Vote now – Who will win?
Should the Rabbitohs return to Allianz Stadium?
Now for the Raiders to mess it up
Matt Timoko and Xavier Savage will be hoping their families aren’t recording this match. Timoko was just beaten all ends up by Sharks centre Mawene Hiroti. Winger Savage isn’t as much to blame, but his decision to turn his back on Hiroti won’t have thrilled coach Ricky Stuart. 6-6 after 11 minutes
Shocking Sharks defence
Matt Nicholson is over for a try, but that tackling from Cronulla was poor. Nicholson broke free from four defenders to open the scoring. That’s as bad a start as Cronulla could have supplied. Raiders lead 6-0 after 7 minutes
Early error from Weekes
Kaeo Weekes’ mixed start to 2025 continues. He was unable to field a high kick and the Sharks were gifted another set of six in a great attacking position. Luckily for Weekes, the Sharks spilled the ball before being able to apply any real pressure. 0-0 after 4 minutes
Expert’s view
Here we go
The players are heading onto the field, with the Raiders in home green and the Sharks an interesting mix of black, white and blue. As a part of multi-cultural round, Raiders players are sporting the national flags of their ancestral homelands. A great sight.
Battle of the big boys
The battle between Cronulla rival front row rotations tonight should be something else. The Raiders have Joe Tapine, Josh Papalii, Morgan Smithies and Ata Mariota while Cronulla will send Addin Fonua-Blake, Oregon Kaufusi, Toby Rudolf and Tom Hazelton into the fray.
The main battle among this is Tapine v Fonua-Blake. This pair of proven performers on the Test stage are among the game’s best props. If one of these men can get a clear win over the other, their side will be on the way to victory.
Joe Tapine takes on the Cowboys in round three.Credit: Getty Images
Making his own name
Via some determined – and rapidly improving – play, Bailey Hayward is quickly becoming his own force in the NRL. His last name is one that lives on in rugby league, and not for the best of reasons.
If Bailey continues to perform with such aplomb and the Bulldogs keep winning, the questions will surely soon turn to the here and now.
Read Dan Walsh’s report on Hayward here
Bailey and Paul Hayward.Credit: Aresna Villanueva
Peter V’landys on his future
He’s probably the most powerful person in Australian sport. He runs both the NRL and Racing NSW. You guessed it – it’s Peter V’landys.
PVL was already in NSW racing’s top job. There, he has guided the industry in this state and taken on the might of the Melbourne spring carnival.
While doing that he also became the chairman of the ARL Commission. He guided the game through COVID-19 before working away at the Las Vegas venture and maximising revenue, among other things.
But now, it seems V’landys may be about to say goodbye to his time in racing.
Read Adrian Proszenko’s report here.
ARL chairman Peter V’landys.Credit: Kate Geraghty
High-tackle crackdown – will it be over the top?
After a series of puzzling decisions last weekend, most notably the non-sin-binning of Jarome Luai in the Wests Tigers’ loss to the Warriors on Sunday night, news emerged that the NRL had issued a letter to clubs saying there should have been four players sent for 10-minute breathers in round four.
So, if we’ve learned anything in the last 117 years of rugby league it’s this – expect the initial reaction to be over the top before things eventually return to normal a few weeks down the line.
If that holds true, it will be interesting to see how tonight’s match is officiated. Bulldogs second-rower Sitili Tupouniua was sanctioned for this tackle last week, so let’s see if he has company over the next four days.
