GET READY FOR ROUND 7 - All You Need to Know Before Kick-off

It’s time for Round 7 of the 2026 NRL season, and there were a few surprise results last time out. We still see a whole raft of teams in the bottom nine that we don’t usually see. The BettingTop10 team are here to unpack it all, taking a look at some of the biggest stories to come out of all the recent action.

Last week, I asked who could possibly stop the Penrith Panthers. Turns out the Canterbury Bulldogs can. They beat the Panthers 32-16 in Round 6, and with the Wests Tigers beating the Newcastle Knights, it means the two big cat teams are sitting on 10 Premiership points (but the NRL betting odds still have the Panthers as the heavy Premiership favourites).

The Panthers are still first on the ladder, though, thanks to a better points differential. But a loss in Round 7 to the Dolphins, and a Tigers win over the Brisbane Broncos, could see the Panthers lose top spot. Who would have thought?

And, honestly, a win for the Tigers is looking increasingly likely. They are set to welcome back a whole raft of players, including the likes of Jarome Luai, Starford To'a and Taylan May. Meanwhile, the Broncos continue to face massive problems with injuries and suspensions.

After a brief disappearing act, it looks like the New Zealand Warriors are back at it again. Their win over the Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park, a venue they notoriously struggle with, was very impressive.

The Warriors are back home again, and they welcome the Gold Coast Titans, who would have been buoyed by their dominant win over the Parramatta Eels last time out. The New Zealand team will be looking to redeem themselves in front of their home crowd after going down to the Tigers the last time they played at Go Media Stadium.

The Broncos were building nicely, boasting a hat-trick of wins. However, the loss to the North Queensland Cowboys, coupled with major injury/ suspension concerns, has fans worried. Michael Maguire has some significant headaches this round (and not the good kind).

The Broncos are sitting in 11th spot on the ladder, but even that low spot could be in jeopardy as the injuries and suspensions continue to mount. Add both Cory Paix and Patrick Carrigan to the growing list of key Broncos players who aren’t playing at the moment.

Despite the injuries, you can’t really discount the 2025 Premiers. They’ll have a tough job in Round 7, though, coming up against the Tigers at Campbelltown Sports Stadium. A win here is by no means a must, but they could slide well down the ladder.

Another team that’s in the bottom nine that we don’t usually see is the Storm. Joe Chan could be on the chopping block after being on the receiving end of a massive Craig Bellamy spray. 

The Storm are on a bit of a slide, losing their last four games in a row. The last time the Storm had lost four in a row was back in 2022. Despite their recent form, they still come into their Round 7 clash against the Canberra Raiders as the favourites. 

The St. George Illawarra Dragons remain seemingly cemented at the bottom of the ladder, and are still the only team to not have a win to their name. Granted, they did play better against the Manly Sea Eagles last time out, but they still didn’t get that all-important win.

How long do the Dragons persist with Shane Flanagan? Especially considering how well the Sea Eagles are doing since they sacked their head coach, the pressure must be reaching fever pitch!

Another team that is under pressure are the Eels. They conceded a whopping 50+ points for the second time this season, and were subsequently booed off the field by their home fans at CommBank Stadium.

The Eels play at CommBank Stadium once again in Round 7, when they face the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs are the only team to have beaten the Panthers so far this season, so they will be coming into this Sunday's clash with a lot of confidence.