Nice to see a weekend of celebration as the rugby league community got behind record breaker Alex Johnston, many of them invading the field for the iconic moment. It may never be broken again, although they said that about Ken Irvine’s record. Talking of broken records, our 2026 NRL Round 3 Tips Predictions & Stats Preview is back again this repeating the same barely interesting facts and mediocre tipping selections.
Each week this season we will offer up a quick preview glance for each match, throw in a bunch of barely interesting stats, and mix in a pinch of opinion, plus throw in our weekly predictions like chicken salt on hot chips and you have something that seagulls and humans will fight over.
2026 NRL Round 3 Tips
Here are our tips for the week ahead. How did we get to here? By going through all the visuals and stats below.
CANBERRA by 6
PENRITH by 2
MELBOURNE by 22
WARRIORS by 6
CRONULLA by 14
WESTS TIGERS by 8
PARRAMATTA by 1
NORTH QUEENSLAND by 20
2026 NRL Round 3 Tips Weekly H2H Stats Summary Cheat Sheets
Looking for a cheat sheet for the weekend’s upcoming games?
Here’s as much information that we could cram into one size fits all visual.
Plus our famed barely interesting stats all in the one place for this week of fewer games.
2026 NRL Round 3 Tips – Weekly Barely Interesting Stats
Our famed barely interesting stats all in the one place for you convenience and arguments.
THU 8pm – CANBERRA v BULLDOGS
Canberra have a W3 L3 record at home on a Thursday. One of those losses was in Mackay.
Overall on a Thursday Canberra are W7 L6. Bulldogs are W11 L26.
Away it is even worse for the Bulldogs on a Thursday with W5 L17.
Canberra have won the only Thursday clash v Bulldogs.
Bulldogs win in Canberra last season broke a run of six straight losses.
Bulldogs ended 2025 with four straight away losses.
FRI 6pm – ROOSTERS v PENRITH
Penrith have won 12 of their last 13 clashes with the Roosters.
The Roosters have lost five straight as the home side v Penrith.
Last season’s win for the Roosters broke a run of five straight losses v Penrith on a Friday.
The Roosters though, have won all three Friday clashes v Penrith at the SFS.
Going back to 2017, the Roosters have won 13 of their last 14 games at the SFS on a Friday v all teams.
Going back to 2014, the Roosters have won 17 of their last 18 games at the SFS on a Friday v Sydney teams.
Penrith have won 17 of their last 20 games on a Friday v Sydney opposition.
FRI 8pm – MELBOURNE v BRISBANE
Melbourne have won only one of their Round 3 clashes since Covid in 2020.
Melbourne have won nine in a row at AAMI Park vs Brisbane, with a last loss ten years ago in 2016.
That 2016 loss is the only loss in 11 games on a Friday for Melbourne v Brisbane at AAMI Park/Olympic Park.
Melbourne are W16 L1 v all Queensland teams on a Friday at AAMI Park/Olympic Park.
** Melbourne have won 17 in a row at AAMI Park on any day v Queensland opposition.
Since 1998, Melbourne’s win % on a Friday anywhere v anyone is 71%. The next best is Canberra on 58%.
Across the four home grounds used in Melbourne, the Storm’s record v Brisbane is W22 L5.
Since 2020, Melbourne’s record at AAMI Park on a Friday v any team is W16 L2.
Since 2020, Brisbane’s record on a Friday at a ground not in Qld is W4 L10.
SAT 3pm – NEWCASTLE v WAHS
Warriors haven’t started the season with three wins since 2018. It’s 2015 for Newcastle.
Warriors won both clashes v Newcastle in 2025.
Newcastle’s home record v Warriors since 1998 is W13 L9.
On a Saturday at home Newcastle’s record v Wahs improves to W8 L3.
Newcastle lost both Saturday home games last season.
Newcastle were W1 L5 v non Sydney opposition at home in 2025.
Warriors were W4 L2 away on a Saturday last season.
SAT 5:30pm – CRONULLA v DOLPHINS
Cronulla are on a run of eight straight wins at home.
Cronulla were W10 L2 at home in 2025. Both losses were on a Saturday.
Cronulla have won their last four games at Shark Park v Qld opposition. It helps the lasty two games were v Gold Coast and they scored 104 points.
Dolphins have lost their last four games v Sydney teams.
Since their inception, the Dolphins are W3 L8 v Sydney teams in Sydney.
Dolphins have lost all four games on a Saturday in Sydney v Sydney teams.
Dolphins are 0/7 for Saturday away games not in Qld.
SAT 7:30pm – SOUTH SYDNEY v WESTS TIGERS @ Central Coast Stadium
Wests Tigers haven’t won two games in a row to start a season since 2019.
Wests Tigers and South Sydney both have a 44% win record at Central Coast Stadium.
For the record Penrith and Parramatta have a 100% record and Canberra 0%.
Souths have won nine of their last 11 v Wests Tigers.
South Sydney have won the only clash in Gosford v Wests Tigers.
Souths are W8 L1 v Wests Tigers on a Saturday as the home side.
Wests Tigers have lost six in a row v Sydney opposition away on a Saturday and lost 11 of their last 12.
Wests Tigers have lost 13 of their last 14 away to any team on a Saturday.
SUN 4pm – PARRAMATTA v ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA
St George Illawarra may have won the last match v Parramatta, but the Eels are W12 L4 from the last 16 clashes.
Parramatta have won their last four at home to the Dragons.
Parramatta are W7 L2 v Dragons at home on a Sunday.
Parramatta lost all five games last season v Sydney clubs on a Sunday. Three of those games were at home.
The Dragons have lost 11 of their last 12 games on a Sunday v Sydney teams.
Going back to 2019, the Dragons have won just eight of 45 games away on a Saturday v Sydney teams.
Dragons were W1 L6 v Sydney teams away last season.
Dragons were W2 L10 away last season v all teams.
SUN 6:15pm – NORTH QUEENSLAND v GOLD COAST
North Queensland have won 12 of their last 13 home games v Gold Coast.
It’s a win a piece in Townsville on a Sunday between North Qld and Gold Coast.
Cowboys have won their last five home games on a Sunday.
Gold Coast have lost 14 Sunday games in a row.
Gold Coast have lost eight away games in a row on a Sunday.
2026 Season Stats so far……
With only a few games gone, there’s not a lot to see yet, but that doesn’t stop us showing what we have.
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