Madge’s fresh headache in Broncos star’s pointed claim; Roosters’ shock shake-up looms — NRL Talking Points

The Broncos may not be in the finals race — but Michael Maguire’s veteran playmaker still has everything to play for.

Meanwhile, the Roosters are bracing for life without Sam Walker as they enter what shapes as a crucial finals series.

Read below for all the biggest talking points ahead of Round 27!

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WHY BRONCOS’ DEAD-RUBBER MEANS MORE THAN JUST PRIDE

Canterbury Bulldogs vs Brisbane Broncos, Thursday 7:50pm @ Allianz Stadium

The Broncos can’t make finals, but there’s still everything to play for.

Especially if your name is Ben Hunt, with the veteran set to run out in the No.7 jersey in a huge audition under Michael Maguire.

A three-way battle is set to take place ahead of the 2027 season for Brisbane’s coveted halfback spot — and Hunt will be desperate to put his best foot forward against the Bulldogs on Thursday night.

Come March next year, Hunt will be 37-years-old and competing with two players more than a decade his junior on Tom Duffy and recruit Jonah Pezet.

Duffy shown glimpses of promise this season and was handed a fresh contract until the end of 2028 in June, while Hunt himself signed on for a further season.

That decision was met with heavy scrutiny, but speaking to Code Sports, Hunt has declared he is gunning to wear the No.7 next season.

“I’m a competitor and I’ve always made it clear the No.7 is my favourite jersey,” he said.

“If the coaches decide that that’s not to be, then that’s not to be.

“But I’ll still fight hard every week to get in there and play that position because that’s what I love.

“That’s where I want to play next year.”

Take note Duffy and Pezet.

Pezet in particular, given he has been signed on a three-year deal after his unsuccessful pit stop at the Eels during the 2026 season.

The 23-year-old was signed to be the heir to Adam Reynolds’ throne, with Brisbane bosses hopeful time in the Eels’ starting side would assist in his develop.

By the time he landed at Red Hill, Maguire was hopeful he would be welcoming a ready-made halfback capable of steering his side around the park.

But instead, Pezet has battled injuries and has been unable to unseat Ronald Volkman in Parramatta’s spine, limiting him to only seven NRL appearances.

There’s no doubting Pezet’s quality and he proved he has what it takes to deliver in first grade with a crowning display to down the Bulldogs in the Storm’s 2025 qualifying final victory.

However, he is far from the finished product and will now have a genuine fight on his hands to start the year in the run-on side in 2027, given Ezra Mam will likely be a lock in the No.6 jersey.

Duffy, meanwhile, shapes as the wildcard option given his strong displays under Maguire this year and is also well and truly in the running to start at halfback.

However, Hunt will be buoyed by an opportunity to further etch himself in the rugby league history books, surpassing Cooper Cronk’s 372 games on Thursday to sit in third on the all-time appearance leaderboard.

After this round, Daly Cherry-Evans will be on 376, three more than Hunt. However, he will depart for the Super League once the Roosters’ campaign comes to an end.

Hunt could easily leapfrog him to go to outright second behind Cameron Smith, who notched up a staggering 430 games.

WHY DOLPHINS DOUBTS NEED TO FADE

Dolphins v Gold Coast Titans, Friday 6pm @ Suncorp Stadium

If there were any doubts over whether the Dolphins were the real deal this season, they put those to bed after locking up a top four spot with an outstanding road win over the Roosters.

Defensively, it was their best effort of the season, holding a potent Roosters attack to just two tries.

“They were so impressive. It was their most complete performance from this season,” Braith Anasta said on NRL360.

“This was the game that made be believe they’re legit,” journalist Brent Read added.

Their attack has never been questioned, but this season, their defence needed to improve.

It has sharply.

In 2023, 2024 and 2025, the Dolphins conceded at least 24 points a game. That figure is down to just 21.5 this season.

For NRL legend Cooper Cronk, what the Dolphins were able to show off against the Roosters convinced him that the expansion side is a legitimate premiership threat in just their fourth season.

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In particular, Cronk loved what he saw from the Dolphins’ middle forwards Max Plath, Tom Gilbert, Tom Flegler and Kurt Donoghoe.

“The question mark was whether their pack and middle defence was able to stop a powerful forward pack like the Roosters. Well, the answer is yes,” Cronk said on Matty & Cronk.

”The Dolphins are deadset premiership threats now.”

However, Cronk still has one lingering concern.

While the Dolphins deservedly earned the double chance in the finals, the lack of experience at the business end of the season compared to the Panthers, Warriors and Roosters could find them out as the premiership winning halfback explains.

“One of the things about the Dolphins is, I don’t believe in the theory that you have to lose one to win one, right? But they’re gonna play finals for the first time, and going to have to travel to Sydney at some stage maybe and the intensity of getting your best game on a big stage,” he said.

“You’re gonna walk up against either you know Penrith who have been there a thousand times as well or Fisher-Harris and the Warriors. The Roosters are finals hardened over a period of time.

“The Dolphins are gonna have to do something that that club’s never done before.

“Most of their players outside of Felise Kaufusi and maybe a couple of others who were at the Broncos at different stages, haven’t had a lot of finals experience.”

ROOSTERS’ STYLE SHAKE-UP LOOMS AFTER WALKER BLOW

South Sydney Rabbitohs v Sydney Roosters, Friday 8pm @ Allianz Stadium

Will the Roosters be forced to play a different style of football in the finals without Sam Walker?

It seems likely given Walker isn’t the type of player that can be replicated.

Veteran Daly Cherry-Evans certainly isn’t at the point in his career where he’ll change the way he plays while his expected halves partner Hugo Savala is still learning his trade.

Former premiership-winning halfback for the Roosters, Cooper Cronk, expects his former club to construct more shape plays in the finals.

He spoke on the Matty & Cronk podcast about how he expects Trent Robinson’s side to attack differently without their No. 1 halfback.

“Sam’s got this ability to be more effective in the red zone than most other halves given his short kicking game, so you imagine Cherry-Evans steps in, or Savala steps in, and maybe they come a little bit more structured. Maybe they come in with a bit of a set play mentality for tackles one or two, three, and then play off the back of that,” Cronk said.

“Sam Walker’s effectiveness is his unpredictability, right? So maybe the Roosters narrow that down a bit and start doing a little bit of sequence play to get the best out of Savala and Cherry-Evans.”

It’s probably something their rivals will welcome, especially bogey team Penrith, whose defence is so good at handling structure.

Walker’s off-the-cuff style isn’t something that can be trained to handle.

Mitch Moses joined the podcast to discuss the Roosters’ halves issues.

The State of Origin half says the team can still be a huge attacking threat with 24-year-old half Savala, who has played just 40 NRL games.

He said Savala will add a new dimension to the side’s attack and his boot can’t be underestimated.

“I think having Savala there is not a bad thing,” Moses declared.

“I think he brings his back rowers onto the ball really well. He creates for his fullback in Teddy (James Tedesco). He has got a long kicking game, and I think in finals games, in those tight games, you need to be able to kick long, hold the ball, and really use your defence as a mechanism.”

“If he can just simplify his game and allow the strike outside (to play) and really narrow his footy down, they’ll go a long way.”

Historically it’s been near-impossible for teams to win a premiership without their first-choice halfback, but Cronk said the Roosters had enough strike across the park to worry teams in tight games.

”They are individually as talented as any other list in the competition. Naufahu Whyte is a wrecking ball, Tedesco can break open anything. Mark Nawaqanitawase, well every time he touches the ball, something will happen,” Cronk said.

The Roosters have drifted to $9 to win the title following Walker’s season-ending ankle injury.

ARE THE COWBOYS GENUINE TITLE CONTENDERS?

NQ Cowboys v Canberra Raiders, Saturday 5:30pm @ QLD Country Bank Stadium

Are the Cowboys genuine title contenders, or they just making up the numbers?

North Queensland booked their postseason ticket with a win over the Tigers last weekend depending on results in Round 27, will finish either seventh or eighth.

They were neither impressive or bad against the Tigers, but it was hardly the performance that had the other seven finals bound teams shaking in their boots.

History would suggest that they’re up against it to win given their position on the ladder outside the top four, but what they may draw upon inside their four walls is that they’re the last club to make the grand final from 8th (2017).

2026 has mostly been decent season from the Cowboys but there has been plenty of indifference.

There have been some highlights, including wins over the Roosters, Panthers and two victories over Brisbane but there has also been a 70-point thrashing from the Chooks while also losing to Parramatta twice.

“Their gap between their best and their worst is so far,” Fox League’s Cooper Cronk said.

“To get beaten by the Roosters a couple of weeks back by 70 and then to have some games like how they beat the Broncos at home when Todd Payten came out and said they hated Brisbane.

“That statement put some fire in their belly and they played outstanding then they get thrashed by the Roosters five days later.”

While they are hard to gauge, Eels star Mitch Moses gave some insight into why the Cowboys can be a ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ type side.

Moses also revealed who he thinks could be the Cowboys’ danger men heading into the finals series.

“They’re a very aggressive team. They want to be aggressive all the time and we tried to break them down as much as possible,” he said.

“They like to force errors with their defence but that can also hurt them as well.

“Also, I think Tommy Dearden coming in the other night was huge. It was his first week back for a while (on the sideline), and he probably didn’t look at 100%, but he’ll be better for that run.

“When he’s playing on the front foot Tommy, he’s one of the hardest people to stop

“Tom Dearden makes them a ten point, 12 point better team,” Cronk added.

WHY SHARKS’ SLIDE IS ‘HARD TO BELIEVE’

Cronulla Sharks v Melbourne Storm, Saturday 7:35pm @ Ocean Protect Stadium

The downfall of the Sharks has come as a great surprise to many in the game given the position they were in a month ago.

They were on a five-match winning streak and had by far the softest draw for the run home, having no top eight teams to play before the finals.

Basically, there were no excuses for the Sharks not to finish in the top four and give the minor premiership a shake.

But three losses in four games have dashed their top four hopes.

They’ve wasted a golden opportunity which no doubt has left many stunned.

”It’s just it’s hard to believe that a team that goes on such a great winning run and who’s playing such good football, suddenly has a loss and loses focus on all the things that got them there, although I understand there’s no Trindall,” Matty Johns told Cooper Cronk in their weekly podcast on Monday.

Johns highlighted the loss of Braydon Trindall.

Now, while he wears the No. 6 jersey, in reality he’s the team’s halfback and organiser.

So, it’s only natural that the Sharks will be weakened without their main man.

But it’s still no excuses to lose to the bottom teams. Even their one win in the past month against the struggling Titans was a poor performance that they were lucky to get away with.

Cronk said last Sunday’s performance against the Eels showed that the Sharks weren’t there, mentally.

“In the last five weeks, and particularly the performance against the Eels, there were moments that says that the Sharks aren’t dialled in,” Cronk said.

“In the first set, (Kitione) Kautoga runs straight through Nicho Hines. Now, as a halfback, you’ve probably got to make your first tackle and then worry about everything after that.

“They get to halftime and they’re not playing well. Fitzgibbon gets them in the sheds and then (Oregon) Kaufusi, with the first hit up off the kick-off, tries to offload it out the back.

Cronk also said the Sharks need to find some steel ahead of the finals where teams likes the Panthers, Warriors and Roosters will test their toughness in tight matches.

“We know Fitzy, he’s a tough dude. He wants toughness first and then wants the finesse to come after that. I don’t think they’re going about their game at the moment with toughness, and they’re just not willing to roll up the sleeves,” Cronk said.

“When Nicho Hynes is playing well, he’s playing north-south but at the moment, he’s finessing the ball east-west.

“Trindall being out is a big part so if I’m Fitzy, I’m trying to get a lot more out of Fonua-Blake and the starting front rowers and Brailey needs to become the focal point of their attack while Trindall’s out and Nicho can (chime in) on the back of that.”

EELS GUN’S FINAL 2027 AUDITION

St George Illawarra Dragons vs Parramatta Eels, Sunday 2:00pm @ WIN Stadium

Jarome Luai arrives at the Eels in 2027.

It was clear at the time the premiership-winning No.6 would slot straight into the halves alongside Mitchell Moses. But is that spine now a certainty?

Doubts have been cast over that halves pairing due to the rise of five-eighth Ronald Volkman, who has been impressive throughout Parramatta’s poor 2026 campaign.

So much so, the Eels handed him a two-year contract extension in the lead-up to their Round 27 clash against the Dragons, with Volkman starring in their win over the Sharks.

Luai has struggled for form during a turbulent campaign in Tiger Town, overshadowed by the club’s decision to let him walk early after signing a contract with the PNG Chiefs in 2028.

“They will be banking on Mitchell Moses and that combination bringing out the best in Jarome,” The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio said on NRL360.

“(But) he has gone backwards this season. Calling it as you see it, he has gone backwards. Defensively, and whether it’s a combination of trying to appease so many different parties here.”

Volkman, meanwhile, is playing career-best football.

While there’s no denying Luai has experience on his side, having won multiple premierships before making his move to the Tigers, Volkman is mounting a strong case to be given first crack in Parramatta’s spine next season.

Riccio was also asked if he believed the Eels “regret” signing Luai, with his new xlub set to pay $700,000 of his mammoth $1.2 million contract for a single season.

“I wouldn’t say regret,” Riccio said.

“But I reckon this guy (Volkman) should have first crack. Why not?”

Luai and Moses have also previously worked together as a halves pairing, having played a monumental role in the Blues’ 2024 Origin series victory.

Moses being a dominant kicker could unlock the best of Luai’s game — his freewheeling, ‘eyes up’ nature that saw him become a genuine attacking threat at the Panthers.

That’s exactly the type of football Volkman has been playing to close out the 2026 season, scoring tries in his last four appearances with sidestepping runs.

There’s an argument to say Volkman is laying the groundwork for Moses to become attuned to his new halves partner’s style of play next season.

And league legend Gorden Tallis poured cold water on leaving Luai out of Parramatta’s starting side come Round 1 next year.

“Parramatta have missed so many big fish, they have thrown a lot of burley out there and they haven’t got a big fish,” Tallis said.

“They got this scalp, but at the moment you feel for that young kid. But it’s only the way he has played in the last month.

“If he played like that 10 weeks ago, it would have been a different decision by Parramatta.”

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