The Sydney Roosters are rallying around champion five-eighth Luke Keary as the three-time premiership-winner deals with his latest fight against concussion.
After turning down the Wests Tigers, Cameron Ciraldo is reportedly closing in on a one-year extension with the Penrith Panthers, while he waits for the right opportunity to come up.
The Storm will be without Felise Kaufusi and Cameron Munster, who will be fit for the decider, while the Broncos and Blues will be boosted by Payne Haas.
The Knights are trying to keep Anthony Milford by enticing him with a multi-year extension despite the fact he has a handshake agreement with the Dolphins.
The Eels have bounced back from their humiliating Round 14 loss to deliver spirited 26-16 win over the Roosters — who have now suffered three straight losses.
The Wests Tigers are desperately chasing Penrith assistant Cameron Ciraldo to be their next head coach in the wake of Michael Maguire’s sacking. But Tigers gun Adam Doueihi has thrown up Anthony Seibold as a left-field coaching option to take the reins, questioning why he has fallen off the coaching radar.
The last-placed Gold Coast Titans slumped to an eight-straight defeat to the Cronulla Sharks on Saturday afternoon, losing 18-10 in a dismal affair as both teams failed to ignite.
Storm and Maroons backrower Felise Kaufusi has pleaded not guilty to a dangerous contact charge for an elbow to the face of Roosters five-eighth Sam Walker.
The Wests Tigers have sold a strong pitch to Penrith assistant coach Cameron Ciraldo by giving the NRL coach-in-waiting a guided tour of the club’s soon to be opened Centre of Excellence at Concord.
NSW Blues halfback Nathan Cleary has shouldered the blame for Wednesday’s agonising loss to Queensland in the State of Origin series opener, calling the six-point loss in Sydney a much-needed “kick up the backside”.
Origin isn’t truly Origin without a bit of controversy, but it came early on Wednesday night as Blues backrower Isaah Yeo was floored on the opening play.
New South Wales breathed a collective sigh of relief when the 2017 Origin series signalled the end of an era for Queensland — and the representative playing careers of legends Billy Slater, Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston.
The Wests Tigers have hit back at Phil Gould’s claim Michael Maguire’s sacking could trigger a player walkout with some officials believing the Bulldogs supermo’s comments were designed to influence a leading coaching contender.
On Monday as late as 6pm as NRL360 was about to go to air Wests Tigers director of football Tim Sheens assured Fox Sports there was no change to the Michael Maguire situation leading into round 14.
