The Sideline Story: Rugby League Podcast

The Sharks and Panthers have managed to knock the Raiders and Bulldogs out in straight sets respectively as all eyes turn to the Final Four clubs left in the race for the 2025 NRL Premiership! As we preview the Prelims, we ask: Can the Panthers write another chapter in the dynasty or will the Broncos end the streak? Can the Sharks continue their underdog story or are the Storm willing to go one be...

Broncos defeating Raiders 29-28 in Canberra for a Prelim spot was one of the most insane games of rugby league ever played! From the Reece Walsh headbutt, to the incorrect Hudson Young sinbin, to the Pat Carrigan suspension, the 18mins of Walshie brilliance, the equaliser, Extra time, Golden Point, disallowed tries, field goals, the list is insane! Not to mention the casualty ward the Bulldogs cop...

In one of the most unpredictable NRL Finals Series in recent memory, the panel preview Week One with Melbourne hosting Canterbury, and Canberra hosting Brisbane in the Qualifying Finals, with Cronulla hosting Easts, and NZ hosting the 4x Premiers in Penrith for the Elimination Finals… The Sideline Story MVP Awards are also hosted in this week’s episode, with our 5th annual MVP recipient crowned, a...

Raiders locked in (and Minor Premiers for the first time since 1994), Storm and Bulldogs locked in, Broncos, Sharks and Warriors fight for 4th, Panthers locked in, Roosters and Dolphins fight for 8th, Knights and Titans fighting off the Wooden Spoon… and only one round to go before FINALS FOOTY!… The panel also discuss Adam O’Brien’s departure from the Knights, Brandon Smith’s criminal charge upda...

10 does not fit into 8, and with two rounds remaining in the NRL regular season it is clutch time for the race to the 2025 NRL Finals Series! On this week’s episode, Clarkie and Guildy crunch the NRL Ladder numbers, and also discuss the firing and hiring of the GC Titans coach, as well as the criminal charges against Brandon Smith… Round 25 of the NRL was another insane round with multiple try of...

We apologise for missing last week’s episode but the boys are back!… With three weeks to go in the NRL there are still some twists and turns, but the fact of the matter is that 11 clubs are genuinely still in the running for premiership glory in 2025! Round 24 of the NRL saw Harry Grant play Penrith like a fiddle, Dragons cruelled by another obstruction call blunder, Tino to become highest paid pl...

At this point the 2025 NRL Premiership could be won by any club… Wild weather or not, Round 22 saw some major upsets and close-calls that have put every club on notice with five weeks remaining… In our ‘Bunker Review’ we discuss the NRLs ill-timed tweak to the Rookie of the Year criteria! We end the episode with the Super League Round 20 results and transfer news, as well as Super League expanding...

Panthers resurrection from last spot two months ago to 5th spot after winning 7 straight puts the NRL on notice, Raiders win 9 straight to maintain pole position, Canterbury’s attack unlocks, Storm lose Jahrome Hughes at worst time of the year, Mitch Moses changes the Eels fortunes, and much more… In our ‘Bunker Review’ we discuss the poor reception to the new Rugby League 26 video game, and the a...

The race to the Top 8 is whittled down to 10 teams with faint hope for the Tigers and Knights who sit just outside that bracket… The boys discuss the (not-so) convincing Top 4 in the NRL at the moment, the threats of the Broncos and Panthers, the upward form of the Sharks, Sea Eagles and Dolphins, and the red lines through the bottom teams… There is also a massive discussion surrounding the threat...

The run-home to the NRL Finals is officially underway with Origin in the bag for 2025. The boys also analyse Mal Meninga’s predicted Australian Kangaroos Starting XVII for the Ashes Series at the end of the year, as well as the coaching merry-go-round between the Kangaroos, Titans, Knights and even the new PNG NRL club… (there may even be another Galvin rant in this ep)! We end the episode with th...

The Queensland Maroons regain the Origin Shield after winning the 2025 Series 2-1 over the NSW Blues... The Sideline Story panel give their immediate reactions to the game in another late night edition episode and they are not happy… The episode concludes with a review of the NRL Ladder after 18 rounds, Round 17 of the Super League, and Round 1 of the NRLW. —— TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Intro  05:50 - SO...

Tass and Clarkie analyse the lineups for the Game 3 State of Origin Decider with huge changes for the QLD Maroons, as the NSW Blues pick and stick… In the NRL, Tass predicts the current top 8 will not change over the next 10 weeks, the panthers are back as their defeat of the Bulldogs goes down as one of the best games in recent memory, Raiders top the NRL Ladder for first time in 22 years, Warrio...

Clarkie explains the Rabbitohs new ‘ringing of the bell’ tradition on game-day, as well as the inside scoop into Mitch Moses’ injury at NSW Blues camp… The boys discuss the ARLC’s new power over the match review committee, whilst panning the gutter-journalism from the WA media and their views on rugby league… In the NRL, Alex Johnston is only 6 tries away from greatness as the boys discuss how he...

The Queensland Maroons level the 2025 State of Origin Series 1-1 as the Sideline Story panel give their immediate reactions to the game in another late night edition episode, as well as analyse the Fox Sports player ratings… In our Bunker Review segment, the boys discuss the Billy Slater vs. Aaron Woods drama… We end the episode with a wrap-up of Round 15 of the NRL and Round 14 of the Super Leagu...

Billy Slater makes massive calls on his Game 2 QLD lineup as DCE and Fermor are dropped for Horsburgh, Capewell (and even Ezra Mam), as the NSW Blues are forced to replace Mitch Barnett due to a season-ending injury… Mal Meninga being named the inaugural Perth Bears coach causes a merry-go-round with Bennett, Fittler, Cam Smith and Brad Arthur all caught up on the ride… In the NRL, Lachlan Galvin...

We’re at the halfway point of the 2025 NRL regular season and the off-field drama is just as hot as what is happening on the field… Will the Top 4 change? Are Newcastle the worst team in the comp? Big problems brewing at the Brisbane Broncos? Will Penrith save their season? AJ on the cusp of NRL try-scoring glory, Wayne Bennett coaches his 950th first-grade rugby league match, The Player Transfer...

NSW Blues take a 1-0 lead in the 2025 State of Origin Series as the Sideline Story panel give their immediate reactions to the game in a late night edition episode, as well as share their ADSE MVP 3-2-1’s and analyse the FoxSports player ratings… Back over to the NRL, the boys have an in-depth discussion on the Canterbury Bulldogs signing Lachlan Galvin and all the drama surrounding this saga… We...

The State of Origin period has officially begun as the NSW Blues and QLD Maroons announce their lineups for Game 1 of the 2025 SOO Series, with the panel deep-diving into the selections and omissions from each team… The boys blow-up over the mistreatment of Matin Taupau after he was sacked by the Brisbane Broncos for ‘liking’ an IG post… A massive congratulations to the NSW Blues Women for winning...

It’s approaching State of Origin time and the boys reveal their NSW and QLD selections for Game 1, the Perth Bears finally confirmed for NRL entry in 2027, Is Ricky Stuart or Jaeman Salmon the weak gutted dog?, Guildy throws Tass in the bin, Roosters fire-sale players for DCE?… Over to the NRL we witnessed 5 halftime comebacks with 3 achieving the result, the first draw of 2025, Latrell kicks a 50...

Nobody… AND WE MEAN NOBODY… predicted at the one-third mark of the season that the Bulldogs would be leading the competition with Raiders in 2nd, Warriors 3rd and Storm 4th!.. The boys analyse the 2025 NRL Ladder and gloss over each club’s prospects at this point in the season… Over to Magic Round we saw every Queensland-based club (and Women’s Origin team) fail to bag a victory, Raiders and Storm...

Somehow the NRL managed to surpass the seventeen Magic Round 2021 sin-bins/send-offs with EIGHTEEN during ANZAC Weekend in 2025… The Perth Bears are 99.99% confirmed for their illustrious return to the NRL in 2027… & the boys discover the salaries of PVL and Andrew Abdo during some trivia… Over to the NRL, the Bulldogs first-loss was an implosion for the ages, Penrith officially sit in last-pl...

Lachlan Galvin’s situation at the Wests Tigers keeps deepening as their relationship becomes more and more untenable by the day; Clarkie takes aim at the Canterbury Bulldogs’ calm they have the best fans in the world; and a fan-idea to improve the HIA protocol… Over to the NRL, we witnessed the largest regular season crowd in NRL history, the Bulldogs still undefeated, the Dolphins shock the Storm...

Lachlan Galvin has shocked us all with confirmation he has rejected a $5mil offer to quit the Wests Tigers; where will he end up? Spencer Leniu vs. JT, NRL to buy 33% of Super League, and a possible solution to the Origin eligibility debate as more Origin players defect from the Kangaroos… In NRL land the Panthers have shockingly sunken to their 5th straight loss, Jack Wighton cops worst hip-drop...

The NRL want to control the agenda on Fox League, Channel 9 and the media? Payne Haas and Tino to defect to Samoa? Where to for eligibility rules for Origin and the International game? Perth Bears to remain in hibernation forever?.. Over to the NRL we are witnessing the unthinkable as the 4x back-to-back premiers suffer their 4th loss in a row, the Bulldogs remain the only undefeated team in 2025,...

A massive deep-dive into DCE’s contract fiasco, where he will end up in 2026 and who will replace him at Manly… The head-high crackdown giving off 2021 Magic Round vibes that we predict will ruin Round 5 of the 2025 NRL Season… Jacob Preston an Origin bolter?.. & the return of the Ashes Series between Australia and England for the first time in 22 years!.. Over to the NRL we are experiencing 2...