Footy IQ

The Melbourne Storm have dropped four in a row and the easy narrative is “they’re gone”. We go deeper. Has Craig Bellamy actually fallen behind the modern game, or is this just the price of a roster in transition? We unpack the Storm’s systems, the changing strengths of their squad, and the tweaks Bellamy may need if Melbourne are going to stay a genuine force

Dragons fans are restless, Kade Reed’s name is getting louder every week, and plenty of people reckon Shane Flanagan has already hit rock bottom. This chat looks at where the fan‑base has it wrong; why simply throwing a young half in isn’t a magic fix, and why Flanno being punted would set the club back even further.

Kieran Foran is suddenly the head coach of the Manly Sea Eagles – but is he special enough to skip the traditional assistant‑coach apprenticeship and keep the job beyond 2026? In this Footy IQ episode, we break down Manly’s shock sacking of Anthony Seibold, how Foran ended up in the hot seat, and what the tape says about his chances of turning the Sea Eagles around.

The NRL’s new interchange rules are already separating the planners from the passengers. In this episode we break down which coaches are nailing their rotations, who looks lost with the new tempo, and how the changes are reshaping momentum, fatigue and game style. We then dive into the 3–0 start for the Warriors – what’s actually sustainable, what’s schedule‑driven, and how their bench and middle...

The New Zealand Warriors might have built the best talent “production line” in the NRL – and Andrew Webster is quietly turning unheralded guys like Jackson Ford and Tanah Boyd into genuine weapons. In this episode we break down how Webster is developing role players into starters, why Ford and Boyd are perfect examples of the new Warriors identity, and whether this pipeline can actually keep them...

The Canberra Raiders have kicked off 2026 with a wild 29–28 golden point win away to Manly – coming from 14–0 down, leaning on a young core and a brand new No.7 who nailed the match‑winning field goal. In this episode we break down how they did it, what Ethan Sanders and the kids showed about Canberra’s ceiling this year, and whether it’s fair to start talking about the Raiders as genuine threats...

Round 1 in Las Vegas is in the books – but how much did the referees really influence the results? In this episode we break down the biggest calls from the Vegas double‑header, whether they genuinely changed the games or just gave everyone something to blow up about, and why the Dragons might’ve been the quiet winners of the weekend. We also look at what each club actually took out of the trip: co...

Hull KR just beat the Brisbane Broncos to become world club champions… and half of Australia has already filed it under “trial form” and “they didn’t care”. In this episode we break down how the Robins actually out‑played the NRL premiers, why this result fits a bigger pattern of Super League wins, and why Aussie media and fans still refuse to give the comp proper respect.

The NRL has officially announced revised State of Origin eligibility rules, and the debate is already heating up. But are these changes really a step backwards — or could they actually be exactly what rugby league in Australia and New Zealand needs? In this episode of Footy IQ, we break down what the new rules mean, why they’re a move in the right direction, and how they could finally bring clarit...