Round 20 of the 2026 NRL season saw many highlights and lowlights, headlined by the Brisbane Broncos ending their losing streak.
BRONCOS END LOSING STREAK
After losing eight consecutive matches, the Brisbane Broncos have ended their losing streak and kept their finals hopes alive with a gutsy victory over the first-place Penrith Panthers away from home.
Scoring a try inside the opening five minutes through Jordan Riki, the Broncos looked the better side throughout the entirety of the clash and managed to take the lead in the 68th minute when Josiah Karapani crossed for a try in the corner.
In arguably his best performance of the season, superstar fullback Reece Walsh had three try assists and took over the chief playmaking role while the halves’ combination of Ezra Mam and Adam Reynolds took a backward seat.
TIGERS DOWNFALL CONTINUES
The start of the season looked so promising for the Wests Tigers and it looked as if they were going to make the NRL Finals series for the first time in 15 years with the spine of Jahream Bula, Jarome Luai, Adam Doueihi and Apisai Koroisau finding their best on the field.
However, that early-season dominance has completely disappeared, with the joint venture succumbing to its fourth straight loss over the weekend to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
Letting in a try in the opening minute of the contest to winger Jethro Rinakama, the Tigers let in four more as they conceded a whopping 32 points at Accor Stadium and failed to find their footing in attack with zero points.
INJURIES GALORE IN HORROR WEEKEND
Last weekend may have had many highlights on the field but the round was unfortunately marred by injuries to three of the game’s elite rugby league superstars.
On Friday night, Melbourne Storm winger Will Wabrick ruptured his Achilles in a non-contact motion in what will be his last match at the Victorian-based side – he will join the New Zealand Warriors for next season.
Less than 24 hours later, Canberra Raiders star back-rower Hudson Young sustained the same injury. The ruptured Achilles will not only rule him out for the remainder of this year’s campaign but also for the upcoming Rugby League World Cup at the end of the year.
Elsewhere, Manly Sea Eagles fullback Tom Trbojevic suffered yet another hamstring injury. While it was originally a minor strain, there are fears he will be ruled out for the remainder of the season.