...but Walsh senses a growing fear emanating from rugby league circles across the Tasman that Australian dominance of the NRL is under challenge.
Less of a fear, more of an embrace.
Every neutral just wants the Panthers dominance disrupted again, or the cashed-up Roosters stopped.
And the Wahs are the most likely to do it - have played at some of the highest levels of intensity this season, and overcome injury and adversity (no other team would be in this spot missing their 2 best halves to injury).
Dolphins can score but can they defend? Same with Souths. Knights lost 2 of their 3 best players in one half of footy awhile back.
Aside from Fisher-Harris - who as a leader is everything the Tigers wanted Luai to be - they don't have any big name signings. They just seem like a very balanced squad and extremely well-coached so the sum is so much greater than all the parts.
","date":"08 September 2026 6:29am","isoDateTime":"2026-09-08T05:29:41Z","status":"visible","webUrl":"https://discussion.theguardian.com/comment-permalink/175558262","apiUrl":"https://discussion.guardianapis.com/discussion-api/comment/175558262","numResponses":0,"numRecommends":0,"isHighlighted":true,"userProfile":{"userId":"3088188","displayName":"antipepp","webUrl":"https://profile.theguardian.com/user/id/3088188","apiUrl":"https://discussion.guardianapis.com/discussion-api/profile/3088188","avatar":"https://avatar.guim.co.uk/user/3088188","secureAvatarUrl":"https://avatar.guim.co.uk/user/3088188","badge":[]}},{"id":175558263,"body":"I hope they do well. As a Fader's supporter I am still traumatised by our loss from last September (Minor Premiers. Up 36-14 in week 1 of a home final, with about 15 to go ... 2 'winning' tries denied and then an extra time loss. It was just truly awful and I am not surprised we had a poor season in 2026 after that major disappointment). Now, I just want someone 'different' to win this year. I admire Penrith but am hoping for a Wahs or Redcliffe win. They seem to be the only sides now capable of challenging Penrith, with the possible exception of a late run by Souths. Thanks.
","date":"08 September 2026 6:34am","isoDateTime":"2026-09-08T05:34:44Z","status":"visible","webUrl":"https://discussion.theguardian.com/comment-permalink/175558263","apiUrl":"https://discussion.guardianapis.com/discussion-api/comment/175558263","numResponses":1,"numRecommends":0,"isHighlighted":true,"userProfile":{"userId":"100646246","displayName":"Sidfarkus","webUrl":"https://profile.theguardian.com/user/id/100646246","apiUrl":"https://discussion.guardianapis.com/discussion-api/profile/100646246","avatar":"https://avatar.guim.co.uk/user/100646246","secureAvatarUrl":"https://avatar.guim.co.uk/user/100646246","badge":[]}},{"id":175558127,"body":"“On reflection this tale is probably a decent argument for resourcing adult education. School isn’t for everyone, and we all mature at different stages of our lives.”
This, absolutely. We need education throughout our lives, and it should be resourced as a public good.
Well said, and I would support every word.
My mother passed away in a nursing home just 10 days ago. The staff rang me when it happened and I went to say a final goodbye to Mum. On the way out I stopped to talk to the nursing staff. During that conversation I suddenly realised that I was expected to arrange for an undertaker to pick Mum up, otherwise she'd be staying in her room. At 10.30 that night, in my grief, I was googling undertakers. (For anyone who ever finds themselves in a similar situation, undertakers have 24/7 phone lines and can arrange for people to be taken 'into care' at very short notice, even overnight. But you still have to pick an undertaker.)
The next day I returned to the nursing home to take Mum's important stuff - cards, iPad, etc. On the way out I asked the nursing staff how long we had to clear the room. \"Oh, take your time,\" they said. A couple of hours later, when my brain caught up, I thought I'd better confirm that with the admin staff. Oh, no! They said I had two business days to clear the room out - one was already gone, but they considered me lucky as I also had the weekend between those days. No-one from the nursing home had said anything; I had to think to ask (and to question what the nursing staff assured me was the case). So it was a case of roping in family to sort, pack, and dispose of stuff. The hallway is still full of boxes.
Mum declined quickly at the end, but it was not sudden. But no-one from the nursing home thought to prepare us for the administrative tasks that would fall to us immediately in our grief. And for one of those administrative tasks, the task deadline was entirely arbitrarily imposed by the home.
","date":"08 September 2026 5:18am","isoDateTime":"2026-09-08T04:18:59Z","status":"visible","webUrl":"https://discussion.theguardian.com/comment-permalink/175558224","apiUrl":"https://discussion.guardianapis.com/discussion-api/comment/175558224","numResponses":0,"numRecommends":3,"isHighlighted":true,"userProfile":{"userId":"100458442","displayName":"MAndrewWaugh","webUrl":"https://profile.theguardian.com/user/id/100458442","apiUrl":"https://discussion.guardianapis.com/discussion-api/profile/100458442","avatar":"https://avatar.guim.co.uk/user/100458442","secureAvatarUrl":"https://avatar.guim.co.uk/user/100458442","badge":[]}},{"id":175558020,"body":"Remarkable resilience - but I’m guessing her hard-nosed coaches will be largely focused on working out how she ended up 0-5 down in two consecutive sets.
They’ll certainly be advising her that going 0-5 down against Rybakina is unlikely to end in a 3rd miracle recovery!
","date":"08 September 2026 12:39am","isoDateTime":"2026-09-07T23:39:01Z","status":"visible","webUrl":"https://discussion.theguardian.com/comment-permalink/175558020","apiUrl":"https://discussion.guardianapis.com/discussion-api/comment/175558020","numResponses":2,"numRecommends":2,"isHighlighted":true,"userProfile":{"userId":"789793","displayName":"chrisw11","webUrl":"https://profile.theguardian.com/user/id/789793","apiUrl":"https://discussion.guardianapis.com/discussion-api/profile/789793","avatar":"https://avatar.guim.co.uk/user/789793","secureAvatarUrl":"https://avatar.guim.co.uk/user/789793","badge":[]}},{"id":175558011,"body":"To pull 0-5 down off in consecutive matches is some feat!
I suppose once it's 2 or 3 games into the comeback, nerves on the opponent's part help a tad.
","date":"08 September 2026 12:29am","isoDateTime":"2026-09-07T23:29:51Z","status":"visible","webUrl":"https://discussion.theguardian.com/comment-permalink/175558011","apiUrl":"https://discussion.guardianapis.com/discussion-api/comment/175558011","numResponses":1,"numRecommends":3,"isHighlighted":true,"userProfile":{"userId":"14987844","displayName":"moslegand","webUrl":"https://profile.theguardian.com/user/id/14987844","apiUrl":"https://discussion.guardianapis.com/discussion-api/profile/14987844","avatar":"https://avatar.guim.co.uk/user/14987844","secureAvatarUrl":"https://avatar.guim.co.uk/user/14987844","badge":[]}},{"id":175558156,"body":"I am aware of instances where it has fallen to doctors to try to help advise grieving relatives about dealing with administrative tasks after a relative's death, and they have enough on their plate without having to do that as well. Having survived a near fatal cardiac arrest in 2010, I became very aware of the need to ease the administrative burden for my family when I, or my wife, do pass. I have therefore created a fact sheet for them of tasks that need to be done. There are a number of good websites that will help with this. We also have a securely stored file which contains wills, powers of attorney, funeral instructions, lists of logins and passwords for all financial and other online accounts, and our wishes regarding disposal of personal effects. Grieving is hard, and anything that makes that a little easier is worth doing.
","date":"08 September 2026 2:22am","isoDateTime":"2026-09-08T01:22:19Z","status":"visible","webUrl":"https://discussion.theguardian.com/comment-permalink/175558156","apiUrl":"https://discussion.guardianapis.com/discussion-api/comment/175558156","numResponses":2,"numRecommends":15,"isHighlighted":true,"userProfile":{"userId":"17174479","displayName":"Brnich","webUrl":"https://profile.theguardian.com/user/id/17174479","apiUrl":"https://discussion.guardianapis.com/discussion-api/profile/17174479","avatar":"https://avatar.guim.co.uk/user/17174479","secureAvatarUrl":"https://avatar.guim.co.uk/user/17174479","badge":[]}},{"id":175558115,"body":"My father died in hospital and I couldn't fault the care that our family received. Equally, a good friend had the experience of losing a much-loved uncle very suddenly and the family left feeling that they were being rushed out because the bed was desperately needed for someone else. I certainly think that empathy, kindness and patience are critical parts of the role of hospitals when it comes to the care of the bereaved, but I think we equally need to acknowledge that sometimes resources are stretched, even to breaking point and beyond, and perhaps what might manifest itself as impatience could be the urgent need to provide another patient the best possible care.
","date":"08 September 2026 1:54am","isoDateTime":"2026-09-08T00:54:00Z","status":"visible","webUrl":"https://discussion.theguardian.com/comment-permalink/175558115","apiUrl":"https://discussion.guardianapis.com/discussion-api/comment/175558115","numResponses":0,"numRecommends":9,"isHighlighted":true,"userProfile":{"userId":"17951690","displayName":"CaligulaMcNutt","webUrl":"https://profile.theguardian.com/user/id/17951690","apiUrl":"https://discussion.guardianapis.com/discussion-api/profile/17951690","avatar":"https://avatar.guim.co.uk/user/17951690","secureAvatarUrl":"https://avatar.guim.co.uk/user/17951690","badge":[]}}]}