Brisbane Broncos vs Parramatta Eels – Thursday night – Suncorp Stadium

Losing your first game of the season isn't ideal. Losing your first two games of the season and there's a risk your entire 2026 campaign might get the wobbles. Perhaps more so for the defending premiers, who wouldn't want to lose two games at home to start the year. Just the one line break through 80 minutes of football against the Panthers last week, and not a point scored. The same 17 get a chance to atone, with Mam moving into the starting thirteen and Hunt coming off the bench. The Eels conceded the dreaded half century last week, and history tells us you can't win the premiership if you do that (at least...it hasn't happened yet). The Eels will be without the suspended Hopgood up front, but Addo-Carr returns from injury to bolster the backline. Road trips to Melbourne and Brisbane is a tough way to start a season, but the Eels record against Brisbane in Brisbane is better than most. I've no doubt both sides will be better than last week, but the Broncos have more scope for improvement and a boisterous home crowd can give them the lift they need.

Verdict - Broncos by 4

Result - Eels 40 defeated Broncos 32

New Zealand Warriors vs Canberra Raiders – Friday night – Go Media Stadium

If Jackson Ford can keep going like he went in round one he's likely to be the most under-valued prop forward in the game. Mind you, it's not unusual for Warriors players to travel a little under the radar. Particularly in Australia, where much of what the Warriors do happens in front of less eyeballs. The Warriors, and their home crowd, were very good against the Roosters, and while consistency has always been an issue for the Warriors, I'm prepared to back them to repeat the performance. The Raiders were in and out of their game against the Sea Eagles in round one, but they have so much ability they found a way to win regardless. They'll be without Papalii on Friday night, and he's a significant out given the dominance of the Warriors props last week. This could easily be the most entertaining game of the round but, as mentioned, many of us won't get to see it. The weather looks pretty good by Auckland standards. I'm expecting a high-scoring affair with the Warriors doing just enough to get the points.

Verdict - Warriors by 2

Result - Warriors 40 defeated Raiders 6

Sydney Roosters vs South Sydney Rabbitohs – Friday night – Allianz Stadium

The Rugby League gods (plural...there are four of them) love drama. I've no doubt they'll be watching on Friday night as the two oldest rivals in the competition square off in what could be a little bit of history for the game. At some point, Alex Johnston will break the Ken Irvine record for most tries scored. It's a big deal, because this is one of those records that doesn't get broken very often. Irvine has held the record since 1969, and before that Harold Horder held the record since 1924. That's just twice in over a century...it's a big deal. To add to the drama, none of us (the NRL, the players, the coaches, the fans, the media) are quite sure how to celebrate it. The NRL insist that anyone entering the field of play before full time will be fined for doing so. And it's no small fine - $5500 is enough money for a Rabbitohs fan to purchase a private suite to a game for 12 people. Additionally, I'm not sure it's clear if we celebrate equalling the record or surpassing it. And consider this as a crazy prospect - Johnston scores in the corner after the Bunnies put it through the hands in a beautiful backline play. The crowd erupts and bursts onto the field. 20 minutes of chaos and craziness follows while security and officials try to restart the game. But what's that? The bunker official has a word in the ear of the referee. Obstruction. Try disallowed. Oh, the drama. As for the game itself, these sides often give us a game for the ages, but I'm sure the Bunnies would like Johnston to break the record against the Chooks, and no-one can get a team ready for a big game like Wayne Bennett can. 

Verdict - Rabbitohs by 7

Result - Roosters 26 defeated Rabbitohs 18

Wests Tigers vs North Queensland Cowboys – Saturday afternoon – Leichhardt Oval

We only have trial form as a guide for the Tigers at this point, but their trial form was more than promising. A daytime schedule at beautiful Leichhardt Oval should result in a bumper crowd for their first proper hitout for the year. The Cowboys are coming off a fair break from their round one loss, but they did have to travel back from Las Vegas. Note that in 2025, three of the four teams that travelled to Vegas won their round two games, so it's no excuse. There's plenty of talk that the Cowboys coach is under pressure to keep the gig and successive losses to the season will bring out the critics, particularly so if they lose badly. I don't expect that to happen, but Benji Marshall will have his squad up and about for this and I think they get the job done. 

Verdict - Tigers by 4

Result - Tigers 44 defeated Cowboys 16

St George Illawarra Dragons vs Melbourne Storm – Saturday afternoon – WIN Stadium

The Dragons were unlucky round one losers to the Bulldogs but what they did demonstrate was a resilient defence that will see them improve on season 2025. The Storm racked up a half century in round one but that seems highly unlikely here. What the Storm do have are players in key roles that can win those key moments that are often the difference between winning and losing. As for the Dragons, they lost ten games in 2025 by less than 10 points. It's great to be competitive, but they need to find a way to win those close ones. The Dragons future appears brighter, but I fear they aren't quite there yet.

Verdict - Storm by 8

Result - Storm 46 defeated Dragons 20

Penrith Panthers vs Cronulla Sharks – Saturday night – Carrington Park, Bathurst

No changes for either sides from round one, and why would they. The Panthers held the defending premiers to zero in Brisbane, while the Sharks racked up a tally against the Titans. While both wins were solid, it's reasonable to assume that a big win over the Broncos in Brisbane is stronger form than a big win over the Titans in Cronulla. Note that this game will be in Bathurst, where the Panthers don't have a terrific record. That said, the Sharks have never played at Bathurst before, and I'd rather pick a team familiar with the surroundings that a team who might get lost on the way to the ground.

EDIT: Our Bathurst expert BigPeteBX has let me know that Cronulla have played at Bathurst before. But, I believe no-one playing for the Sharks on Saturday night has played at Bathurst before. So, a first for the players but not for the team. Thanks BigPete for the nudge.

Verdict - Panthers by 8

Result - Panthers 26 defeated Sharks 6

Manly Sea Eagles vs Newcastle Knights – Sunday afternoon – 4 Pines Park

The Knights looked sharp when the well-named Fletcher Sharpe was on the paddock in their round one victory over the Cowboys. Thankfully his knee injury isn't a long-term one, because a combination of Brown, Sharpe and Ponga could be the spine the Knights have been trying to find for many a season. They did more than enough in that performance to show that they can make a game of this, but Sunday afternoon at Brookvale is when Manly shine brightest. The Sea Eagles went close against the Raiders last week, and I think that form will hold up.

Verdict - Sea Eagles by 4

Result - Knights 36 defeated Sea Eagles 16

Redcliffe Dolphins vs Gold Coast Titans – Sunday afternoon – Suncorp Stadium

Barring an unlikely draw, we are guaranteed that at least one Queensland-based team will have a win after the first two rounds of the season. I was keen on the Dolphins but the wet conditions last week didn't help. They still scored 30 points, but their defence let them down again. This was their key issue last season and they need to get it sorted and sorted fast. The return of Plath and Stone will certainly help. The Titans were poor against the Sharks but the coach hasn't panicked, naming the same seventeen. The weather forecast would suggest the Dolphins will get conditions to suit on Sunday and I'm hoping they put on a show. If ever there was a game that looked like it would deliver one of those 44 to 36 scorelines, this would be it.

Verdict - Dolphins by 8

Result - Dolphins 18 defeated Titans 14

Wally Lewis - round two selections (in bold)

Note: tips from Wally will be published on Wednesday night or Thursday morning

• BRONCOS vs Eels
• WARRIORS vs Raiders
• ROOSTERS vs Rabbitohs
• TIGERS vs Cowboys
• Dragons vs STORM
• PANTHERS vs Sharks
• SEA EAGLES vs Knights
• DOLPHINS vs Titans