The numbers that matter
The big winners of Round 2
Penrith Panthers and a formidable defence that has conceded only six points in two games.
There was to be no repeat of last season's early hiccup as they, for the second time running, scored 26 points and conceded single digits against a fellow finalist from 2025.
Whilst there was only one second half try, their defence didn't give Cronulla the slightest sniff of a comeback in Bathurst, with a performance that their former coach Matthew Elliott described as "mind blowing".
Penrith's Round 2 performance was a significant improvement - a much more polished one - on Round 1's 26-0 shutout of premiers Brisbane, and the scariest part is they're expected to get only stronger from here.
Panthers star Nathan Cleary suggested after the match that he was only at "70 per cent" of his best, whilst the team will also be strengthened on paper by the likely availability of Liam Henry and Liam Martin for Round 3.
The big losers of Round 2
The Newcastle Knights... the team in fourth place with an unbeaten record?! Not because of the on-field results, but the immense injury fallout from the weekend just gone.
Sure, it has been a wonderful start to the season for the Knights.
They went to Vegas a fortnight ago as 2.5 point outsiders only to come flying out of the blocks at the beginning of both halves and put North Queensland away by ten points.
The early signs were promising, but the result wasn't anything to get especially excited about, particularly with a much tougher task to immediately follow - or so we expected.
The damage had been done by the Newcastle spine when they raced out to a 30-10 lead and then had to make do without Kalyn Ponga and Dylan Brown - their two best players by a long way - and the prognosis for both men could be season-defining.
Last year's wooden spooners lost $2.7m of their salary cap in one hour with Ponga set to face a two-month absence and Brown likely to be out for at least four weeks with a left knee injury. They can thank their lucky stars that five-eighth Fletcher Sharpe is tracking to return in Round 3, but the bulk of their newfound attacking prowess, built around new recruit Brown, is gone for the foreseeable future.
It was fantastic to see them scoring tries again, but there's a great danger it won't last for long.
The naughty boys
• Brad Schneider (Dolphins) - Grade 1 Dangerous Throw, $2500 or 2 matches (yet to enter plea)
• Moeaki Fotuaika (Titans) - Grade 1 Careless High Tackle, $1000 or $1500 (yet to enter plea)
• Jesse Ramien (Sharks) - Grade 1 Shoulder Charge, $1500
• Lindsay Collins (Roosters) - Grade 1 Shoulder Charge, $1500
• Siua Wong (Roosters) - Grade 1 Shoulder Charge, $1500
• Heilum Luki (Cowboys) - Grade 1 Careless High Tackle, $1000
• Emre Guler (Dragons) - Grade 1 Careless High Tackle, $1000
• David Fifita (Rabbitohs) - Grade 1 Careless High Tackle, $1000
• Api Koroisau (Wests Tigers) - Grade 1 Dangerous Contact, $1000
• Reuben Garrick (Sea Eagles) - Grade 1 Dangerous Contact, $1000
Ken Irvine Medal race
The weekend belonged to storm fullback Sualauvi Faalogo, who added a hat-trick to his double from Round 1 to become the first player to collect five tries in 2026. It was his maiden first-grade hat-trick and the only one of the weekend.
It's only fitting that new record holder Alex Johnston was one of the 12 players who registered a double at the weekend.
Try of the Week
Next weekend's fixtures
