That column seems about right. I'm surprised there hasn't been a comparative look by everyone at NRL vs NRLW, given the latter has no six-agains. As much as I appreciate fast footy, it does seem some nuance has gone out of the game. Arguably, people will still embrace a slower game, but one with closer results, more variety in attack and less tries, making each try more meaningful :)

Joey Manu has been confirmed as the seventh signing for the PNG Chiefs ahead of their 2028 NRL season.

Is the number in which he has been announced a hint as to where on the field he will play?

Manu isn't a traditional #7. On paper, it's not a great fit alongside Jarome Luai. Still, they've made a few comments and hinted at the importance of this particular number in the list of signingsup until now.

Chiefs Football Manager, Michael Chammas, didn't single out a position when speaking on the signing, but alluded to the possibility of him being available to fill a few - perhaps even halfback.

"He is a world-class footballer with versatility across several positions and can change a game in a single moment with the skills he possesses."

We will need to see how the rest of the roster shapes up over the next 12 months, but at this stage, there is a chance Manu - who will be 32 in 2028 - might fill the halfback position early on.

Getting a look at Dayne Jennings in the South Sydney Rabbitohs Jersey Flegg side.

He hadn’t stood out among the rest like you might have expected until a silky in-and-away step for a flick pass to send his winger down the sideline out of yardage.

Attack isn’t going to be a problem as he advances through the grades to consistent footy at a higher level.

Via Code Sports

“Players who do not genuinely contest the ball will be considered a disruptor.

“Players who arrive early, players not having their eyes on the ball but purely on the man and players who jump through a contest and throw an arm out do not meet the standards for a genuine contest and will be penalised.”

This comes after Mark Nawaqanitawase was penalised for his 'disruptor' on Tom Jenkins. However, the rule still has holes even in the way they describe it...

What part of this isn't Nawaqanitawase contesting the ball?

He gets the contest wrong - because he was escorted off the ball - but he made a genuine attempt to play at the ball.

Like the NRL, I'm still not entirely sure what the rule is...

The St George Illawarra Dragons have a player in Lyhkan King-Togia.

He's 28 games into his NRL career, but after an inconsistent start as a young half, an extended period in reserve grade has set him up well in his return to the top side.

I covered his influence in the Try of the Week in Round 23 and he's laid on another good one for Hamish Stewart to score against the Wests Tigers in Round 24. There is a log jam in the halves for the Dragons next season, and if they can't find him regular time in first grade, somebody else will.

"I feel like physically we're saying all the right things and we know what we need to do. But it looks like we're just not able to kind of meet the physical challenge at the moment.

No excuse here—third game in 11 days and it just looks physically like we're spent at the moment. ... We got a bunch of guys just strapping themselves up to get out and play at the moment."

Josh Hannay's press conferences are always worth watching. He speaks with an honesty and level of detail we don't always get from coaches.

I initially thought he'd run a perfect fade to the outside shoulder of the centre to entice the winger, but with Keano Kini out the back and in no position to legally receive the ball, perhaps Jaylan De Groot got a bit lucky?

AJ Brimson was denied a try earlier in the season running a similar fade from centre, but the look is different...

It's something to keep an eye on in the Titans attack for the rest of the season as they continue to build towards 2027.

Some great quotes from Nicho Hynes in here.

That 2022 season, while fantastic, set the bar far, far too high. He's playing better football now than he ever has but doesn't have the same counting stats to show for it.

"There's more to the game than highlight reels.

"In 2022 I had a lot of highlight reels. I had come to the club and had some big moments and everyone looked at me as I need to set up three tries or score a couple to play the Dally M style of football I was playing.

"I've grown, I know I'm probably playing better than the Dally M year but only people look at me back then was for the try assists and the highlight reels. I'm more than a highlight reel and all I want to do is do the hard things.

"Make my tackles, run the ball and kick when I have to, just build my game off that, staying patient and being an all-round footy player. Maybe I didn't have that mindset back in 2022 and I do now.

via - NRL.com

“How can one mob get a tax exemption over everybody in the competition?

“I’ll tell you what really p’s me about it is, that we’ve had clubs lose competitions, we’ve had clubs lose points over salary cap breaches.

“That’s how strictly they (NRL) value the salary cap and it’s what has given us the game we’ve got today because each club has the same amount of money to spend.

“And all of a sudden you’ve got a team that has a different salary cap.

“It’s just not right.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it: It’s just not right. It’s not fair.’’

www.codesports.com.au