Round 22 of the 2026 NRL season saw many highlights and lowlights, headlined by the Brisbane Broncos officially being eliminated from making the 2026 finals series.
BRONCOS UNABLE TO GO BACK-TO-BACK
The Brisbane Broncos are officially unable to make it back-to-back premierships as their latest loss against the Newcastle Knights means that it is no longer mathematically possible for them to reach the 2026 NRL Finals series.
The first time since the Wests Tigers in 2006 to miss the finals in the season after winning the premiership, the Broncos conceded 30 points (30-6) to the Knights as the away side ran rampant over the Red Hill-based outfit at Suncorp Stadium.
“It is tough because we’ve got a real high regard about how these boys go about things. You can’t fault how they try,” Broncos coach Michael Maguire said post-match.
“Unfortunately, at the moment we’re not getting things going our way, so I feel for everyone that’s going through it at the moment.
“But they’re a group that support each other and that’s what it’s about now.
“We’ve got to make sure that we look after each other through this period.”
ROOSTERS CREATE HISTORY
The Sydney Roosters absolutely slaughtered the North Queensland Cowboys last round as they put together 82 points – the third-most in history and the most by any team since 1935 – against their opponents in Townsville.
The extraordinary 70-point margin (82-12) was also the Cowboys’ biggest defeat in their club history, and Tricolours halfback Sam Walker was able to notch up a personal haul of 36 points – the most by any Roosters player since Dave Brown in 1935.
“That’s absolutely unacceptable. And as a coach for this club, it’s one of our darkest days, if not the darkest day, and I’d like to apologise to our members and fans that turned up here today and those that watched it at home,” Cowboys coach Todd Payten said.
“The game was out of reach after 20 minutes.”
BULLDOGS ON VERGE OF MAKING FINALS
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are on the verge of reaching the 2026 NRL Finals after a terrible and inconsistent start to this year’s campaign.
Near the bottom of the ladder for the majority of this season, they have been able to turn things around over the past couple of months and moved to 8th on the NRL ladder after defeating the Melbourne Storm.