Customise ESPN
Johnston record a triumph of individual belief, team strength, and a bit of magic
Fairy tales don't always happen in sport, but tonight, at Allianz Stadium, Alex Johnston lived out his, scoring his 213th try and breaking Ken Irvine's long-standing record.

TOP HEADLINES
Eels prove there is no such thing as a sure thing in the NRL
The Eels, completely humbled 52-4 in Round 1 by the Storm, travelled to Brisbane to face the reigning premiers to open Round 2, what happened over the proceeding 80 minutes astounded most.

NRL 2026 Big Board 3: Clarke rips through Eels on debut, as new rankings leader shines


NRL
ROUND 2
Broncos certainties, Raiders to win coin toss game
The 2026 NRL season is underway, and looks likely to provide plenty of headaches for tippers throughout the year, so we'll give you some extra help with three standout games.

NRL teams: Toia returns for Roosters
The NRL season moves on, with some teams absolutely determined not to lose their first two games, while others look to continue their winning form.


ROUND 1 REVIEW
Stocks: Panthers crush the Broncos, while the Eels plummet
What an incredible opening round of the 2026 NRL season, with two golden point thrillers, plenty of tries scored, several blow-outs and a couple of upsets.

IWD: Fairer, safer and more equitable sporting culture for women? Not just yet

Stars fire Souths to high-scoring win over Dolphins
South Sydney talismen Cody Walker and Latrell Mitchell came up with the big plays when needed in an entertaining 40-30 win over the Dolphins.


ROUND 1
SATURDAY'S GAMES

NRL
ROUND 1
'Big Three' lead Penrith to statement win over Brisbane
Penrith's dynasty is very much alive and kicking after their proven stars orchestrated a dominant 26-0 win over woeful defending premiers Brisbane.

Top Headlines
- NRL teams: Toia returns for Roosters
- Storm's Bellamy moves on after Lomax frustration
- Jurbo agrees to new Manly deal, ponders future
- Tigers reward Doueihi ahead of major switch
- Lomu-like: Benji sees Makasini comparisons
- Ponga to play for NZ at Rugby League World Cup
- Souths flag fears over try record celebration
- Bronco butter fingers brace for Moses air assault
- 'I'm a novice': Lomax admits he has a lot to learn
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images ESPN's way-too-early NRL predictions
ESPN's NRL experts have turned their attention to 2026 for their way-too-early predictions.
ESPN Subscribe to the ESPN Australia Newsletter
Keep up to date with the latest news from across the sporting world. Be it at home or abroad, we've got it covered in our weekly newsletters.
Quinn Rooney/Getty Images Must-see games of the first four rounds of the 2026 season
The 2026 NRL draw has been released. So, to whet your appetite for the upcoming season, we've picked out the must-watch games from the opening four rounds.
Koki Nagahama/Getty Images Rugby's rebel league explained: Everything you need to know about R360
R360's start date has officially been kicked down the road to 2028. Perhaps now we will start to see some of the detail it currently lacks. So what exactly do, and don't we know about, it?
Mark Kolbe/Getty Images State of Origin: The all-time records and statistics
The State of Origin series started in 1980 and since that very first encounter we have witnessed 129 games and seen plenty of amazing rugby league.




