Pondering how many injuries it takes for a side to be too depleted to win? Questioning why it took seven losses in a row to sack the coach? Wondering what constitutes a Hip Drop? Talking of being street, our 2026 NRL Round 8 Tips Predictions & Stats Preview can be used for all your street money rugby league 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 8 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
CRONULLA by 18
BRISBANE by 6
ROOSTERS by 26
WARRIORS by 10
MELBOURNE by 8
PENRITH by 6
MANLY by 14
2026 NRL Round 8 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 8 Tips – Weekly Barely Interesting Stats
Our famed barely interesting stats all in the one place for your convenience and arguments.
THU 7:50PM – WESTS TIGERS v CANBERRA @ Leichhardt Oval
Going back top 2016, Canberra have won 14 of the last 16 games v Wests Tigers.
Canberra have won the last three games v Tigers at Leichhardt and lead the H2H 4-2 overall there.
These teams have never met on a Thursday.
Wests Tigers last game on a Thursday back in August 2024 saw a win over Manly. They lost their previous eight games before that.
Wests Tigers are W3 L1 on a Thursday at Leichhardt.
Canberra have won four of their last five away on a Thursday.
Wests Tigers are W5 L1 for first half results this season while Canberra are W1 D1 L5.
FRI 6PM – NORTH QUEENSLAND v CRONULLA
North Queensland have a dreadful recent record v Cronulla, they have lost 14 of the last 16.
North Queensland have only won once in their last seven home games v Cronulla.
In Townsville on a Friday Cronulla lead the H2H 2-1. Anywhere on a Friday it is Cronulla 4-2.
Cowboys have won their last three Friday home games, with exactly 70 points coming in the last two.
Cronulla have won 13 of their last 16 Friday games.
Cronulla have won their last four away games to Qld sides on a Friday.
Cronulla are W10 L4 for away games v Qld teams going back to 2020.
FRI 8PM – BRISBANE v BULLDOGS
Brisbane have won seven of their last eight v Bulldogs.
Brisbane have won four of their last five v Bulldogs on a Friday.
Brisbane have won eight of their last nine v Bulldogs.
Bulldogs lead the Suncorp Stadium H2H v Broncos on a Friday 4-3.
Broncos have won just one of their last four games at Suncorp on a Friday v Sydney teams. Since 2020 it’s W7 L13.
Bulldogs have lost five Friday games in a row.
Bulldogs have won on both of their last two trips to Queensland v Qld sides.
Brisbane have the fourth lowest average points scored at home this season.
SAT 4PM – ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA v ROOSTERS @ Allianz Stadium
The Roosters have won the last three Anzac Day clashes v Dragons but trail 11-12 in the overall H2H.
The listed home side (either team) have won eight of the last nine Anzac Day clashes.
But the home side has won none of the two Anzac Day games on a Saturday.
The Dragons have scored exactly 18 points in the last two Anzac Day games. Roosters have scored 106 points in total.
Roosters record as the away side at Allianz Stadium is W12 L8.
Dragons have lost five in a row at Allianz Stadium in general.
SAT 6:05PM – WAHS v DOLPHINS @ Hnry Stadium, Wellington
Warriors are W3 L10 on Anzac Day, mainly because most of those games were against Melbourne.
Avoiding the Storm, their record is W1 L2.
Warriors are W2 L2 in Wellington.
Overall the Warriors home record in New Zealand but not at Mt Smart Stadium is W5 L10.
The away side has won five of the six clashes between Warriors and Dolphins.
Warriors lead the H2H v Dolphins 2-1 on a Saturday.
Since returning to New Zealand post-Covid, the Wahs are W7 L5 v Qld sides in New Zealand.
Dolphins are W6 L10 away from home on a Saturday.
Dolphins are W8 L7 v non Sydney sides away excluding the Broncos.
SAT 8:10PM – MELBOURNE v SOUTH SYDNEY
Melbourne have won their last ten Anzac Day clashes v Warriors/Rabbitohs.
South Sydney are W2 L3 for Anzac Day clashes v various opposition but have lost the last two games both against Melbourne.
South Sydney have never beaten Melbourne in Melbourne. 20 Games, no wins.
On a Saturday in Melbourne the Rabbitohs’ record is W0 L10, and they average less than 8 points.
It’s not just Victoria though, Souths record v Storm on a Saturday anywhere is W3 L17.
Melbourne though aren’t very good at home on a Saturday v Sydney clubs – since 2021 it’s only W4 L9.
Souths have won six of their last seven away on a Saturday v non-Sydney clubs.
Souths have won their last two v non-Sydney teams on any day too, but lost the six games in a row before that.
Away to the last three Premiers (Brisbane, Melbourne, Penrith) Souths have won just four of the last 22 games going back to 2020.
SUN 2PM – NEWCASTLE v PENRITH
Penrith have won 11 of the last 12 games v Newcastle with the only blip a loss to the Knights in Bathurst last season.
Going back to 2014 it’s W18 L3 to Penrith.
Penrith have won eight in a row v Newcastle on a Sunday with a last loss in 2014.
Penrith have won eight in a row v Newcastle in Newcastle with a last loss in 2015.
Penrith have won five in a row v Newcastle in Newcastle on a Sunday with a last loss in 2009.
Newcastle won their last home game in Newcastle v Canberra in Round 5 this season, but prior to that they won just one of 12.
Penrith have won seven in a row away to Sydney teams on a Sunday, with a last loss in 2018.
SUN 4PM – MANLY v PARRAMATTA
The home side (either team) have won the last six games between Manly and Parramatta.
Manly have won the last three and seven of the last eight home games v Parramatta.
Manly are W8 L3 v Parramatta at home on a Sunday, including the last three wins.
Manly have won just one of their last four at home on a Sunday.
Parramatta have lost their last seven away Sunday games, and their last four away on a Sunday to Sydney teams.
Parramatta have also lost their last six away games on any day v Sydney teams.
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