Lot of luck involved in an nrl season.

Not only do injuries and suspensions to your own team affect wins and losses throughout the season, but other teams injuries and suspensions and when your team plays them. Often you will see some teams regularly playing against teams near full strength, whilst others seem to get a run of matches against teams with a long injury count plus a suspension or 2. At this stage of the season ( 10 rounds completed ) some teams have had majority of their starting spine players most weeks whereas other teams ( Eels are 1 ) have had 3 of their 4 1st choice spine players unavailable. When you consider that most clubs have a large percentage of their salary cap invested on their 1,6,7 and 9, teams missing 2 or 3 of these players struggle for consistency and wins. Usually your back up / depth players in these key positions are being paid a quarter or less than your top players in the spine.

Another thing I've been thinking about lately is the 30 man roster and if this number needs increasing? With the speed of the game increasing, fatigue injuries are becoming more often. Naming 19 players from a 30 man roster has been difficult for some clubs at this early stage of this season. It's impossible to believe that the injury lists will only get bigger as the season goes on. I believe clubs must apply to the NRL if they need to select a player or players from outside their top 30. The top 30 roster surely must be increased in coming years. I think a top 35 roster is needed moving forward. Depth quality is another concern especially with 2 new clubs entering the competition in the next 2 seasons. One of these new clubs ( Perth Bears )will produce close to zero juniors over the next decade. Hopefully the NRL doesn't rush the 20th team into the competition and they consider junior development numbers wherever they put the 20th club. Surely the south island of New Zealand is the way to go, hopefully not before 2031 or 2032.

"the u16 and u18 city vs country game is today. I am just waiting for Lorima Seuseu to turn 18. He got MOTM in the u16 game. He is a genuine freak. He played fullback today despite playing centre in HM. It meant he got way more ball. When the…"

"Gentlemen, if you continue with the cheap personal shots, Step 1 will be to delete them.
Randy, recently, I deleted one comment and edited one. For the first time in months. Both were cheap shot against you.
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"Great write-up, HOE. A lot of interesting info.
It’s unlikely the Storm will give us 18 errors like the Cowboys, so becomes even more imperative to not give away 6-agains and enter longer death zones?

Might be naive but I feel the Eels are going…"

Replies

- Sulkowicz > Michael W. May 16, 2026 at 8:00am
  
  Arrogance is his biggest downfall. He won't admit when things aren't working.
- LB > Michael W. May 16, 2026 at 12:40pm
  
  The Dogs job is a poison chalice. It is a good job as Gus can get most players you ask for. The issue is working under him would be a punish. Constantly on edge trying to impress him or he will undermine you. Griffin got sacked having him side in the top 4. Gould doesn't care, despite him crying loudly when coaches are sacked saying it's not them and we are too easy getting rid of coaches and he's done it three times prior with Cleary then Griffin then Barrett.
Slippery. May 15, 2026 at 8:55pm

Not only do injuries and suspensions to your own team affect wins and losses throughout the season, but other teams injuries and suspensions and when your team plays them. Often you will see some teams regularly playing against teams near full strength, whilst others seem to get a run of matches against teams with a long injury count plus a suspension or 2. At this stage of the season ( 10 rounds completed ) some teams have had majority of their starting spine players most weeks whereas other teams ( Eels are 1 ) have had 3 of their 4 1st choice spine players unavailable. When you consider that most clubs have a large percentage of their salary cap invested on their 1,6,7 and 9, teams missing 2 or 3 of these players struggle for consistency and wins. Usually your back up / depth players in these key positions are being paid a quarter or less than your top players in the spine.

Another thing I've been thinking about lately is the 30 man roster and if this number needs increasing? With the speed of the game increasing, fatigue injuries are becoming more often. Naming 19 players from a 30 man roster has been difficult for some clubs at this early stage of this season. It's impossible to believe that the injury lists will only get bigger as the season goes on. I believe clubs must apply to the NRL if they need to select a player or players from outside their top 30. The top 30 roster surely must be increased in coming years. I think a top 35 roster is needed moving forward. Depth quality is another concern especially with 2 new clubs entering the competition in the next 2 seasons. One of these new clubs ( Perth Bears )will produce close to zero juniors over the next decade. Hopefully the NRL doesn't rush the 20th team into the competition and they consider junior development numbers wherever they put the 20th club. Surely the south island of New Zealand is the way to go, hopefully not before 2031 or 2032.

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