Episodes
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Did Laurie Daley just bet the Bluesâ entire Origin series on Payne Haas and a chaotic bench rotation? In this episode we break down how NSW are trying to win Game 3 at Suncorp â from the minutes they need out of Haas, FonuaâBlake and Murray to the way Teddy, Moses and the backfield have to change if the attack is going to work.
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Everyoneâs blaming âstructureâ for NSWâs Origin problems â we think thatâs lazy. In this episode Blake pulls apart the real issues behind the Bluesâ Game 3 headache, from selection calls to combinations and whoâs actually built for Suncorp.
We also get into the future: who should coach NSW next, and Blakeâs own 1â17 for Origin 3 that he believes can win a decider in Brisbane. If you want more than clichĂ©s and want to understand how the Blues can actually get it right, this oneâs for you.
Subscribe for weekly NRL and State of Origin breakdowns, plus tactical deep dives and smarter footy chat. Audio version is available on all major podcast apps â just search âFooty IQâ. -
Missing episodes?
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Have the Canberra Raidersâ structures finally been found out? In this Footy IQ episode, Chris and Blake dig into why last yearâs minor premiers have slumped into the bottom half of the ladder and whatâs actually broken in their attack and defence.
We look at how the loss of Jamal Fogarty has exposed the spine, why their set shapes arenât giving young halves clear pictures, and what Blake would be drilling into the 1â6â7â9 to simplify their roles. We also talk about where you âparkâ rookie halves defensively, how much the forwards can protect them, and whether this is a dip before another push or a sign the window has closed.
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The Origin Game 2 team lists have finally dropped, and both coaches have swung some big selection calls. In this episode, we give our honest reactions to the Blues and Maroons squads â who deserved their jersey, whoâs been a bit lucky, and what these lineâups tell us about the game plans for the MCG.
We break down the spines, forward packs and benches, and ask whether these combinations actually fit modern Origin footy or just look good on paper.
Hit subscribe if youâre into Originâlevel tactics and selection chat, and find Footy IQ wherever you get your podcasts.
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State of Origin 2026 Game II is coming to the MCG, and the big question for the NSW Blues is simple: where do you actually play Ethan Strange?â In this episode of Footy IQ, we break down all the options â fiveâeighth, centre, bench utility â and what each one does to the rest of the Blues spine and attacking structure.We look at how Strange combined with Nathan Cleary in that wild Game I comeback, what Laurie Daley has hinted at with his selections, and how a young ballârunner changes the way NSW attack Queenslandâs edges.
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State of Origin I week has been flipped on its head, with NSW fiveâeighth Mitchell Moses in doubt after pulling up with hamstring tightness at training and Matt Burton called into Blues camp as cover. Laurie Daley has already named Raiders young gun Ethan Strange in jersey 18, and if Moses canât go on Wednesday night it leaves a massive call for the Blues: do you trust Burtonâs experience and left foot, or roll the dice on Strangeâs Xâfactor?
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The 2026 State of Origin teams are IN â and both the NSW Blues and Queensland Maroons have dropped some huge selection calls for Game I at Accor Stadium. We break down the confirmed Origin 2026 lineâups, from Laurie Daley building a monster Blues pack around Addin FonuaâBlake, Mitchell Moses and Nathan Cleary, to Billy Slater handing Sam Walker his Maroons debut alongside Kalyn Ponga and Cameron Munster.
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NRL Round 10 delivered a genuine Knights statement, a steady Roosters machine performance and a few big Queensland Maroons selection questions â so weâre breaking it all down on Footy IQ. Newcastle smashed the Dragons 44â10, with Greg Marzhew crossing for five tries and Kalyn Ponga steering a left edge that looked absolutely untouchable. We dig into how Justin Holbrook has transformed the Knightsâ attack and whether this is officially a âfrom spoon to Septemberâ season.
Then we swing to Gosford, where James Tedescoâs double helped the Sydney Roosters grind past the Titans 28â12 for their sixth straight win â not always pretty, but very much a topâfour type victory. Finally, we zoom out to Queenslandâs Origin picture: whoâs locked in, whoâs pushing their way into Billy Slaterâs plans, and which Round 10 performances actually move the needle for the Maroons
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With Canterbury falling to their third-straight defeat and struggling to score points, Blake Austin questions whether it's time for a rebuild at the Bulldogs. Meanwhile, the Footy Gods come down hard on the Wests Tigers, Penrith and Nathan Cleary are playing possum, the referees are hedging their bets on hip-drop tackles and there are some tough State of Origin calls to be made. All this and more in the latest episode of Footy IQ.
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The Dragons changed the coach, but the result stayed the same. In the latest episode of Footy IQ, we take a look at where it all went wrong for St George Illawarra in their 46-point Anzac Day loss to the Roosters, which featured a baptism of fire for young halfback Kade Reed. The Tigers chalked up another win, this time against the Raiders, but did the Leichhardt faithful tempt the footy gods? We also cover the Storm's sixth straight loss, Jarome Luai's fact-finding mission to PNG, Kalyn Ponga's contract extension with Newcastle and more.0:00 - Where's Danksy?0:55 - Dragons Anzac Day autopsy10:55 - Tigers fans rejoice in win over Raiders15:12 - Doueihi and/or Luai for Origin?18:37 - Jarome Luai the PNG Chief21:14 - Melbourne's sixth straight defeat26:10 - Can South Sydney win the comp?31:06 - Defending your line early33:30 - Kalyn Ponga's contract extension37:00 - Foran's Sea Eagles move to 4-0#nrl #rugbyleague
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Seven straight losses, another coach gone, another head of football moved on â and a fan base thatâs been promised âthis is the resetâ more times than they can count. This episode we sit with what just happened at the Dragons and ask the honest question: is this club uniquely broken, or are a decade of rule tinkering, set restarts and chaosâball seasons starting to cook everyone â fans, players, coaches and refs included?
We talk Flanagan and Haran, Dragons supportersâ fatigue, and why so many people feel like they donât recognise the sport weekâtoâweek anymore.
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The Melbourne Storm have dropped four in a row and the easy narrative is âtheyâre goneâ. 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 Stormâs systems, the changing strengths of their squad, and the tweaks Bellamy may need if Melbourne are going to stay a genuine force
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Dragons fans are restless, Kade Reedâs name is getting louder every week, and plenty of people reckon Shane Flanagan has already hit rock bottom. This chat looks at where the fanâbase has it wrong; why simply throwing a young half in isnât a magic fix, and why Flanno being punted would set the club back even further.
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Kieran Foran is suddenly the head coach of the Manly Sea Eagles â but is he special enough to skip the traditional assistantâcoach apprenticeship and keep the job beyond 2026? In this Footy IQ episode, we break down Manlyâs 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.
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The NRLâs 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 3â0 start for the Warriors â whatâs actually sustainable, whatâs scheduleâdriven, and how their bench and middle rotations are quietly becoming a weapon.
Finally, we talk Panthers: three rounds in, has anyone really put their hand up as the team to stop them, or are we watching another slow march to September where Penrith are still the standard? -
The New Zealand Warriors might have built the best talent âproduction lineâ in the NRL â 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 near the top long term.
We also get stuck into the âset restartâ rule â how itâs warping momentum, whatâs broken about the current interpretation, and a few ideas to fix it without killing ruck speed.
Plus, a look at the Tigersâ surprise win over the Cowboys: how much was genuine improvement, how much was soft opposition and perfect conditions, and what â if anything â it tells us about both teams going forward. -
The Canberra Raiders have kicked off 2026 with a wild 29â28 golden point win away to Manly â coming from 14â0 down, leaning on a young core and a brand new No.7 who nailed the matchâwinning field goal.
In this episode we break down how they did it, what Ethan Sanders and the kids showed about Canberraâs ceiling this year, and whether itâs fair to start talking about the Raiders as genuine threats or if itâs just Round 1 noise -
Round 1 in Las Vegas is in the books â but how much did the referees really influence the results?
In this episode we break down the biggest calls from the Vegas doubleâheader, whether they genuinely changed the games or just gave everyone something to blow up about, and why the Dragons mightâve been the quiet winners of the weekend.
We also look at what each club actually took out of the trip: combinations, branding, Vegas week offâfield benefits and whether this thing is becoming a genuine launchpad for a season instead of a distraction. -
Hull KR just beat the Brisbane Broncos to become world club champions⊠and half of Australia has already filed it under âtrial formâ and âthey didnât careâ.
In this episode we break down how the Robins actually outâplayed 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 â 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 theyâre a move in the right direction, and how they could finally bring clarity and balance to international representation. From player development pathways to the impact on Originâs intensity, we unpack every angle.
