It was more of the same from the Bulldogs this week while the Sea Eagles continued to look like a team transformed under Kieran Foran.
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Elsewhere, Michael Maguire wouldn’t have been happy with some of what he saw from the Broncos and a premiership dark horse remains the most confusing side in the competition.
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Plus, some big Origin debates are set to be decided this week.
Read on for the key Talking Points from Round 10.
‘THEY WERE SHOCKING’: BRONCOS’ ‘DIABOLICAL’ DISPLAY CALLED OUT
The reigning premiers have been slammed for their “diabolical” display against the Manly Sea Eagles, which saw them concede 32 points and only score a single try.
Away from the actual scoreline, the Broncos committed 18 errors, with 15 of them in the second 40 minutes.
Even though they were missing several players, including Adam Reynolds and Payne Haas, due to injury, there were no excuses to be had, as their team was still stacked with elite Origin and international stars such as Reece Walsh and Patrick Carrigan.
“That was a diabolical display by the Broncos,” Nathan Hindmarsh said on The Matty Johns Show.
“They were shocking. I know a lot of the good line speed from Manly forced a lot of those errors, but some of those passes were just lazy.”
Matty Johns added, “Some of the defensive efforts, Madge will sit there and super slow-mo some of that stuff because as we know, defence is about attitude.
“Some of the defensive effort (and) tries early on (were bad).”
One particularly poor one from Ezra Mam was called out, with the Broncos five-eighth rushing out of the line — perhaps caught out by the height of the pass from dummy-half and thinking the ball was going wide — only for Joey Walsh to breeze past him.
“I don’t know if it was the angle we saw it from on TV but all it looked like was he could have turned in and tackled him but didn’t make the effort,” Hindmarsh said.
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The Broncos were taught a lesson. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Not only have they conceded 70 points and a combined margin of 42 points in the past two weeks, but the Broncos just don’t look like a team that is a premiership threat – especially when it comes to comparing them to the Penrith Panthers.
“The boys unfortunately, didn’t give themselves an opportunity with the lack of possession that we had,” Michael Maguire said.
“Then obviously off the back of errors you put fatigue into yourself and then you can’t give yourselves a chance. So, that was the disappointing part.
“Silly fundamental errors cost us … it was disappointing for us.
“Tonight was one of those nights we’ll have to look pretty deep and make sure we fix it.”
Facing the Warriors next weekend in Magic Round, they will need to change their attitude if they are to go on a different trajectory than what they are at now.
“To be honest with you that’s not an excuse,” Maguire quipped about the absence of multiple high-profile stars.
“I’ve got full confidence in those players in that change room. I came down here with high expectations about how they go about things and we weren’t able to do that tonight. We missed the mark tonight, it’s as simple as that.
“You go back a couple of weeks ago and people talked about the people we didn’t have. Well, we were able to perform in Campbelltown against the Tigers and then against Canterbury. That’s the expectation that the players have.
“I love how they expect that and tonight they’re hurting because they know that’s not the way the Broncos can play.
“If we give ourselves possession and complete high, which we did in those two wins, you can perform the way we know we can.”
Madge offers zero excuses as Bronx fall | 04:25
‘SMOKEY’ EMERGES FOR 2026 PREMIERSHIP
After a rocky start to the 2026 NRL season, the Dolphins have emerged as a “smokey” to win the competition following back-to-back victories against the Melbourne Storm and Canterbury Bulldogs.
Conceding two tries in the opening 25 minutes against the Bulldogs, it looked like it was going to be a long night for the Dolphins on Thursday, but they rocketed back with six tries en route to demolishing the Bulldogs, 44-12.
Having one of the most talented back-lines in the NRL, plus multiple representative stars in their forward pack, there is no telling how far they can go during this year’s campaign.
“If their forwards can do a job, we know what the backs can do and that’s what happened tonight,” Bryan Fletcher said on The Matty Johns Show.
Dolphins run rampant over Bulldogs | 02:28
“Both halves had so much time and when you’ve got those blokes outside, it’s inevitable that you’re going to score.
“They had all the field position and no team can hold out a Dolphins side when they’re all on. This is probably their best side. They’re a smokey to win the comp.”
With a bye coming up, they will face a real test over the next two weeks against the Rabbitohs and Raiders.
Matthew Johns singled out their halves in particular for an “outstanding” game, rating it “one of the best games” he has seen from the versatile Kodi Nikorima.
Nikorima had four linebreak assists and three try assists in the win, pulling the Bulldogs defence apart, while Isaiya Katoa was at his scheming best and was particularly impressive digging into the line and creating space for his outside men.
Katoa finished the night with 18 line engagements, while he also had two try assists and just as many linebreak assists.
Isaiya Katoa and the Dolphins are lethal when they get it right.Source: Getty Images
Yet to reach a finals series since being established, the Dolphins have the talent to take them far into the competition, but much of their standing will depend on whether they can put together consistent performances on the field – especially away from Queensland.
Luke Keary said they have become a different outfit since the bye in Round 6, taking down both the Bulldogs and Storm by large margins as well as pushing the Warriors (two-point defeat) and Panthers (one-point defeat) to their limits which should’ve seen them walk away as winners in both matches.
“All the pieces are there and a lot of people spoke about it in the pre-season and had them in their top-four,” the ex-premiership winner added.
“They started really slow and then they had the bye. They’ve come out of the bye and should’ve beaten Penrith in that game and just been hot since then.
“They’re slowly getting better. They’ve got the outside backs power, skill, speed and then I think that forward pack is their sneaky strength.”
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Preston sin-bin questioned by Ennis | 00:41
WHY RULE CHANGES ARE HURTING DOGS… AND NOISE WON’T STOP
Momentum is the buzzword in rugby league amid the changes to the six-again rule in 2026, and the Bulldogs are struggling to adapt amid their horror form slump.
The Bulldogs led 8-0 against the Dolphins after a fast start, but were mowed down by the enterprise and speed of their opponents, who are better placed than most to exploit the new rules.
The spotlight has been on the Bulldogs’ halves, but the real issue is a lack of a running threat from dummy-half.
A week after he had zero runs and zero metres in the loss to the Cowboys, Bailey Hayward had just two runs for 14 metres in the 44-12 loss to the Dolphins and zero try or linebreak involvements.
Dummy-half is just about the most important position on the field with the changes to the rules this season, and the best teams have at least one and sometimes two running threats out of dummy-half.
However, Matty Johns explained the Bulldogs’ forwards are not making it easy for Hayward to find opportunities to run, which is heaping pressure on Lachlan Galvin and Matt Burton, who was replaced by Sean O’Sullivan against the Dolphins due to illness.
Lachlan Galvin and Stephen CrichtonSource: Getty Images
“When we talk about hookers running from dummy half, there’s got to be people doing work for them to scatter defenders to give them the opportunity to run out and at the moment and watching the Dogs this year, they’re so obsessed with sequence-based football,” Johns said.
“If they can get back to the forwards running the ball forward, hit the line hard, even if you aren’t a big bloke, hit the line hard and quickly play the ball and things start to happen.
“You’re now playing momentum-based football.
“People will point to and say, ‘well they don’t have a big pack’, but the way the modern game is, if you can get momentum, footwork, speed and a lack of size can be an advantage.”
Eels legend Nathan Hindmarsh feels the Bulldogs need to follow the lead of Sitili Tupouniua if they want to arrest their horror slump, which has seen them lose seven of their last eight games.
“They (Bulldogs forwards) should be taking note from Sitili and watching him,” Hindmarsh said.
Crichton visibly frustrated at Galvin | 00:27
“Yeah he gives away a few penalties here and there but he skittles the defensive line because he runs so hard, gets a quick play the ball and that’s when your hookers can run.
“He seems to be the only one at the moment who is running hard with a bit of purpose.”
Amid their horror run, the blowtorch is on the Bulldogs and in some ways they are a victim of their success last year, but Johns says it comes with the territory for arguably the biggest club in Sydney.
“Last year it was so good because they’re such a big club and an important club for the league,” Johns said.
“They’re frustrated. I hear them say it’s the outside noise, well that’s just part and parcel of being a bigger club.”
The Bulldogs take on a desperate Sharks team in Magic Round and they could find themselves going from the top four to the bottom four in the space of a season if they don’t start adapting to the new game soon.
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Ciraldo questions Bulldogs intent | 06:08
BIG MISTAKE FROM ‘ALL OVER THE SHOP’ SHARKS
If there are two terms that go hand-in-hand with each other in the rugby league world now, it is ‘inconsistency’ and the ‘Cronulla Sharks’.
Less than seven days after putting on 50 points against the Wests Tigers and looking like a real threat to the NRL premiership, they were humiliated by a Rabbitohs outfit who were without Latrell Mitchell.
Unfortunately, for the Sharks fans, this sight is too familiar.
Throughout the course of the 10 rounds this season, they managed to completely annihilate an opposition team, and then seven days later, everything seems to go wrong and they fail to remember the basics of rugby league.
“This is the Sharks team. They’ve been doing this for the majority of the year. They have a good game and then they have a terrible game, an absolute stinker,” Nathan Hindmarsh said on The Matty Johns Show.
“I don’t know what they were thinking about with their defence. There were spaces you could drive a semi-trailer through before you found the next bloke.
“They were all over the shop. I know Souths played well but I don’t think the Sharkies were that bad.
“They were bad on the field but the Rabbits didn’t make them look terrible. They made themselves look terrible.”
One week after targeting the edges of the field, the Sharks surprisingly didn’t stick to the same plan and did not target debutant Latrell Siegwalt in the centres who was playing his first match and was undersized compared to their centres.
It was a tough night for the Sharks. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Instead, it was Siegwalt who had the last laugh and embarrassed the Sharks defenders with his silky footwork and speed – despite his lack of size.
“The Sharks played with zero energy. I don’t know where that came from. They were so good the week before,” Matthew Johns added.
“Craig Fitzgibbon is a very cool man but I think he’ll tear them a new one.”
Don’t be surprised if they turn up against the Bulldogs in Magic Round and produce a masterclass before heading to Brookvale Oval and getting destroyed by the Sea Eagles in their next match.
“They are very inconsistent,” Bryan Fletcher continued.
“Last week they had their back-rower who were flying and this week there was none of that. That’s the strength of their side.”
‘We didn’t play hard enough’ | 04:13
TEDESCO STAMPING IRRESISTIBLE CASE FOR BLUES RECALL
Somehow, James Tedesco is playing even better than his Dally M season last year.
That is the opinion of Bryan Fletcher, who said he hasn’t seen the Roosters fullback in better form as he pushes for a State of Origin recall.
One of the toughest calls for Blues coach Laurie Daley is who will wear the NSW No.1 jersey between James Tedesco and Dylan Edwards.
Edwards has been in scintillating form for the top of the table Panthers in 2026, but he was down on form last year and NSW lost the series.
Tedesco has been equally on fire for the Roosters who moved to joint competition leaders with their win over the Titans.
In the 28-12 win over the Titans, Tedesco was the difference with 227 run metres, five tackle busts, three offloads, a linebreak, a linebreak assist, a try assist and a classy double.
Tedesco was in with a chance to earn a Kangaroos recall last year, before he pulled out of contention due to his brother’s wedding and Edwards and Reece Walsh toured with the Kangaroos, with the latter winning the No.1 jersey.
However, Tedesco won the Dally M Medal and is on track to win a third for his career in 2026, so a Blues jersey would be a deserved reward.
Clear obstruction? Titans fans look away | 00:32
“He was great again for the Roosters,” Braith Anasta said.
“The Roosters halves were actually quiet tonight and Robson and Tedesco were the standouts by a long way and they got it done.”
Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters feels Tedesco is in equally hot form to last year and maybe even playing better than his Dally M Medal winning form in 2025.
“He is a very good player and in great touch,” Walters said.
“He looked very confident and knows his role and what he was trying to achieve at Gosford and he certainly did that.
“He has been so good for the Roosters and we said how good they were last year, but I think he is going there again into that space and the NSW selectors will be taking notice.”
James TedescoSource: The Daily Telegraph
Former Blues hooker Michael Ennis said it would be a tough call to drop Edwards, but that Tedesco’s career best form is putting pressure on Daley to recall him for the first time since game one 2024.
“It is hard to unseat Dylan Edwards because he hasn’t done anything to get himself out of the team and he is playing great for Penrith,” Ennis said.
“I think Tedesco is playing as well as he ever has in his career. He is having an impact on every game and statistically he is the form player of the competition. There’s no denying that.
“Latrell Mitchell has been great and it’s a shame he is out with that back injury, but Tedesco is the form player in the competition.”
The Roosters play the Cowboys and the Panthers play the Dragons in Magic Round, with both Tedesco and Edwards having a chance to pile on the points against two of the worst defensive sides in the league.
Robbo praises Titans improvement | 05:13
BUT DON’T FORGET ABOUT DYLAN EDWARDS SAYS IVAN CLEARY
Panthers’ coach Ivan Cleary launched an impassioned plea to NSW State of Origin selectors to stick with fullback Dylan Edwards for the May 27 opener despite the growing chorus for Laurie Daley to bring back James Tedesco.
Edwards put in another typically strong performance in Penrith’s impressive 30-18 win over Canberra on Sunday afternoon, leading both Ivan and Nathan Cleary to back their number one.
“I thought Dyl was outstanding today, the amount of times when the ball’s in play, the fullback’s under pressure a lot and he just never flinched once, come up with some huge plays, like just ran the ball all day,” Ivan Cleary said.
“You know what, if we’re talking about taking Dylan Edwards out of the Origin team you must be going well, I’ll just say that.
“I might add, I said this a couple weeks ago, Teddy is playing incredible footy, but he always has, but there was a decision made for Dyl to come in, in place of him, and since then, he hasn’t done much wrong.
“He’s part of the team that won the series in ’24, had a great series last year.
Dylan Edwards impressed for the Panthers. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
“He came off the back of shoulder surgery, and I probably pushed him too early, and he struggled a bit. Still, you wouldn’t say that series was lost because of him and he still ended up playing in a prelim (final) as a huge part of our team and made the Australian team that year.
“He’s just prepared like he probably has years ago and he’s been killing it. He’s been one of our best three players every week where he’s in a team that wins games.
“He presides over the best defensive team five of the last six years. Same again this year. So that’s probably something you wouldn’t notice.
“He’s a great leader Dyl, like it’s a good problem, but, yeah, Dylan is in incredible form, and I’ve seen him play at his best and he’s pretty close to it, for sure.”
Penrith co-captain Nathan Cleary agreed with his father.
“Dyl’s just so super reliable and every week I get to take the field with him I’ve got no doubt that he’s going to put in a great performance,” the star half said.
“And, you know, just works so hard as well and he’s always putting the team first and he’s just a great teammate and a great player, so we’re very lucky to have him in our team.”
Cleary reflects on tight Panthers win | 07:49
THE ‘LEFT-FIELD’ OPTION SLATER COULD TURN TO AFTER BIG QLD BLOW
While the majority of the State of Origin selection conjecture has surrounded what the Blues do with their backline, suddenly Queensland coach Billy Slater has a big decision to make.
Halfback Tom Dearden would have been one of the first players picked for the team but will now miss at least the series opener after injuring his ankle in North Queensland’s loss to Parramatta.
It leaves the Maroons needing to find a replacement and fortunately they aren’t short of options, with foxsports.com.au providing a full breakdown of who Slater could turn to.
While Daly Cherry-Evans or Roosters teammate Sam Walker would be a logical replacement, former Maroons coach Kevin Walters floated Kalyn Ponga as a “left-field” option.
“Kalyn made his debut when I was coaching Queensland as a number 14. He came on and played through the middle and he did quite well,” Walters said on Fox League.
“He nearly turned the game in Queensland’s favour. I think he could handle playing in the halves. The only dilemma there would be defending in the line.”
Tom Dearden went down injured. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Slater, like Blues coach Laurie Daley, had been facing a headache as to who lines up at fullback with both Ponga and Brisbane’s Reece Walsh in strong form to open 2026.
Moving Ponga to five-eighth would be one way to solve that problem and while it may leave the Maroons vulnerable in defence, Slater could be creative in the way he uses both fullbacks in attacking territory.
Of course, if Slater wanted a more like-for-like option it would make sense to select either Cherry-Evans, Walker or even Ben Hunt.
“Walker is obviously in some fine form. I know he’s been in and around camp for the last few years. There’s also DCE who has played 26-odd games for Queensland,” former Roosters front rower Jared Waerea-Hargreaves said.
Manly’s Jamal Fogarty is another contender, albeit has been sidelined for the past fortnight with a groin injury while Braydon Trindall and Tanah Boyd have also enjoyed good stretches of football this year.
It would obviously be a dream scenario if Slater could partner Cameron Munster with Melbourne halfback Jahrome Hughes, even if the Storm have been in poor form to start 2026.
However, Hughes already ruled himself out of representing Queensland earlier in the year, explaining that he lacks the passion for the state.
“It doesn’t matter if I’m eligible or not. I would only play for a cash grab and I wouldn’t do that. I feel like Origin is such a good game or spectacle, because they are so proud,” Hughes said on the 167 Podcast at the time.
Dearden out for entire Origin series? | 00:34
WHY UPSET WIN COULD TURN PARRA’S SEASON AROUND
The Eels haven’t had much go right this season, but fans would’ve been pleased with their team’s grit and determination in Friday’s win over the Cowboys.
No team has been hit harder by injury and with several stars out, the Eels were able to record a miraculous come from behind victory against an in-form side.
Mitch Moses was key, kicking the match-winning field goal in golden point.
“We’ve been waiting for this. He’s been waiting for it,” Michael Ennis said on Moses’ performance.
The Eels are still a fair way off the pace and will need to win a glut of games in the second half of the season to make the eight, however what is clear is that when healthy, they’re good enough to pull it off.
Fox League’s Braith Anasta wondered if this win is the catalyst to turn Parra’s season around.
“It was a tough, tenacious, gritty win. Their defence has let them down for the majority of the year but this time they fought and fought. Will this turn their season around? Can they build on this?” Anasta put to the panel post-game.
“I think Ryles will be ecstatic with that win up there. Plenty of fight in this side tonight and their big players stood up,” Kevin Walters answered.
Did Josh Addo-Carr rocket into Origin contention after starring against NQL?Source: Getty Images
Former premiership-winning hooker Michael Ennis was impressed with the Eels’ attack, but still has reservations whether they can become top eight threats given their defence needs so much more work.
As of the end of Round 10, the Eels have conceded more points than any other side in the comp.
“They didn’t go away. They are so undermanned at the moment and had to rely on their experience,” Ennis said.
“Parramatta are one of the real attacking threats when they’re at full strength but their issue has been their defence. Even tonight, there were moments where they lacked concentration and it was costly at key stages of the game.
“They’re not resilient enough on defence for long enough. If Jason Ryles can turn that around, there are points in the Eels. They can score points, but they can’t stop them at the moment.”
Moses and several of the Eels’ forwards were huge against the Cowboys but so was evergreen winger Josh Addo-Carr.
The ‘Foxx’ is being floated as a potential flank option for NSW and he would have only increased his chances of earning a recall after scoring three tries and running for 140 metres against the Cowboys.
“I think Addo-Carr has put himself right in the frame for Origin jersey,” Ennis said.
“It’s not only what he brings in the 80 minutes but it’s what he brings in those short campaigns in the build up. I thought he was terrific.”
“He had a great series over in the UK. He’s scoring tries and he’s good under the high ball,” Kangaroos coach Walters added.
Wild GP ending ends in 3-pt play | 00:38
WALSH SHINES FOR MANLY TO GIVE FORAN HUGE HALVES HEADACHE
Joey Walsh was a late inclusion for the injured Jamal Fogarty for the second week in a row and he lit up Brookvale Oval in his starting home debut to announce himself as a future star for the Manly club.
Walsh showed glimpses of his promise in the 18-16 loss to the Panthers, but he backed it up with a starring display in the 32-4 win over the Broncos in front of his home fans.
The prodigious playmaker finished with 52 run metres, three tackle busts, a linebreak, a linebreak assist and a try and controlled proceedings with his kicking game, which included a brilliant 40/20.
Champion Panthers halfback Greg Alexander was full of praise for Walsh’s performance against the Broncos.
“I got to watch him play Schoolboy footy and I thought that was as good a Schoolboy footballer as I’ve ever seen,” Alexander said.
“He’s just got that bit of class. The 40/20, the try tonight, the way he catches and releases the ball, the passing, even the offloads and some of the things that didn’t work – there’s an element about Joey Walsh that will see him play first grade for a long time and I think be one of the top players in the game.”
Joey Walsh starred in his home debut for Manly.Source: Getty Images
Walsh’s performances in the last fortnight will give Manly coach Kieran Foran a welcome headache when Fogarty returns form injury, but Alexander believes that will be good for his development to play a number of roles.
“This is game two remember, I think we’ll see him develop and when Jamal’s fit he’ll come back in and Joey will sit on the bench and either come in or not and keep developing and we’ll see a pretty polished first grade footballer, I think, by the end of the year,” Alexander said.
Storm and Roosters legend Cooper Cronk asked Foran why he was confident bringing Walsh into the NRL furnace over the last couple of weeks.
“You can see he is all in on everything and you saw that tonight,” Foran replied.
“He doesn’t die wondering and that’s what we love about him.
“But it has been his toughness and his competitiveness that I have absolutely loved since coming back to the club.
“I know he has got all the skills in the world and he is very silky in the way that he sees the game and the way that he plays the game, but you just know he has got all the traits that you want to see in a young footballer.
NRL Wrap: Manly record 5th win from 6 | 03:48
“He works extremely hard on his game, he is humble, he wants to grow and he is ultra competitive, so we felt very comfortable throwing him in for Jamal over these last couple of weeks.”
Manly’s five-eighth Luke Brooks, who also burst onto the scene as a teenager at the Tigers, has also so impressed by Walsh’s confidence and skills but said it is his defence that goes underrated.
“I think he’s a freak, just the confidence he has to come in and you saw what he was doing in the first half and he just plays what he sees,” Brooks said.
“He is just a young kid with so much confidence and it is good to see him play that way and I thought his defence the last two weeks was just outstanding.
“He gets a lot of wraps for his attack, but he puts his body on the line and he had Xavier Willison running at him all night tonight and he just kept putting his body on the line, so he has got that toughness too.”
Manly now head to Magic Round to take on the Tigers looking to potentially break into the top four and on the evidence of the past fortnight, Walsh could be one of the stars of the weekend.
Taukeiaho try ends in a cruel blow | 00:28