What a brilliant set of matches to commence the rest of Round 1, and for the first time in 5 years, the Penrith Panthers go into the opening round as a challenger instead of a champion.

– With all the bullshit around Zac Lomax going on, which has now engulfed Ryan Matterson, the Melbourne Storm are going up for 23rd consecutive Round 1 victory against Parramatta at AAMI Park, a run that pre-dates Craig Bellamy’s tenure, and it’s thankful they had a bye in Round 1 of 2004 because that record would’ve died there and then, given the Knights defeated them in their opening game of 2004.

– We see the debut of Daly Cherry-Evans in the Tricolours as the Warriors host the Roosters at Mt Smart, and I remember it used to be a tradition that the Roosters lost in Round 1… usually that’s when you knew they were on for a good year.

– With a 7th premiership and a shithouse new logo, and fresh off losing yet another World Club Challenge, the Brisbane Broncos are back on Friday night primetime on Channel 9 against the Penrith Panthers in a Preliminary Final rematch, and after Ivan Cleary helped get Nathan out of a suspension at the judiciary, let’s see if he can get the Riff out of a potential defeat at Suncorp.

– As they mark the 10th anniversary of their drought-breaking 2016 premiership, the Cronulla Sharks, the team who could be absolutely anything, host the Gold Coast Titans (In Josh Hannay’s first game as coach of the Titans) at Shark Park, aka Ocean Protect Stadium…. Fair dinkum, what kind of a pissant name for a stadium is that?

– To commence their 80th season in First Grade rugby league, Manly host last season’s ill-fated minor premiers Canberra at Brookvale, and to replace DCE, the Silvertails went out and signed Jamal Fogarty from the Raiders, and by sheer dumb chance, who do the Silvertails get drawn against in Round 1?….. THE BLOODY RAIDERS.

– And finishing off the Round 1 fixtures we get the Redcliffe Dolphins, the No.1 scoring team in the league in 2025, hosting South Sydney at Suncorp on Saturday afternoon, as Tom Gilbert makes his first appearance since May 2025 as captain of the Dolphins, and Wayne Bennett’s Souths will waste many attacks trying to get the ball to Alex Johnston, as he finished 2025 just 2 tries short of tying Ken Irvine on the record of 212 First Grade tries…

Funnily enough on the subject of records – It was Round 1 of 2009 that saw Hazem El Masri break Andrew Johns’ record of 2176 First Grade points.

And now to conclude this report, here’s the iconic footage of The Fonz jumping the Shark on Happy Days: