Australian Rugby League NRL 2026 Round 3 Update : Wins for Dolphins Panthers Rabbitohs

2026 Round 3 – Match Report

Round 3 of the National Rugby League (NRL) 2026 season took place from 19–22 March 2026 and featured several dominant performances, close matches, and continued strong form from early ladder leaders. The round helped establish which teams were early contenders for the premiership and which teams were struggling at the start of the season.

Round 3 of the 2026 NRL season was an important early-season round where several teams continued strong winning streaks while others attempted to recover from poor starts. The round included high-scoring games, a few upsets, and strong performances from teams near the top of the ladder.

One of the most dominant performances of the round came from the Penrith Panthers, who defeated the Sydney Roosters 40–4. This showed that the Panthers were again one of the strongest teams in the competition.

The Brisbane Broncos achieved an important win against the Melbourne Storm in a close match, winning 18–14. This was considered one of the biggest games of the round because both teams are usually strong premiership contenders.

The New Zealand Warriors continued their excellent start to the season with a convincing 38–12 win over the Newcastle Knights, meaning the Warriors remained undefeated after three rounds and were near the top of the ladder.

The Dolphins also recorded a big win, defeating the Cronulla Sharks 38–10 in one of their strongest performances of the season so far.

After Round 3, the teams performing strongly included:

• New Zealand Warriors
• Penrith Panthers
• Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
• Brisbane Broncos

These teams were among the early leaders on the ladder, while teams like the Roosters, Tigers, and Titans were lower on the ladder after mixed results.

In conclusion, Round 3 of the 2026 NRL season was an exciting round with several big wins and important matches that began to shape the early ladder. The New Zealand Warriors remained undefeated and were one of the surprise early leaders, while the Penrith Panthers showed their strength with a dominant victory. The Brisbane Broncos’ win over the Melbourne Storm was also an important result. Overall, Round 3 helped identify the early premiership contenders and set up the competition for the following rounds.