Forgot that the NRL was on with all the Football World Cup and State of Origin blaming of Laurie Daley going on? Or that you are sick of both so want and need some NRL Tips and Stats to get you through. Either way our 2026 NRL Round 18 Tips Predictions & Stats will have you covered with more NRL content than you could probably ever want or need.
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.
NRL Round 18 Tips
Here are our tips for the week ahead. How did we get to here? By going through all the visuals and stats below.
PENRITH by 4
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA BY 1
CRONULLA BY 6
PARRAMATTA BY 12
DOLPHINS by 8
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2026 NRL Round 18 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.
2026 NRL Round 18 Tips – Weekly Barely Interesting Stats
Our famed barely interesting stats all in the one place for your convenience and arguments. We’ve added a plus or minus with the team in question to hint whether it’s a good or bad stat too, with the bolded stats our favourite.
FRIDAY 8PM PENRITH v SOUTH SYDNEY @ CommBank Stadium
PEN? > Penrith will want to avoid a third loss. The Panthers have never won a premiership in the NRL era when they have lost three in a row during the season.
PEN+ > Penrith have won 12 of the last 15 clashes v Souths since 2020.
PEN+ > Penrith have won their last 6 games as the home side v Souths. The Rabbitohs have scored either 10 or 12 in all 6 of those games.
PEN+ > It’s four in a row for Penrith v Souths on a Friday.
PEN+ > Penrith have won 18 of their last 21 games on a Friday v Sydney teams.
SOU- > Souths have lost eight games in a row as the away side on a Friday.
SOU- > Souths have lost their last 6 games away on a Friday v Sydney teams.
SOU+ > Souths have won seven of their last nine at CommBank Stadium, but are W1 L3 on a Friday and lost the only clash there v Penrith.
SAT 5:30PM – ST GEORGE v WESTS TIGERS  @ Kogarah
STI+ > St George Illawarra have won their last three as the home side (any ground) v Wests Tigers. The last one was a scarcely believable 56-14 win.
STI+ > St George Illawarra have won five of their seven games v Wests Tigers at Kogarah.
STI- > St George Illawarra lost their last three games at Kogarah, all three were on a Saturday.
STI- > St George Illawarra have lost eight in a row on a Saturday.
STI- > St George Illawarra have lost 12 of their last 14 v Sydney teams on a Saturday.
WTI- > Wests Tigers have lost seven in a row away to Sydney clubs on a Saturday and 12 of their last 13.
WTI- > Wests Tigers have lost 13 of their last 14 away on a Saturday.
SAT 7:30PM – BRISBANE v CRONULLA
BRI+ > Brisbane have won 10 of their last 13 games v Cronulla, but only four of the last seven.
BRI+ > Broncos have won 13 of the 19 games played v Cronulla at Suncorp Stadium. It’s only W1 L1 on a Saturday.
BRI- > Broncos have lost their last four and 7 of their last 9 at Suncorp Stadium. It improves to winning four of the last five there on a Saturday.
BRI- > Brisbane have won nine of their last 22 games at Suncorp Stadium v Sydney teams going back to 2024.
BRI- > Brisbane have lost their last five v Sydney teams.
CRO+ > Cronulla have lost their last two away to Qld teams, but overall the record isn’t too bad – winning 11 of the last 16 attempts. On a Saturday that improves to winning seven of the last nine.
SUN 2PM – PARRAMATTA V MANLY
PAR+ > Parramatta have won four in a row and ten of the last 11 home games v Manly. Overall it is W18 L5 at home to Manly since 1998.
PAR+ > Parramatta have won five of the seven home games v Manly on a Saturday since 1998.
PAR+ Parramatta have won 15 of the 18 Saturday games at CommBank Stadium. IT’s 9/10 v Sydney sides.
PAR- > Parramatta have won only 6 of 20 games since 2025 against Sydney clubs.
MAN+ > Manly have won five of their last 6 games away on a Saturday.
MAN- > Manly have won only 6 of 20 games since 2024 away against Sydney clubs.
SUN 4PM – NEWCASTLE v DOLPHINS
NEW+ > Newcastle have won the last five meetings v Dolphins.
NEW+ Newcastle have won three in a row at home on a Sunday.
NEW+ > Newcastle have won four of the last five at home on a Sunday.
NEW+ > Newcastle have won five of the last 6 at home on a Sunday v Qld sides.
DOL+ > The Dolphins have scored as many tries in the last ten minutes of matches as the Dragons have scored in the entire second half this season.
DOL+ > The Dolphins record breaking (for them) run of eight wins in a row includes four in a row away.
DOL- > Dolphins are W1 L6 away on a Sunday to non Qld sides.
2026 Season Stats so far……up to Round 17
Your one-stop shop for stats and stuff from 2026 so far.
LADDER AND FORM
Current ladder and latest form with a 2026 progress chart.
ORIGIN PERIOD FORM
Want to know how the teams go over Origin period? Of course you do.
RESULTS
All the form of Home v Away, Top v Bottom sides and Happy v Sad Days.
POINTS
Lots of points of interest.
HALVES
A tale of two halves and all the stats we can find relating to them.
TRIES – ALL, FIRST AND LAST
Overall try scoring stats with a focus on first and last try scorer in case folk like a wager.
