NRL Report Card: NZ Warriors & Raiders Flying, Roosters Lurking, & Can We Trust the Storm?

On the DSPN, Zane The Warriorholic joins host Lachlan Waugh to break down the Warriors’ gritty rise in 2025. They have a 9-3 record on the NRL season, and travel across the ditch to face the Cronulla Sharks this weekend. Zane and Lachie talk about Mitch Barnett’s injury, the squad’s forward depth, and Jackson Ford’s transformation into a top-tier bench weapon. Zane reckons this year’s success is no fluke, with a rock-solid culture, high completion rates, and a “next man up” mentality that’s built to last. They also question whether there was an overreaction to the losses of Shaun Johnson and Tohu Harris - among others - ahead of the season. Then, the boys hand out midseason report cards, starting with surprise packages like the Wahs and the Raiders (finally consistent!). The disappointments? Lachlan’s Broncos top the list, with Zane gleefully piling on. Melbourne also cops a serve despite their ladder spot, with both agreeing the Storm haven’t lived up to expectations. All of that and much more!   Website: rova.nz/podcasts/dspn-devlin-sports-podcast-network Instagram: @martindevlin_dspn TikTok: @martindevlin_dspn YouTube: @DevlinSportsPodcastNetwork