Brisbane Broncos
NRL 2026 · Reigning Premiers · 14th · Round 22 playedLatest results
Lost by 24 · Sat 1 Aug · Suncorp Stadium · Round 22
Last six games
The run home — five remaining
| Rd | Date | Opponent | H/A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 8 Aug | Dolphins | Away* |
| 24 | 15 Aug | Warriors | Home |
| 25 | 21 Aug | Raiders | Away |
| 26 | 27 Aug | Storm | Home |
| 27 | 3 Sep | Bulldogs | Away |
*At Suncorp regardless — the Dolphins share the ground. No byes left. With the eight all but gone, the list reads differently now: three of the five opponents (Dolphins, Warriors, Bulldogs) are inside the eight and the Raiders and Storm are chasing it, so Brisbane close the season as kingmakers rather than contenders.
2026 by the numbers
Where they sit
| # | Team | Pts | Byes left | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Panthers | 36 | 0 | +308 |
| 2 | Roosters | 34 | 0 | +155 |
| 3 | Warriors | 32 | 0 | +226 |
| 4 | Sharks* | 30 | 0 | +161 |
| 5 | Dolphins | 30 | 0 | +90 |
| 6 | Knights | 28 | 1 | +60 |
| 7 | Rabbitohs* | 26 | 0 | +78 |
| 8 | Bulldogs | 26 | 0 | −44 |
| · · · finals cut-off · · · | ||||
| 9 | Cowboys | 26 | 1 | −98 |
| 10 | Sea Eagles | 24 | 0 | +90 |
| 11 | Raiders | 22 | 1 | −59 |
| 12 | Storm | 20 | 1 | −26 |
| 13 | Titans | 18 | 0 | −122 |
| 14 | Broncos | 18 | 0 | −156 |
| 15 | Eels* | 18 | 0 | −182 |
| 16 | Wests Tigers* | 18 | 1 | −208 |
| 17 | Dragons | 10 | 0 | −273 |
*Play Sunday 2 August — Sharks v Rabbitohs and Tigers v Eels are not yet included, and one of the Tigers or Eels will move to 20 points and clear of Brisbane tonight. Byes are worth 2 points banked. Round 22's headline act: the Cowboys, who ended Brisbane's season a week earlier, conceded 82 points to the Roosters and crashed out of the eight on differential; the Knights leapt to 6th; the Bulldogs beat the Storm to reclaim 8th.
Worth knowing
- Adam Reynolds announced in February that 2026 is his final NRL season — the run home is a farewell tour whether or not it reaches September.
- Payne Haas told the club in February he intends to leave at the end of the year.
- Injuries gutted the title defence early: Walsh, Haas, Hunt, Mozer and Jensen all missed extended stretches.
- Michael Maguire is in his second year, chasing back-to-back titles from 14th on the ladder.
- The underlying numbers explain the slide: Brisbane are averaging 3.8 line breaks a game in 2026 against the Cowboys' 5.6, and 1,545 run metres to their 1,759. The defence works; the attack has not.
- Oddly, the road has been kinder than home — 4–5 away against 2–8 at Suncorp. Of the five games left, three are at Suncorp (one nominally away, against the co-tenant Dolphins).
- Saturday's defeat was Newcastle's first win over Brisbane in seven meetings — the Broncos had won the previous six, scoring 199 points across them.
Can the Broncos still make the eight?
Step 1 — the ceiling. Brisbane has 18 points with 5 games left and no byes remaining. Two points per win:
Step 2 — the wall. Last week four teams were out of range. After Round 22 it is six — every one of them is guaranteed to finish on 30 or more, above anything Brisbane can reach:
Eighth place allows seven teams above you. Six slots are already spoken for, so exactly one of the remaining ten sides may finish ahead of Brisbane. Every other contender has to fall.
Step 3 — what "mathematically alive" now requires. Each rival's floor is its points plus 2 per bye remaining; the last column is the most they can win and still finish at or below Brisbane's 28:
| Rival | Now | Floor | Games | Can win at most |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers | 36 | 36 | 5 | Already uncatchable |
| Roosters | 34 | 34 | 5 | Already uncatchable |
| Warriors | 32 | 32 | 5 | Already uncatchable |
| Sharks | 30 | 30 | 6 | Already uncatchable |
| Dolphins | 30 | 30 | 5 | Already uncatchable |
| Knights | 28 | 30 | 4 | Uncatchable — bye locks in 30 |
| Cowboys | 26 | 28 | 4 | 0 of 4, then differential decides |
| Rabbitohs | 26 | 26 | 6 | 1 of 6 |
| Bulldogs | 26 | 26 | 5 | 1 of 5 |
| Sea Eagles | 24 | 24 | 5 | 2 of 5 |
| Raiders | 22 | 24 | 4 | 2 of 4 |
| Storm | 20 | 22 | 4 | 3 of 4 |
| Titans | 18 | 18 | 5 | 5 of 5, then differential |
Step 4 — the verdict. Strictly, the formal certificate has not been issued: formal elimination needs eight teams guaranteed beyond reach on points, and the count sits at six, with the Cowboys' floor of 28 merely equal to Brisbane's ceiling. But look at what the surviving scenario demands, all at once:
Put plainly: the perfect scenario — five wins from five for a side that has won six games all year — still only reaches 28, which six teams have already banked more than. Best case, Brisbane finish 7th in fantasy-land and 8th requires roughly fifteen specific results elsewhere. The formal paperwork arrives with almost any two of: another Brisbane loss, a Rabbitohs win, a Bulldogs win — and Souths play the Sharks today, so the countdown is measured in hours, not weeks. Last week the required miracle was "six teams collapse"; this week it is "six teams collapse and the laws of differential bend". That is the polite mathematical phrasing of over.
How the wall was built in one round: Brisbane's loss froze them at 18 while the Knights (win) and Dolphins (win) both cleared 30-or-guaranteed, converting last week's "0 of 5 / 0 of 6" long shots into outright impossibilities. The Round 21 footnote — that the first loss from here effectively ends it — has now happened.
Ins and outs — Broncos
Confirmed club announcements versus reported speculation. Player movement reporting is noisy at this time of year; treat the amber tags as unconfirmed.
↗ Leaving
- Adam Reynolds Confirmed
Retiring from the NRL at season's end. Announced 9 Feb 2026. - Payne Haas Confirmed
Advised the club on 8 Feb 2026 he will depart at the end of 2026. Destination not confirmed at the time of writing. - Grant Anderson Confirmed
Released to the Warriors from 2027 as part of the Barnett deal. - Ben Hunt Unresolved
Off contract; his management advised in April he wants to play on in 2027. A salary-cap question rather than a done deal.
↘ Joining
- Mitch Barnett Confirmed
Warriors captain, signed 16 Apr 2026 on a three-year deal from 2027. - Cory Paix Re-signed
Extended to the end of 2028. - Antonio Verhoeven Re-signed
Three-year contract from 2027. - Phillip Coates Re-signed
Academy graduate, one-year extension for 2027.
Already gone this season: Selwyn Cobbo (Dolphins), Kobe Hetherington (Manly), Jock Madden (Wests Tigers), Coby Black (Raiders), Fletcher Baker (Bulldogs), Tyson Smoothy (Wakefield). Arrived for 2026: Grant Anderson, Tom Duffy, Aublix Tawha.
Stoke City
EFL Championship · Pre-season complete · Competitive football in six daysLatest result
Won 1–0 · Tue 28 Jul · bet365 Stadium · Friendly
Pre-season — complete
| Date | Opponent | H/A | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Jul | S.C. Braga | Clayton Wood | L 0–1 |
| 18 Jul | Crewe Alexandra | Away | D 1–1 |
| 21 Jul | Chester FC | Away | W 1–0 |
| 25 Jul | Sheffield Wednesday | Vienna | W 6–0† |
| 28 Jul | Everton | Home | W 1–0 |
| 1 Aug | Valencia CF | Home | See note |
†Two 70-minute periods behind closed doors at the ÖFB Campus in Vienna (2–0 and 4–0 blocks); some databases log it as 4–0. The mystery "1 August fixture" turned out to be a proper occasion — Valencia at the bet365, echoing the 2012 Europa League Round of 32 tie. It kicked off 6:30pm BST Saturday (3:30am Sunday AEST) and the result had not yet reached wire coverage when this page was compiled — check stokecityfc.com. The Braga result (0–1) has since been confirmed in fixture databases; Robins called it a fitness workout against a side three games into their own pre-season.
Opening fixtures — 2026/27
| Date | Opponent | H/A | Comp |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Aug | Oldham Athletic | Home | Carabao Cup R1 |
| 15 Aug | Swansea City | Home | Championship |
| 22 Aug | Southampton | Away | Championship |
| 29 Aug | Wolves | Away | Championship |
| 1 Sep | Norwich City | Home | Championship |
| 5 Sep | Charlton Athletic | Home | Championship |
A brutal start: Southampton, Wolves and Norwich — three of last season's Premier League drop-outs and promotion favourites — inside the opening month. But pre-season closed with an unbeaten five after the Braga opener, including a Premier League scalp, which is exactly the launchpad a play-off tilt needs.
Last season (2025/26) by the numbers
Looking to 2026/27
- The Championship expands its play-offs from four teams to six this season — a meaningfully wider door for a club that finished 17th.
- A new club crest debuts, reviving the 1977–92 badge: bottle kiln, Staffordshire knot, red-and-white stripes.
- Stuart Harvey appointed technical director in May, joining sporting director Jon Walters in a restructured recruitment setup.
- Mark Robins stays on for his second full season, backed by owner John Coates with real money — Stoke have been among the Championship's bigger spenders this window.
- For Brisbane viewing: a 3pm Saturday kick-off in Stoke lands around midnight AEST.
Squad shape
- Sorba Thomas — last season's engine (10 goals, 11 assists) and the name most linked with a move away.
- Million Manhoef — 7 goals, 4 assists, another ever-present campaign.
- Viktor Johansson — retains the number 1 shirt despite Josh Griffiths arriving.
- Róbert Boženík — switches to the number 9 shirt for 26/27.
Ins and outs — Stoke City
The window opened 15 June and closes 1 September, so this list will keep moving. Amber tags are press speculation, not club announcements.
↘ Joining
- Ethan Galbraith Confirmed
Midfielder from Swansea City, reported £10m plus add-ons — a statement signing and squad number 8. - Svante Ingelsson Confirmed
Midfielder from Sheffield Wednesday, around £1m on a three-year deal. Number 6. - Djibril Soumaré Confirmed
Midfielder, from Braga. Number 27. - Luke Graham Confirmed
Centre-half from Dundee on a four-year contract. Number 5. - Josh Griffiths Confirmed
Goalkeeper. Number 24. - Milan Smit Confirmed
Striker — loan from Go Ahead Eagles made permanent, £4.75m. - Jack Moylan Rumoured
Lincoln City winger, linked but not agreed. - Joel Piroe Rumoured
Leeds United forward; Leeds have reportedly set an asking price. - Harry Souttar Rumoured
Leicester City centre-half, reported as a loan-only target. Reports in late July suggest a stumbling block on terms.
↗ Leaving
- Lewis Baker Confirmed
Released on the retained list, 14 May. - Steven N'Zonzi Confirmed
Released on the retained list, 14 May. - Sorba Thomas Rumoured
The noise grew this week: the Daily Mail reports West Ham (said to be ready to go past £10m), newly promoted Coventry, Stuttgart and Genoa are all circling, with Stoke's valuation reported around £9m. He impressed against Everton and remains in the squad with the number 7 shirt — still the summer's key retention question, now with a louder clock. - Ben Wilmot Rumoured
Linked with West Ham. Still squad-numbered at 16. - Ben Pearson Rumoured
Reportedly may be moved on to make room for the new midfielders. - Sam Gallagher Rumoured
Reported the club would allow the 30-year-old to leave. - Tatsuki Seko Rumoured
Said to be open to a move after two years at the club. - Sydney Agina Confirmed
Loaned to Forest Green Rovers in early July — the young defender gets a season of senior football.
The pattern is clear: four central-midfield arrivals in one window, with Pearson and Seko squeezed. Stoke have spent heavily and are being backed to push for the newly expanded six-team play-off zone rather than settle for another mid-table year.