NRL Round 21 Results: Highlights & Expert Analysis

NRL Round 21 blew the eight open — the Bulldogs shocked the Warriors, Cronulla mauled Manly 48-12, and the Roosters and Rabbitohs won by a whisker. Every score, the new ladder and the talking points.

Round 21 blew the top eight wide open. The Bulldogs shocked the high-flying Warriors, Cronulla mauled Manly 48-12 to stamp their premiership claims, and two thrillers went to the wire — the Roosters edging Newcastle by one and South Sydney outlasting Melbourne in a 54-point shootout. Here is every result, the fresh ladder and what it means with the run home on. The Dolphins had the bye.

NRL 2026: Round 21 in Focus

After the drama of Round 20 results, Round 21 delivered a genuine shake-up across the eight. If you backed the calls in our Round 21 preview, a couple of boilovers will have stung. For the bigger picture, our round-by-round predictions and the latest premiership odds tell you where every side sits with the run home tightening.

Champs survive the Eels’ fast start in the derby

Penrith Panthers 24 def. Parramatta Eels 18

Parramatta flew out of the blocks behind Mitchell Moses and a Jack Williams double, but the champions’ class told through the middle as Penrith reeled off four tries to turn it around. Remarkably, the Panthers won despite having two players sin-binned, with Nathan Cleary steering them home; a late Williams try only narrowed the final margin.

For the complete statistical head-to-head between Parramatta Eels and Penrith Panthers, check out our full Parramatta Eels vs Penrith Panthers head-to-head record & tips →.

Tedesco hat-trick and a DCE field goal sink the Knights

Sydney Roosters 23 def. Newcastle Knights 22

A one-point thriller at McDonald Jones Stadium. James Tedesco scored a hat-trick and Daly Cherry-Evans nailed a 77th-minute field goal to be the difference, as the Roosters survived a gallant Newcastle side that had fought its way back into the contest. The win keeps the Chooks locked into the top three.

For the complete statistical head-to-head between Newcastle Knights and Sydney Roosters, check out our full Newcastle Knights vs Sydney Roosters head-to-head record & tips →.

Bunnies win the try-for-try shootout

South Sydney Rabbitohs 28 def. Melbourne Storm 26

A see-sawing Accor Stadium thriller that Melbourne led at times before South Sydney did just enough to win by two. Matt Dufty was enormous for the Rabbitohs with 325 running metres, but the night turned sour for the Storm when hooker Harry Grant failed to finish with a hamstring injury — a worry with finals looming.

For the complete statistical head-to-head between South Sydney Rabbitohs and Melbourne Storm, check out our full South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Melbourne Storm head-to-head record & tips →.

Green Machine romp caps the Tigers’ horror week

Canberra Raiders 56 def. Wests Tigers 10

Canberra ran in 10 tries for a fourth straight win, with Daine Laurie bagging a hat-trick and halfback Ethan Sanders setting up four. It capped a week from hell for the Wests Tigers, who saw Adam Doueihi walk out of the club mid-week — the 46-point hiding on the road summed up a broken season.

For the complete statistical head-to-head between Canberra Raiders and Wests Tigers, check out our full Canberra Raiders vs Wests Tigers head-to-head record & tips →.

Bulldogs shock the high-flying Warriors

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 18 def. New Zealand Warriors 6

The upset of the round, and one that knocked the Warriors down the table. Returning captain Stephen Crichton was superb — he scored and converted his own try before kicking the Bulldogs out to an 18-0 lead, with Jacob Preston and Jacob Kiraz also crossing. The Warriors were held try-less until a 75th-minute consolation.

For the complete statistical head-to-head between Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and New Zealand Warriors, check out our full Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs vs New Zealand Warriors head-to-head record & tips →.

Cowboys grind out the Queensland derby

North Queensland Cowboys 18 def. Brisbane Broncos 10

The 68th Cowboys–Broncos derby went the home side’s way. Heilum Luki and Jake Clifford scored the Cowboys’ tries and Scott Drinkwater’s boot was decisive, while co-captain Reuben Cotter won the Carl Webb Medal with 44 tackles. Brisbane hit back through Xavier Willison and Ezra Mam but could not keep pace.

For the complete statistical head-to-head between North Queensland Cowboys and Brisbane Broncos, check out our full North Queensland Cowboys vs Brisbane Broncos head-to-head record & tips →.

Titans run riot in Kogarah

Gold Coast Titans 38 def. St George Illawarra Dragons 18

The last-placed Dragons were overwhelmed six tries to three at Jubilee Stadium. Jaylan De Groot scored twice and skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui got in on the act as Jayden Campbell top-scored with 18 points for the Titans. It was a rare, emphatic day out for a Gold Coast side well down the table.

For the complete statistical head-to-head between St George Illawarra Dragons and Gold Coast Titans, check out our full St George Illawarra Dragons vs Gold Coast Titans head-to-head record & tips →.

Sharks maul Manly with an eight-try blitz

Cronulla Sharks 48 def. Manly Sea Eagles 12

A statement performance at Brookvale. Cronulla ran in eight tries with Nicho Hynes flawless off the tee (8/8 for 20 points) and Ronaldo Mulitalo scoring twice, as the Sharks blew Manly away by 36. It is exactly the kind of clinical display that marks Cronulla as a genuine top-four threat.

For the complete statistical head-to-head between Manly Sea Eagles and Cronulla Sharks, check out our full Manly Sea Eagles vs Cronulla Sharks head-to-head record & tips →.

NRL ladder after Round 21

#	Team	P	W	L	Pts	+/-
1	Penrith Panthers	18	14	4	34	+284
2	Sydney Roosters	18	13	5	32	+85
3	New Zealand Warriors	18	12	6	30	+190
4	Cronulla Sharks	18	12	6	30	+161
5	Dolphins	18	11	7	28	+84
6	South Sydney Rabbitohs	18	10	8	26	+78
7	Newcastle Knights	19	11	8	26	+36
8	North Queensland Cowboys	19	11	8	26	−28
9	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	18	9	9	24	−58
10	Manly Sea Eagles	19	9	10	22	+90
11	Canberra Raiders	19	9	10	22	−35
12	Melbourne Storm	19	8	11	20	−12
13	Gold Coast Titans	18	6	12	18	−86
14	Brisbane Broncos	18	6	12	18	−132
15	Parramatta Eels	18	6	12	18	−182
16	Wests Tigers	19	7	12	18	−208
17	St George Illawarra Dragons	18	2	16	10	−267

Ladder implications

Penrith (34) are clear on top and effectively locked into the top four, with the Sydney Roosters (32) second. The Warriors and Cronulla are level on 30, but the Warriors’ shock loss to Canterbury lets the Sharks — fresh off thumping Manly — apply real top-four pressure; the Warriors hold third only on differential. Positions six to eight are all tied on 26 points and split by differential, with North Queensland clinging to eighth despite a negative differential after beating Brisbane. Canterbury (24) are the first side outside and boosted by their upset, while Manly and Canberra (both 22) are four points back but still live. Melbourne (20) are fading. Run your own scenarios with our NRL Ladder Predictor.

Round 21 talking points

• Warriors’ finals warning. The competition’s form horse was ambushed 18-6 by a mid-table Bulldogs side and held try-less until the 75th minute — a genuine wobble in their top-four bid, and a return to form for skipper Stephen Crichton.
• Cronulla’s statement, the Tigers’ meltdown. Two blowouts framed the round: the Sharks’ 48-12 demolition of Manly screamed contender, while Canberra’s 56-10 rout of Wests Tigers — amid Adam Doueihi walking out mid-week — summed up a broken Tigers season.
• Fine margins at the top. The Roosters’ 23-22 win over Newcastle (a Cherry-Evans field goal) and Souths’ 28-26 defeat of Melbourne showed how tight the contenders are — and the Storm may have paid a heavy price with Harry Grant’s hamstring.

Looking for the best bookmakers to bet on the NRL?

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FAQ

What was the biggest result of NRL Round 21, 2026?

The Bulldogs’ 18-6 upset of the second-placed Warriors was the boilover of the round, holding the competition’s form side try-less until the 75th minute. For sheer margin, Canberra’s 56-10 rout of Wests Tigers and Cronulla’s 48-12 demolition of Manly led the way.

Which Round 21 games were the closest?

The Sydney Roosters’ 23-22 win over Newcastle, decided by a Daly Cherry-Evans field goal, was the tightest, followed by South Sydney’s 28-26 defeat of Melbourne.

Where can I track the rest of the 2026 NRL season?

Follow every game with our round-by-round predictions, updated each week with tips, results and analysis right through to the finals.

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