NRL: With Tom Dearden out for State of Origin due to injury, who should step up and replace him as QLD's No.7?
Magic Round is here and for the first time since its inception, Origin squads are announced the weekend of, with Laurie Daley and Billy Slater to announce their teams for Game 1 on Monday morning.
We’ve broken down the key position battles for both teams. Who could emerge from the pack this weekend and earn a spot with a stellar Magic Round performance? Watch every game of every round of the Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports |WHAT'S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit.
For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au. Usually a beacon of consistency, this season has been anything but steady for the Sharks... and it’s led to a big question that needs to be answered. DO THE SHARKS NEED A RESET OF THEIR ROSTER AMID PLAYER EXODUS? The Sharks and the Bulldogs have been two of the big disappointments so far this season after dropping from the top four to outside the top eight.
The Sharks have arguably been more frustrating because they look like legitimate title contenders one week only to drop points to teams they should beat the next. The Sharks thrashed the Tigers 52-12 in Round 9 only to be soundly beaten 36-12 by the Rabbitohs in Round 10 and now need to beat the desperate Bulldogs to keep in touch with the top four race.
Luke Keary feels the number of players coming off-contract in the one year could be a factor in taking the player’s minds off the job some weeks.
“They’ve been so close, they’ve got by Melbourne and Penrith the last two years, which a lot nearly everyone has,” Keary told“I thought they did. They’ve been disappointing and I reckon they put their hands up and admit that.
“Do I think it’s beyond them? No. I still think there’s the same thing there. They’ll have to get back on track really quickly, but it might be a case of there’s a lot of guys off contract there. ” While Keary wouldn’t put the broom throught he roster he questioned if the Sharks, who have been up for so long, need a year where they take stock and reset their roster after going so close but so far.
“They’ve already got a lot leaving. That might give them a chance just to reset for one season like the Roosters did last year.
“It doesn’t mean you have a bad year. You might have to blood some younger guys, fix some roster stuff, let go of a few guys that have done really good job for you and then crack on with it. ”Tigers v Sea Eagles, Saturday 3pm @ Suncorp StadiumAfter two heavy losses, are the Tigers able to get their once-promising season back on track?
Sitting in the top four at the end of Round 8, the Tigers have lost two straight by a combined margin of 70. They’ve been hit hard by injuries, but the style in which they’ve lost the past couple is hard to ignore. The last fortnight does have journalist Dean Ritchie worried, noting the drop in form coincided with co-captain Jarome Luai’s announcement that he’ll leave the club for the PNG Chiefs at the end of next season.
“I am worried it may have burst. Let’s go back to the Jarome Luai situation. Since he came back from PNG and signed, they’ve fallen away,” Ritchie said on NRL360.
“Let’s be fair, they’ve had a few injuries but they’ve conceded 96 points in two games.. I’m worried. I think the bubble is bursting. ”Brent Read doesn’t believe it’s all grim for the Tigers, making a point that the injuries and suspensions the club have suffered in the last month are substantial.
“My worry is that some of those injuries are long-term. Doueihi is out long-term, Fainu long-term. They’re big outs as both have been outstanding this season,” Read said. It’s been rare since their premiership win in 2005, but this season has given Tigers fans a reason to smile after three wooden spoons in the last four years.
The club have simply become used to losing and even despite the resurgence at the beginning of the season, the stench of recent years is hard to shake.
“If a side has been poor for years, they have a couple of good wins and then they go back with a couple of losses, demons start to dance in the head a bit so this is going to be Benji’s great task,” Ritchie continued. It doesn’t get any easier this week against the high-flying Sea Eagles, whose only loss under new interim coach Kieran Foran has come to the ladder-leading Panthers.
Warriors v Broncos, Sunday 4:05pm @ Suncorp Stadium The Broncos are putting the finishing touches on a new deal for veteran Ben Hunt, who has expressed a clear desire to play on next season... but is it the right call from the club? Not only is Hunt keen to play past 37, but he still harbors a desire to be the club’s starting halfback.
With Adam Reynolds set to steer the ship for the rest of the season, Hunt will be used in a utility role for the rest of 2026 injuries permitting, but he continues to put his hand up for Brisbane’s chief playmaker role. Pete Badel believes Hunt’s decision to play on instead of retiring at season’s end could lead to some awkward conversations at the Broncos.
“The problem is he sees himself as a No.7, that’s his preferred position. “I think it would have been the right time for Ben to go this year, but it now creates a real salary cap headache because they’re going to have to find another 12 months and $500,000 for Ben Hunt. ” “They can’t pay him that, they can’t because for me, Ben Hunt now at this point in his career, he’s a bench player,” journalist Brent Read said.
“I think if you re-sign Ben Hunt, you re-sign him and you tell him you’re our No.14. That’s the role you play and you’re not paying him half a million dollars. ”The highly-regarded Jonah Pezet joins the club and is being earmarked to start next season in the No. 7 jersey.
Then there’s Hunt, who sounds like he’ll be in Red Hill in 2027.
“You know what, Ben Hunt has always been a good halfback but he’s never been a great halfback. It’s never been his best position.
“I’ll go back to that semi against Canberra last year. If Reece Walsh had not done what he did at the end of that game, Hunt’s performance would’ve come under the blowtorch. HAVE THE WARRIORS MADE THE RIGHT CALL ON BOYD OVER METCALF? The second placed Warriors had a distraction this week, with star halfback Luke Metcalf requesting a release to join the Dragons.
It comes on the back of Tanah Boyd’s form spike and Channel Harris-Tavita’s strong play that has left no room in the starting side for Metcalf, who led the Dally M Medal race last year before an ACL injury ruled him out for a year. Metcalf was not even included on the bench this week for their huge clash with the premiers in Magic Round in a sign he is on the outer at the club, although coach Andrew Webster clarified on Thursday the halfback will be picked once his future is sorted.
Luke Keary finds it a stunning turnaround from a club that only re-signed Metcalf on a three-year extension last year worth $800,000 a season.
“This is a funny one because coming off an ACL, I think it takes 12-18 months to come back,” Keary said. “And then when he came back, obviously he was a little bit off the pace, which is just totally normal. “But then I think why is he going? I don’t understand it.
It’s obviously from him, I’m guessing. The way the club worded it. It’s a little bit odd.
“But I think if he wanted to go, that’s fine. Tanah Boyd is doing a great job and Chanel Harris-Tavita is doing a great job. ”Keary feels it is more Harris-Tavita’s form that has kept Metcalf out of the team because he offers something a little bit different to Boyd, who has been in fine touch to start the year.
“I think that’s the reason Metcalf’s not there, to be honest because of Chanel Harris-Tavita and what he actually brings that team that complements them,” Keary said. “He may not be a better individual player than Luke when they’re both at their best, but what he does for that team, you can tell they all get energy off it. “Defensively, he comes up with some great plays with the ball. I think they’ll be okay.
I love Andrew Webster as a coach. ”Panthers v Dragons, Sunday 6:25pm @ Suncorp Stadium The Dragons remain the only team without a win this season and it is hard to see their first coming against the ladder leading Panthers in Magic Round.
Dean Young has been handed a poisoned chalice as he looks to lead the Dragons off the bottom of the ladder, while putting their long-term future at the forefront, while also trying to win the race to be the club’s next full time coach. Keary had a sobering reality for Dragons fans in that the rest of their 2026 campaign should not be measured by wins and losses.
“I love that pack. I think all those kids are really good players. Now it’s just about giving them enough minutes, giving them enough exposure, going through the hard times.
“It’s literally about development and building towards the start of pre-season on November 1. ” Keary conceded in a results driven business that will be hard for the club’s fans, but wanred it could take them years to get back to the top of the NRL mountain.
“Obviously that’s really hard to hear and I don’t think they’ll be thinking about that because they’re still trying to win every week,” he said. “But they need to clean it up and it’s just a long process. The one word would be development. How do you develop their talent in a good way.
“Obviously there’s some guys there that are going to have to taste it and then go back to reserve ground at certain stages, so they all know November 1, what’s expected of them going into that 2027 season. ”Following Keaon Koloamatangi, Scott Drinkwater and Phil Sami to the club is perhaps the most exciting signing of them all, Luke Metcalf, who has linked up with the Red V on a three-year deal. before news of Metcalf’s signature, said the high-profile signings can help return the club to relevance.
“They should be a lot better with Koloamatangi and Drinkwater,” Keary said. “And then hopefully all those young guys, some of them already have 20, but they’ll have 50 games, some of the real young ones will have 20 games and hopefully they get their recruitment right. ”With the Origin teams being named just around the corner, Magic Round looms as the perfect stage for a number of incumbents, contenders and smokies to stake their claims.
The most contentious Queensland position could also be the most important with Tom Dearden all but ruled out of the series with an ankle injury. Dearden was the Wally Lewis Medallist last season and will be very tough to replace, especially with Cameron Munster not in peak form. Contenders range from former skipper Daly Cherry-Evans to Sam Walker, Ben Hunt, Ezra Mam, Jamal Fogarty, Tanah Boyd and even Kalyn Ponga.
“They’re talking DCE or Sam Walker at the moment and if you’re going to go for a halfback for a halfback, I sort of think it’s Sam’s time,” Johns said. However, Cooper Cronk feels Slater would be reluctant to go back to Cherry-Evans.
“Sam Walker will be an Origin player, but at the moment I think defensively, the way the game is, whether it’s going to be officiated the same way, he conceded a try on the weekend against the Titans and that’s just not Origin-level defence. ” Cronk’s idea for the Maroons halves is a bit out of the box and requires a positional switch for skipper Cameron Munster.
“I think a little bit left of centre... but I would seriously be considering Munster at No.7 and Kalyn Ponga at No.6, Reece Walsh at number one,” Cronk said. “I think Reece Walsh is the fullback. Kalyn Ponga has played very well for Queensland every time he’s played. He’s physically can get it.
And sometimes, a little bit of responsibility on Cameron Munster — he rises to the occasion. ”Johns noted that the way the Knights are playing could suit Ponga stepping up in the halves for Queensland, with the fullback playing plenty of first receiver at club land. Cronk added: “It is a threat and I just feel like you need to get your best defensive players out there and those two guys are rock solid for Queensland.
” Centre is another contentious position for Queensland with incumbents Robert Toia and Gehamat Shibasaki starting the year slowly, but the Roosters star is peaking at the right time.
“I think this is where it starts getting tricky because now you’ve got to understand the eligibility rules and some injuries and different things like that, but I think Rob Toia’s the guy,” Cronk said. “Shibasaki’s thereabouts. Jaxon Purdue is doing a really good job at Cowboys. He could be that guy with a six-man bench, there could be something there.
“But I think Billy has a history of making strong decisions and if people aren’t playing in form, they’re probably not going to get picked. ”Almost every game one of an Origin series has a smoky and that was the case last year with Toia getting the nod after just 10 games in the NRL. And Cronk feels there could be a couple more unexpected calls in the team for Queensland in 2026 because Slater likes to pick on form.
“If Harry Grant wasn’t available, he’s probably the guy, but he could come on and play long minutes and just do his job. “A halfback’s best friend is sometimes an edge back-rower and Heilum Luki his combination with Tom Dearden, who won’t be there, was outstanding on the weekend.
“And I’ve already mentioned, Jaxon Purdue with the way the game is going, him and Chester for the Cowboys when they get moving, it’s like if a retreating defensive line tries to tackle them, their ability to hip-swerve and move and just get through traffic. “Purdue could be a guy that is on the six-man bench, covers basically every position in the backline, so it could be a guy that when points are needed he could come in or could cover someone too.
”After losing the unlosable series last year, Laurie Daley has plenty of selection headaches he has to get right to win back the Shield in 2026. The Blues have always had a plethora of players to choose from and some in form contenders are putting some pressure on the incumbents, most notably in the centres, while Zac Lomax’s code switch has opened up a spot on the wing.
There have been calls for Broncos star Kotoni Staggs to get a NSW recall when he returns from suspension given Stephen Crichton’s form slump, but Matty Johns is sticking with the Bulldogs skipper.
“Right centre there’s probably 70 per cent were Stephen Crichton and 30 per cent with Kotoni Staggs, but I go with Crichton,” Johns said. Cooper Cronk agreed form for struggling teams at club level can be misleading and Crichton could still be man-of-the-match in Origin I. “There has been a history over State of Origin where good players are out of form and they rise to the responsibility of their state,” Cronk said.
“We have seen both sides and Crichton is a freak. He is absolutely the centre for me. On his day, and he will rise to the occasion, he won’t let New South Wales down. ” The other troublesome spot for the Blues is how to replace Lomax, but Johns would go with a tried and tested rep star for game one.
“Never lets NSW down, he’s got a lot of experience. Can’t beat Speed. ”Instead, the Maroons legend put forward a radical idea.
“I’m probably going to solve two issues with one decision here, Tedesco’s my fullback and I’d be putting Dylan Edwards on the wing,” Cronk said. Another contentious spot is at hooker with incumbent Reece Robson facing stiff competition from Sharks star Blayke Brailey, but Daley has flagged he will likely use two hookers for game one. Johns feels the form of the incumbent for the Roosters has swung the battle in his favour, given the Sharks’ inconsistency.
“One of the things about Reece Robson, we know what he’s got. He’s got grit and tenacity and he’s a really good defender.
“But I thought in the last couple of weeks he’s picked up his attack too. He’s poking his nose through all the time.
“If I’m looking at a No.14 and with a six man bench, maybe the No.14 man role has changed a bit. I’m looking at Ethan Strange. I like what he did on the weekend. I’d find a spot from there.
”Cronk, however, warned the way Origin is officiated could determine who NSW and Queensland pick in the hooker roles.
“Before the season started, I had Brailey. Now, the last month Robson’s come through. Why? Because the Roosters have probably simplified their attack, centralised it.
“When they’ve got a quick play the ball with the repeat sets and everything, he is just running arrow straight and he’s got Tedesco next to him. “That is the style of player that if fatigue is set in an Origin where the physicality is through the roof in the first 20 minutes, that’s going to be the style that you will need. Not a finesse crafty shift the ball around.
”He didn’t specify who, but there are several uncapped players who have put their names up in lights this season.
“Three left-field smokies, for NSW I have gone Dylan Lucas, I think would be fantastic on the bench,” Johns said. “He’s been fantastic, great in the back row. I’ve seen him play centre. He’s equally as good at centre.
A lot of Bradman Best about the way he plays centre.
“Is Jackson Ford a smoky? I suppose to a certain extent you don’t know if they’re going to be an Origin player until they’re there. I think they’ll have a look at him.
“I mentioned Ethan Strange before at No.14 but also Fletcher Sharpe, who I think could be a bloke you have as a 19th man. A niche player. ”
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