE FLANAGAN DRAGONS WILL BE LOWER ON CERTAIN SHIFTS ON FOX LEAGUE
Having spent enough resources on getting fellow commentator Shane Flanagan a coaching job at the Dragons, it wouldn’t be great for the investment if you didn’t try and reinforce that with most NRL broadcasts, and that’s what Fox League do so well. Of course it reaches MAGA sycophant levels when certain commentators are on. I guess that’s the Fox part.
SOUTH SYDNEY WILL FEATURE IN MORE GOLDEN POINT GAMES IN 2026, JUST TO ANNOY WAYNE BENNETT, WHO WILL THEN GIVE A MASTERCLASS IN GRUMPY PRESS CONFERENCE
Wayne Bennett loves golden point, but rugby league fans will love the post match Press Conference as Bennett goes to town on the extra time. But to be fair, Wayne Bennett will give the same speeches if he wins or loses, like his post-match smiling.
SIGNING RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYERS MIGHT MAKE RUGBY UNION SLIGHTLY MORE INTERESTING BUT WON’T WIN THEM ANY MORE MATCHES NOR ANY MORE FANS
Rugby Union seems to be returning to a tried and true method of player recruitment by luring rugby league players to the 15 man code. In fairness, most of the players used to play rugby union, but there’s a reason they left the game, because it’s overcomplicating and mostly dull. But perfect for private educated men, in RM Williams.
MELBOURNE STORM WILL BE THE BEST VICTORIAN RUGBY TEAM AROUND AND INTEREST IN THE TEAM WILL PEAK IN MID SEPTEMBER
Melbourne is the capital of sport, and they know their sport more than anywhere else ibn the world, which is why they know the best rugby team in Victoria and indeed Australia is the Melbourne Storm. Locals can’t get enough of their favourite rugby team, after all the AFL games have been played, and only in September, if they make the finals.
CHANNEL NEIN COVERAGE WILL BE PANNED
Hopefully with the broadcast rights it will be their last for a while, having spent their money on the Winter Olympics, Tennis and the world’s worst TV “social experiment” show of all time.
NRL GRAND FINAL ENTERTAINMENT WILL BE MEDIOCRE
Only because Cold Chisel / Jimmy Barnes / Jimmy Barnes featuring Ian Moss, and Ian Moss featuring Jimmy Barnes and Cold Chisel won’t be available.
