NRL Round 10: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
The Good: Melbourne Storm’s Ruthless Display Sinks Wests Tigers
Melbourne Storm delivered a commanding performance in Round 10, ruthlessly dismantling a hapless Wests Tigers side in a match that stood out in a weekend filled with tightly contested games. When Melbourne hit their stride, few teams can match their polish and intensity.
In stark contrast, the Tigers were woeful. Sloppy habits crept back into their game as they shipped 64 unanswered points. Fans were left frustrated—not just by the scoreline—but by the apparent lack of urgency, with players seen joking and smiling before and after the heavy loss. It prompted Fox Sports’ Mick Ennis to question their seriousness just minutes into the match.
“You can see a lot from body language these days with the amount of camera access. The Storm looked laser-focused as usual under Craig Bellamy. The Tigers, on the other hand, were relaxed and joking around—totally unprepared for the intensity Melbourne brought,” Ennis said.
Coach Benji Marshall was clearly not in the mood for smiles, having to front up after the worst loss of his coaching stint. Adding salt to the wound was a controversial social media post from Jarome Luai’s father, hinting at a potential early exit from his contract due to player options in his $6 million deal.
Marshall summed it up simply: “Everyone’s disappointed, embarrassed. It’s not good enough.” He wasn’t wrong.
The Bad: Thurston Torches the Broncos
Johnathan Thurston doesn’t often go on the attack, but he didn’t hold back after watching the Broncos fall apart against South Sydney. In particular, Latrell Mitchell’s final try—where he casually crawled through disinterested defenders—left Thurston fuming.
“They were scattered, just mentally gone. Playing like they’re walking on eggshells,” Thurston said on Channel Nine. “We expected Michael Maguire to toughen them up. But looking at their second-half fadeouts, there’s no edge to this team at all. As a Broncos supporter, I’d be seriously concerned.”
With four losses in their last five games, the Broncos are in a similar spot to where they were under Kevin Walters at this point last season—a campaign that ended in disappointment.
The Ugly: Backlash Against Lara Pitt Misses the Mark
Fox Sports’ Lara Pitt found herself unfairly targeted for doing her job after asking Raiders coach Ricky Stuart about Jaeman Salmon’s reaction during the Bulldogs’ win. Salmon appeared to mouth “weak-gutted dog” after scoring—a direct callback to Stuart’s infamous 2022 comment.
Pitt’s question was legitimate and relevant, but Stuart dismissed it sharply: “Honestly, how much do you really think I care about that?”
While Stuart’s response was understandable after a frustrating loss, some fans went overboard in criticizing Pitt. Comments accused her of “baiting” Stuart and claimed her question was inappropriate. Worse, some responses were laced with misogyny—particularly disappointing during Women in League Round.
Pitt, a seasoned and respected journalist, was simply addressing a key talking point. The criticism was unjustified and reflective of deeper issues in the way female reporters are sometimes treated in sports media.
