GET READY FOR ROUND 3 - All You Need to Know Before Kick-off

So much is happening in the world of the NRL right now, and the BettingTop10 team have you covered from every angle for Round 3! Plenty of storylines are emerging from the rumours of Bronson Xerri requesting immediate release from the Canterbury Bulldogs, to the injuries of two playmakers for the Knights, and so much more!

The Storm are sitting pretty at the top of the ladder with a 2-0 start to the season (and 74 points differential). They are also on the second line of NRL betting odds for the 2026 Premiership. But the big storyline surrounding the Storm this week isn’t really about them, it’s about who they are playing!

The Storm are taking on the 2025 Premiers, the Broncos, who are yet to win a game in 2026. It’s only Round 3, but there has to be a lot of pressure on Michael Maguire already. The Broncos are sitting all the way down in 15th spot on the ladder, and only have a 19% win rate at AAMI Park.

The Knights are in rare air right now, sitting in fourth spot on the ladder. But can they stay there, considering the injuries to Kayln Ponga and Dylan Brown? Despite still getting the win, their Round 2 game was so difficult to watch, as they were dropping like flies. We’re hearing that Ponga will miss six to eight weeks, and Brown will miss four weeks.

In Round 3, the Knights will face off against the Warriors, who are currently sitting in second place on the ladder. So, in theory, we are getting a top-four clash, but there is certainly a damper on the game considering the major injury concerns for the Knights.

The Bulldogs haven’t played since Las Vegas, thanks to a bye in Round 2, but their player, Bronson Xerri, is making headlines after requesting immediate release. Now, this hasn’t been confirmed, so we don’t know how much truth there is to this rumour. He still looks set to be dropped for the Bulldogs' clash with the Raiders on Thursday night.

After conceding 52 points in Round 1 to the Storm, could the Parramatta Eels be a legit contender? They bounced back well in Round 2 to beat the Broncos 40-32. Was that just a fluke? Or do the Broncos really suck? I don’t know at this stage, but they seem to be in a good position to beat the Dragons in Round 3!

The Raiders are another team that is certainly in contention for the top eight, but don’t have the best points differential at the moment. In Round 1, they beat the Manly Sea Eagles in Golden Point, then last time out, they could only muster up six points to the New Zealand Warriors’ 40.

They will be up against the Bulldogs in the first game of the round, and there’s plenty of drama at Bulldogs headquarters right now, as we are all aware. Can the Raiders take advantage of all the distractions plaguing the Bulldogs and get a much-needed win to shoot their way back up the ladder?

It feels funny to say this, but the Dolphins (yes, the newest team in the NRL) are the only Queensland team to have won a game so far this season. The last three spots on the ladder are all occupied by Queensland teams!

The Gold Coast Titans are last, which is a place they seem to almost always be in. The North Queensland Cowboys are one step above them on the ladder, and the Broncos are the team above them. 

Interestingly, the Titans and Cowboys will play each other in Round 3. Winning this game should be of the utmost importance for both teams. A loss in this game would likely mean the coach will start swinging the axe on players. It’s probably too soon to boot out the coach, but players are certainly vulnerable.