2025 NRL finals series
| 2025 NRL finals series | |
|---|---|
| Duration | 12 September – 5 October 2025 |
| Teams | 8 |
| Premiers | Brisbane Broncos (7th title) |
| Minor premiers | Canberra Raiders (2nd title) |
| Matches played | 9 |
| Broadcast partners | Nine Network Fox League |
The 2025 National Rugby League finals series is a tournament that was staged to determine the winner of the 2025 Telstra Premiership season. The series was played over four weekends in September and October, culminating in the 2025 NRL Grand Final on 5 October 2025.
The top eight teams from the 2025 NRL season qualified for the finals series. NRL finals series were continuously played under this format since 2012.
Qualification
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canberra Raiders | 24 | 19 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 654 | 506 | +148 | 44 | Advance to finals series |
| 2 | Melbourne Storm | 24 | 17 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 671 | 459 | +212 | 40 | |
| 3 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 534 | 414 | +120 | 38 | |
| 4 | Brisbane Broncos (P) | 24 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 680 | 508 | +172 | 36 | |
| 5 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 24 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 599 | 490 | +109 | 36 | |
| 6 | New Zealand Warriors | 24 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 517 | 496 | +21 | 34 | |
| 7 | Penrith Panthers | 24 | 13 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 576 | 469 | +107 | 33 | |
| 8 | Sydney Roosters | 24 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 653 | 521 | +132 | 32 | |
| 9 | Dolphins | 24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 721 | 596 | +125 | 30 | |
| 10 | Manly Warringah Sea Eagles | 24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 555 | 534 | +21 | 30 | |
| 11 | Parramatta Eels | 24 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 502 | 578 | −76 | 26 | |
| 12 | North Queensland Cowboys | 24 | 9 | 1 | 14 | 3 | 538 | 684 | −146 | 25 | |
| 13 | Wests Tigers | 24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 477 | 612 | −135 | 24 | |
| 14 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 427 | 608 | −181 | 24 | |
| 15 | St. George Illawarra Dragons | 24 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 3 | 498 | 628 | −130 | 22 | |
| 16 | Gold Coast Titans | 24 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 520 | 719 | −199 | 18 | |
| 17 | Newcastle Knights | 24 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 338 | 638 | −300 | 18 |
Finals structure
The system used for the 2025 NRL finals series is a final eight system. The top four teams in the eight receive the "double chance" when they play in week-one qualifying finals, such that if a top-four team loses in the first week it still remains in the finals, playing a semi-final the next week against the winner of an elimination final. The bottom four of the eight play knock-out games – only the winners survive and move on to the next week. Home ground advantage goes to the team with the higher ladder position in the first two weeks and to the qualifying final winners in the third week.
In the second week, the winners of the qualifying finals receive a bye to the third week. The losers of the qualifying final plays the elimination finals winners in a semi-final. In the third week, the winners of the semi-finals from week two play the winners of the qualifying finals in the first week. The winners of those matches move on to the Grand Final.[1]
Bracket
| Qualifying and elimination finals | Semi-finals | Preliminary finals | Grand final | ||||||||||||||||
| 14 September – Canberra | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Canberra | 28 | |||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Brisbane | 29 | 20 September – Canberra | ||||||||||||||||
| Canberra | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 13 September – Sydney | Cronulla-Sutherland | 32 | 28 September – Brisbane | ||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Cronulla-Sutherland | 20 | Brisbane | 16 | |||||||||||||||
| 8 | Sydney | 10 | Penrith | 14 | 5 October – Sydney | ||||||||||||||
| Brisbane | 26 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 13 September – Auckland | 26 September – Melbourne | Melbourne | 22 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6 | New Zealand | 8 | Melbourne | 22 | |||||||||||||||
| 7 | Penrith | 24 | 21 September – Sydney | Cronulla-Sutherland | 14 | ||||||||||||||
| Canterbury-Bankstown | 26 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 12 September – Melbourne | Penrith | 46 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Melbourne | 26 | |||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Canterbury-Bankstown | 18 | |||||||||||||||||
Matches
| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date and time (Local) | Venue | Referee | Attendance | Nine viewership | |||||
| QUALIFYING & ELIMINATION FINALS | |||||||||
| Melbourne Storm | 26–18 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 12 September, 19:50 | AAMI Park | Adam Gee | 22,117 | 1,010,000[2] | ||
| New Zealand Warriors | 8–24 | Penrith Panthers | 13 September, 18:05 | Go Media Stadium | Grant Atkins | 24,524 | 665,000[3] | ||
| Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 20–10 | Sydney Roosters | 13 September, 19:50 | Sharks Stadium | Todd Smith | 12,842 | 786,000[3] | ||
| Canberra Raiders | 28–29 | Brisbane Broncos | 14 September, 16:05 | GIO Stadium | Ashley Klein | 25,523 | 1,054,000[4] | ||
| SEMI FINALS | |||||||||
| Canberra Raiders | 12-32 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 20 September, 19:50 | GIO Stadium | Grant Atkins | 24,322 | 1,025,000[5] | ||
| Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 26-46 | Penrith Panthers | 21 September, 16:05 | Accor Stadium | Ashley Klein | 56,872 | 1,174,000[6] | ||
| PRELIMINARY FINALS | |||||||||
| Melbourne Storm | 22-14 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 26 September, 19:50 | AAMI Park | Ashley Klein | 29,233 | 1,471,000[7] | ||
| Brisbane Broncos | 16-14 | Penrith Panthers | 28 September, 16:05 | Suncorp Stadium | Grant Atkins | 52,491 | 1,764,000[8] | ||
First Week: Qualifying and Elimination Finals
Second Qualifying Final
| Melbourne Storm | 26 – 18 | Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: 4 Katoa 3' Lisati 34' Wishart 65' Warbrick 76' Goals: 5 Meaney 4', 23', 35' Pezet 67', 77' |
1st: 14 – 12 2nd: 12 – 6 Scorecard |
Tries: 3 Sexton 20' Kiraz 29' Burton 57' Goals: 3 Burton 21', 31', 59' |
Second Elimination Final
| New Zealand Warriors | 8 – 24 | Penrith Panthers |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: 1 Halasima 52' Goals: 2 Tanah Boyd 8', 53' |
1st: 2 – 6 2nd: 6 – 18 Scorecard |
Tries: 4 Papali'i 27' Schneider 46' McLean 65' To'o 71' Goals: 4 Cleary 28', 47' Edwards 66', 72' |
First Elimination Final
| Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 20 – 10 | Sydney Roosters |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: 3 Mulitalo 34', 39' Rudolf 75' Goals: 4 Hynes 35', 39', 69', 76' |
1st: 12 – 4 2nd: 8 – 6 Scorecard |
Tries: 2 Nawaqanitawase 23' Crichton 47' Goals: 1 Walker 48' |
First Qualifying Final
| Canberra Raiders | 28 – 29 | Brisbane Broncos |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: 5 Weekes 33', 53' Young 11' Sebastian Kris 21' Strange 55' Goals: 4 Fogarty 12', 22', 35', 54' |
1st: 18 – 12 2nd: 10 – 16 Scorecard |
Tries: 5 Staggs 2' Mariner 25' Walsh 65' Karapani 69' Shibasaki 72' Goals: 4 Walsh 3', 27', 73', 80' Field goals: 1 Hunt 93' |
Second Week: Semi Finals
First Semi Final
| Canberra Raiders | 12-32 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: 2 Horsburgh 22' Tamale 45' Goals: 2 Fogarty 23', 47' |
1st: 6-12 2nd: 6-20 Scorecard |
Tries: 5 Mulitalo 34' Hynes 37' Burns 52' Iro 62' Wilton 73' Goals: 6 Hynes 35', 38', 54', 59', 64', 74' |
Second Semi Final
| Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 26-46 | Penrith Panthers |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: 4 Galvin 16' Preston 56' Xerri 61' Kiraz 77' Goals: 5 Burton 2', 17', 57', 62', 77' |
1st: 8-36 2nd: 18-10 Scorecard |
Tries: 8 To'o 7', 28' Alamoti 11', 53', 69' Cleary 21' Henry 32' Papali'i 38' Goals: 7 Cleary 8', 13', 22', 30', 34', 39', 71' |
Third Week: Preliminary Finals
First Preliminary Final
| Melbourne Storm | 22-14 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: 4 Warbrick 6' Hughes 15' Papenhuyzen 35' Coates 74' Goals: 3 Meaney 16', 36', 65' |
1st: 16-8 2nd: 6-6 Scorecard |
Tries: 3 Katoa 11', 29' Iro 80' Goals: 1 Hynes 58' |
Second Preliminary Final
| Brisbane Broncos | 16-14 | Penrith Panthers |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: 3 Staggs 47' Willison 69' Mariner 75' Goals: 2 Walsh 48' Reynolds 76' |
1st: 0-14 2nd: 16-0 Scorecard |
Tries: 2 Alamoti 10', 35' Goals: 3 Cleary 12', 29', 36' |
Grand Final
2025 NRL Grand Final
| Melbourne Storm | 22-26 | Brisbane Broncos |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Nick Meaney 7' Eliesa Katoa 13' Will Warbrick 21' Jahrome Hughes 34' Goals: Meaney 8', 15', 36' Sin bin: Loiero |
1st: 22-12 2nd: 0-14 |
Tries: Deine Mariner 2', 54' Reece Walsh 30' Gehamat Shibasaki 45', 57' Goals: Reynolds 3', 31' Walsh 58' |
Accor Stadium, Sydney
Attendance: 80,223 Referee: Grant Atkins[9] Video referee: Ashley Klein Touch judges: Chris Sutton, David Munro |
References
- ^ "NRL finals format explained: How do the NRL finals work?". The Roar. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
- ^ Knox, David (13 September 2025). "Friday 12 September 2025". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ a b Knox, David (14 September 2025). "Saturday 13 September 2025". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ Knox, David (15 September 2025). "Sunday 14 September 2025". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ Knox, David (21 September 2025). "Saturday 20 September 2025". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ Knox, David (22 September 2025). "Sunday 21 September 2025". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ Knox, David (27 September 2025). "Friday 26 September 2025". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ Knox, David (29 September 2025). "Sunday 28 September 2025". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ^ Mee, Cameron (30 September 2025). "Atkins ready to cap lengthy journey to NRL's biggest stage". NRL.com. Retrieved 30 September 2025.