Two rounds to go for the 2026 regular season, but there’s nothing regular about this season, with the Warriors on the verge of a ceiling-smashing minor premiership. Talking of ceilings, our NRL Round 26 Tips Predictions & Stats has so many stats and barely interesting facts you’ll be dancing on the ceiling in anticipation of the weekend of rugby league ahead.
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 26 Tips
Here are our tips for the week ahead. How did we get to here? By going through all the visuals and stats below.
BRISBANE by 6
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA by 2
PENRITH by 16
SOUTH SYDNEY by 8
ROOSTERS by 12
NORTH QLD by 26
WARRIORS by 14
PARRAMATTA by 4
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Related
NRL Round 26 Tips Weekly H2H 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.
NRL Round 26 Ratings
We take all the H2H Stats, 2026 Form, each team’s records on certain days, grounds and more and mash the numbers together to come up with a H2H Ratings for each game. This week’s offering is below.
NRL Round 26 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.
THU 8PM – BRISBANE v MELBOURNE
BRI+ > Brisbane have won their last three games v Melbourne.
BRI- > Broncos have lost eight straight at Suncorp Stadium and are averaging 33 points against in that run.
BRI- > Brisbane are W2 L11 at Suncorp Stadium this season.
BRI- > Brisbane are W1 L2 on a Thursday this season, but have lost their only Thursday clash at Suncorp Stadium.
MEL+ > Melbourne lead the Suncorp Stadium H2H by 19-5.
MEL+ > Melbourne lost the most recent clash between these sides on a Thursday, but won the other nine games.
MEL+ > Melbourne are W5 L1 on a Thursday at Suncorp Stadium.
MEL- > Melbourne have won only one of their last five games at Suncorp Stadium v all sides.
MEL- > Melbourne have lost their last four away games and eight of their last nine away games.
MEL- > Melbourne have lost their last three away games to Qld sides.
Assessment: Hard to pick. Both of these sides used to be good at Suncorp Stadium and neither are recently. Losing eight in a row at your home ground is hard to like. Both sides aren’t going great in general, but the Broncos have more stars to power through an underwhelming performance.
FRI 6PM – MANLY v ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA
MAN+ > Manly have won seven of their last nine home games to the Dragons, but St George Illawarra did win last year’s clash at Brookvale.
MAN+ > Manly have won their last three home games on a Friday to Sydney clubs.
MAN- > Manly have lost their last three home games.
STI+ > Dragons lead the Friday H2H since 1998 by 4-3.
STI- > St George Illawarra have lost ten in a row away on a Friday.
STI- > Going back to 2012, the Dragons have won only four of their last 32 Friday away games.
STI- > The Dragons have won only one of their last 15 away games on a Friday to Sydney teams.
STI- > Going back to 2020, the Dragons have the worst post-Covid break away record of all the teams at 23.5% win rate.
Assessment: Not many wins between the two clubs that have turned interim coaches in full time bosses. Safe to say that transaction has worked out better for the Dragons. With not much winning going on, might have to side with Manly’s recent H2H dominance.
FRI 8PM – PENRITH v BULLDOGS @ CommBank Stadium
PEN+ > Penrith lead the CommBank Stadium H2H v Bulldogs by 3-1, and have won the last three.
PEN+ > Penrith have won the last three games v Bulldogs on a Friday.
PEN+ > Since 2020, Penrith are W18 L2 at home on a Friday to Sydney clubs.
PEN? > Since 2025, Penrith are W3 L3 as the home side on a Friday.
PEN- > Penrith are W1 L2 for their last three at CommBank Stadium.
BUL+ > Bulldogs have won two of the last three games v Penrith.
BUL+ > Bulldogs have won three of their last four away games, but only one of their previous 11 before that.
BUL- > Bulldogs have lost their last four at CommBank Stadium v all sides and have won just four of their last 23 games at the ground. None of those 23 games have been on a Friday.
BUL- > Going back to 2021, the Bulldogs have won just four games of 23 as the away side on a Friday.
Assessment: The Bulldogs have annoyed Penrith recently, and looked last weekend, and if this game was on a Thursday would be tempted to pick an upset. But it’s on Friday at “home”, so should be fine for the Panthers.
SAT 3PM – GOLD COAST v SOUTH SYDNEY
GCT+ > Gold Coast are W5 L6 v Sydney clubs this season.
GCT+ > Gold Coast have won four of their last 6 v Sydney teams at home.
GCT- > Gold Coast have now lost four in a row and three in a row at CBUS Stadium.
SOU+ > South Sydney have won ten in a row v Gold Coast.
SOU+ > South Sydney have also won 11 games in a row at CBUS Stadium v Gold Coast, with the Titans last win there over Souths back in 2009.
SOU+ > Souths have won seven in a row at CBUS v Titans on a Saturday.
SOU- > Souths are W4 L7 away from home this season.
SOU+ > Souths have won eight in a row on a Saturday v Titans too, but seven of those games were at CBUS Stadium.
SOU+ > Souths are W7 L1 from their last eight away games v Qld sides.
SOU- > Souths are W4 L7 away from home this season.
Assessment: We know a lot of long streaks have been broken this season, and Souths’ underwhelming away form tempts the stats gods to punish us, but the Rabbitohs v Titans impressive record, and the Rabbitohs have so much more to play for.
SAT 5:30PM – ROOSTERS v DOLPHINS
ROO+ > Roosters have won the only clash between these sides at Allian Stadium.
ROO+ > Roosters have won both Saturday games v Dolphins.
ROO+ > Roosters have won nine of their last 11 games at Allian Stadium on a Saturday.
ROO+ > Roosters have won nine of their last 11 games at Allian Stadium.
ROO+ > Going back to 1998, the Roosters are W12 L3 v Qld sides at Allian Stadium on a Saturday.
DOL+ > Dolphins have won 13 of their last 15 games.
DOL+ > Dolphins have won all five away games v Sydney teams this season.
DOL+ > Dolphins are W5 L2 on a Saturday this season. It’s W3 L1 away too.
DOL- > Dolphins have lost both away games v Roosters – one was at Suncorp Stadium.
ROO/DOL+ > These team’s combined record since May is W24 L6.
ROO/DOL? > These two teams have been swapping the longest current winning streak all season. The Dolphins currently hold it at five.
Assessment: Two top four teams in great form overall. Will the Dolphins feel the wrath of the Roosters blip against the Tigers last weekend, or is this a late season wobble? The Dolphins are holding their own in Sydney this season after previous struggles. Flip a coin or pick who you like best.
SAT 7:30PM – NORTH QUEENSLAND v WESTS TIGERS
NQL+ > North Qld have only played four games in Townsville on their previously traditional Saturday night this season. Their record is W3 L1.
NQL? > North Qld are W3 L3 at home to Sydney teams this season. But have won the only Saturday game of that Sydney home game run.
WTI+ > Wests Tigers have won one game in a row.
WTI- > Wests Tigers have won only one of their last nine away games v Qld sides.
WTI- > Wests Tigers have lost their last four Saturday games and won just two of their last 13 Saturday games.
WTI- > Wests Tigers have lost their last nine away games on a Saturday and won just once away on a Saturday in their 18 attempts. At least that one win was in Qld.
Assessment: North Qld’s form and having more to play for should be enough to get over the Tigers, who did extremely well to win last weekend, but are terrible away from home.
SUN 2PM – WARRIORS v NEWCASTLE
WAHS+ > Warriors have won their last three home games and 6 of their last seven. Interesting the only loss in that seven game run saw them concede their fewest points (10).
WAHS+ > Warriors are equal with Penrith for home record this season – W8 L2.
WAHS+ > Warriors have won seven of their last eight home games on a Sunday, but three of those games weren’t at Mt Smart Stadium.
WAHS+ > Warriors have won 14 of their last 16 games at Mt Smart Stadium v Newcastle.
WAHS+ > Warriors have won eight of their last nine games at Mt Smart Stadium v Newcastle on a Sunday.
NEW+ > Newcastle have won 6 of their last seven Sunday games.
NEW? > Newcastle are W3 L3 away on a Sunday this season.
NEW+ > Newcastle have won their last two away games and scored 30 points in both games.
Assessment: Newcastle’s loss to Manly was a bit of a shock, but they seem to go all right on a Sunday. But the Wahs have momentum and eyes on a potential Minor Premiership. And their Sunday form isn’t too shabby either.
SUN 4PM – PARRAMATTA v CRONULLA
PAR+ > Parramatta have won three of their last four home games v Cronulla.
PAR+ > Parramatta have won their last three and 6 of the last 7 Sunday games at CommBank Stadium.
PAR+ > Parramatta have won all four games at CommBank Stadium in 2026 v Sydney teams. Although, none of those teams are currently in the top half.
PAR? > The last Parramatta home game v Cronulla on a Sunday was in 2002 at the old Parramatta Stadium, and they loss 24-25.
PAR/CRO? – The overall Sunday H2H is shared 4-4.
CRO+ > Cronulla have won seven of their nine games this season on a Sunday. It’s W3 L2 on a Sunday away too.
CRO- > Cronulla are W1 L4 v Sydney teams away this season.
Assessment: Looked like Cronulla’s wobble was in danger of becoming permanent at half time last weekend v Gold Coast, but they avoided a third straight loss. Although Parramatta have much less to play for, the H2H at home, and home form in general offers up a potential upset to finish the round.
2026 Season Stats so far……up to Round 25
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.
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.
