Tass, Clarkie and Guildy look into their crystal balls for the 2026 Rugby League season to predict: The NRL Ladder, NRL Premiers, Dally M and Team of the Year, State of Origin, 2026 Rugby League World Cup and Golden Boot, and Super League Premiers!

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TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Intro

03:17 - Episode Overview

04:03 - State of Origin Eligibility Updated

14:46 - Super League: Round 1 Review

19:53 - World Club Challenge Preview: Hull KR v Brisbane Broncos

22:05 - Newcastle Knights

27:16 - Gold Coast Titans

30:31 - St George Illawarra Dragons

35:44 - South Sydney Rabbitohs

40:40 - Wests Tigers

44:11 - North Queensland Cowboys

46:45 - Parramatta Eels

50:53 - Manly Sea Eagles

54:13 - The Dolphins

57:20 - Sydney Roosters

1:00:37 - New Zealand Warriors

1:04:25 - Canterbury Bulldogs

1:09:38 - Canberra Raiders

1:12:04 - Penrith Panthers

1:16:01 - Cronulla Sharks

1:18:28 - Melbourne Storm

1:23:31 - Brisbane Broncos

1:27:10 - NRL Ladder Summaries + GF Predictions

1:29:14 - Dally M + Team of the Year

1:33:45 - State of Origin

1:35:24 - Rugby League World Cup + Golden Boot

1:40:19 - Super League + Man of Steel

1:41:31 - Outro

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Click the link to follow us on Instagram, Facebook & TikTok, or to listen on your preferred podcasting platform:

https://linktr.ee/thesidelinestoryrlpodcast

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Hosted by Daniel Tassone, Nicholas Guild & Ryan Clarke.

Podcast distributed to all major listening apps.

Music credit ‘Chase’ [prod. Yrii Semchyshyn from Pixabay].

Logo designed by Tahlia Tassone.

© The Sideline Story: Rugby League Podcast, 2021.

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“You're listening to The Sideline Story Rugby League Podcast: The Greatest View of Rugby League from the Sideline”

Season 6 of the podcast is ushered in with the annual off-season bunker review, with your returning hosts Tass, Clarkie and Guildy discussing all the hot topics of the 2025/2026 rugby league off-season!

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TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Intro

11:38 - Episode Overview

13:01 - Topic 1: Payne Haas shock signing with the Rabbitohs

34:14 - Topic 2: R360 fail and the Zac Lomax fallout

1:00:28 - Topic 3: New on-field 2026 NRL rules

1:23:25 - Topic 4: Perth Bears signings

1:35:05 - Topic 5: RLWC2026 nations locked-in; Golden Boot drama

1:46:48 - Topic 6: Update on Eliesa Katoa

1:51:00 - Topic 7: Trouble in Tiger-Town (again)

1:58:24 - Topic 8: Quick-fire topics (NZ Origin, Injuries/Returns, Super League, Logos, Buzz retires)

2:07:26 - Topic 9: Player Transfers and Re-signings (Tino, Bellamy, Kikau, Angus, Lodge, etc.)

2:24:35 - Outro

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Click the link to follow us on Instagram, Facebook & TikTok, or to listen on your preferred podcasting platform:

https://linktr.ee/thesidelinestoryrlpodcast

——

Hosted by Daniel Tassone, Nicholas Guild & Ryan Clarke.

Podcast distributed to all major listening apps.

Music credit ‘Chase’ [prod. Yrii Semchyshyn from Pixabay].

Logo designed by Tahlia Tassone.

© The Sideline Story: Rugby League Podcast, 2021.

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“You're listening to The Sideline Story Rugby League Podcast: The Greatest View of Rugby League from the Sideline”

In our final episode for 2025, Tass, Clarkie and Guildy discuss their pretty crappy crystal ball predictions they made back in February; Their thoughts on the return of the Ashes and if Kevin Walters or Shaun Wane’s jobs will be safe; The Pacific Championships with the rise of Samoa and the unfortunate mishandling of Eli Katoa’s concussion; Buzz’s 10-point plan to make NRL even greater; Super League expanding to 14 teams and the NRL’s likelihood of taking over the English and International Game; World Club Challenge to return in 2026; NRL’s ambitious idea to create a “Global Round” in 2027; Rugby360 and the bans set by the NRL and World Rugby, plus which NRL players are on the hit-list; Perth Bears set to sign 10 players by Christmas; PNG Chiefs confirmed as the 19th NRL club with their national team winning the Pacific Bowl 3-peat; Rugby League World Cup 2026 and 2030 details; NRL’s new anti-tampering law explained; State of Origin to be played in New Zealand; NRL refuse to cover Koori Knockout injuries for NRL players; Tyrone Munro stood down; Bulldogs new logo doesn’t sit right; Which song would you play if you scored a try; and a wide range of player signings and rumours in both NRL and Super League… AND OH YES, THE SIDELINE STORY WILL BE RENEWED FOR A SIXTH SEASON IN 2026!

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TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Intro

04:02 - Episode Overview

06:18 - Revisiting our 2025 Crystal Ball Predictions

19:22 - Thoughts on the Ashes and Pacific Championships

47:52 - Buzz Rothfield’s 10-point plan to make NRL even greater

1:05:23 - Super League expansion; NRL to takeover SL; WCC return; NRL Global Round

1:16:09 - Rugby 360 and the 10-year ban

1:32:44 - NRL Expansion confirmed for Perth Bears and PNG Chiefs

1:44:56 - New anti-tampering law (aka the Gus Gould law)

1:48:02 - Rugby League World Cup details for 2026 and 2030 editions

1:54:29 - State of Origin to be played in New Zealand in 2027

1:56:07 - Koori Knockout dramas; Tyrone Munro stood down; Bulldogs new logo; Try song?

2:04:27 - NRL and Super League player signings and rumours

2:22:35 - Outro

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Click the link to follow us on Instagram, Facebook & TikTok, check out our sponsors, or to listen on your preferred podcasting platform:

https://linktr.ee/thesidelinestoryrlpodcast

——

Hosted by Daniel Tassone, Nicholas Guild & Ryan Clarke.

Podcast mixed by Daniel Tassone using Garageband.

Podcast distributed to all major listening apps using Spotify for Podcasters.

Music credit for this episode: ‘Chase’ [prod. Yrii Semchyshyn from Pixabay].

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Logo designed by Tahlia Zaccomer.

© The Sideline Story: Rugby League Podcast, 2021.

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“You're listening to The Sideline Story Rugby League Podcast: The Greatest View of Rugby League from the Sideline”