It'll be interesting to see how the Tigpies go after all the media hype including Kenty on Kenty Blitz.
Much like the Bulldogs last year the Tigpies are riding high after playing the lowliest ranked teams from 2025 to open their 2026 campaign.
After round 6 which is usually a round you get a fair bit of an idea as to who's gonna make the 8 at the end of the season there is only two wins that separate 2nd spot (Tigpies) from 2nd last (Eels) on the ladder.
Sure, the for and against is a blowout but that's still only 2 games and 4 points to bridge the gap, a not insurmountable task for the likes of Raiders, Scum and Donkeys.
A closer examination of the 2026 draw Tigpies vs Eels we see that Tigpies have only played one top 8 team from 2025 versus Eels who've played 3.
| Tigpies first 6 rounds | | | | | | | | |
| Eound | Versus | 2025 | 2026 | H/A | Result | For | Against | Note |
| 1 | Bye | | | | 2 | | | |
| 2 | Cowboys | 12 | 4 | Home | 2 | 44 | 16 | |
| 3 | Bunnies | 14 | 5 | Away | 0 | 16 | 20 | |
| 4 | Warriors | 6 | 3 | Away | 2 | 14 | 32 | Only 2025 top side |
| 5 | Eels | 11 | 16 | Away | 2 | 20 | 22 | |
| 6 | Knights | 17 | 6 | Home | 2 | 42 | 22 | Last in 2025 |
| | Total | | | 10 | 136 | 112 | |
The injury ravaged Eels have had to play the premiers, the losing grand finalists and the greatest team of the NRL era in their opening 6 rounds.
| Eels first 6 rounds | | | | | | | | |
| Eound | Versus | 2025 | 2026 | H/A | Result | For | Against | Note |
| 1 | Scum | 2 | 13 | Away | 0 | 4 | 52 | 2025 Grand Finalists |
| 2 | Broncos | 3 | 11 | Away | 2 | 40 | 32 | 2025 Premiers |
| 3 | Dragons | 15 | 17 | Home | 2 | 30 | 20 | |
| 4 | Panthers | 7 | 1 | Away | 0 | 20 | 48 | Panthers robbed from playing 2025 GF. Eels put most point on Panties till Dogs |
| 5 | Tigpies | 13 | 2 | Home | 0 | 20 | 22 | Eels scored 4 tries to 3 lost on conversions and robbed by ref |
| 6 | Titans | 16 | 14 | Home | 0 | 10 | 52 | Injury ravaged team and lost two more to injury in game, 1 after 10 minutes |
| | Total | | | 4 | 124 | 226 | 0 |
So, we can easily see 1) the Eels once again have opened with a brutal draw and 2 are injury ravaged with what even foxsports has to accurately state is "Half the forward pack, half the spine, and the bright new hope cruelly snuffed out in Apa Twidle."
How Eels plummeted from hope to horror as awkward problem looms with star recruit
www.foxsports.com.au
We'll get a better gauge on the Tigpies run in the next 6 rounds as they play the top 2025 teams in Broncos, Raiders, Sharks, Scum and Manly before their next bye in round 12.
And we'll have a concrete idea of the final 8 for 2026 after that same round 12. The 6 again rule is playing havoc with defences and the ladder so much so it's way too early to be getting ahead of ourselves, or themselves if I was
@Tiger5150
n his face, I nearly teared up.
