It’s the big bully question that has dominated the build up to the State of Origin opener.

NRL star Jarrod Wallace has called police in after he came under heavy fire on social media on Sunday after a contentious caption on a post.

State of Origin starts tonight and already there’s been plenty of drama.

NSWRL have reportedly rejected the NRL’s request for the controversial navy jersey to be scrapped ahead of the series opener in Adelaide.

Kalyn Ponga copped three head knocks but he bounced out of them to steer the Knights to a 28-18 victory over the Sea Eagles on Sunday night.

Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold has expressed his disappointment with Tolu Koula’s match-defining sin bin for a hit on Knights gun Kalyn Ponga.

A former Queensland player has called Reece Walsh “ahead” of Billy Slater at the same point in his career and backed him to become an all-time great.

Knights coach Adam O’Brien has explained his decision to bench Lachie Miller and move Kalyn Ponga back into the No.1 jersey.

The Eels have held off a spirited Cowboys side with a Mitchell Moses try in the final two minutes sealing a 24-16 win.

Origin is back.

Rabbitohs gun Damien Cook has declared his Origin career isn’t over after he was brutally snubbed by NSW coach Brad Fittler.

The Eels may sit just one spot higher than the Cowboys but head into Friday’s clash at CommBank Stadium as overwhelming favourites.

English international John Bateman knew just how good Hudson Young was going to be after spending two seasons with him at the Raiders.

Two Queensland legends have weighed in on the loyalty debate after Billy Slater’s selection calls, while pundits have lauded the resurgence of Daly Cherry-Evans’ Origin career.

Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould has renewed his attack on the NRL’s Bunker following a series of controversial refereeing decisions in Round 12.

Brisbane Broncos superstar Patrick Carrigan revealed he briefly thought about what life would be like away from Red Hill, but the decision to sign until 2028 was ultimately “pretty easy.”

The NSW enforcer who previously declared his love for Queensland has set the record straight with Tevita Pangai Jnr telling Fox League: “I was young and dumb. It was an immature comment to make. I’ve spoken to Freddy about it a couple of times in the last few years.

Chanel Harris-Tavita will return to the New Zealand Warriors in 2024, penning a two-year deal that will keep him at the club until the end of 2025.

Does the NRL know what a hip-drop tackle is anymore?

Billy Slater has revealed “the really tough phone calls” that came with dropping four players — including superstar fullback Kalyn Ponga — after his new-look team for Game 1 was revealed.

Brad Fittler has confirmed his NSW squad for the Origin series opener, handing reigning Dally M Medalist Nicho Hynes an Origin debut off the bench with Jarome Luai to start in the much-debated No.6 jersey alongside Panthers teammate Nathan Cleary.

Nicho Hynes is poised to make his long-awaited State of Origin debut for NSW, with the Sharks superstar and reigning Dally M medallist expected to come off the bench for the Blues in the series opener.

THE Sydney Roosters have told assistant coach Jason Ryles his tenure at the Tricolours is finished at the end of this season after the way the St George Illawarra negotiations have played out.

Joe Ofahengaue’s mid-season switch from the Tigers to the Eels has been blocked after his current club informed him his services were needed in Round 12.

All eyes were on the Dragons after Anthony Griffin’s midweek sacking and they responded with a 24-22 win over the Roosters in the final 20 seconds of the game.

Parramatta have extended the contract of Mitch Moses until the end of 2026 with an option for a further two years.

Billy Slater is only days away from announcing his Maroons squad for one of the most anticipated Origin series in rugby league history.

THE Sydney Roosters have told assistant coach Jason Ryles his tenure at the Tricolours is finished at the end of this season after the way the St George Illawarra negotiations have played out.

Eels captain Clint Gutherson has thrown his support behind Jakob Arthur after post-match abuse from fans reportedly prompted a heartbreaking comment from the young Parramatta half.

THE circus that is St George Illawarra didn’t disappoint when the Red V powerbrokers finally ended the tumultuous tenure of axed coach Anthony Griffin.

Footy fans will find out in the “next couple of weeks” whether or not the 2024 season will kick-off in Las Vegas, with NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo confident the game has learnt from previous experiences, when potential games in America have fallen through.

Another ripping round of rugby league with so many talking points from South Sydney asserting their premiership credentials, the Sydney Roosters falling off the cliff and grand finalists Parramatta now in genuine danger of missing the top eight.

A rugby league legend has had his say on the Nicho Hynes/Jarome Luai selection battle while a Maroons stalwart has endorsed his club teammate for a QLD jersey in Game I.

NRL football boss Graham Annesley has made a startling admission on the process of the Bunker on the back of a week to forget for the league’s officials.

Raiders firebrand Corey Horsburgh was sin binned for punching Eels’ Ryan Matterson in the first half of the Canberra-Parramatta clash.

Confusion crept into Saturday night’s Raiders-Eels clash with Parramatta centre Bailey Simonsson not punished for a potential hip drop tackle by a sin bin.

A Kalyn Ponga clinic has steered the Newcastle Knights to a 46-26 win over the Gold Coast Titans in an entertaining clash at McDonald Jones Stadium.

The Raiders have beaten the Eels 26-18 for their fifth straight victory thanks to a masterclass from Hudson Young at GIO Stadium.

The Dragons weren’t able to deliver for Ben Hunt in his 300th NRL game, outplayed by the Cowboys to drop their sixth straight in a 42-22 loss at QLD Country Bank Stadium.

The Rabbitohs are on top of the NRL ladder for the first time in four years following a gritty 20-0 win against a determined Wests Tigers outfit on Saturday afternoon.

Corey Horsburgh and Ryan Matterson sparked an all-in melee, which resulted in the Canberra star being sin-binned as the Eels lead the Raiders 8-2 in their clash at GIO Stadium.

The Dragons weren’t able to deliver for Ben Hunt in his 300th NRL game, outplayed by the Cowboys to drop their sixth straight in a 42-22 loss at QLD Country Bank Stadium.

WHAT was the Dragons response to the Red V slipping to a fifth straight close loss in Magic Round?

The Brisbane Broncos face a major fight to keep Payne Haas from the clutches of rugby union after Rugby Australia boss Hamish McClennan vowed they will “pay more” to secure his services.

The Storm have extended their winning streak to 13 straight against the Broncos who lost Adam Reynolds and copped three sin bins in Melbourne on Thursday night.

Jailed former NRL player Manese Fainu will reportedly appeal his sentence after he was found guilty of stabbing a youth leader outside a Mormon church dance.

A fuming Jack Bird has taken aim at a veteran rugby league reporter amid reports he wants out of the struggling club.

The Roosters could show one star the door and welcome another home in the coming months.

The manager of Dragons star Ben Hunt has steadfastly denied his client is looking for an out of his contract with St George-Illawarra.

The Titans have announced 19-year-old Keano Kini will make his NRL debut against the Eels.

NRL supercoach Wayne Bennett will notch his 900th game in charge this weekend at Magic Round. Just don’t ask him about his career.