Canterbury Bulldogs suffered a 24-10 loss to Penrith Panthers at Western Sydney Stadium, leaving their 2026 NRL finals hopes dependent on beating Brisbane next week and relying on multiple other results, including North Queensland and South Sydney wins, and Manly losing to the Warriors in the final round.
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The Canterbury Bulldogs have had a shaky start to the 2026 NRL season, playing catch-up for a top-eight position for most of the year.
Canterbury's NRL finals hopes are hanging by a thread after a 24-10 loss to Penrith, who moved within reach of a top-two finish at Western Sydney Stadium.
Second-rower Liam Martin bagged a double as the Panthers moved back to the top of the ladder on Friday night.
A shaky start to the year has left the Bulldogs playing catch-up on the top eight for most of 2026, and they could be officially out of the finals picture by Saturday night.
If North Queensland and South Sydney win their respective round-26 games, they will become the last two teams to book their finals spots.
To play finals from here, the Bulldogs need to beat Brisbane next week and hope the Cowboys lose their last two games, both of which are at home against bottom-nine sides.
The Bulldogs also need ninth-placed Manly to lose to the Warriors in the last round of the regular season after the Sea Eagles kept alive their slim hopes of making the eight by thumping the last-placed Dragons 44-10 at Brookvale Oval earlier on Friday.
North Melbourne AFLW midfielder Mia King underwent successful spinal fusion surgery to fuse her C5 and C6 vertebrae after sustaining a neck injury following the team's win over Brisbane Lions. The premiership-winning player from the 2024 Kangaroos squad will miss the entire 2026 season but is expected to return in 2027, with the club confirming ongoing support for her recovery.
The Western Bulldogs secured a three-point victory over Collingwood in the AFL's first wildcard final at the MCG, advancing to an elimination final after Tim Membrey missed a set shot after the final siren. The match featured a guard of honour for retiring Collingwood star Steele Sidebottom and saw strong performances from Marcus Bontempelli, Arthur Jones, and Aaron Naughton.
The Manly Sea Eagles hold a commanding 26-0 lead over the St George Illawarra Dragons at half-time at Brookvale Oval. Manly scored five tries in the first half, with Tom Trbojevic and Jason Saab featuring prominently in the dominant display.
Collingwood star Nick Daicos enters a high-stakes match against the Western Bulldogs amid discussions about his elite offensive output versus his defensive vulnerabilities. As the Pies fight for finals, the team's reliance on his playmaking remains a key debate.
Brazil's Alison dos Santos and American Masai Russell shattered world records in the 400m and 100m hurdles respectively at the Zurich Diamond League. Other notable performances included wins by Nicola Olyslagers, Julien Alfred, and Emmanuel Wanyonyi.
Australian triathlete Matt Hauser, currently dominating the World Triathlon Championship Series, aims to build on his recent successes to secure a podium finish at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, marking a potential historic first for Australian men.