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    Reading this headline made me laugh.

    Will Warriors break Super League recruit hoodoo with Morgan Gannon?​

    The Warriors haven’t had the success of some other clubs with their English recruits.​


    John Lazo-Ron

    Morgan Gannon is poised to become just the fourth English-born player to kit up for the Warriors directly from the Super League in the upcoming 2026 season.

    The talented forward is looking to make a major impact with the Warriors, with Gannon recently revealing his decision to cross hemispheres wasn't just about a new club, but about testing himself and stepping outside his comfort zone.

    At just 22 years old, Gannon arrives at the Warriors with an already strong reputation. The young second-rower has racked up an impressive 67 appearances for the Leeds Rhinos, a remarkable feat for someone so early in his career.

    Gannon's experience and composure on the field belie his age, making him one of the most promising talents to make the leap from the Super League to the NRL in recent years.

    While other English stars have managed to make their mark in the NRLSam Burgess and James Graham come to mind – the Warriors haven't had quite the same success with their Super League recruits over the years.

    Back in their inaugural season in 1995, then head coach John Monie brought over English superstars Andy Platt and Denis Betts with him from Wigan.

    Platt, who played test footy for Great Britain and England, landed at the Warriors with a reputation for being a fierce competitor. However, the second rower/prop struggled to mirror his performances in the Australian competition that saw him rise to fame in the UK, falling short of the expectations that accompanied his arrival in Auckland.

    It didn't help that the then 32-year-old's stint with the Warriors was plagued by misfortune from day one, with a persistent knee injury limiting him to only 14 games that season, including the club's historic debut match.

    Platt returned to the Super League after the 1996 season to see out the rest of his career.

    Like Platt, Betts was a seasoned international and a proven winner.

    Betts inked a five-year deal with the Warriors, not only bringing with him a wealth of experience but also abundant success with numerous titles under his belt. At the time, Monie reportedly declared Betts as the ‘highest paid league player in the world' supposedly on a whopping $800,000 per season salary.

    He was expected to make a significant impact on the club's maiden campaign, however only managed to cross the tryline 11 times in 42 matches across three seasons – a decent effort but far from the game-changing influence the club would have been banking on. Eventually, the club parted ways with Betts with two years still running on his contract.

    Arguably the most disappointing Super League signing in the Warriors' history is Sam Tomkins.

    10 players who failed to live up to potential
    AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 27: Sam Tomkins of the Warriors reacts during the round 16 NRL match between the New Zealand Warriors and the Canberra Raiders at Mt Smart Stadium on June 27, 2015 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)

    Touted as one of the world's most exciting players, the dynamic fullback was brought over from Wigan in 2014 on a three-year deal, on top of a staggering world-record $1.5 million transfer fee to secure his signature.

    After a decent start, where he played every game and scored 13 tries, Tomkins failed to press on in his second season and scale the heights he did in the UK.

    In 2015, the Warriors' marquee signing managed only 13 appearances and scored only one try after a season hindered by injury. As the weeks rolled by and the tries dried up, the whispers grew louder, with Tomkins receiving criticism from pundits and fans alike who questioned whether his performances justified his heavy price tag.

    League great Peter Sterling said on Triple M's Rush Hour show at the time, “He came out with a lot of promise and just never really lived up to it … I thought he was disappointing in the NRL”.

    While he has no regrets about his time at the Warriors, Tomkins himself said of his time in the NRL: “I think my form with the Warriors probably mirrored that of the team as we missed the finals both seasons, so you have to say it was a disappointment”.

    The hype that came along with Tomkins probably didn't help his cause as expectations were already skyrocketing before he stepped foot on Mt Smart.

    He returned to the Super League with one-year remaining on his contract, with the Warriors securing Roger Tuivasa-Sheck as his replacement.

    There are high hopes that Gannon will be the one to break the Warriors Super League recruitment mould and shine where others have struggled. Warriors CEO Cameron George recently stating that Gannon “… could be a real smokey this year that could really have an impact”.

    With talent, youth, and ambition on his side, all eyes will be on the rising star as he prepares to make his mark in the NRL.

    Time will tell.
    Regarding Tomkins. He actually wasn't a bad player at all, just maybe overhyped and paid too much? He was top 5 for tackle breaks and top 10 for line break assists.
     

    Jett with the ball in the bin

    The players since Webster took over always say they are the happy Warriors.

    Especially the guys from over the ditch, the relaxed fun culture is new to them.

    It shows in these vids.

    Very different to the scene under our other coaches, none of them unfortunately had the fun thing worked out because of the pressure of the club underperforming.

    Having said that if you cast your mind way back to Happy Frank Edacott, he had a contented side that did ok given what we learned was going on off field. But Frank didn't have the training that Webster has had, nor the support of his owners and CEO.

    These are our best years off the field, long many it last, a strong top four club is inevitable if you understand how to make a structured culture that suits all your ethnic groups.

    People have claimed that the Poly players needed a special kind of management, well.....they have it....the young ones are thriving, the team is always fitter than the opposition or on par.
     
    I really like what we've done with all of these players - it's great planning having Metcalf, CHT, Boyd and TMM as your top tier, with Hansen, Cleary, Linnane, Thompson and Inch coming through behind them - that's a lot of talent... shows great foresight - wasn't that long ago when we were forced to play CNK at 6...
    Cappy deserves his flowers on this one
     
    Jim Crow is back.

    It is funny how some get their knickers in a twist when I make comparisons to the NAZIS.

    Are we allowed to call these NAZIS.......NAZIS now?

    Gee people can be really ignorant. The Nazi regime was heavily influenced by the American system, they even sent teams of legal experts to the States to study the American segregation system, and the model for exterminating the indigenous, banning non white immigration etc etc.

    The Americans are the original NAZIS, D'Jango slave killing rapists and all, with their sterilization programs of blacks, their deliberate infection of blacks with disease and proliferation of drugs, guns, and encouraging violent culture - all to feed the new Slavery model - the Prison industrial complex.

    Ice are just the GESTAPO. Same model. Secret police. Killing their own citizens based off Racial profiling, Sexuality, political beliefs.

    Like the GESTAPO they hire any stupid uneducated white racist and train them to attack and kill all non NAZI sympathizers that get in their way.

    It beggars belief closet racists on here post about how night is day, nothing to see.
     
    Last edited:
    It's not about one Vs the other.

    It's having enough players to cover the entire season positionally. Only a fool would sack Dallin. Even if he is a reserve grader for us, he'll play throughout the year. Our outside backs have a knackered for buckling during the season. So more is better in this case.
    Im pretty sure what Cces is alluding to is that both RTS and AKP play on the left wing. DWZ plays on the right. This point is often overlook when people say that AKP is replacing DWZ. He is more likely to take over left wing IMO if the plan is to move RTS again...

    I do not believe AKP has ever played on the right edge (Dallin's side) in the NRL.
     
    PLAYER AGENT GAME
    ULTIMATE TOURNAMENT SIMULATION
    All Players At Their Career Peak

    Every player performing at their absolute best. The legends of the NRL era face off in a fantasy showdown.



    FINALS SERIES

    SEMI FINAL 1: TERRITORIAL MONSTERS (1st) vs GUS'S WIZARDS (3rd)

    Territorial Monsters38-20Gus's Wizards

    Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney | Crowd: 68,241 | Referee: Gerard Sutton

    FIRST HALF

    0' KICKOFF

    Reynolds sends it deep. Karmichael Hunt fields on the 10m line. The battle of balanced squad vs the $9M spine begins.

    3' TERRITORIAL STRIKE EARLY
    Reynolds finds space with a short kick, To'o gathers and bulldozes through Toopi to score! The Origin winger is too powerful. Reynolds converts.
    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 6-0

    8' JT RESPONDS
    Thurston takes a quick tap, steps Grant, grubbering through for Crichton who dives on it! The four-time Dally M centre delivers. JT converts.
    TIED 6-6

    12' SUBSTITUTION - TERRITORIAL

    Scott Sorensen on for Sam Burgess. First rotation for Cces.

    14' SUBSTITUTION - WIZARDS
    Spencer Leniu on for Daniel Saifiti. Wizard brings on the impact.

    17' TURBO TIME
    Kennedy takes the ball from dummy half, draws two defenders, finds Turbo on the angle. Trbojevic is too quick for Hunt! The fullback beats the former Australian rep with ease. Reynolds converts.
    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 12-6

    22' HUNT EXPOSED
    Kikau makes a break down the left edge, offloads to Tallis who charges at Hunt. The fullback is bounced backwards 5 metres. Turnover.

    wizard of Tauranga on the sideline: "He wasn't even 20 when he lost to Motu Tony... but he never quite became..."

    26' TERRITORIAL SURGE
    Grant scoots from dummy half, finds Coates steaming down the wing. The young winger is too fast for Isaako! Reynolds converts.
    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 18-6

    29' SUBSTITUTION - TERRITORIAL
    Josh Papalii on for Payne Haas. Cces managing his prop's minutes.

    31' SUBSTITUTION - WIZARDS
    Jordan McLean on for Matt Scott. Leka Halasima also comes on for Jesse Bromwich.

    34' CAMERON SMITH MAGIC
    Smith spots Ezra Mam short side, feeds the young five-eighth who dances through two tackles and scores! The GOAT hooker creates something from nothing. JT converts.
    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 18-12

    38' KENNEDY DOMINANCE
    Kennedy charges from the ruck, beats Erin Clarke, offloads to Grant who darts over! The hooker combination is devastating. Reynolds converts.
    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 24-12

    HALFTIME: TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 24 - GUS'S WIZARDS 12

    Halftime Stats:
    - Ben Kennedy: 134m, 24 tackles, 2 try assists - DOMINATING Erin Clarke
    - Gordon Tallis: 112m, 1 linebreak - monstering Papali'i
    - Cameron Smith: 1 try assist but frustrated by Anaconda pressure
    - Karmichael Hunt: 3 errors, beaten 3 times in defence - being exposed




    SECOND HALF

    41' SUBSTITUTION - TERRITORIAL

    Payne Haas returns for Josh Papalii. Sam Burgess back on for Scott Sorensen.

    42' SUBSTITUTION - WIZARDS
    Matt Scott and Jesse Bromwich return. Daniel Saifiti and Corey Parker back on the field.

    45' TURBO HAT-TRICK BEGINS
    Barrett finds Turbo out the back. Trbojevic accelerates past Hunt - beaten AGAIN - and scores his second! Reynolds converts.
    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 30-12

    51' JT WON'T QUIT
    Thurston puts up a bomb, Lomax rises highest, catches and scores! The $250K bargain delivers. JT converts.
    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 30-18

    55' SUBSTITUTION - TERRITORIAL
    Simon Mannering on for Viliame Kikau. Craig Gower also enters for Trent Barrett.

    56' SUBSTITUTION - WIZARDS
    Kurt Capewell on for Corey Parker. Fresh legs desperately needed.

    62' THE ANACONDA SQUEEZES
    Territorial complete 15 straight sets. JT and Smith can't get any rhythm. The balanced squad is suffocating the Wizards.

    68' KENNEDY SEALS IT
    Kennedy takes a short ball from Grant, beats Clarke AGAIN, crashes over from 5m out! The lock has dominated. Reynolds converts.
    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 36-18

    72' TURBO HAT-TRICK
    Reynolds grubbers into the in-goal, Hunt fumbles under pressure, Turbo pounces! His THIRD try! Hunt is officially exposed. Reynolds converts.
    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 38-18

    76' CONSOLATION
    JT puts up one last bomb, Crichton gathers for his second. A quality performance lost in the wreckage. JT misses the conversion.
    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 38-20

    80' FULL TIME
    The Anaconda has squeezed the life out of the $9M spine. Territorial advance to the Grand Final.

    wizard of Tauranga post-match: "Cameron Smith is the GOAT. JT is quality. But they can't do it when the forward pack is getting smashed. Karmichael Hunt... okay, he was exposed. I'll admit it. He wasn't even 20 then... but he never became what he could have been. Kennedy beat Clarke by a mile. Tallis monstered Papali'i. The $650K in Hodges penalties didn't help either."

    MATCH STATS
    StatTerritorialWizards
    Possession56%44%
    Metres1,6871,234
    Errors411

    Tries:
    Territorial: Trbojevic (3), To'o, Coates, Grant, Kennedy
    Wizards: Crichton (2), Mam, Lomax

    Player of the Match: Ben Kennedy (Territorial Monsters) - 178m, 3 try assists, dominated Erin Clarke



    SEMI FINAL 2: UNCIVIL WARRIORS (2nd) vs APEX PREDATORS (4th)

    Uncivil Warriors30-26Apex Predators

    Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney | Crowd: 71,892 | Referee: Ashley Klein

    FIRST HALF

    0' KICKOFF

    Lockyer-Cronk vs Walsh-DCE. The battle of the halves begins. Cronk sends it short, Walsh fields on the 30m line and immediately makes ground.

    4' WALSH MAGIC
    Walsh takes the ball at first receiver, steps Morley, accelerates past Hindmarsh, grubbering for himself and scoring! The 2025 premiership hero is electric! DCE converts.
    APEX PREDATORS 6-0

    9' LOCKYER RESPONDS
    Lockyer reads the defence, spots Mitchell free on the left edge. Cut-out pass, Mitchell powers through Gasnier and scores! The left centre is unstoppable. Lockyer converts.
    TIED 6-6

    14' SUBSTITUTION - UNCIVIL

    Keaon Koloamatangi on for Adrian Morley. Mr. Brownstone bringing on his 2025 star early.

    15' SUBSTITUTION - APEX
    Lindsay Collins on for Craig Fitzgibbon. The different-era prop was struggling against modern athletes.

    18' CRONK'S BOOT
    Cronk kicks a 40/20! Perfect execution. From the resulting set, Cook scoots from dummy half and darts over! The hooker is electric. Lockyer converts.
    UNCIVIL WARRIORS 12-6

    23' WALSH WON'T BE DENIED
    Walsh receives on his own 30m line, beats three defenders with a devastating sidestep, then accelerates away from Tedesco for 70 metres! TRY! DCE converts.
    TIED 12-12

    Naumaifooty on the sideline: "THIS is Walsh at his peak. This is what $1.95M buys you."

    28' SUBSTITUTION - UNCIVIL
    Xavier Willison on for Joseph Tapine. Greg Bird also enters for Nathan Hindmarsh.

    30' SUBSTITUTION - APEX
    Regan Campbell Gillard on for Jesse Bromwich. Tom Dearden also enters for Craig Wing.

    33' LOCKYER MASTERCLASS
    Lockyer with a trademark grubber into the in-goal, Tedesco chases, beats Saab to the ball and scores! The Origin fullback delivers again. Lockyer converts.
    UNCIVIL WARRIORS 18-12

    38' DCE STRUGGLES
    DCE puts up a bomb that goes straight up. RTS catches it cleanly. The halves disparity is showing - Cronk controlling, DCE guessing.

    HALFTIME: UNCIVIL WARRIORS 18 - APEX PREDATORS 12

    Halftime Stats:
    - Reece Walsh: 2 tries, 3 linebreaks, 156m - MAGNIFICENT but alone
    - Darren Lockyer: 2 try assists, controlling the game with experience
    - Cooper Cronk: 1 40/20, perfect kicking game
    - DCE: 2 errors, outplayed by Cronk




    SECOND HALF

    41' SUBSTITUTION - UNCIVIL

    Adrian Morley returns for Xavier Willison. Joseph Tapine back on for Keaon Koloamatangi.

    42' SUBSTITUTION - APEX
    Craig Wing returns for Tom Dearden. Jesse Bromwich back on for Lindsay Collins.

    45' PONGA IMPACT
    Kalyn Ponga enters the line from fullback, takes a short ball from Benji Marshall, bursts through Cook's tackle and scores! The dual playmaker threat works! DCE converts.
    UNCIVIL WARRIORS 18-18

    51' CRONK'S CONTROL
    Cronk with a precision kick to the corner, RTS rises highest and scores! The winger's finishing ability on display. Lockyer converts.
    UNCIVIL WARRIORS 24-18

    55' SUBSTITUTION - UNCIVIL
    Keaon Koloamatangi back on for Adrian Morley. The 2025 performer making an impact.

    56' SUBSTITUTION - APEX
    Tom Dearden back on for Craig Wing. Fresh legs needed.

    60' KOLOAMATANGI DOMINANCE
    Koloamatangi takes it up from dummy half, beats two defenders, offloads to Katoa who crashes over! The 2025 form is real. Lockyer converts.
    UNCIVIL WARRIORS 30-18

    65' WALSH REFUSES TO QUIT
    Holmes puts up a bomb, Manu rises, offloads in the tackle to Walsh who dives over in the corner! His third try! DCE misses the conversion.
    UNCIVIL WARRIORS 30-22

    71' MANU MAGIC
    Manu intercepts a Cronk pass, races 60 metres, scores! The centre brings Apex within a converted try! DCE converts!
    UNCIVIL WARRIORS 30-26

    76' APEX'S LAST CHANCE
    Walsh has the ball with 4 minutes left. Steps Hindmarsh, steps Bird... Tedesco makes a last-ditch tackle! Saved!

    78' TURNOVER
    DCE puts up a bomb, but Tedesco reads it perfectly. Turnover. Lockyer controls the clock.

    80' FULL TIME
    Cronk takes the ball and kicks it dead. Uncivil Warriors advance to the Grand Final.

    Naumaifooty post-match: "Walsh did everything. EVERYTHING. 3 tries, 3 linebreaks. But when your halves partner can't match Cronk... JT had Lockyer. Walsh had DCE. The talent gap in the halves was the difference."

    Mr. Brownstone post-match: "Lockyer-Cronk. They controlled the game. Koloamatangi was huge off the bench - his 2025 form is real. Could have been even better if not for... no. Not going there. Not mentioning the 5K overbid."

    MATCH STATS
    StatUncivilApex
    Possession54%46%
    Metres1,4231,512
    Errors58

    Tries:
    Uncivil: Mitchell, Tedesco, Cook, RTS, Katoa
    Apex: Walsh (3), Ponga, Manu

    Player of the Match: Darren Lockyer (Uncivil Warriors) - 2 try assists, controlled the game throughout



    PRELIMINARY FINAL: APEX PREDATORS (4th) vs GUS'S WIZARDS (3rd)

    Apex Predators32-28Gus's Wizards

    Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney | Crowd: 62,547 | Referee: Grant Atkins

    FIRST HALF

    0' KICKOFF

    Elimination final! Walsh vs JT-Smith. The losers go home. DCE sends it deep, Hunt fields on the 10m line.

    5' JT OPENS
    Thurston takes a quick tap from a penalty, spots Crichton unmarked on his inside. The four-time Dally M centre crashes over! JT converts.
    GUS'S WIZARDS 6-0

    11' WALSH RESPONDS
    Walsh receives on his own 40m line, dummies to Benji, accelerates through a gap, and scores! The Australian fullback is unstoppable when he gets space. DCE converts.
    TIED 6-6

    15' SUBSTITUTION - APEX

    Lindsay Collins on for Craig Fitzgibbon. Regan Campbell Gillard also enters for Jesse Bromwich.

    17' SUBSTITUTION - WIZARDS
    Spencer Leniu on for Daniel Saifiti. Jordan McLean also enters for Matt Scott.

    22' BENJI MAGIC
    Benji Marshall receives the ball 30m out, throws a no-look flick pass to Holmes who dives over in the corner! Prime Benji is devastating. DCE converts from the sideline!
    APEX PREDATORS 12-6

    28' CAMERON SMITH STRIKES BACK
    Smith spots Mam short side, feeds the young five-eighth who steps Radley and scores! The GOAT hooker creating again. JT converts.
    TIED 12-12

    32' SUBSTITUTION - APEX

    Tom Dearden on for Craig Wing. Fresh legs at dummy half.

    34' SUBSTITUTION - WIZARDS
    Kurt Capewell on for Corey Parker. Leka Halasima also enters for Jesse Bromwich.

    36' PONGA IMPACT
    Kalyn Ponga takes the ball at first receiver, draws two defenders, then offloads to Manu who races 40m to score! The dual playmaker threat is working. DCE converts.
    APEX PREDATORS 18-12

    HALFTIME: APEX PREDATORS 18 - GUS'S WIZARDS 12

    Halftime Stats:
    - Reece Walsh: 1 try, 2 linebreaks - running riot
    - Benji Marshall: 1 magical try assist - prime Benji on display
    - Cameron Smith: 1 try assist, frustrated by lack of territory
    - JT: 1 try assist but outplayed by Walsh's running game




    SECOND HALF

    41' SUBSTITUTION - APEX

    Craig Wing returns for Tom Dearden. Jesse Bromwich back on for Regan Campbell Gillard.

    42' SUBSTITUTION - WIZARDS
    Matt Scott and Daniel Saifiti return. Corey Parker back on.

    45' JT WON'T QUIT
    Thurston puts up a bomb, Isaako rises highest over Saab and scores! The $250K bargain delivering in the clutch. JT converts.
    APEX PREDATORS 18-18

    52' GASNIER CLASS
    Mark Gasnier takes a short ball from Benji, steps Hunt, beats Toopi with a devastating sidestep and scores! The Origin centre showing his class. DCE converts.
    APEX PREDATORS 24-18

    56' SUBSTITUTION - APEX
    Tom Dearden back on for Craig Wing. Lindsay Collins returns for Jesse Bromwich.

    58' SUBSTITUTION - WIZARDS
    Spencer Leniu back on for Matt Scott. Fresh legs needed.

    61' SMITH-JT CONNECTION
    Smith takes a quick tap, finds JT who grubbering for Crichton who scores his second! The $9M spine combination delivers. JT converts.
    APEX PREDATORS 24-24

    wizard of Tauranga on the sideline: "Cameron Smith + Jonathan Thurston together is ESSENTIALLY CHEATING. I said it at the auction. I'm saying it now."

    66' WALSH MAGIC
    Walsh receives deep in his own half, beats three defenders, chips over Lomax, regathers and scores! INCREDIBLE SOLO TRY! DCE converts.
    APEX PREDATORS 30-24

    72' WIZARDS DESPERATE
    JT puts up a bomb, but Walsh reads it perfectly. The fullback duel is going Walsh's way.

    75' CRICHTON HAT-TRICK
    JT won't give up! Finds Crichton unmarked on the left edge who scores his THIRD! JT needs the conversion to level...
    JT MISSES! Hit the post!
    APEX PREDATORS 30-28

    77' PONGA SEALS IT
    Apex get turnover! Ponga intercepts a Smith pass, races 50 metres, scores! The game is over! DCE converts.
    APEX PREDATORS 32-28

    80' FULL TIME
    Walsh and Ponga embrace. Apex Predators have survived elimination.

    Naumaifooty post-match: "Walsh did it AGAIN. But this time Ponga helped. Benji helped. The playmaker depth made the difference. JT and Smith were incredible but Walsh... Walsh is something special."

    wizard of Tauranga post-match: "Cameron Smith + JT. ESSENTIALLY CHEATING. Lost by 4 points. JT missed ONE conversion. ONE. If he'd made that... $650K in Hodges penalties. Karmichael Hunt. The pain continues. But this was the most fun I've had all year."

    MATCH STATS
    StatApexWizards
    Possession48%52%
    Metres1,5341,423
    Errors67

    Tries:
    Apex: Walsh (2), Holmes, Manu, Gasnier, Ponga
    Wizards: Crichton (3), Mam, Isaako

    Player of the Match: Reece Walsh (Apex Predators) - 2 tries, 4 linebreaks, controlled the game



    GRAND FINAL

    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS vs UNCIVIL WARRIORS

    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS28-24UNCIVIL WARRIORS

    Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney | Crowd: 82,456 | Referee: Ashley Klein



    FULL MATCH COMMENTARY

    FIRST HALF

    0' KICKOFF

    Reynolds sends it deep. The balanced squad vs Lockyer-Cronk. Tedesco fields it on the 15m line, steps Grant and returns it to the 40. Big game from the Origin fullback.

    4' FIRST POINTS - TRY TERRITORIAL MONSTERS
    Haas crashes through two tacklers, offloads to Tallis who muscles over from 5 metres. The prop to the second-rower. Reynolds converts.
    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 6-0

    9' UNCIVIL WARRIORS RESPONSE
    Lockyer with a trademark grubber into the in-goal, Tedesco chases, beats To'o to the ball and scores! The ultimate big-game player. Lockyer converts.
    TIED 6-6

    15' TERRITORIAL STRIKE BACK
    Kennedy takes the ball from dummy half, steps Cook, then finds Turbo steaming through on an angle. Turbo's speed gets him over despite Mitchell's tackle. Reynolds converts.
    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 12-6

    18' SUBSTITUTION - TERRITORIAL
    Scott Sorensen on for Sam Burgess. First rotation for Cces.

    19' SUBSTITUTION - UNCIVIL
    Keaon Koloamatangi on for Adrian Morley. Mr. Brownstone brings on his 2025 performer early.

    22' BRUTAL DEFENCE
    Tallis puts a massive shot on RTS. The winger is slow to get up. The Territorial forwards are winning the ruck battle despite Morley's efforts.

    28' UNCIVIL WARRIORS STRIKE
    Cronk spots Katoa short side, fires a cut-out pass over Grant's head, Katoa crashes over in the corner! Lockyer misses from the sideline.
    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 12-10

    32' SUBSTITUTION - TERRITORIAL
    Josh Papalii on for Payne Haas. Cces resting his metre-eater for a second half assault.

    33' SUBSTITUTION - UNCIVIL
    Xavier Willison on for Joseph Tapine. The 2025 Grand Final hero enters.

    34' TERRITORIAL MONSTERS SURGE
    Harry Grant scoots from dummy half, draws two defenders, then finds Coates steaming down the wing. Xavier Coates is too fast for Tupou. Reynolds converts.
    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 18-10

    36' SUBSTITUTION - UNCIVIL
    Greg Bird on for Nathan Hindmarsh. Fresh legs for the back end of the half.

    38' PENALTY GOAL
    Morley penalised for a high shot on Kikau. Reynolds slots the penalty.
    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 20-10

    HALFTIME: TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 20 - UNCIVIL WARRIORS 10

    Halftime Stats:
    - Payne Haas: 124m, 18 tackles, 1 try assist - DOMINATING
    - Gordon Tallis: 98m, 22 tackles, 1 try - The Raging Bull is back
    - Darren Lockyer: 1 try assist, 0 errors, but under pressure
    - Keaon Koloamatangi: 67m, 14 tackles (off the bench) - performing well for Uncivil's pack




    SECOND HALF

    41' SUBSTITUTION - TERRITORIAL

    Sam Burgess back on for Scott Sorensen. Payne Haas also returns for Josh Papalii. The big guns are back.

    42' SUBSTITUTION - UNCIVIL
    Adrian Morley returns for Xavier Willison. Joseph Tapine back on for Keaon Koloamatangi.

    43' UNCIVIL WARRIORS SURGE
    Lockyer takes a quick tap from a penalty, grubbering for Latrell Mitchell who gathers and scores! The left centre is unstoppable from 10m out. Lockyer converts.
    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 20-16

    49' TERRITORIAL RESPONSE
    Kikau charges down the left edge, beats Hindmarsh, then offloads to Tallis who goes in untouched! The Raging Bull has a double!
    Reynolds converts.
    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 26-16

    55' CRONK'S BRILLIANCE
    Cronk with a moment of magic! Chips over the line, regathers, and scores! This is why he's a 4-time premiership winner. Lockyer converts.
    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 26-22

    58' SUBSTITUTION - TERRITORIAL
    Simon Mannering on for Viliame Kikau. Fresh legs on the edge. Scott Sorensen also returns for Sam Burgess.

    59' SUBSTITUTION - UNCIVIL
    Keaon Koloamatangi back on for Adrian Morley. Xavier Willison returns for Joseph Tapine. Mr. Brownstone going with his 2025 heroes.

    62' DEFENSIVE STALEMATE
    Both teams trading sets. Kennedy vs Yeo is intense. The Anaconda strategy is working - Territorial are squeezing the life out of every Uncivil attack.

    68' CONTROVERSIAL MOMENT
    Mitchell appears to have scored in the corner, but the bunker rules obstruction on Katoa. Territorial survive! Mr. Brownstone is FURIOUS on the sideline.

    Mr. Brownstone: "OBSTRUCTION? OBSTRUCTION?! This is worse than the 5K overbid! Actually no, the 5K overbid overrule was worse. But THIS IS CLOSE!"

    70' SUBSTITUTION - TERRITORIAL
    Josh Papalii back on for Payne Haas. Cces managing his big man's minutes for the final push.

    71' SUBSTITUTION - UNCIVIL
    Nathan Hindmarsh returns for Greg Bird. All hands on deck for the finish.

    72' TERRITORIAL SEAL IT
    Reynolds kicks deep, RTS fumbles under pressure from To'o, Grant pounces on the loose ball and scores! The hooker has won them the Grand Final!
    Reynolds steadies... converts!
    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 28-22

    76' UNCIVIL DESPERATE
    Lockyer organises one last charge. Cronk kicks for Tedesco who somehow regathers and scores! The Origin fullback has given them hope!
    Lockyer needs to convert to keep them alive...
    MISSED! Hit the post!
    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS 28-24

    78' HEART-STOPPING FINALE
    Uncivil Warriors with the ball. Last chance. Cronk kicks high for Mitchell on the left edge... Girdler is there! He catches it cleanly!

    80' FINAL SIREN
    Territorial Monsters win the scrum. Reynolds takes the ball and kicks it dead.


    TERRITORIAL MONSTERS WIN 28-24!

    CCES'S BALANCED SQUAD HAS DONE IT! THE ANACONDA HAS SQUEEZED THE LIFE OUT OF LOCKYER-CRONK!



    GRAND FINAL STATS

    StatTerritorial MonstersUncivil Warriors
    Possession52%48%
    Metres1,6121,398
    Tackles289324
    Errors69
    Line Breaks85
    Offloads147

    TRY SCORERS:
    Territorial: Tallis (2), Turbo, Coates, Grant
    Uncivil: Tedesco (2), Katoa, Mitchell, Cronk

    CLIVE CHURCHILL MEDAL: GORDON TALLIS
    176m, 2 tries, 1 try assist, 38 tackles, 6 offloads - THE RAGING BULL DELIVERED



    TOURNAMENT AWARDS

    AwardWinnerTeam
    Player of the TournamentGordon TallisTerritorial Monsters
    Forward of TournamentPayne HaasTerritorial Monsters
    Back of TournamentReece WalshApex Predators
    Halves CombinationLockyer-CronkUncivil Warriors
    Coach of TournamentCcesTerritorial Monsters
    Breakout PerformerKeaon KoloamatangiUncivil Warriors
    2025 Performers AwardNaufahu Whyte & Ethan StrangeNorthern Rynos
    Top Try ScorerTom Trbojevic (11 tries)Territorial Monsters
    Top Metre EaterPayne Haas (1,923m)Territorial Monsters
    Defender of TournamentBen KennedyTerritorial Monsters
    Play of the TournamentTallis double in Grand FinalTerritorial vs Uncivil
    Most Sin BinsWillie Mason (4)Starford's Stars
    Most Send-OffsJack Hetherington (2)Starford's Stars
    Forfeit AwardDefenceDefence's Destroyers




    Code:
                        +-------------------------+
                        |       GRAND FINAL       |
                        |                         |
             +----------+   Territorial M.   28   |
             |          |   Uncivil Warriors 24   |
             |          +-------------------------+
             |
    +--------+---------+              +------------------+
    |   SEMI FINAL 1   |              |   SEMI FINAL 2   |
    |                  |              |                  |
    | Territorial   38 |              | Uncivil War.  30 |
    | Gus's Wizards 20 |              | Apex Pred.    26 |
    +------------------+              +--------+---------+
                                               |
                        +----------------------+
                        |   PRELIMINARY FINAL  |
                        |                      |
                        | Apex Predators   32  |
                        | Gus's Wizards    28  |
                        +----------------------+



    MANAGER AWARDS (THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY)

    AwardWinnerReason
    "The Anaconda Award"CcesBuilt a balanced squad. Sam Burgess at $1.41M was worth every cent. Applied "pressure like an Anaconda" and squeezed the life out of everyone - including Lockyer-Cronk.
    "The 5K Complainer Award"Mr. BrownstoneAssembled Lockyer-Cronk but STILL won't stop mentioning the 5K bidding issues. Lost the Grand Final by 4 points. "Could have had Cameron Smith if not for the 5K costly mistake on Farnworth" We know, mate. We know.
    "The One Man Army Award"NaumaifootyBuilt the entire team around Reece Walsh ($1.95M) and SBW ($2.78M). It worked until they faced Lockyer-Cronk. "Walsh did everything" - but even JT had Lockyer.
    "The $10M Madman Award"wizard of TaurangaDropped $4M on JT Round 1, then $5M on Cameron Smith. "The most fun I've had all year." But $650K in Hodges penalties while others got bonuses? Perhaps too aggressive.
    "The Homework Forgetter Award"DefenceAssembled Billy Slater, Brad Fittler, Cameron Munster, and James Fisher-Harris. Forgot to submit team list. Almost quit over the goal kicker controversy, stayed after community support, then forfeited anyway. "I thought it was optional."
    "The Favouritism Award"WrightyNamed Starford To'a captain ("he's my favourite player") and benched him. Put legends Steve Price and Jamie Lyon under an unproven leader. Assembled undisciplined firebrands Lodge, Hetherington, and Mason - four sin bins and two send-offs. Admitted being "a real underdog as I don't know the players." Favouritism over football smarts.
    "The Cleary Believer Award"MuddogzBuilt around Nathan Cleary. Proved current form matters. Still couldn't overcome the halves investment leaving gaps elsewhere.
    "The Little General Award"Warriors55Stacey Jones drew with Walsh. "The Little General delivers." Completed the Hodges Agency challenge. One-minute snipe on Fifita nearly gave everyone heart attacks.
    "The 2025 Performers Award"Ryno 2.0Correctly identified Naufahu Whyte (NZ International) and Ethan Strange (Origin contender) as genuine performers. "I messed up with recruiting outside backs" - at least he was honest. 5/10 bench self-rating was fair.



    OVERHEARD IN THE COACHES BOX

    Cces (after Tallis' Grand Final double):
    "PRESSURE. LIKE. AN. ANACONDA. We don't beat teams - we suffocate them. This is what happens when you build PROPERLY. Not around one player. Not around halves. BALANCE. The Anaconda doesn't care how great your halfback is. We squeeze everyone equally."

    Mr. Brownstone (after losing the Grand Final):
    "Lockyer-Cronk. Lost by 4 points. To an Anaconda. You know what would have helped? CAMERON SMITH. You know why I don't have Cameron Smith? THE 5K BIDDING SYSTEM. Yes, I'm still talking about it. I'll ALWAYS be talking about it."

    Naumaifooty (after Semi Final loss):
    "Walsh did EVERYTHING. 2 tries, 3 linebreaks, standout player on the field. But JT had Lockyer. Walsh had... DCE. If I had Lockyer... if I had Cronk... basically anyone who could match what they do."

    wizard of Tauranga (after Semi Final loss):
    "Cameron Smith + Jonathan Thurston is essentially cheating. I said we'd win 24-20. We lost 38-20. Karmichael Hunt at fullback... okay, he wasn't even 20 when he lost to Motu Tony. But he never was what he could have been. The $650K in penalties to Hodges didn't help either."

    Defence (entire tournament):
    "I have Billy Slater. Billy. Slater. Three-time Clive Churchill Medallist. And we're... forfeiting. I thought submitting a team list was like submitting homework. Optional. Voluntary. A suggestion.

    I almost quit over the goal kicker thing. Mr. Brownstone said 'this is meant to be fun, the rules should guide us not trip us up.' Wrighty apologized. I stayed.

    Then I tripped myself. At the finish line."

    Wrighty (after Mason's 4th sin bin):
    "I specifically told Willie to only throw punches when NECESSARY. Four times? FOUR TIMES? And Hetherington got sent off TWICE. Lodge... well, Lodge was Lodge. Ethics and overcoming adversity, as Wizard said."

    *When asked about Starford Toa as captain*

    "I picked him as captain as he is my favourite player. This is an NRL fantasy game. Ideally your captain should be in your starting 13 but... look, Steve Price won Dally M captain THREE times. He can handle it."

    Ryno 2.0 (after their breakthrough win over Strikeforce):
    "Andrew Johns vs Stacey Jones. Two LEGENDS. And Joey won. 5/10 bench rating was being harsh on myself - Whyte is an NZ INTERNATIONAL, Strange is on the CUSP of ORIGIN. Gallen led from the front. Greg Inglis and Folau caused chaos in the centres. We finally showed what this team can do when Johns is pulling the strings."



    ALL-STARS XVII

    Selected from all 9 teams based on tournament performance

    Code:
                        ALL-STARS XVII
    
               +-----------------------------------+
        TURBO  |           FULLBACK                |
     (Territ.) |       TOM TRBOJEVIC              |
               |       11 tries, impressive        |
               +-----------------------------------+
    
        +----------+  +----------+  +----------+  +----------+
        |  WING    |  |  CENTRE  |  |  CENTRE  |  |  WING    |
        |  To'o    |  | Crichton |  | Mitchell |  |  Coates  |
        |(Territ.) |  |(Wizards) |  |(Uncivil) |  |(Territ.) |
        +----------+  +----------+  +----------+  +----------+
    
               +------------------------------------+
               |           HALVES                   |
               |   Lockyer (Uncivil) - JT (Wizards)|
               |                                    |
               +------------------------------------+
    
        +----------+  +----------+  +----------+
        |  PROP    |  |  HOOKER  |  |  PROP    |
        |  Haas    |  |  Grant   |  |   JFH    |
        |(Territ.) |  |(Territ.) |  |(Defence) |
        +----------+  +----------+  +----------+
    
        +----------+  +--------------+  +----------+
        | 2ND ROW  |  |     LOCK     |  | 2ND ROW  |
        |  Tallis  |  |   Kennedy    |  |  Kikau   |
        |(Territ.) |  | (Territ.)    |  |(Territ.) |
        +----------+  +--------------+  +----------+
    
                          BENCH
        +----------+----------+-----------+----------+
        | Smith    | Walsh    | Cronk     |Koloamat. |
        |(Wizards) |(Apex)    |(Uncivil)  |(Uncivil) |
        +----------+----------+-----------+----------+

    All-Stars Breakdown by Team:
    - Territorial Monsters: 7 selections (Turbo, To'o, Coates, Haas, Grant, Tallis, Kennedy, Kikau) - DOMINANT
    - Uncivil Warriors: 3 selections (Lockyer, Mitchell, Cronk, Koloamatangi)
    - Gus's Wizards: 2 selections (JT, Crichton, Smith)
    - Apex Predators: 1 selection (Walsh)
    - Defence's Destroyers: 1 selection (JFH - despite forfeiting, quality player)



    FINAL QUOTES

    Cces (Territorial Monsters - CHAMPIONS):
    "Pressure. Like. An. Anaconda. That's how you win. Sam Burgess at $1.41M. Brad Fittler at $1.25M. Methodical spending. Balance wins championships. Not one player. Not halves pairings. BALANCE. The Anaconda doesn't care how great your halfback is. We squeeze everyone equally."

    Mr. Brownstone (Uncivil Warriors - Runners Up):
    "Lockyer, Cronk, Tedesco, Cook - quality spine. Lost by 4 points. No regrets... except the 5K overbid. Always the 5K overbid. It haunts me. But this was the most fun I've had. Even losing to an Anaconda."

    wizard of Tauranga (Gus's Wizards - 3rd Place):
    "This was the most fun I've had all year. $4M on JT. $5M on Smith. $650K in penalties. Worth every cent. Cameron Smith + Jonathan Thurston together is essentially cheating - just not enough cheating to beat that forward pack. Next time I'll spend $10M on props instead."

    Wrighty (Starford's Stars - 7th Place):
    "Every champion must overcome adversity - think of it as a challenge to overcome. That's what I told Mr. Brownstone when I gave him an infraction. That's what I tell myself now.

    Hayne was brilliant. JAC was devastating. Brad Thorn was professional. But Willie's sin bins, Hetherington's send-offs, and yes, the Starford Toa captain situation... lessons learned. Maybe favouritism isn't how you select a team.

    I invented this game and finished 7th. At least I beat Defence."

    Warriors55 (Warriors Strikeforce - 8th Place):
    "Stacey Jones vs Andrew Johns. The Little General vs an Immortal. One field goal. Jones missed. That's the difference between 7th and 8th.

    Taumalolo was a monster all tournament. Drew with Walsh. Pushed everyone close. But Johns... Joey controlled that game like only an Immortal can. Can't be mad about losing to an Immortal.

    Still completed the Hodges Agency Stacey Jones challenge. Still got Fifita with one minute to spare. Still saw The Little General create magic. That draw with Walsh? That's what this game is about."

    Ryno 2.0 (Northern Rynos - 6th Place):
    "Andrew Johns at halfback. Greg Inglis at centre. Israel Folau on the wing. Jake Trbojevic at lock. Paul Gallen as captain. This team had LEGENDS.

    Two wins. Beat Strikeforce when Jones missed that field goal. Every close loss was within one score. Johns delivered three try assists against Stacey Jones. GI and Folau ran riot.

    Next time? We're coming for top four. Joey showed what we can do."

    Defence (Defence's Destroyers - FORFEIT):
    "Billy Slater. Brad Fittler. Cameron Munster. James Fisher-Harris. And we forfeited because I didn't submit a team list.

    I almost quit earlier. Over a goal kicker. Everyone rallied around me. Mr. Brownstone said 'this is meant to be fun.' Wrighty apologized.

    Then I forgot the most basic requirement.

    Next time I'll set a reminder. 'SUBMIT. TEAM. LIST.' In bold. Underlined. On my forehead."



    VOTING RECOMMENDATION

    Based on team construction, strategic thinking, and overall balance:

    VoteTeamManagerReason
    3 ptsTerritorial MonstersCcesBalanced squad. Undefeated. Grand Final winners. "Pressure like an Anaconda" was genius. Methodical spending on quality players.
    2 ptsUncivil WarriorsMr. BrownstoneLockyer-Cronk combination. Lost GF by 4 points. Koloamatangi selection was inspired. Would have won if not for... actually, let HIM tell you about the 5K Herbie debacle.
    1 ptApex PredatorsNaumaifootyBuilt around Reece Walsh. He was magnificent. Lost when he didn't have the halves support.



    CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL PARTICIPANTS!

    Tournament simulation with all players at their career peak.
    Territorial Monsters - CHAMPIONS - Balance Beats Brilliance

    The most fun wizard of Tauranga has had all year (thought it is still early January...).
    The most complaints Mr. Brownstone has made about 5K increments.
    The most sin bins Willie Mason has collected in one tournament.
    The most favouritism Wrighty has shown to his favourite player.
    The most ironic forfeit Defence has committed.

    This is just meant to be a bit of fun. The rules should guide us, not trip us up.

    Q&A responses sourced from Chris Hodges' interviews with team managers.
    Auction details sourced from all 117 pages of Wrighty's Player Agent Game thread.
     
    HODGES AGENCY
    CLASSIFIED INTELLIGENCE DOSSIER
    Final Round Strategic Analysis - January 2026

    ChatGPT Image Jan 6, 2026, 04_19_15 PM.webp

    "We don't just represent players. We manipulate entire competitions."
    - Chris Hodges, probably after his third wine



    DOCUMENT STATUS: TOP SECRET
    For internal Hodges Agency use only. If you're reading this, someone definitely left their laptop open at the pub again.



    EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    After eleven grueling rounds of psychological warfare, questionable rule interpretations, and enough essay writing to qualify for a Masters degree, we approach the Final Round. The battlefield is littered with empty war chests and broken dreams. Mr. Brownstone looked unbeatable - until the $5K bid increment rule exposed him as mortal.

    FINAL ROUND PARAMETERS:
    • Letter "B" surnames eligible
    • ALL remaining Hodges Agency players available
    • ALL remaining 2025 NRL players available
    • No interventions - Chris Hodges is feeling generous (or blocked from issuing interventions)

    CRITICAL INTEL: This is the last opportunity to address glaring roster deficiencies. Any team without a recognized goal kicker will be publicly shamed for eternity.



    OVERHEARD IN THE HODGES AGENCY OFFICES
    Actual quotes. Definitely not made up. Our intern takes very detailed notes.

    Regarding Mr. Brownstone said:
    "He's basically the Brisbane Broncos of this competition. Gets every call, wins every close bid, and somehow makes it look effortless. I've waited all these years for him to slip up... finally happened. I'm taking so much joy out of it." - Defence, enjoying the Herbie Farnworth debacle

    "PRECEDENT WAS SET!" - Brownstone, screaming into the void about $5K increments

    Regarding Wizard of Tauranga said:
    "Champion team indeed... if you forget about the fullback and the forward pack." - Chris Hodges, after Wizard spent $9M on two players

    "I thought I won and you guys are going for placing???" - Wizard, genuinely confused about the rules

    "We made Cam Smith the player he is today!" - Wizard, during the Great Player Exodus of Round 7

    Regarding Defence said:
    "I've been groomed, haven't I? Chris keeps asking for increasingly embarrassing favours in exchange for advice." - Defence, achieving self-awareness

    "82% goal kicking from 100 attempts over 8 years is ELITE, actually." - Defence, defending the Staggs selection with a straight face

    Regarding Ryno 2.0 said:
    "It's 4:45 AM in Norway and I'm bidding on imaginary rugby league players. This is fine." - Ryno, questioning his life choices

    "Foran slipped through the net at $200K. SLIPPED. THROUGH. THE. NET." - Ryno, still in disbelief

    Regarding Cces said:
    "Craig Gower is an upstanding citizen when he is sober. After his third beer, expect unsolicited massages. After his sixth, puppetry of the penis becomes a concern." - Cces's official character reference for Gower

    Regarding Wrighty said:
    "Matt Lodge giving an ethics speech to the Wizards would be peak comedy." - Wizard, firing shots

    "My daughter is engaged to Chris Hodges' son. Should this engagement be called off, there may be costly retribution." - Wrighty, receiving the world's most threatening $25K bonus

    Regarding Muddogz said:
    "We'll get Danny Buderus. Eventually. One day. Please." - Muddogz, every round since Round 3

    "$2.7M war chest and no hooker. It's called strategy, look it up." - Muddogz, probably

    Regarding Warriors55 said:
    "I have three essays due, a full day of work, and Todd Carney requires a social media policy. This is fine." - Warriors55, before Mr. Brownstone saved the day

    "We got Taumalolo for $1.4M. Wait, was he even eligible?" - The question no one wanted to ask

    Regarding Naumaifooty said:
    "Sonny Bill Williams and Benji Marshall in the same team. It's 2011 again and I'm here for it." - Naumaifooty, living the dream

    *Posts reaction GIF instead of actual commentary* - Naumaifooty's preferred communication method



    NOTABLE CONTROVERSIES & INCIDENTS
    A comprehensive timeline of chaos

    THE GREAT PLAYER EXODUS (Round 7)
    Cameron Smith, Jonathan Thurston, and Matt Scott attempted to leave Wizard's team mid-contract. Wizard accused Chris Hodges of orchestrating a coup. A Lamborghini intended for Hodges was redirected to Isaac Moses. Legal threats were exchanged. It was beautiful chaos.

    THE $10K INCREMENT WAR
    Mr. Brownstone's $5K bid was rejected for violating the $10K minimum increment rule. Brownstone argued "precedent was set" when earlier $5K bids were accepted. The forum nearly descended into constitutional crisis over five thousand imaginary dollars.

    THE STAGGS GOAL-KICKING TRIBUNAL
    Defence selected Kotoni Staggs as goal kicker. Wrighty challenged this, noting Staggs had only 100 attempts in 8 years. Defence argued 82% accuracy. Wrighty threatened forfeit of Herbie Farnworth. The situation remains... unresolved.

    THE COREY PARKER APPRECIATION POST
    Chris Hodges called Corey Parker "woeful." Wizard demanded a 200-word apology or Parker would leave Hodges' stable for Isaac Moses. The apology was never written. Parker cries to this day.

    THE TODD CARNEY SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
    Mr. Brownstone was forced to write a comprehensive social media policy for Todd Carney. It specifically addressed: "bubbling" (permitted as environmentally friendly), bathroom selfies (banned), and "human centipede replication" (extremely banned).

    THE SCHEDULED POST MISHAP
    Chris Hodges forgot to schedule the round-closing announcement. "Sorry guys forgot to schedule it" became the most honest statement in the competition's history.

    THE BMX DEFENCE
    Defence missed a bid increment rule because he was filming his son's BMX tricks. This is somehow the most wholesome controversy of the competition.



    REMAINING HODGES AGENCY STABLE
    The legends who somehow slipped through the cracks

    PLAYERPOSITIONPROJECTED VALUEAGENCY NOTES
    Danny BuderusHooker$800K-$1.2MThe white whale. Muddogz has been hunting him since Round 3
    Sam BurgessLock/Second Row$1.2M-$1.8MEnglish accent. Questionable shoulder. Undeniable X-factor
    Matt BowenFullback$400K-$600KThe human pinball. Could cover fullback or wing cheaply
    Preston CampbellFullback/Five-eighth$300K-$450KPocket rocket. Criminally underrated utility
    Hazem El MasriWing/Centre$350K-$500KGOAT goal kicker. If you need a kicker, here's your man
    Brett StewartFullback$600K-$900KPrime-era was elite. Hamstrings made of tissue paper
    Darius BoydFullback/Wing/Centre$400K-$600KThree premierships. Versatility personified
    Trent BarrettFive-eighth$500K-$700KOrigin legend. Coaching career we don't discuss
    Nathan BlacklockWing$300K-$400KElectric. Score tries, drop balls. The full package
    Ben BarbaFullback$500K-$750KDally M winner. Off-field issues. Prime-era was sensational
    Scott PrinceHalfback$400K-$600KTitans legend. Handy backup half option
    Greg BirdSecond Row/Lock$450K-$650KOrigin enforcer. Glassware enthusiast
    Jesse BromwichProp$500K-$750KStorm premiership prop. Brother is apparently better



    FRANCHISE POWER RANKINGS
    Updated post-Round 11



    #1. MR. BROWNSTONE'S IMMORTALS
    War Chest: $1.225M | Squad Size: 16 | Threat Level: EXTREME

    PositionPlayerCost
    FBJames Tedesco$1.01M
    WRoger Tuivasa-Sheck$200K
    CLatrell Mitchell$820K
    CDaniel Tupou$240K
    HBDarren Lockyer$3.35M
    FECooper Cronk$3.05M
    PRAdrian Morley$820K
    HKDamian Cook$410K
    PRJoseph Tapine$1.1M
    SRNathan Hindmarsh$700K
    SREliesa Katoa$750K
    LKIsaah Yeo$600K
    INTBrett Kimmorley$125K
    INTStefano Utoikamanu$200K
    INTXavier Willison$200K
    INTKeaon Koloamatangi$200K

    AGENCY ASSESSMENT:
    The defending champion assembled a solid roster. Two Immortals in the halves (Lockyer & Cronk) is a strong foundation, though both are from a different era. The spine of Tedesco-Cook-Cronk-Lockyer looks good on paper.

    The acquisition of Latrell at $820K was decent value - everyone else was distracted, and Brownstone was paying attention.

    Strengths:
    • Best halves pairing in the competition - no debate
    • Tedesco at fullback provides elite insurance
    • Forward pack with Tapine, Yeo, Hindmarsh is Origin-quality
    • RTS provides that X-factor outside back option

    Weaknesses:
    • Second winger spot is thin (Tupou is... fine)
    • Prop depth could be better - Morley is aging
    • $1.225M isn't much for the final round

    OPTIMAL TOP 17:
    Code:
    1.  James Tedesco (FB)
    2.  Daniel Tupou (W)
    3.  Latrell Mitchell (C)
    4.  Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (C)
    5.  [NEED - Target: Blacklock/2025 winger]
    6.  Darren Lockyer (FE)
    7.  Cooper Cronk (HB)
    8.  Adrian Morley (PR)
    9.  Damian Cook (HK)
    10. Joseph Tapine (PR)
    11. Nathan Hindmarsh (SR)
    12. Eliesa Katoa (SR)
    13. Isaah Yeo (LK)
    
    14. Brett Kimmorley (INT)
    15. Stefano Utoikamanu (INT)
    16. Xavier Willison (INT)
    17. Keaon Koloamatangi (INT)
    
    CAPTAIN: Darren Lockyer (Three-time premiership winner, Immortal)
    GOAL KICKER: Darren Lockyer (Career 313/430 - 72.8%)

    FINAL ROUND TARGETS:
    • Nathan Blacklock - $300K would solve the winger problem
    • Dylan Brown - Utility playmaker depth
    • Jesse Bromwich - Prop depth if affordable

    VERDICT: CONTENDER. A solid roster with genuine quality in the spine. Still needs a proper winger and could use more depth. The Immortals in the halves are quality, but the $5K bid increment debacle showed Brownstone isn't infallible. Watch this space.

    WATER COOLER GOSSIP:
    • Was cruising to an uncontested championship until he discovered the $5K bid increment rule exists. "PRECEDENT WAS SET!" echoes through the halls to this day.
    • Spent more energy arguing about $5,000 than most teams spent on actual strategy. The Herbie Farnworth Incident will be studied in forum law schools.
    • "Why do automated software updates always make things worse!!" - Brownstone, after his scheduled bid failed
    • The Cooper Cronk Match Day Prep Routine essay is now required reading at Hodges Agency. It includes Enya meditation and the mantra "process over outcome."
    • Defence called him "#BrownstonesBroncos" - the nickname has stuck in the office
    • Somehow wrote THREE essays for Warriors55's fines while also winning bidding wars. Multitasking king.
    • "The $5K increment rule finally caught up with him. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy." - Everyone else

    COACH'S BOX - AGENCY ANALYSIS:
    This roster screams Craig Bellamy. Systematic, calculated, built on a spine of Immortals who execute without ego. Bellamy would have Cronk and Lockyer running identical plays to the 2017-2019 Storm dynasty.

    Alternative: Wayne Bennett - because only he could manage Brownstone's ego alongside two Immortals who also have opinions.

    Hodges Hot Take: With this roster's clinical approach and Brownstone's essay-writing homework regime, they don't need a coach - they need a project manager with a Gantt chart.



    #2. GUS'S WIZARDS (WIZARD OF TAURANGA)
    War Chest: $50K | Squad Size: 18 | Threat Level: HIGH

    PositionPlayerCost
    FBKarmichael Hunt$200K
    WZac Lomax$250K
    CStephen Crichton$710K
    CClinton Toopi$200K
    WJamayne Isaako$200K
    FEEzra Mam$200K
    HBJonathan Thurston$4M
    PRSpencer Leniu$280K
    HKCameron Smith$5M
    PRMatt Scott$800K
    SRCorey Parker$410K
    SRIsaiah Papali'i$300K
    LKErin Clarke$400K
    INTJordan McLean$200K
    INTDaniel Saifiti$200K
    INTLeka Halasima$550K
    INTBen Murdoch-Masila$200K
    INTKurt Capewell$200K

    AGENCY ASSESSMENT:
    The Wizard went ALL IN on two players. Cameron Smith ($5M) and Jonathan Thurston ($4M) represent 60% of the entire salary cap. It's either genius or madness - the jury is still out.

    On paper, having arguably the two greatest players of the NRL era in your halves is terrifying. The problem? Every other position looks like it was assembled at a Salvation Army clearance sale.

    Karmichael Hunt at fullback is... a choice. Ezra Mam at five-eighth means JT is basically playing both halves positions. The outside backs are the human equivalent of "we have fullbacks at home."

    Strengths:
    • JT + Cameron Smith is the greatest halves/hooker combo ever assembled
    • Forward pack is actually decent - Matt Scott, Leniu, Parker
    • Stephen Crichton provides genuine strike power
    • Squad depth means no forfeit concerns

    Weaknesses:
    • $50K war chest - literally can only afford meme players
    • Fullback is a glaring hole (Hunt is a centre, let's be honest)
    • Winger depth is concerning
    • Ezra Mam in his current form is a liability, especially if he is driving...

    OPTIMAL TOP 17:
    Code:
    1.  Karmichael Hunt (FB) - pray for us
    2.  Zac Lomax (W)
    3.  Stephen Crichton (C)
    4.  Clinton Toopi (C)
    5.  Jamayne Isaako (W)
    6.  Ezra Mam (FE)
    7.  Jonathan Thurston (HB)
    8.  Spencer Leniu (PR)
    9.  Cameron Smith (HK)
    10. Matt Scott (PR)
    11. Corey Parker (SR)
    12. Isaiah Papali'i (SR)
    13. Erin Clarke (LK)
    
    14. Kurt Capewell (INT)
    15. Jordan McLean (INT)
    16. Daniel Saifiti (INT)
    17. Leka Halasima (INT)
    
    CAPTAIN: Cameron Smith (Most games ever, Origin legend)
    GOAL KICKER: Jonathan Thurston (Career 913/1104 - 82.7%)

    FINAL ROUND TARGETS:
    • Reality check - $50K means you're shopping at the discount bin
    • Sione Katoa - $10K meme option
    • Anyone with a "B" surname who costs less than $50K

    VERDICT: HIGH CEILING, CONCERNING FLOOR. JT and Cam Smith could carry a team of traffic cones to respectability. Whether they can overcome the holes around them is the $9M question.

    WATER COOLER GOSSIP:
    • "We made Cam Smith the player he is today!" - actual quote during The Great Exodus
    • Promised Chris Hodges a Lamborghini. Redirected it to Isaac Moses. Savage.
    • First to complete a team. Forgot the game was about rankings, not finishing first.
    • "$145k would have been funnier" - Wizard, after Hodges gave him a $5K bonus
    • Still waiting on that $250K Cameron Smith fine to be paid. Interest is accruing.
    • Karmichael Hunt was displaced by Motu Tony. Let that sink in.

    COACH'S BOX - AGENCY ANALYSIS:
    This team needs Phil Gould. Not as coach - as GM, therapist, and crisis manager. When you have JT and Cam Smith AND a player exodus AND no fullback, you need someone who thrives in chaos.

    Alternative: Ricky Stuart - his rants about referees would distract from the team's structural issues. Plus he'd probably fight someone over the Cam Smith fine.

    Hodges Hot Take: With $50K war chest and 18 players, Wizard doesn't need a coach. He needs a magician. Oh wait...



    #3. CCES'S COMBINED FORCES
    War Chest: $1.71M | Squad Size: 15 | Threat Level: HIGH

    PositionPlayerCost
    FBTom Trbojevic$1.1M
    WBrian To'o$1.01M
    CJustin Hodges$900K
    WXavier Coates$600K
    FERyan Girdler$350K
    HBAdam Reynolds$500K
    PRPayne Haas$2.6M
    HKHarry Grant$1.31M
    PRJosh Papalii$480K
    SRViliame Kikau$750K
    SRBen Kennedy$900K
    LKGordon Tallis$1.99M
    INTSimon Mannering$900K
    INTScott Sorensen$200K
    INTCraig Gower$250K

    AGENCY ASSESSMENT:
    The Brad Fittler Saga of Round 11 will be remembered for generations. Cces pushed Defence all the way to $1.3M, showing both excellent value hunting and a willingness to throw money around strategically.

    This squad screams "we're going to bash you into submission." Gordon Tallis at lock with Payne Haas and Ben Kennedy in the pack is genuinely frightening. Tom Trbojevic at fullback - when healthy - is a cheat code.

    Harry Grant at hooker provides that spark out of dummy half. The outside backs with To'o, Coates, and Hodges give you speed and power in equal measure.

    Strengths:
    • Most intimidating forward pack in the competition
    • Tom Trbojevic is a genuine game-changer
    • Back three finishing ability is elite
    • $1.71M war chest allows for upgrades

    Weaknesses:
    • Halves are the weakest in the top tier (Reynolds/Girdler)
    • Second centre spot needs addressing
    • Only 15 players - needs minimum two more
    • Girdler as a five-eighth is... creative interpretation

    OPTIMAL TOP 17:
    Code:
    1.  Tom Trbojevic (FB)
    2.  Xavier Coates (W)
    3.  Justin Hodges (C)
    4.  [NEED - Target: Darius Boyd/Preston Campbell]
    5.  Brian To'o (W)
    6.  Ryan Girdler (FE)
    7.  Adam Reynolds (HB)
    8.  Payne Haas (PR)
    9.  Harry Grant (HK)
    10. Josh Papalii (PR)
    11. Viliame Kikau (SR)
    12. Ben Kennedy (SR)
    13. Gordon Tallis (LK)
    
    14. Simon Mannering (INT)
    15. Craig Gower (INT)
    16. Scott Sorensen (INT)
    17. [NEED - utility/prop]
    
    CAPTAIN: Gordon Tallis (Origin captain, enforcer)
    GOAL KICKER: Adam Reynolds (Career 697/830 - 84%)

    FINAL ROUND TARGETS:
    • Danny Buderus - Elite hooker depth
    • Darius Boyd - Versatile outside back
    • Sam Burgess - Would complete an absurdly strong pack
    • Dylan Brown - Five-eighth upgrade

    VERDICT: DARK HORSE FOR THE TITLE. The forward pack alone could win games. If Turbo stays healthy (massive if), this team becomes terrifying. The halves are the one question mark.

    WATER COOLER GOSSIP:
    • The Craig Gower Character Reference is legendary: "upstanding citizen when sober... puppetry of the penis after six beers"
    • "Dylan Brown deserved the 2025 Golden Boot" - Cces, If only the year 2025 counted.
    • Pushed Defence all the way to $1.3M for Brad Fittler. Knew exactly what he was doing.
    • Picked up Craig Gower for $250K after the infamous "double pipping" incident
    • Defence came back from lunch to find he'd lost two bidding wars. Cces does not take lunch breaks.

    COACH'S BOX - AGENCY ANALYSIS:
    This forward-heavy roster needs Des Hasler. The man who turned Manly's mongrel pack into back-to-back premiers would look at Gallen, Hannay, Beetson, and JWH-13 and start salivating.

    Alternative: Trent Robinson - his ability to develop attack through the middle would unlock the devastating hit-up game. Craig Gower as utility... Robbo would find a way.

    Hodges Hot Take: Cces operates like a robot. No lunch breaks. Predatory bidding. This team coaches itself - just press play and watch the forward pack obliterate opposition.



    #4. NAUMAIFOOTY'S APEX PREDATORS
    War Chest: $1.45M | Squad Size: 16 | Threat Level: SIGNIFICANT

    PositionPlayerCost
    FBReece Walsh$1.95M
    WJason Saab$210K
    CMark Gasnier$950K
    CJoseph Manu$900K
    WValentine Holmes$540K
    FEBenji Marshall$3.2M
    HBDaly Cherry-Evans$450K
    PRLindsay Collins$260K
    HKCraig Wing$380K
    PRRegan Campbell-Gillard$200K
    SRAngus Crichton$360K
    SRSonny Bill Williams$2.78M
    LKVictor Radley$400K
    INTKalyn Ponga$1.1M
    INTTom Dearden$300K
    INTTaniela Paseka$200K

    AGENCY ASSESSMENT:
    The Apex Predators have assembled a roster that makes you say "wow, that's exciting" and "wait, who's playing prop?" in the same breath.

    The backline is headlined by the 2025 DALLY M WINNER Reece Walsh - the man who led Brisbane to the premiership, starred for QLD in Origin, and represented Australia. At $1.95M, he might be the best value signing in the competition. Add Benji Marshall, Joey Manu, Mark Gasnier, Valentine Holmes - that's a genuine superstar backline. Kalyn Ponga on the bench is just unfair depth.

    The problem is the forward pack looks like it was assembled from whoever showed up to training on time. Lindsay Collins and RCG are workmanlike but won't scare anyone. Craig Wing at hooker is undersized.

    Strengths:
    • Reece Walsh is the 2025 Dally M - Premiership winner, Origin star, Kangaroos rep - absolute superstar
    • Backline depth is insane - Ponga AND Dearden on the bench
    • Benji + DCE halves pairing has creativity for days
    • Outside backs can score from anywhere
    • SBW adds genuine X-factor

    Weaknesses:
    • Forward pack is undersized and underpowered
    • Hooker is a genuine concern
    • Relying heavily on skill over size
    • Craig Fitzgibbon was a coaching hire, not a playing one

    OPTIMAL TOP 17:
    Code:
    1.  Reece Walsh (FB) - 2025 DALLY M WINNER
    2.  Jason Saab (W)
    3.  Mark Gasnier (C)
    4.  Joseph Manu (C)
    5.  Valentine Holmes (W)
    6.  Benji Marshall (FE)
    7.  Daly Cherry-Evans (HB)
    8.  Lindsay Collins (PR)
    9.  Craig Wing (HK)
    10. Regan Campbell-Gillard (PR)
    11. Angus Crichton (SR)
    12. Sonny Bill Williams (SR)
    13. Victor Radley (LK)
    
    14. Kalyn Ponga (INT) - utility god
    15. Tom Dearden (INT) - halves cover
    16. Taniela Paseka (INT)
    17. [NEED - prop/forward depth]
    
    CAPTAIN: Daly Cherry-Evans (Former Maroons captain)
    GOAL KICKER: Valentine Holmes (Career 192/243 - 79%)

    FINAL ROUND TARGETS:
    • Jesse Bromwich - Desperately need a big prop
    • Danny Buderus - Hooker upgrade
    • Sam Burgess - Would transform the pack

    VERDICT: WILL SCORE POINTS, MIGHT CONCEDE MORE. This team will produce highlight reels. Whether they can actually defend is another question entirely. Classic "won the off-season" vibes.

    WATER COOLER GOSSIP:
    • Communication style: 90% reaction GIFs, 10% actual words. Respectable.
    • Benji + SBW reunion. The 2011 nostalgia is STRONG with this one.
    • Craig Fitzgibbon was drafted. As a player. In 2026. Bold.
    • Has Kalyn Ponga AND Tom Dearden on the bench. What is depth management?
    • The backline is so stacked that genuine Origin players can't crack the starting 13.

    COACH'S BOX - AGENCY ANALYSIS:
    Obvious choice: Benji Marshall himself. Already on the roster as a player-coach combo. The attack would be freestyle, entertaining, and completely unpredictable. The 2025 Dally M winner Reece Walsh would thrive under Benji's creative freedom.

    Alternative: Ivan Cleary - his defensive systems could shore up the forward pack issues while letting the superstars cook.

    Hodges Hot Take: With Walsh, Benji, SBW, and DCE, this team doesn't need a coach's playbook. They need a producer. This is reality TV rugby league - script it, shoot it, profit.



    #5. WRIGHTY'S WRECKING CREW
    War Chest: $325K | Squad Size: 17 | Threat Level: SIGNIFICANT

    PositionPlayerCost
    FBJarryd Hayne$2.1M
    WJosh Addo-Carr$900K
    CJamie Lyon$900K
    CHamiso Tabuai-Fidow$900K
    WStarford To'a$200K
    FEJames Maloney$1M
    HBMitchell Moses$850K
    PRJarred Waerea-Hargreaves$900K
    HKRobbie Farah$1.5M
    PRSteve Price$1.6M
    SRBrad Thorn$900K
    SRTonie Carroll$1.2M
    LKWillie Mason$1.1M
    INTReed Mahoney$200K
    INTCameron McInnis$550K
    INTJack Hetherington$200K
    INTMatt Lodge$200K

    AGENCY ASSESSMENT:
    The game moderator has assembled a team that would make 2000s NRL fans weep with joy. JWH, Steve Price, Brad Thorn, Willie Mason - that's not a forward pack, that's a war crime.

    Hayne at fullback in his prime era was arguably the most electrifying player in the game. The halves of Maloney and Moses are an interesting combination - creative but prone to the occasional brain snap.

    The concern? Three hookers (Farah, Mahoney, McInnis) suggests Wrighty wasn't quite sure what he wanted there. And only $325K left means minimal room for improvement.

    Strengths:
    • Forward pack is absolutely brutal
    • Hayne provides elite fullback play
    • Josh Addo-Carr is the fastest man alive
    • Hooker depth is excessive (but quality)

    Weaknesses:
    • $325K severely limits options
    • Starford To'a on the wing is a concern
    • Three hookers is two too many
    • Halves are good, not great

    OPTIMAL TOP 17:
    Code:
    1.  Jarryd Hayne (FB)
    2.  Josh Addo-Carr (W)
    3.  Jamie Lyon (C)
    4.  Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (C)
    5.  Starford To'a (W)
    6.  James Maloney (FE)
    7.  Mitchell Moses (HB)
    8.  Jarred Waerea-Hargreaves (PR)
    9.  Robbie Farah (HK)
    10. Steve Price (PR)
    11. Brad Thorn (SR)
    12. Tonie Carroll (SR)
    13. Willie Mason (LK)
    
    14. Reed Mahoney (INT)
    15. Cameron McInnis (INT)
    16. Jack Hetherington (INT)
    17. Matt Lodge (INT)
    
    CAPTAIN: Brad Thorn (All Blacks AND Kangaroos representative)
    GOAL KICKER: Jamie Lyon (Career 562/666 - 84.4%)

    FINAL ROUND TARGETS:
    • Matt Bowen - Could upgrade wing cheaply
    • Preston Campbell - Utility depth
    • Anyone under $325K who can play outside back

    VERDICT: COMPLETE ROSTER. Already has 17 players and a terrifying forward pack. The winger spot is the only question mark, but this team will compete through sheer intimidation.

    WATER COOLER GOSSIP:
    "Three hookers? The man's just planning for Origin camp." - Hodges intern #3

    "I hear Wrighty's daughter is engaged to Chris's son. Explains the $25K bonus. Can't prove it, but the timing is suspicious." - Office conspiracy theorist

    "Matt Lodge giving ethics presentations to visiting teams would be the most Wrecking Crew thing imaginable." - Wizard, still salty about round 4

    "Willie Mason, Brad Thorn, JWH, and Matt Lodge in the same forward rotation. That's not rugby league, that's assault with extra steps." - Opposition scout

    "Jamie Lyon at 84.4% goal kicking is the most quietly competent selection in the entire competition. Nobody's talking about it because everyone's distracted by the Staggs drama." - Statistical analyst who actually reads spreadsheets

    COACH'S BOX - AGENCY ANALYSIS:
    This roster screams Wayne Bennett. Old-school forwards, Origin-quality toughness, and a spine that executes rather than entertains. Benny would look at JWH, Steve Price, Brad Thorn, and Willie Mason and say "now THAT'S a football team."

    Alternative: Tim Sheens - the Wrecking Crew aesthetic matches his 2000s Canberra and Tigers dynasties. Plus Hayne at fullback needs an ego manager.

    Hodges Hot Take: With the game moderator as owner, this team essentially has referee immunity. They don't need a coach - they need someone to remind Wrighty that favouritism isn't technically a rule violation. Even though he selected Starford Toa in a team supposed to be of the best players in the NRL era. Red Card!



    #6. RYNO 2.0'S NORTHERN RYNOS
    War Chest: $505K | Squad Size: 16 | Threat Level: MODERATE-HIGH

    PositionPlayerCost
    FBGreg Inglis$2.45M
    WDane Gagai$300K
    CIsrael Folau$1.25M
    W[NEED]-
    FEKieran Foran$200K
    HBAndrew Johns$4.27M
    PRMoses Leota$750K
    HKApi Koroisau$650K
    PRAndrew Fifita$550K
    SRAli Lauiti'iti$550K
    SRSteve Menzies$1.35M
    LKPaul Gallen$750K
    INTTino Faasuamaleaui$350K
    INTJake Trbojevic$300K
    INTNaufahu Whyte$375K
    INTJayden Su'a$200K
    INTEthan Strange$200K

    AGENCY ASSESSMENT:
    Ryno has been playing this game from Norway, waking up at 4:45 AM to make bids. That level of dedication deserves respect. The results have been mixed.

    Andrew Johns is the centerpiece - arguably the greatest halfback ever. Greg Inglis at fullback is elite. The problem is the five-eighth spot where Kieran Foran (who slipped through the net at $200K) represents either incredible value or a red flag.

    The forward pack is interesting - Gallen, Ali Lauiti'iti, Beaver Menzies provide Origin-quality edge play. Tino on the bench is great value. But that second winger spot is completely empty.

    Strengths:
    • Andrew Johns is literally an Immortal
    • GI at fullback is terrifying
    • Israel Folau at centre adds finishing power
    • Edge forwards are elite (Menzies, Ali, Gallen)

    Weaknesses:
    • Missing a second winger entirely
    • Foran at five-eighth is a gamble
    • Middle forward depth is thin
    • $505K needs to fill multiple holes

    OPTIMAL TOP 17:
    Code:
    1.  Greg Inglis (FB)
    2.  Dane Gagai (W)
    3.  Israel Folau (C)
    4.  [NEED - centre/wing]
    5.  [NEED - winger - CRITICAL]
    6.  Kieran Foran (FE)
    7.  Andrew Johns (HB)
    8.  Moses Leota (PR)
    9.  Api Koroisau (HK)
    10. Andrew Fifita (PR)
    11. Ali Lauiti'iti (SR)
    12. Steve Menzies (SR)
    13. Paul Gallen (LK)
    
    14. Tino Faasuamaleaui (INT)
    15. Jake Trbojevic (INT)
    16. Naufahu Whyte (INT)
    17. Jayden Su'a (INT)
    
    CAPTAIN: Paul Gallen (NSW Origin captain)
    GOAL KICKER: Andrew Johns (Career 781/1051 - 74.3%)

    FINAL ROUND TARGETS:
    • ANY WINGER - This is critical. Nathan Blacklock, Matt Bowen, anyone
    • Darius Boyd - Could cover wing/centre
    • Ben Barba - Another outside back option

    VERDICT: ONE SIGNING AWAY FROM CONTENTION. Joey and GI are elite. But playing with 12 men because you forgot to buy a winger is not ideal. Priority #1: WINGER.

    WATER COOLER GOSSIP:
    "It's 4:45 AM in Norway. The rest of us are asleep. Ryno is already awake, sniping bids on Israeli internationals. The dedication is either admirable or concerning." - Night shift security

    "Foran at $200K. SLIPPED. THROUGH. THE. NET. At $200K! I'm still not over it. That's elite five-eighth production at minimum wage prices." - Ryno, three weeks later

    "He's got Joey, he's got GI, he's got Gallen leading the pack... and he forgot to buy TWO wingers. TWO. Not one. TWO." - Accounting department

    "The timezone situation has created the most interesting bidding patterns. Every round, we're checking 'is Ryno awake yet?' before updating projections." - Hodges data team

    "If he gets Blacklock in the final round, this suddenly becomes a top 4 team. One signing. That's all it takes." - Neutral observer (suspiciously sounds like Ryno)

    COACH'S BOX - AGENCY ANALYSIS:
    This roster needs Michael Hagan. Built the Knights dynasty around Andrew Johns, and this team is literally built around Andrew Johns. Same playbook, different decade.

    Alternative: Craig Bellamy - he could turn Gallen into a one-man defensive system and get GI to play fullback properly instead of wherever he feels like.

    Hodges Hot Take: Ryno bidding from Norway at 4:45 AM deserves a medal. But the coach for this team is actually just an alarm clock. Set it for 4:44 AM and don't miss another winger in the draft.



    #7. DEFENCE'S STORM CHASERS
    War Chest: $470K | Squad Size: 17 | Threat Level: MODERATE

    PositionPlayerCost
    FBBilly Slater$2.6M
    WLote Tuqiri$700K
    CKotoni Staggs$600K
    CHerbie Farnworth$450K
    WWendell Sailor$1.05M
    FEBrad Fittler$1.3M
    HBCameron Munster$3.6M
    PRJames Fisher-Harris$600K
    HKBrandon Smith$500K
    PRSiosiua Taukeiaho$250K
    SRJeremiah Nanai$400K
    SRHudson Young$500K
    LKPatrick Carrigan$410K
    INTJerome Hughes$900K
    INTNicho Hynes$200K
    INTHaumole Olakau'atu$400K
    INTTony Williams$10K

    AGENCY ASSESSMENT:
    Defence has been through the wars this game. The Kotoni Staggs goal-kicker controversy nearly caused an international incident. The "grooming" relationship with Chris Hodges has been... educational.

    The spine is actually excellent - Billy Slater, Brandon Smith, Munster, Fittler. That's a genuine premiership-caliber combination. The outside backs with Tuqiri, Sailor, Staggs, and Farnworth are powerful if not flashy.

    The forward pack is underrated - JFH is elite, Carrigan is an Origin lock, Nanai and Hudson Young provide edge aggression. Tony Williams on $10K is the meme signing of the competition.

    Strengths:
    • Billy Slater is the GOAT fullback
    • Munster at halfback is creative and dangerous
    • Outside backs are BIG
    • Forward pack is quietly solid

    Weaknesses:
    • Goal kicking controversy remains unresolved
    • Fittler at five-eighth in 2025? Bold choice
    • Tony Williams is genuinely on this roster
    • $470K limits final round options

    OPTIMAL TOP 17:
    Code:
    1.  Billy Slater (FB)
    2.  Lote Tuqiri (W)
    3.  Kotoni Staggs (C)
    4.  Herbie Farnworth (C)
    5.  Wendell Sailor (W)
    6.  Brad Fittler (FE)
    7.  Cameron Munster (HB)
    8.  James Fisher-Harris (PR)
    9.  Brandon Smith (HK)
    10. Siosiua Taukeiaho (PR)
    11. Jeremiah Nanai (SR)
    12. Hudson Young (SR)
    13. Patrick Carrigan (LK)
    
    14. Jerome Hughes (INT)
    15. Nicho Hynes (INT) - GOAL KICKER
    16. Haumole Olakau'atu (INT)
    17. Tony Williams (INT) - vibes only
    
    CAPTAIN: Brad Fittler (Origin legend)
    GOAL KICKER: Nicho Hynes (Career 220/275 - 80%) or Kotoni Staggs (82% in limited attempts)

    FINAL ROUND TARGETS:
    • Hazem El Masri - Solves the goal kicking issue PERMANENTLY
    • Jesse Bromwich - Prop depth
    • Greg Bird - Edge forward upgrade

    VERDICT: BETTER THAN IT LOOKS ON PAPER. The spine is genuine quality. If Defence is still in the game after the Staggs controversy, this team could cause problems. Buy El Masri and end the goal kicking debate forever.

    WATER COOLER GOSSIP:
    "I've been groomed, haven't I? Chris Hodges keeps asking for increasingly embarrassing favors in exchange for advice." - Defence, finally achieving self-awareness

    "82% from 100 attempts over 8 years is ELITE goal kicking. You know what's also elite? Hazem El Masri. Just saying." - Everyone, constantly

    "The Staggs goal-kicker debate has produced more content than most team's entire bidding history. At this point, I'm emotionally invested." - Forum lurker

    "Tony Williams at $10K. That's either the steal of the draft or... no, wait, that's just $10K wasted. But what a story!" - Optimistic intern

    "Defence missed a bid increment because he was filming his son's BMX tricks. Most wholesome excuse in competition history. Can't even be mad." - Chris Hodges, briefly showing human emotion

    "He's one El Masri away from silencing every critic. The question is: will he admit he needs him?" - Goal kicking analytics department

    COACH'S BOX - AGENCY ANALYSIS:
    This roster needs Billy Slater himself. Player-coach vibes are strong here. Slater at fullback coaching Munster in the halves? That's a Storm reunion tour that actually makes sense.

    Alternative: Craig Bellamy (again) - because when you have Billy Slater, Cameron Munster, and Brandon Smith, you're basically running a Storm alumni club. Might as well get the band back together.

    Hodges Hot Take: The relationship between Defence and Chris Hodges has produced more drama than the actual game. This team doesn't need a coach - it needs a couples counselor and an El Masri intervention specialist.



    #8. WARRIORS55'S WARRIORS STRIKEFORCE
    War Chest: $980K | Squad Size: 19 | Threat Level: MODERATE

    PositionPlayerCost
    FBAnthony Minichiello$910K
    WAlex Johnston$500K
    CBrent Tate$500K
    CCasey McLean$300K
    WMark Nawaqanitawase$210K
    WRonaldo Mulitalo$660K
    FETodd Carney$400K
    HBStacey Jones$3M
    PRShane Webcke$1.5M
    HKBen Hunt$1M
    PRRuben Wiki$1M
    SRDavid Fifita$250K
    SRLuke Lewis$600K
    LKJason Taumalolo$1.4M
    INTIsaac Luke$400K
    INTLiam Martin$650K
    INTCameron Murray$300K
    INTTerrell May$200K
    INTReece Robson$350K

    AGENCY ASSESSMENT:
    The Warriors Strikeforce has assembled the most authentic "Warriors fan" roster possible. Stacey Jones, Ruben Wiki, Isaac Luke - the nostalgia is palpable.

    The forward pack is legitimately frightening. Jason Taumalolo at lock is a bulldozer. Shane Webcke was the best prop of his era. David Fifita is an $85 million edge forward getting paid $250K here.

    The spine is... interesting. Stacey Jones is a legend. Ben Hunt at hooker is unorthodox but workable. Todd Carney at five-eighth is brave (and comes with a comprehensive social media policy).

    Three wingers and no clear second centre suggests some lineup juggling is needed.

    Strengths:
    • Forward pack is absolutely loaded
    • Three hookers provides depth (Hunt, Isaac Luke, Robson)
    • $980K war chest allows for flexibility
    • Warriors heritage players add intangibles

    Weaknesses:
    • Centre depth is concerning (Casey McLean?)
    • Todd Carney at five-eighth is a gamble
    • Too many wingers, not enough structure
    • Taumalolo was technically ineligible? (played 2025)

    OPTIMAL TOP 17:
    Code:
    1.  Anthony Minichiello (FB)
    2.  Alex Johnston (W)
    3.  Ronaldo Mulitalo (C)
    4.  Brent Tate (C)
    5.  Mark Nawaqanitawase (W)
    6.  Todd Carney (FE)
    7.  Stacey Jones (HB)
    8.  Shane Webcke (PR)
    9.  Ben Hunt (HK)
    10. Ruben Wiki (PR)
    11. David Fifita (SR)
    12. Luke Lewis (SR)
    13. Jason Taumalolo (LK)
    
    14. Isaac Luke (INT)
    15. Liam Martin (INT)
    16. Cameron Murray (INT)
    17. Terrell May (INT)
    
    CAPTAIN: Stacey Jones (Warriors legend)
    GOAL KICKER: Ben Hunt (Career 24/32 - 75%) or need to acquire

    FINAL ROUND TARGETS:
    • Hazem El Masri - Reliable goal kicker
    • Darius Boyd - Versatile outside back
    • Trent Barrett - Five-eighth upgrade option

    VERDICT: HEART OVER HEAD. This roster was built by a true Warriors fan. The forward pack can match anyone. The backs need work. But you can't measure intangibles like having Stacey Jones in the halves.

    WATER COOLER GOSSIP:
    "Stacey Jones, Ruben Wiki, Isaac Luke... Warriors55 doesn't have a team, he has a museum exhibition. And honestly? I'm here for it." - Nostalgia department

    "Three essays due, a full day of work, and Todd Carney required a social media policy. The man was drowning. Mr. Brownstone swooped in like a savior. Extremely suspicious timing." - Office conspiracist

    "We got Taumalolo for $1.4M. Wait... was he even eligible? He played 2025. Are we checking eligibility now? Did anyone ask?" - Legal, nervously flipping through rule book

    "Casey McLean starting at centre. That's either a draft oversight or a deep cut Warriors heritage pick. We're calling it 'intentional' for PR purposes." - Public relations

    "The forward pack of Webcke, Wiki, Taumalolo, and David Fifita could legitimately win a game by themselves. The problem is rugby league requires backs too." - Tactical analyst

    "Todd Carney's social media policy is 47 pages long. FORTY-SEVEN. It specifically addresses situations we didn't know existed." - HR department, still traumatized

    COACH'S BOX - AGENCY ANALYSIS:
    This roster needs Stacey Jones himself. Player-coach is the only answer here. The Warriors legend guiding his own team with Wiki, Isaac Luke, and $3M worth of himself in the halves? It's poetic.

    Alternative: Stephen Kearney - understands Warriors DNA, managed difficult personalities (hello Todd Carney), and would get every last ounce of nostalgia out of this roster.

    Hodges Hot Take: This team was built with pure emotion. No analytics. No strategy meetings. Just "who did I love watching as a kid?" That's not a roster - it's a love letter to the Warriors. And you know what? It might work. Because intangibles are real and Stacey Jones at Carlaw Park would make grown men cry.



    #9. MUDDOGZ XIII
    War Chest: $2.7M | Squad Size: 12 | Threat Level: MODERATE (but improving)

    PositionPlayerCost
    FBRyan Papenhuyzen$500K
    WManu Vatuvei$400K
    CSemi Radradra$1.15M
    CNigel Vagana$350K
    WJack Wighton$350K
    FENathan Cleary$3.3M
    HBShaun Johnson$3.6M
    PRMarty Taupau$320K
    HK[NEED - Danny Buderus target]-
    PRPetero Civoniceva$1.6M
    SRJosh Curran$200K
    SRAddin Fonua-Blake$580K
    LKJunior Paulo$350K
    INTLiam Henry$200K

    AGENCY ASSESSMENT:
    Muddogz has the biggest war chest ($2.7M) but the smallest roster (12 players). This is either strategic genius or a catastrophic failure to click "submit bid" on time.

    The halves pairing of Nathan Cleary and Shaun Johnson is elite - $6.9M of pure playmaking brilliance. Ryan Papenhuyzen at fullback adds another dimension. Semi Radradra might be the most talented player in any backline.

    THE PROBLEM: No hooker. None. Zip. Nada. This team literally cannot field a starting 13 right now because THERE IS NO HOOKER.

    Danny Buderus has been the target since Round 1. If Muddogz doesn't get him in the final round, this whole campaign has been an elaborate exercise in self-sabotage.

    Strengths:
    • Cleary + Johnson is arguably the best halves combo (fight me, Brownstone)
    • $2.7M war chest is enormous
    • Semi Radradra is a cheat code
    • Papenhuyzen is electric when healthy

    Weaknesses:
    • NO HOOKER - CRITICAL FAILURE
    • Only 12 players - needs 5+ more
    • Forward pack depth is thin
    • The Beast (Manu Vatuvei) on the wing is nostalgia, not strategy

    OPTIMAL TOP 17:
    Code:
    1.  Ryan Papenhuyzen (FB)
    2.  Manu Vatuvei (W)
    3.  Semi Radradra (C)
    4.  Nigel Vagana (C)
    5.  Jack Wighton (W)
    6.  Nathan Cleary (FE)
    7.  Shaun Johnson (HB)
    8.  Addin Fonua-Blake (PR)
    9.  [NEED - HOOKER - DANNY BUDERUS]
    10. Petero Civoniceva (PR)
    11. Josh Curran (SR)
    12. [NEED - second row]
    13. Junior Paulo (LK)
    
    14. Marty Taupau (INT)
    15. Liam Henry (INT)
    16. [NEED]
    17. [NEED]
    
    CAPTAIN: Nathan Cleary (Premiership winner, Origin captain)
    GOAL KICKER: Nathan Cleary (Career 539/665 - 81.1%)

    FINAL ROUND TARGETS:
    • DANNY BUDERUS - NON-NEGOTIABLE
    • Sam Burgess - Transforms the forward pack
    • Greg Bird - Second row option
    • Jesse Bromwich - Prop depth
    • Matt Bowen - Utility coverage

    VERDICT: ALL OR NOTHING. The halves are elite. The war chest is huge. But without a hooker, this team is a sports car without an engine. The final round will make or break Muddogz's entire campaign.

    WATER COOLER GOSSIP:
    "We'll get Danny Buderus. Eventually. One day. Please." - Muddogz, every single round since Round 3

    "$2.7 million war chest. TWELVE players. No hooker. I've seen strategic gambles before, but this is either 4D chess or a man who forgot to submit bids." - Financial analyst, genuinely confused

    "Cleary and Shaun Johnson is $6.9M of pure halves brilliance. The kind of spine that wins premierships. Shame about the whole 'cannot field a starting 13' situation." - Hodges scouting department

    "Semi Radradra is on this team. SEMI RADRADRA. And people are still talking about the hooker. Priorities, people!" - Muddogz, deflecting

    "The Beast on the wing brings nothing but vibes and memories. Sometimes that's enough. This is probably not one of those times." - Nostalgia enthusiast with concerns

    "If Muddogz misses out on Buderus in the final round, we're witnessing the most elaborate 11-round setup for disappointment in competition history." - Drama department, preparing popcorn

    "At least the goal kicking is sorted. Nathan Cleary at 81%. One less thing to worry about. Only twelve other things to worry about." - Silver linings specialist

    COACH'S BOX - AGENCY ANALYSIS:
    This roster needs Ivan Cleary. And not just because Nathan is on the team. Ivan's ability to build systems around elite halves would maximize the Cleary + Johnson combination. Plus he's used to managing expectations during rebuilds.

    Alternative: Andrew McFadden - the Warriors heritage pick. Managed SJ before, knows New Zealand talent, and would understand why The Beast is on the wing even if it doesn't make tactical sense.

    Hodges Hot Take: Muddogz has $2.7M and no hooker. That's not a coaching issue - that's a procurement failure. Get Buderus. Get Burgess. Get anyone who can play the position. THEN we can discuss coaching philosophy. Right now, this team needs a hooker more than it needs a head coach.



    FINAL ROUND BIDDING STRATEGY

    PLAYERS TO WATCH - ALPHABETICAL BY SURNAME

    "B" SURNAME ELIGIBLE:
    • Sam Burgess - The biggest name available. Expect $1.5M+ bidding war
    • Danny Buderus - Muddogz NEEDS him. Others might bid to block
    • Matt Bowen - Sneaky good value at $400-600K
    • Ben Barba - Elite but controversial. Could go cheap
    • Greg Bird - Solid second row option
    • Jesse Bromwich - Quality prop depth
    • Nathan Blacklock - Winger solution for Ryno
    • Darius Boyd - Versatile outside back
    • Trent Barrett - Five-eighth option

    ALL OTHER REMAINING HODGES AGENCY:
    • Preston Campbell - Utility value
    • Hazem El Masri - GOAT goal kicker
    • Brett Stewart - Fullback depth
    • Scott Prince - Halfback backup

    2025 NRL PLAYERS OF NOTE:
    • Dylan Brown - 2025 GOLDEN BOOT WINNER - Elite five-eighth value (if you only account for 2025 and 2025 alone)
    • Lachy Galvin - Utility
    • Various minimum wage options - For cap management



    WAR CHEST ANALYSIS

    TEAMWAR CHESTSQUAD SIZECRITICAL NEEDSSPENDING POWER
    Muddogz XIII$2.7M12HOOKER, depth x4MAXIMUM
    Cces$1.71M15Centre, depth x2HIGH
    Apex Predators$1.45M16Prop, hookerHIGH
    Mr. Brownstone$1.225M16WingerMODERATE
    Warriors55$980K19Centre, kickerMODERATE
    Northern Rynos$505K16WINGER x2LIMITED
    Defence$470K17Goal kicker clarityLIMITED
    Wrighty$325K17Winger upgradeMINIMAL
    Gus's Wizards$50K18Fullback ideallyNONE



    <section redacted>



    AGENCY FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS

    Chris Hodges said:
    Gentlemen,

    After 11 rounds of manipulation, intervention, and questionable essay assignments, we approach the endgame.

    MY PREDICTIONS FOR THE FINAL ROUND:

    1. Danny Buderus will go to Muddogz unless someone pays $1.2M+ to block them. They NEED him.

    2. Sam Burgess will spark the bidding war of the competition. Cces and Naumai have the funds and the need. Expect $1.5M+.

    3. Nathan Blacklock is Ryno's only hope. If they don't get a winger, that 4:45 AM alarm in Norway was all for nothing.

    4. Hazem El Masri could be the sneaky value pick for Defence - solves their goal kicking problem forever.

    5. Mr. Brownstone is a contender but the $5K increment debacle showed he's beatable. The competition is wide open.

    GAME STATE:

    This is genuinely anyone's competition now. Brownstone has Immortals but also has holes. Cces has the brutal forward pack. Wizard has JT+Cam. Apex Predators have the 2025 Dally M winner in Reece Walsh. And Muddogz could emerge from nowhere with that massive war chest if they finally get Buderus.

    Muddogz could be the wildcard if they nail the final round. Cleary + Johnson + Buderus + Burgess would be terrifying.

    Everyone else is playing for bronze.

    May your bids be strategic and your alarm clocks reliable.

    - C. Hodges
    Managing Director, Hodges Agency
    "We take 15%, but we give 100% of the manipulation"



    DOCUMENT CLASSIFICATION: EXTREMELY LEAKED

    This document was definitely not left on a USB drive at the Tauranga Golf Club. Wizard swears he didn't see anything.


    Hodges Agency - Est. 1998
    "Your career. Our commission."

    All player valuations are subjective and definitely not influenced by
    which managers bought me drinks at the Christmas party.

     
    Didgeridoo CHRIS HODGES AGENCY - ROUND 5 REPORT

    Please note that these tasks to be actioned/communicated by Saturday midday NZT.



    📊 ROUND 5 SUMMARY

    ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
    • Players Drafted: 4
    • Total Spent: $9,850,000
    • Interventions: 4 (✅ 0 | ❌ 0 | ⏳ 4)

    📋 HODGES LEGENDS DRAFTED THIS ROUND

    @wizard of Tauranga
    (🔵 Good - 70 rep)
    Total Spent This Round: $5,800,000

    Cameron Smith - $5,000,000
    Positions: Hooker

    ⏳ INTERVENTION: Cameron Smith Special Demand - Ego
    As one of the greatest players in the NRL era, demands an additional $250,000 as 'ego management fee'
    Fine if refused: Walkout
    Status: PENDING

    Matt Scott - $800,000
    Positions: Prop

    ⏳ INTERVENTION: Matt Scott Special Demand - No mention
    The quiet achiever demands no interviews - you cannot mention him by name/initials at all in this thread. Confirm you understand.
    Fine if refused: $400,000
    Status: PENDING

    ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

    @Defence (🔵 Good - 60 rep)
    Total Spent This Round: $4,050,000

    Billy Slater - $3,000,000
    Positions: Fullback

    ⏳ INTERVENTION: Immunity
    Protected from Chris Hodges intervention. No action required.
    Status: Actioned

    Wendell Sailor - $1,050,000
    Positions: Wing

    ⏳ INTERVENTION: Wendell Sailor Special Demand - Try Celebration
    Dell demands a try celebration - Post a video of you performing your own special try celebration.
    Fine if refused: Walkout
    Status: PENDING

    ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

    📈 TEAM STANDINGS

    🟢 Warriors55: 5 players | $6,910,000 | Rep: 80
    🔵 Muddogz: 4 players | $5,600,000 | Rep: 70
    🔵 Naumaifooty: 4 players | $7,260,000 | Rep: 70
    🔵 Wizards: 4 players | $10,000,000 | Rep: 70
    🟢 Wrighty: 4 players | $3,900,000 | Rep: 80
    🔵 Defence: 3 players | $4,750,000 | Rep: 60
    🔵 Cces: 2 players | $2,890,000 | Rep: 70
    🔵 Ryno 2.0: 2 players | $5,960,000 | Rep: 70
    🔵 Mr Brownstone: 1 players | $820,000 | Rep: 60
    🔵 Updawahs: 0 players | $0 | Rep: 50


    With legendary regards,
    C. Hodges
    Hodges Agency
    "Fifty Years of Extracting Value"
    Pretty embarrassing (my son was in hysterics) but we’re a team who put our players needs above all else…
    Hopefully Dell enjoys the recreation of his most iconic celebration- the didgeridoo 🔴🟡⚫
    (Excuse the dad nod- I’m 50 next year 😂)
    View attachment IMG_0793.mov
     
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