Shane's Tipping Guide
Your weekly NRL newsletter
Round 3 — Multicultural Round — 2026⚡ This Week's Headlines
Alex Johnston scored his 213th career try to surpass Ken Irvine as the NRL's all-time leading try scorer.
Read Full Article → InjuryKalyn Ponga ruled out with a hamstring. Dylan Brown also faces a month on the sideline with a knee injury.
Read Full Article → ReturnStar hooker Reece Robson on track for his first game as a Rooster after rapid recovery from thumb surgery.
Read Full Article → ReturnWarriors co-captain Mitch Barnett in extended squad after ACL. Titans' Jayden Campbell also returns.
Read Full Article → SigningPatrick Herbert signs a two-year deal. Tigers also extend Twal and Fainu through 2029.
Read Full Article → Talking PointThe Storm's +74 differential after two rounds is frightening. Is the gap between top and bottom wider than ever?
Read Full Article →📈 Ladder After Round 2
| # | Team | W | L | Pts | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Melbourne Storm |
2 | 0 | 4 | +74 |
| 2 |  NZ Warriors |
2 | 0 | 4 | +58 |
| 3 |  Penrith Panthers |
2 | 0 | 4 | +46 |
| 4 |  Newcastle Knights |
2 | 0 | 4 | +30 |
| 5 |  Wests Tigers |
2 | 0 | 4 | +28 |
| 6 |  Canterbury Bulldogs |
2 | 0 | 4 | +1 |
| 7 |  Cronulla Sharks |
1 | 1 | 2 | +20 |
| 8 |  South Sydney Rabbitohs |
1 | 1 | 2 | +2 |
| 9 |  Dolphins |
1 | 1 | 2 | -6 |
| 10 |  Sydney Roosters |
1 | 1 | 2 | -16 |
| 11 |  Canberra Raiders |
1 | 1 | 2 | -33 |
| 12 |  Parramatta Eels |
1 | 1 | 2 | -40 |
| 13 |  Manly Sea Eagles |
0 | 2 | 0 | -21 |
| 14 |  St George Illawarra |
0 | 2 | 0 | -27 |
| 15 |  Brisbane Broncos |
0 | 2 | 0 | -34 |
| 16 |  North QLD Cowboys |
0 | 2 | 0 | -38 |
| 17 |  Gold Coast Titans |
0 | 2 | 0 | -44 |
🏈 Round 3 Tips
Raiders
Bulldogs
Tightest game of the round. Canberra's home ground at GIO Stadium tips the balance in a contest that could go either way.
Roosters
Panthers
Penrith's big-game composure gives them the edge even at Allianz. Roosters welcome Robson but Panthers' structures are a level above.
Storm
Broncos
9 straight wins at AAMI Park vs Brisbane. Broncos 0-2 and missing Adam Reynolds. Melbourne's +74 differential is terrifying.
Knights
Warriors
Ponga out 6-8 weeks reshuffles the Knights' spine. Warriors sit 2nd with a +58 differential and look balanced everywhere.
Sharks
Dolphins
8-game home winning streak. Dolphins couldn't score for 50+ minutes last week. Cronulla's fortress is no place for a team short on confidence.
Rabbitohs
Tigers
Souths have won 9 of their last 11 vs Tigers. Jamie Humphreys returns to partner Cody Walker — head-to-head record is hard to ignore.
Eels
Dragons
Dragons are 0-2 and sitting 14th. Eels have home advantage at CommBank and Fletcher Sharpe returns to steady the halves.
Cowboys
Titans
Both teams 0-2 and desperate, but Townsville in the tropics is a graveyard for visitors. Cowboys need to get their season started here.
⚡ Best Bets of the Round
Dominant home record, 9 straight vs Brisbane at AAMI Park, opposition missing their halfback. +74 differential is the best in the comp.
8-game home winning streak. Dolphins can't score — scoreless for 50+ minutes last week.
Solid home advantage at CommBank. Dragons winless and sitting 14th with a -27 differential.
Want to Win Your Tipping Comp?
Algorithm picks. Margin tips (increments of 5). Upset alerts. Deep stats on every game. The intel the family uses to dominate — locked behind one password.
Enter the Members Zone →🔥 Power Rankings
🩹 Injury Watch
Kalyn Ponga
Hamstring — 6-8 weeks
Out
Dylan Brown
Knee — ~4 weeks
Out
Adam Reynolds
Undisclosed — Round 3
Doubt
Taylan May
Shoulder injury
Out
Mitch Barnett
ACL — returning from June 2025
Fitness Test
Josh Papalii
Concussion protocols
Fitness Test