The first post-Origin round delivered a series of high-scoring barnburners, with North Queensland surviving a withering Wests Tigers fight-back for a 32-28 victory, and the Warriors and Canberra outlasting star-studded Sydney opponents in Sunday thrillers.
Meanwhile, St George Illawarra, Melbourne, Manly and Penrith chalked up valuable victories as the NRL mid-season ladder scramble gets into full swing.
Mitchell’s magic wasted on ragged Rabbitohs
In the wake of a starring role at centre in NSW’s series-opening win on Wednesday, Latrell Mitchell singlehandedly carried South Sydney on his own back to the brink of a remarkable comeback against the Warriors on Sunday afternoon.
The mercurial Mitchell was relatively quiet in the first half but made the last 25 minutes of the match – by which stage the Warriors had raced to a 30-12 lead – his own.
Two exquisite long balls from the fullback saw Alex Johnston complete a hat-trick, becoming just the second player in history to score 200 tries in first grade, before scoring a barnstorming solo try to set up a grandstand finish.
The Mitchell-led rally fell just short just 36-30, but it was a remarkable solo masterclass in a makeshift Rabbitohs spine – and the Rabbitohs, ninth with a 6-6 record, can develop into a genuine dark horse with Cody Walker and Jack Wighton due to return this week.
Easing out to $51 in the premiership market, Souths are a juicy $2.75 to make the Top 8.
Broncos’ season hangs by a thread
In contrast to Souths, Brisbane appears the most overvalued team in the title race – on the sixth line of betting at $21 and only $1.70 to make the finals despite tumbling to 11th with a 5-7 record.
The Broncos’ 34-6 capitulation to Manly was their sixth loss in seven matches, and their heaviest defeat and worst defensive and attacking showing of the season yet.
Incoming coach Michael Maguire’s infamous hardline approach is coming under scrutiny, but there’s no excuses for one of the NRL’s best rosters delivering substandard performances on the paddock on a weekly basis.
Saturday night’s home fixture against struggling Gold Coast shapes as must-win ahead of a bye, then a tough stretch featuring consecutive games against high-flying trio Cronulla, the Warriors and Canterbury.
Warriors and Raiders demand respect
A week after playing out a 16-10 slugfest in the Auckland wet, the Warriors and Canberra carved out freewheeling victories in Sydney in Round 13 to maintain their share of second on the ladder – just a win behind competition-leading Canterbury.
The Warriors bounced back from the loss to the Raiders to hold out South Sydney 36-30 in a wildly entertaining Accor Stadium clash.
They lost Mitch Barnett to a suspected ACL injury but powered to a 30-12 lead, before letting it slip in familiar fashion only to show impressive late-game poise once again to close out their sixth win by a converted try or less in the space of nine games.
Luke Metcalf cancelled out an intercept pass with a long-range solo try against the run of play, while Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (339 metres, 1 try, 8 tackle-breaks) was absolutely immense at the back.
The Raiders did not lead against the in-form Sydney Roosters until the last 15 minutes – clawing from 18-8 down – but snared an excellent 26-24 win at Allianz Stadium to confirm themselves as the NRL’s best comeback outfit.
Stand-in No.9 Owen Pattie had a breakout game, while Kaeo Weekes, Savelio Tamale and Xavier Savage have a genuine claim as potentially the most dynamic back-three in the premiership.
The Green Machine have risen to the third line of premiership betting ($8) with the Warriors ($15) one rung back as top-four finishes – listed at $1.20 and $2.15, respectively – begin to materialise.
O’Brien clutches at straws
The impact of State of Origin on the NRL schedule is undeniable and widespread calls for change are certainly valid, but Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien’s contention that his side had somehow been dealt a rough hand in Round 13 has to be one of the most absurd post-match comments of 2025.
The Knights had just one player in Wednesday’s series opener: Kalyn Ponga, who was subsequently scratched for the clash with St George Illawarra 48 hours later.
The same Kalyn Ponga who is in the midst of arguably the biggest form slump of his career, delivering just two try assists and two line-breaks in the Knights’ horror 1-7 run.
The notion that Ponga, on current form, would have overturned the insipid 20-6 result at Jubilee Oval is quite the reach.
The Knights have now been held scoreless in the first half a staggering six times and scored one try or less in five matches, sitting at $2.75 in the Most Losses market behind only the Titans ($2.25), who incidentally have beaten the battling Novocastrians twice this season.
Panthers’ true grit amid Eels’ improvement
Moving on to a team with a legitimate Origin cross to bear, Penrith climbed off last place on the ladder with an 18-10 derby win over Parramatta on the back of a stellar collective showing from its five-strong NSW contingent.
Rallying from 10-6 down with 25 minutes left, the Panthers grafted their way to a pressure-relieving 18-10 win at CommBank Stadium that leaves them only three points adrift of the Top 8.
Nathan Cleary had his fingerprints all over the victory, Dylan Edwards ran for 232 metres and had a try assist, Brian To’o ran for 222 metres and scored a try, Liam Martin played the full 80 minutes with 47 tackles and Isaah Yeo chalked up 36 tackles in a 68-minute showing.
The unfancied Eels continue to show signs of genuine progress under rookie coach Jason Ryles, meanwhile, and can’t be factored out of the finals race – despite their $10 price in the Top 8 market.
Ryles is gradually putting his own stamp on the blue-and-golds’ style and it should pay dividends sooner rather than later.