iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

It almost slipped my notice, but a new NSWRL/NRL record was set on the weekend: the most ever team scores in a round that are divisible by 10, with 9 such scores. This total of 9 was also the equal most team scores in a round that are divisible by 5 (see second image).

121

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Regular season lucky charms and bad omens are in for 2026: Min 6 games played and missed to be eligible. Then I calculate the player's team's win record with and without them playing. Congratulations to Jack Bostock and Jake Averillo who take out top and bottom spots respectively. #NRL

010

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Has Haas ever scored this low? Was curious what specific figures/stats contributed to such a score

110

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Some ratings from my first qcup game: -parking accessibility: 9/10 -sitting on the grassy hill: 7/10 (rain) -Mario the Falcon mascot signing footballs: 8/10 -50 kids storming the field at ht before a pg could be taken: hilarious 11/10 -actual football: alright I guess, needed more Ken Maumalo: 6/10

150

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

This is 16 total matches of streaks broken in the one game, sitting slightly behind the record of 43, held by University (42L) and St George (1W) who broke their respective streaks in 1936 Rd15. The NRL-era record for total streak broken is 17 by the Titans (15L) and Cronulla (2W) in 2016 Rd21.

011

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

The Tigers and Roosters snapped respective 8 game losing and winning streaks in the same game on Sunday This is the second largest pair of equal losing and winning streaks to be snapped in the same game, sitting only behind the 9 game streaks snapped when the Western Reds dealt with Manly in 1996

122

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

not often we see a hat-trick off the bench...Daine Laurie scores the first one in 9 years

010

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

DORMANT BLOODLUST is an anagram for UTMOST BLAND DROOL which really makes you think...was this written by Pete Badel by any chance?

100

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

With Lucy Spain's NRLW debut last week, I've updated a map from early 2024, showing player names with countries in them. This time I’ve included NRLW players, meaning the addition of Georgia, China and Spain alongside the 7 countries in place from NSWRL/NRL players. #nrl #maps #rugbyleague

1145

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Sunday saw three NRL games with a combined margin of 7 points. This is the equal second closest day of footy in the NRL-era to have 3 games played. Very different result to the 66-0 from the previous afternoon.

053

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

138 State of Origin games can be distilled down to one 12x12 grid (bar a couple of empty spaces), with the colour and intensity of each square representing the winner and final margin. Any feedback is very welcome, I’ve tried to keep it as clean and simple as possible!

130

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Origin Spiders Following my halves chord diagram, here are plots showing origin pairings by team since 2006 in the following positions: Wing (NSW 26, QLD 21 players) Centre (NSW 24, QLD 19) Front Row (NSW 30, QLD 21) 2nd Row (NSW 26, QLD 25) 'Side of field' data is not available on RLP sadly

310

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Unique initial debutants: CO: Christabelle Onesemo CU: Caitlin Urwin DN: Daynah Nankivell JH: Jasmin Huriwai TJ: Tamika Jones

010

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

With the first round of NRLW complete, we can take a look at the new changes to our NRLW initiagami. There were 22 debutants across the round, with 5 brand new sets of initials (pink) and 8 sets of initials newly made non-unique (ER, EV, GB, GS, HW, LW, NG, TC) - 'unique kills' if you like

111

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

On another note, it's yet another instance of this new AI post format that is slowly taking over the feeds. Makes it very easy to know which posts and accounts to ignore cause it's such a distinct style

131

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Jason Taumalolo enters his 300th match holding the NSWRL/NRL record for playing in the most career matches with 1-point margins (wins or losses) at 26. The highest ever % of 1-point games belongs to Jack McMahon (Glebe 1923-2929) with 12/62 for 19.4% of matches.

020

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Jett Liu (GCT) has become the first NRL anagram debutant of the year. He is the 187th NRL or NRLW player whose full name is an anagrams of a single word. Liu’s word is JULIETT, the NATO phonetic alphabet code word for the letter J. The eight anagram debutants since 2022 are shown below.

010

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Neil Baker, apparently a specialist at this particular stat, holds the record from 1986. This was a season where he kicked 20 of his 45 career field goals (all worth only 1 point), and often 2 or 3 in the one match.

000

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

The Dogs’ score of 13 on the weekend included 1 try, 2 goals and 1 field goal from Stephen Crichton. This is the equal 3rd lowest team score to include a try, goal and a field goal from the one player. Special mention to Adam Reynolds' 2022 SF vs the Dragons with all 13 points scored inc. 3 FGs.

110

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

On only 3 of these occasions have all 4 bench players also been one club players: the 1998 Rd18 Raiders, and 2002 Rd21 + 2004 Rd13 Knights. The Titans cannot achieve this today though with Morrin, Verrills and Ilias on the bench.

000

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

With Klese Haas moved to prop this afternoon, the Titans have named a starting XIII of one-club players. This will only be the 28th such team to be named in the NRL era - where every starting player debuted at that club.

120

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

A shrewd substitution by a team desperately searching for an equaliser...

020

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

Jahream Bula plays his 67th career match today, and none of those are Round 1 matches. He is now outright second for this stat, only sitting behind Trevor Paterson (69). It may be a bridge too far to never ever play in Rd1 the rest of his career but we can enjoy it while it lasts

010

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

The record for biggest difference between first name and surname length in NSWRL/NRL/NRLW history has been broken. Rex Bassingthwaighte (16-3=13) breaks his great uncle Ross' score of 12. Note this is also for double-barreled surnames but I've shown single-word surnames in the table

042

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Vlandys and Klein must dream of games like this (except its 38-36 Mexico)

021

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Special mentions go to Robert Stuart (1911 Rd1-7) and Albert Torrens (2005 Rd5-16) who both recorded 3 such 5-game streaks across 7 matches consecutively Also Note: FB ~ Fullback W ~ Wing C ~ Centre FE ~ 5/8th HB ~ Halfback FR ~ Prop HK ~ Hooker 2R ~ 2nd Row L ~ Lock B ~ Bench

000

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Named at 5/8, Daine Laurie has ended a 5 game streak of playing in 5 different positions. This is the equal 3rd longest streak in history (level with 65 others), while the longest is 7 (somehow). Bloody tough to code in R/{dplyr}, but I'm sure a bespoke function exists somewhere in the ether

100

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

Payne Haas brings up match #150 tonight. After his first 3 matches on the bench and 1 at lock, Payne Haas has played his next 146 matches at prop. Of players to have played since the interchange era began (1991), only Blocker Roach (147) played more of his first 150 games at prop.

020

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

Oh dear. The table header says it all. I have no clue what the reaction was to the Seagulls beating Brisbane in '94, but I assume that everyone called for the heads of Walters and Langer then too.

010

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Happy Origin Day! Presenting: Origin halves pairings since 2006, visualised as chord (spider) diagrams. There is no distinction between halfback and five-eighth, just unique pairings. Strange is the 27th NSW player used in the halves since 2006 Walker is the 12th QLD player in the same period.

284

Reposted by Useless NRL Stats

The Rugby League Eye Test @leagueeyetest.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Not only did we have players wearing mismatched boots & folded tongues at Magic Round, but we had a player wearing (faux) snakeskin boots. Who it was surprised even me. All this and more in the full Bootwatch analysis is on the site. www.rugbyleagueeyetest.com/2026/05/18/b...

rugbyleagueeyetest.com

Bootwatch 2026 – Year of the Snake or the Ox(en)? - The Rugby League Eye Test

Festival of the Boot part 5 is back. Magic Round has passed which means it’s another incarnation of the Eye Test’s Bootwatch feature for 2026. This year I’ve wound back the triple code coverage from 2...

284

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

I can only assume this means we're getting Jake Turpin at 9, Tyson Gamble at 6 and Brodie Croft and Joe Ofahengaue flown into the team from the Super League Anything less is surprising, but not a bombshell

210

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

“Coates debuts on wing in the Broncos #5 jersey on a Sunday arvo” always good when journos can reuse headlines

021

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Guess I'll issue a retraction and repost Initiagami sometime in the future when Toddy P stops playing silly buggers with the team lists

010

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Note: due to Jack Underhill being a late inclusion last night, JU still reads as 1 on this heatmap. He narrowly misses out on unique initials due to Joseph Ualesi (1 match for Parramatta in 2013)

020

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

!!! INITIAGAMI UPDATE !!! Xavier Kerrisk debuts this afternoon as the first ever NSWRL/NRL player with the initials XK. Xavier is the first unique initials player to debut in 2026, and the first since Utuloa (Michael) Asomua [UA] for the Raiders and Xavier Va'a [XV] for the Roosters last season.

177

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

The next closest active players in this stat are Cory Paix (-4, av = -0.053) Matt Burton (+8, av = 0.061) Josh Papalii (+32, av = 0.096)

000

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

Jurbo 250: Jake Trbojevic plays his 250th game this week, and his career has almost exactly evened out after 249 matches. Jake has a career points difference of -2 and an average of -0.008, the 5th closest average to 0 of all players with at least 50 caps.

100

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

Love this! From a data perspective, how do you handle the spelling/diminutive variants? Did you use an external dataset of names or is this the product of long and tedious manual work?

110

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Thanks David! I forgot the key @leagueeyetest.bsky.social rule of analysis - only compare similar rounds across seasons. Here's the analysis for Rds1-9, you're correct and in fact it makes more of a difference - 2001 was clearly characterised by some late-season blowouts.

030

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Peak Vlandys-ball means we have now seen 10/72 (13.89%) matches this season with over 65 points scored in total, putting 2026 nearly 3 percentage points higher than the next closest season (2021) by this metric. More detailed visuals to come soon about these trends...

121

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

If he makes his debut off the bench in jersey #20 tomorrow night, the Bulldogs' Alekolasimi Jones will join Petero Civoniceva with the second longest player name to have alternating vowels and consonants

065

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

For Broncos fans feeling auspicious, St George won the premiership again in 1957, and Balmain won the premiership again in 1917...

000

Useless NRL Stats @uselessnrlstats.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

Déjà vu: The Broncos' 4 point win over Melbourne on Friday night was an identical result and margin to the 2026 Grand Final - only the 4th grand final rematch ever to see an identical result. #nrl #nrl2026

100