Trials Week 2, Origin Eligibility, Signings & News, Trials Week 3 Preview (2026)

·1 hr 17 min·5 clips

Lewis Shepperd breaks down the hidden stories from NRL trial week two, including Manly's future halves and Warriors' injury crisis.

The episode opens with analysis of the remaining NRL trial matches from week two. The host reviews Manly's 33-18 win over the Warriors in New Zealand, focusing on young halves Onatoni Large and Joey Walsh as future prospects, and notes the Warriors' injury issues with players like Metcalf and Harris DeVita. He discusses the Tigers vs Roosters trial, praising Jock Madden's performance and the Tigers' emerging young talent like Javon Andrews. The Bulldogs vs Newcastle game is analyzed, with emphasis on Canterbury's strong defensive system and Newcastle's attacking struggles under new coach Holbrook. The Dragons' narrow loss to a South Sydney reserve side raises concerns about their spine's creativity. Parramatta's big win over Cronulla is covered, highlighting their pathway depth. The Indigenous vs Maori All-Stars game is reviewed, with Nicho Hynes named man of the match. The host then addresses the major news topic: changes to State of Origin eligibility rules. He argues the impact is overblown, affecting only a handful of players like Victor Radley and Adam Fanua-Blake, and could actually strengthen international football by decoupling Origin selection from tier-one national team eligibility. The episode covers signing news, including Payne Haas's deal with South Sydney, re-signings at the Tigers, and injury updates like Leo Thompson's 10-week absence. It touches on the contractual dispute involving Melbourne and a player. The host previews trial week three lineups in detail, noting different approaches by clubs like Cronulla naming a full-strength side versus Canberra resting stars. He concludes with betting tips for the trial games and announces an upcoming full season preview episode.

As heard by us

A measured review of trial selection, Origin eligibility, roster pressure and the All-Stars contest before 2026.

The episode reads the trial matches cautiously, treating them as clues rather than predictions. Its main thread is team selection: Penrith leaning on development, a stronger Penrith side expected the next week, and the Raiders choosing to rest senior players despite early travel…

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Why you'd press play

You get the trial-week clues that matter before every NRL club starts the season on zero points.

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