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NRL Notepad: Las Vegas Double Header
The Notepad breaks down what is important heading into the upcoming round of the 2026 NRL Season.
Jason Oliver
February 27, 2026
The Notepad is back for the 2026 NRL season.
We’re starting off in Las Vegas which, as a few teams know now, is a unique experience. It has a finals feel throughout the week, but Round 1 rust is hard to shake.
Despite it being “it’s early" season where everything discussed is quickly dismissed, we can still try to determine what might be real and what’s not.
What's on the watchlist this week?
Knights v Cowboys
Knights Halves
The Newcastle Knights have landed on Fletcher Sharpe and Dylan Brown in the halves to start the NRL season. While I don’t subscribe so much to the idea that you need an organiser and a running half to make a productive pairing, I’m curious to see how these two fit alongside each other.
Sharpe and Sandon Smith played left and right service against the Dragons in Week 1 of the Trials.
In Week 2, Smith moved over to the left for Brown to slot in on the right edge.
Newcastle will be looking for a more balanced attack to what they’ve played with in recent years. Kalyn Ponga is a wizard, and while he will still play a leading role, they need to find points without him.
 | He played a role in four tries in Round 2. He crabbed across the field in the lead-up to the first, bouncing away from the line before engaging Kodi Nikorima and finding Jack Cogger one pass wider. The 27-year-old made the right pass out the back of a block for the Knights to score the second. It’s in the third when we see Ponga at his best, and the simple block shape with two outside him on the edge where he’s most dangerous. |
I’m looking forward to seeing where Sharpe and Brown fall on the day. The trials suggest Sharpe on the left and Brown on the right, but history says they will flip.
Sharpe seems capable of attacking from anywhere. His ability to push in support and change direction at speed doesn’t favour a left or right foot. Brown, however, is lethal stepping back inside behind the ruck down a shortside on the left edge. He spent his career at the Parramatta Eels on that side of the field, and if he’s to become the long-awaited answer in the #7 jersey in Newcastle, it would make sense to have him start where he’s most comfortable.
Justin Holbrook has already mentioned the potential for change, though…
“Sandon will play plenty of halves for us during the year.
“He’s such a good footy player, like any other player he would love to be in the starting side.
“But anytime he got called on it another position (for the Roosters), he always had a good impact. Sharpy is probably a moving piece for us moving forward if need be.”
Bulldogs v Dragons
Dragons Loading Up The Long Side
The 2025 NRL season didn’t end how the Dragons wanted, but they displayed some promising signs all year. They played in a competition-high1 12 games only to find themselves on the wrong side of the result more often than not.
