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
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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

See also: 2025 NRL season

Pos	Team v t e	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

Updated to match(es) played on 7 September 2025. Source: National Rugby League
(P) Premiers

Finals structure

See also: NRL finals system

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

12 September 2025 19:50 AEST (UTC+10)

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'

AAMI Park, Melbourne Attendance: 22,117 Referee: Adam Gee

Second Elimination Final

13 September 2025 18:05 NZST (UTC+12)

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'

Go Media Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 24,524 Referee: Grant Atkins

First Elimination Final

13 September 2025 19:50 AEST (UTC+10)

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'

Sharks Stadium, Sydney Attendance: 12,842 Referee: Todd Smith

First Qualifying Final

14 September 2025 16:05 AEST (UTC+10)

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 – 20 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'

GIO Stadium, Canberra Attendance: 25,523 Referee: Ashley Klein

Second Week: Semi Finals

First Semi Final

20 September 2025 19:50 AEST (UTC+10)

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'

GIO Stadium, Canberra Attendance: 24,322 Referee: Grant Atkins

Second Semi Final

21 September 2025 16:05 AEST (UTC+10)

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'

Accor Stadium, Sydney Attendance: 56,872 Referee: Ashley Klein

Third Week: Preliminary Finals

First Preliminary Final

26 September 2025 19:50 AEST (UTC+10)

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'

AAMI Park, Melbourne Attendance: 29,233 Referee: Ashley Klein

Second Preliminary Final

28 September 2025 16:05 AEST (UTC+10)

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'

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 52,491 Referee: Grant Atkins

Grand Final

Main article: 2025 NRL Grand Final

2025 NRL Grand Final

Sunday, 5 October 19:30 AEDT (UTC+11)

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: 80,22: Referee: Grant Atkins [9] Video referee: Ashley Klein Touch judges: Chris Sutton, David Munro

References

1. "NRL finals format explained: How do the NRL finals work?". The Roar. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
2. Knox, David (13 September 2025). "Friday 12 September 2025". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
3. Knox, David (14 September 2025). "Saturday 13 September 2025". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
4. Knox, David (15 September 2025). "Sunday 14 September 2025". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
5. Knox, David (21 September 2025). "Saturday 20 September 2025". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
6. Knox, David (22 September 2025). "Sunday 21 September 2025". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
7. Knox, David (27 September 2025). "Friday 26 September 2025". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
8. Knox, David (29 September 2025). "Sunday 28 September 2025". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
9. Mee, Cameron (30 September 2025). "Atkins ready to cap lengthy journey to NRL's biggest stage". NRL.com. Retrieved 30 September 2025.