The numbers that matter
The big winners of Round 13
Penrith Panthers are the masters of negotiating the Origin period, continuing to defy logic year after year with how well they play in the mid-year rounds despite losing some of the best players of the competition year-in, year-out.
Ivan Cleary rested New South Wales trio Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo and Brian To'o and yet they outclassed the rising New Zealand Warriors in the first and final 20 minutes of a thrilling home game on Sunday afternoon, establishing a four-point lead at the top of the table in doing so.
They famously stumbled out of the blocks with just three wins from their first 11 games in 2025, only to go on a nine-game winning streak immediately following Game 1 of Origin.
In 2024, they went 4-1 in the five-week Origin period (beginning the round after Game 1 and ending the round after Game 3), 5-1 in 2023 and 4-0 in 2022.
Their ongoing success naturally leads to New South Wales and Queensland denying them their best individual talent for one-fifth to one-quarter of the year, and yet it doesn't seem to bother the squad one bit.
Jack Cogger and Lindsay Smith were both excellent stand-ins as they again showcased their enviable depth.
The big losers of Round 13
Two losses in a row for the Sydney Roosters has left Trent Robinson scrambling for answers but not short of scathing criticism following a big setback in Melbourne.
He opted to put six of his players on the quick back-up after Wednesday's Origin game and they failed to deliver against a vulnerable opposition.
The Roosters followed up last week's haul of only 12 points against the Cowboys with a measly four against the Storm, owing to a set completion rate of only 61% and an unforgivable 18 errors.
Robinson slammed a "lack of respect for the ball" and a lack of "team alignment" in an error-riddled performance that now has them level with three other clubs on 16 points, though they were lucky that the Cowboys and Sea Eagles also suffered disappointing defeats at the weekend.
Hugo Savala told reporters on Monday morning that the players copped "a hiding" from Robinson after the game, saying the spray was "needed" as they look to straighten out what was a solid start to the campaign.
Who scored braces this week?
There were no hat-tricks in Round 13 but plenty of players who managed to dot down twice, including: Billy Burns (Cronulla), Dylan Lucas (Newcastle), Jeral Skelton (Wests), Jesse Arthars (Brisbane), Val Holmes (St George), Seb Kris (Canberra) and Panthers pair Casey McLean and Paul Alamoti.
Team of the Week
This team was compiled via individual round scores from the NRL.com fantasy game. A special mention for Storm's Sua Faalogo, who was just one point behind Kiraz!
Try of the Week
Boy, there were an awful lot of high quality contenders to choose from this week: Moses Leo, Dylan Lucas, Val Holmes, Paul Alamoti's match winner... but we landed on this fantastic fifth tackle team effort from the Sharks. No hard feelings if you disagree as some of the other options were all deserving winners.
The naughty boys
Potential suspensions:
Jesse Ramien (Sharks) - Dangerous contact - $3000 fine early guilty plea or 2 matches if found guilty at tribunal
Sitili Tupouniua (Bulldogs) - Shoulder charge - $3000 fine or 2 matches
A fine worth noticing:
Brendan Piakura (Broncos) - Dangerous contact - $1800 or $2500 fine
Ryan Couchman (Dragons) - Dangerous contact - $1800 or $2500 fine
Siua Wong (Roosters) - Contrary conduct - $1800 or $2500 fine
Toby Couchman (Dragons) - Shoulder charge - $1500 or $2000 fine
A bit of spare change for a first grade player:
Wiremu Greig (Cowboys) - High tackle - $1000 or $1500 fine
Teig Wilton (Sharks) - Dangerous contact - $1000 or $1500 fine
Adam Reynolds (Broncos) - Dangerous contact - $750 or $1000 fine
Next weekend's fixtures
