Tackles and Tinnies with Ryan Firehock

Chris is missing this week — and Ryan’s theory is pretty simple: he probably didn’t want to jump on after Ryan outscored him 😭 So this week’s Fantasy Files is a solo pod , with Ryan ripping through every team from the official NRL Round 4 team lists and breaking down the SuperCoach names that actually matter. The NRL’s Round 4 lists were published on 25 March 2026 , and they still reflect the new...

This week on Tackles & Tinnies , Ryan and Chris are officially at that point of the season where patience starts disappearing and the boost button starts looking very, very attractive. For Round 3 , the boys are ready to pull the trigger on three trades — but for very different reasons. Ryan’s got money in the bank and is working through a smart 2–3 week restructure to fix the balance of his s...

This week on Tackles & Tinnies , Ryan and Chris rip through the biggest news around the grounds before diving headfirst into the weekly SuperCoach addiction spiral . We get into the noise around the Brisbane Broncos — what the Payne Haas situation means for the club, whether the pressure is starting to show, and how much of Brisbane’s issues are actually footy… versus everything happening arou...

Round 1 team lists are out, Vegas is calling, and the SuperCoach panic is officially in season. In this episode, Ryan and Chris go through the Round 1 teams and break down all the relevant SuperCoach angles: who’s named where, which roles matter, who’s a trap, who’s value, and what you actually do with the new info instead of tilting into 47 trades before kickoff. We also talk Vegas Round specific...

The Broncos were box office in 2025 — 4th , 15 wins , +172 , and they could score from anywhere. The problem? The defence wasn’t always on the same level as the highlights, and that’s the difference between “contenders” and “hold the trophy.” In this episode, Ryan breaks down the 2025 story properly — the patchy start, the Origin surge, the finals run, and what it all says about 2026 under Madge (...

Melbourne were still pure premiership tier in 2025 — 2nd , 17 wins , +212 … best differential in the comp — and it still stung because they didn’t finish the job. The vibe all year was simple: Bellamy’s still got it … but the spine couldn’t stay fully healthy together when it mattered. In this episode of our 17-part 2026 mini-series , we rip into: 2025 identity: classic Storm ruthlessness + elite...

Ryan's team reveal #3 is live, and he's gone with a strategy that’s either elite … or criminal . The plan: spend big in almost every position so I’ve got maximum flexibility when the price changes hit. I don’t want to be trapped holding mid-rangers — I want options. The big swing? I’ve gone super cheap at halfback because I’m backing Atkinson + Saunders to make at least $200K each. If they do thei...

The Raiders were the 2025 minor premiers — and now the question is simple: was that the ceiling… or the new standard? In this episode of our 17-part 2026 NRL mini-series, Ryan breaks down how Canberra got to 1st (19 wins) and why 2026 might be the year they turn “regular season bullies” into the real deal when it matters. We get into: What made the Raiders so hard to play against in 2025 (and what...

The Bulldogs in 2025 were one of the most fascinating watches in the comp — because the footy was improving… but the identity kept getting rewired mid-season .In this episode of our 2026 team-by-team mini series , Ryan breaks down the Dogs’ 2025 and asks the big question: did they change too much, too often… or was it the exact flexibility that’s building a contender? We get into: - The mid-season...

It’s draft season and Ryan’s done the full autopsy. In this episode, he goes team-by-team through all 12 coaches and breaks down the first three rounds of picks — player by player — to see who actually built a weapon… and who’s already cooked before kickoff. This is a proper draft board breakdown : Each team’s build + structure (where they went heavy, where they got cute) Round 1 anchors: who nail...

NOTE**: This epsiode with filmed on the 24/1/26. The Payne Hass bombshell has dropped in recent days so please be wary that we don't speak about this on the Pod for this epsiode. We will deep dive this conversation point when the Brisbane Broncos preview/ review drops. Nonetheless, Souths finished 14th in 2025 (9–15, -181) — a bottom-four year that somehow still felt like it had moments … until th...

The Tigers were way more watchable in 2025 — the attack had more shape, Leichhardt/Campbelltown actually felt like an advantage again… but the same old story popped up late in games: game management falling apart when it mattered. In this episode of our 17-part 2026 NRL mini-series , we dig into the on-field growth, the off-field noise, and why 2026 feels like the first real “Benji era” stress tes...

The Sharks had a strong 2025 on paper — 5th , 15–9 , +109 , with a top-6 attack and top-4 defence … but it still felt like classic Cronulla: flat-track bullies against the bottom half, then just not killer enough against the elite. They did go on a legit finals crack — beat the Roosters (Week 1) and the minor premiers Raiders (Week 2) before falling to Melbourne in a tight prelim ( 22–14 ). Now 20...

The Warriors were right in the mix in 2025 — 6th with 14 wins — and “Up The Wahs” wasn’t just a meme, it was a weekly mood. But 2026 is the real test: can they back it up when the comp tightens and the close games swing the other way? Because the data-led read we’re working off has them as a potential regression / faller — 6th → 9th territory — not because they’re bad, but because the NRL’s margin...

SuperCoach 2026 Team Review (90-Min Monster) ft. Jake & host, Ryan. We’re back, legends — and we’re starting 2026 the only way we know how: ripping into a full SuperCoach team build with Jake . This one’s a 90-minute monster where we go position-by-position, player-by-player, and actually explain the why behind every pick. First, we look back at how Jake went last year — the highs, the pain tr...

Penrith finished 7th in 2025 … and somehow still felt like the team nobody wants to see in September. In this episode of our 2026 NRL mini-series , Ryan breaks down what actually went wrong (and what still screams “system club”) — because the Panthers don’t do chaos, they do standards . We get into: 2025 recap: how a 7th-place finish still didn’t feel like “the end” The Panthers’ identity : why th...

The Roosters were good enough to sneak into September… but 2026 is where the pressure cranks. Because if you add DCE + Reece Robson to a spine that already has Teddy + Sam Walker , you’re not allowed to be “just top eight” anymore. We get into: 2025 snapshot: what 8th (+132) actually says about their ceiling The “under-delivered” vibe: contenders one week, flat the next Recruitment: DCE, Robson, R...

The Dolphins in 2025 were pure chaos in the best way — the comp’s best attack, huge moments, and that “anyone can get it” confidence… but the defensive lapses and consistency swings kept them 9th and watching September from the couch. In this episode of our 17-part 2026 mini-series, we break down why 2026 is the real “prove it” year — because the roster’s improved, expectations are up, and the dra...

Manly are the ultimate “what version are we getting this week?” side. They finished 10th in 2025 (12 wins) and now the 2026 draw has basically handed them a gift — easiest schedule in the comp.  But here’s the catch: the roster changes are real, and the whole season still swings on health, combos, and whether they can build a ruthless week-to-week identity. We get into:    &nbs...

Parramatta are stuck in the hardest spot in footy: not bad enough to blow it up… not good enough to scare anyone in September. They finished 12th in 2025 (10–14, -76) and the vibe was basically “transition year, identity pending.” In this episode of our 17-part 2026 NRL mini-series , we break down what actually went wrong, what the roster reset means, and why the Eels’ season could get decided bef...

The Cowboys are one of the hardest teams in the comp to read — flashes of genuine top-four footy mixed with weeks that leave you shaking your head. In this episode of our 17-part 2026 NRL mini series , Ryan breaks down the North Queensland Cowboys’ 2025 season and looks ahead to what 2026 really holds in Townsville. We get into: The Cowboys’ 2025 ladder finish and why the season felt better (and w...

The Dragons sit in one of the most frustrating spots in the NRL: not bad enough to bottom out, not good enough to matter . In this episode of our 17-part 2026 NRL mini series , Ryan breaks down the St George Illawarra Dragons’ 2025 season and asks the hard question — are the Dragons actually building towards something, or just treading water again? We cover: The Dragons’ 2025 ladder finish and why...

Ryan is joined by best mate and long-time Gold Coast Titans member Sam for a full Titans deep dive that very quickly turns into a 90-minute therapy session . Before getting stuck into the pain, the boys rewind to Sam’s other love — the Brisbane Broncos — breaking down their epic 2025 finals run and championship win, what went right, and why Brisbane still sets the benchmark for Queensland footy. T...

The Knights were supposed to be building… instead, 2025 ended in a full reset. In Episode 2 of our 17-part 2026 NRL mini series , we break down the Newcastle Knights’ 2025 season and look ahead to what 2026 actually holds. In this episode: 2025 ladder finish and what the numbers don’t tell you Why the season fell apart and whether it was coaching, roster balance, or both Players who exceeded expec...

We went deep for this one. Across 90 minutes , the boys empty the esky on the entire 2025 season and set up our new 17-part mini series , where we’ll go team-by-team from Knights to Raiders and preview every club for 2026. In Episode 22 we zoom out and talk big-picture footy: 2025 Grand Final recap – key swings, clutch moments & the official Tinnie of the Decider The Broncos’ run: did finishin...