Melbourne were still pure premiership tier in 2025 — 2nd, 17 wins, +212… best differential in the comp — and it still stung because they didn’t finish the job. The vibe all year was simple: Bellamy’s still got it… but the spine couldn’t stay fully healthy together when it mattered.

In this episode of our 17-part 2026 mini-series, we rip into:

• 2025 identity: classic Storm ruthlessness + elite defence… with a few big-game leaks
• The end of an era: Welch retired, Papenhuyzen released, NAS released — what that means culturally and on-field
• The Zac Lomax situation: court dates, compensation drama, and why it’s become a full standoff
• 2026 draw: 8th-hardest, no bye until Round 15, brutal start, tough run home — but two Origin byes is massive
• Projected best 17: Fa’alogo, Munster/Hughes/Grant, and how they cover Katoa out
• My call: Storm finish ... — still in the premiership picture, but the churn + schedule makes it a grind.

Cap or Fact: Storm stay a top-4 defence even without NAS/Paps?
Storm fans — where’ve you got Melbourne finishing in 2026? 👇

Chapters

00:00Introduction to the Melbourne Storm Review

01:142025 Season Overview and Performance Analysis

04:44Coaching Insights and Future Prospects

05:08The Zach Lomax Situation: Legal and Contractual Issues

12:40Player Transfers and Roster Changes for 2026

17:00Key Players and Their Impact on the Team

20:27Expectations and Disappointments from the Season

24:55Key Moments and Highlights from 2025

25:19Ryan Pappenhausen's Record-Breaking Performance

26:29Grand Final Qualifier Highlights

27:21Harry Grant's Golden Boot Controversy

27:50Analyzing the Strength of Schedule

29:10Key Opponents and Team Analysis

30:49Predictions for the 2026 Season

33:50New Rules and Player Rotations

39:32Projected Starting Lineup

43:182026 Ladder Predictions and Key Storylines

Ryan's team reveal #3 is live, and he's gone with a strategy that’s either elite… or criminal.

The plan: spend big in almost every position so I’ve got maximum flexibility when the price changes hit. I don’t want to be trapped holding mid-rangers — I want options.

The big swing? I’ve gone super cheap at halfback because I’m backing Atkinson + Saunders to make at least $200K each. If they do their job, I can upgrade hard later without burning trades.

Then there’s the spicy part: I’ve gone massive at CTW because:

• CTW is where seasons get cooked (weekly 25s are a disease)
• I’d rather start with guns and downgrade later than chase my tail

And here’s the chess move: if Tom Chester holds his spot by Round 3 (with Laybutt suspended), I can downgrade my “worst” gun CTW… and turn that cash into a premium halfback upgrade — we’re talking a $400–$500K swing.

We break down the full squad, the logic behind the picks, and the upgrade paths.

Cap or Fact: spending up early is the safest way to stay flexible when the bubble boys pop. 👇
Be honest — is this team any good? What should I change?

Rating: 7.6/10 — good bones, but one tweak away from being cooked.

• Halfback cheapies: love the cash-gen plan… but if Atkinson/Saunders don’t hit, you’re eating two donuts and a sideways trade.
• CTW loaded: smart because CTW is pain… but you’ve left yourself basically zero room for a forced premium elsewhere.
• Chester upgrade path: elite if he’s named… but if he’s not, your “400–500k swing” becomes “400–500k cope.”

Drop your fixes in the comments — and tell me the one player I’m missing that’s a must-have.

#NRLSuperCoach #SuperCoach2026 #TacklesAndTinnies

The Raiders were the 2025 minor premiers — and now the question is simple: was that the ceiling… or the new standard? In this episode of our 17-part 2026 NRL mini-series, Ryan breaks down how Canberra got to 1st (19 wins) and why 2026 might be the year they turn “regular season bullies” into the real deal when it matters.

We get into:

• What made the Raiders so hard to play against in 2025 (and what still worries us)
• Recruitment & depth moves: Ethan Sanders, Myles Martin, Savelio Tamale added, plus Josh Papali’i locked in for 2026
• 2026 Strength of Schedule: SOS rank 14 (easier), and the teams they play twice (including Sharks, Bulldogs, Panthers, Storm, Rabbitohs)
• The key mid-year stretch Ricky has circled before Origin bites
• Ladder prediction: Ryan’s call has Canberra finishing 4th — but “receipts will be kept.”

Raiders fans — Cap or Fact: 2025 proved you’re a top-4 lock… or 2026 exposes it? Drop your ladder spot in the comments. 🟢⚪️💬

The Bulldogs in 2025 were one of the most fascinating watches in the comp — because the footy was improving… but the identity kept getting rewired mid-season.In this episode of our 2026 team-by-team mini series, Ryan breaks down the Dogs’ 2025 and asks the big question: did they change too much, too often… or was it the exact flexibility that’s building a contender?

We get into:
- The mid-season spine shake-up: Galvin’s inclusion and whether it squeezed out Sexton’s steady-hand control
- The hooker call: Bailey Hayward starting and what that meant for Reed Mahoney’s role
- The shape shift: Stephen Crichton playing “fullback in attack” with Connor Tracey sliding to centre in the red zone
- Whether all those tweaks lifted their ceiling… or hurt cohesion when games got tight
- Who exceeded expectations vs who’s “on notice” heading into 2026
- The Dogs’ projected best 17/19 with the new rule — and the selection pressure points
- A clear 2026 outlook: what has to improve for them to be a legit finals threat, not just a vibes team

Cap or Fact: the Bulldogs didn’t have a “form” problem in 2025 — they had a continuity problem. 👇

Dogs fans: was the Galvin/Hayward/Crichton role shuffle genius or too much change? And where do you have Canterbury finishing in 2026?

It’s draft season and Ryan’s done the full autopsy. In this episode, he goes team-by-team through all 12 coaches and breaks down the first three rounds of picks — player by player — to see who actually built a weapon… and who’s already cooked before kickoff.

This is a proper draft board breakdown:

• Each team’s build + structure (where they went heavy, where they got cute)
• Round 1 anchors: who nailed the safe floor vs who chased ceiling
• Round 2/3 value: steals, reaches, and the first real “uh oh” picks
• The logic behind the picks: role, price, points upside, and scarcity
• Early-season strategy: how these squads set up for trades/waivers and captain loops

And yes… we address the big one:

Did Ryan draft Kiraz too early in Round 2? 😈

Cap or Fact: one “reach” in the first three rounds can ruin your whole season. 👇
Tell us who drafted the best team… and be honest — was Kiraz a cooked pick or a genius play?

Now Wayne’s back in the mix and the roster’s got teeth again — David Fifita arrives, Brandon Smith becomes a massive swing piece, and the whole conversation shifts from “survive” to “how high can this go if they stay on the park?”

We get into:

• 2025 snapshot + why the attack was streaky and fragile
• Injury apocalypse (and whether it was bad luck or something deeper)
• 2026 ins/outs + what the recruitment signals
• Hardest draw in the comp + the Tigers-style round-by-round danger zones
• Best 17/19 with the new rule + selection pressure points
• Prediction: 6th–8th (ceiling top 5, floor bottom 4)

Cap or Fact: Souths’ biggest 2026 signing isn’t Fifita or Smith… it’s availability.
Rabbitohs fans — where’ve you got them finishing in 2026, and what decides it? 👇

The Tigers were way more watchable in 2025 — the attack had more shape, Leichhardt/Campbelltown actually felt like an advantage again… but the same old story popped up late in games: game management falling apart when it mattered.

In this episode of our 17-part 2026 NRL mini-series, we dig into the on-field growth, the off-field noise, and why 2026 feels like the first real “Benji era” stress test.

We get into:

• 2025 snapshot: 13th, 15th attack / 12th defence, and why it still felt like progress
• The Galvin saga and how it went from contract chat to full-blown drama
• 2026 roster injection: Kai Pearce-Paul, Jock Madden, Mavrik Geyer, Ethan Roberts, Bunty Afoa
• The footy blueprint: Luai + Benji, and that “three-playmaker” idea (Bula/Luai/Latu + Douei link)
• Draw chat: 9th-hardest SOS, and a brutal Round 7–14 stretch that could decide everything

My prediction: Tigers finish 10th — in the mix until late, but still learning how to close tight games consistently.
Cap or Fact: Tigers are a 9th–10th team and still alive for finals in Round 25?

Tigers fans — are we finally building something… or are we doing the same movie again? 👇

They did go on a legit finals crack — beat the Roosters (Week 1) and the minor premiers Raiders (Week 2) before falling to Melbourne in a tight prelim (22–14).

Now 2026 is where it gets spicy: Addin Fonua-Blake walks into the pack as a genuine marquee middle, with Hohepa Puru and Riley Jones added too — while Atkinson and Dykes are the notable exits.

We get into:

• Why the “big games” heat still follows Nicho Hynes
• Mulitalo + McInnes return timelines and what it changes
• The draw: 16th (second-easiest), Round 12 Origin bye, and a soft run home — “take advantage or waste a golden chance”
• Our call: Sharks finish 3rd in 2026

Cap or Fact: with the second-easiest draw and AFB up front, the Sharks are top-3 in 2026.
Sharks fans — where’ve you got them finishing, and are they contenders… or still “best of the non-contenders”? 👇

But 2026 is the real test: can they back it up when the comp tightens and the close games swing the other way? Because the data-led read we’re working off has them as a potential regression / faller — 6th → 9th territory — not because they’re bad, but because the NRL’s margin is filthy thin.

We get into:

• Why 2025 felt like a proper Warriors identity year (tough, emotional, loud)
• The 2026 outlook: what has to improve to stay in the 8
• Contract core chat (who’s locked in long-term and what that signals)
• The squad depth conversation + where the pressure sits
• Explicit ladder range: finals again… or just outside looking in?

Cap or Fact: the Warriors miss finals in 2026 — purely off variance and how tight the comp is. 👇
Warriors fans, talk to us: where do you have them finishing, and what’s the ONE thing that decides it?

We’re back, legends — and we’re starting 2026 the only way we know how: ripping into a full SuperCoach team build with Jake. This one’s a 90-minute monster where we go position-by-position, player-by-player, and actually explain the why behind every pick.

First, we look back at how Jake went last year — the highs, the pain trades, the lessons — then we set the new standard. Because Jake’s not here to just be the king of cash generation anymore…

He wants to go for the whole thing: #1 in Australia.
Even better than Adam, who finished 3rd last season.

We get into:

• Jake’s 2026 strategy shift: cash gen vs overall rank aggression
• Full team breakdown: HOK / MID / EDG / HLF / CTW / FLB
• The logic behind every player: role, minutes, upside, and risk
• Prices + points ceiling — who can be a keeper, who’s a stepping stone
• Captaincy chat, POD swings, and what we’re watching in trials
• Where Jake’s taking the biggest gambles (and where he’s playing it safe)

Cap or Fact: you can’t win SuperCoach overall without taking at least two disgusting risks early. 👇
Drop your biggest 2026 lock in the comments — and tell Jake which pick is cooked.

#NRLSuperCoach #SuperCoach2026 #TacklesAndTinnies #FantasyFiles #CapOrFact #NRL #RugbyLeague