Here we go again, it’s the build up to another footy season with the Panthers going for a five-peat, whilst at the other end of the ladder, Wests Tigers is trying to prevent an unwanted four-peat of wooden spoons, there’s something for every fan to be looking out for! With plenty to tell you about this upcoming 2025 NRL season I reckon it’s about time your mate Joe Fortune kicks things off…
Who is Sponsoring the NRL in 2025?
The 2025 NRL season will be the 118th season of professional rugby league in Australia and the 28th season run by the National Rugby League, this year’s sponsor is Telstra, and the teams will be competing in the NRL 2025 Telstra Premiership.
Key Dates for the NRL in 2025
The 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership schedule has officially been released, and round one kicks off in spectacular fashion. We’re heading back to Las Vegas for the second time on March 2nd, where the reigning Premiers, Penrith Panthers, will face off against the Cronulla Sharks. The second game on the card will see Canberra take on the Warriors. Back in Australia, all eyes will be on the Dolphins as they face former coach Wayne Bennett’s South Sydney Rabbitohs in what promises to be a thrilling match at Suncorp Stadium.
As is tradition, the Easter round will feature the Bulldogs against the Rabbitohs, while the ANZAC round will see the Sydney Roosters take on the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Storm battle South Sydney. Other key dates to mark in your calendar include Round 9, Magic Round, which will take centre stage in Brisbane, and the Indigenous Round spanning Rounds 23 and 24, featuring three games at Allianz Stadium and some NRLW action. Round 25, Telstra Footy Country Round, will celebrate the grassroots roots of the game.
The regular season will wrap up in Round 27, with the final games played on Sunday, September 7th. The finals will follow through the remainder of the month, leading up to the NRL Grand Final on Sunday, October 5th, 2025, at Accor Stadium in Sydney.
Where to Watch NRL in 2025
The 2025 NRL Pre-Season Challenge continues to grow every year as interest in the NRL keeps going up. This year it starts on February 7th and will include 17 matches spread over three weeks. Fans in regional areas of Australia and New Zealand will have the chance to see the biggest NRL stars in action before the official start of the season. The comp will take place in rural and country locations such as Mudgee in New South Wales, Cairns in Queensland, Cranbourne East in Victoria, and Hamilton in New Zealand. The team who wins the challenge will receive a $100,000 prize, for more details on the rules of the tournament the NRL website has lots of info.
The Pre-Season Challenge can be viewed on Foxtel and KAYO, these platforms will also be showing every single match of the 2025 NRL Premiership regular season. For those of you who will be watching on free-to-air tv then Channel 9 and 9NOW will show matches on Thursday and Friday night as well as on Sunday afternoons and like last year you can also catch all the finals live on Channel 9.
How to get Tickets for Games in the NRL
With the 2025 schedule confirmed there’s a great chance to start planning out a few days out or weekends away watching your footy team either at home, interstate in New Zealand or perhaps you fancy heading to Vegas. Whichever round you’re looking into then the NRL website has got you covered whether you’re wanting a few cheap seats for you and your mates or something more exciting like hospitality to celebrate a birthday.
NRL 2025 Preview
The 2024 NRL season saw the Melbourne Storm finish at the top of the ladder with a strong record of 19 wins and just 5 losses, earning them the minor premiership. However, despite their dominance throughout the season, they fell short in the Grand Final as the Penrith Panthers claimed a fourth consecutive Premiership. Melbourne, always a competitive side, will be keen to bounce back in 2025, while Penrith, under the leadership of Ivan and Nathan Cleary, will be right in the mix again. Both teams are expected to finish in the top four once more.
The Sydney Roosters finished third, while the Cronulla Sharks rounded out the top four with 15 wins and 8 losses. Both teams will be strong contenders for the top eight again in 2025, with aspirations of reaching the Grand Final. Just behind them last season were the Cowboys, Canterbury Bulldogs, Manly Sea Eagles, and the Canberra Raiders, all securing spots in the top eight. With the league set to be even more competitive this year, these teams will find themselves in tight battles for a finals berth. Particularly the Brisbane Broncos, under new coach Michael Maguire and with Reece Walsh leading the charge, will be pushing for at least a top eight finish, if not higher.
Just outside the top eight in 2024 were the Dolphins, Newcastle Knights, and St George Illawarra Dragons, all finishing with similar records. Along with the New Zealand Warriors, these teams will likely miss out again in 2025. The Gold Coast Titans and Parramatta Eels also had tough seasons.
The Eels, after sacking coach Brad Arthur, couldn’t make the finals, but their fans will be hoping for a better showing this year. The Titans, who’ve only made the finals twice in the past 14 years, don’t seem quite strong enough to make it in 2025.
At the bottom of the ladder last year were the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Wests Tigers. With Wayne Bennett’s return, Rabbitohs fans will expect a top eight finish, and with their talented roster, they’ll be aiming to bounce back. Wests, having struggled for the past few seasons, will be hoping that their high-profile signings will help them improve. They may be possible contenders for the top eight by springing a few surprises and will be avoiding the Wooden Spoon this time around.
NRL 2025 Transfer News
Clint Gutherson has left Parramatta after eight years and signed with St George Illawarra Dragons, where he’ll face his former club, the Eels, in round five. Another fresh face at the Dragons is Damien Cook, who has moved from South Sydney and will co-captain the team alongside Gutherson.
The Rabbitohs have also brought back supercoach Wayne Bennett, who returns after a successful two-year stint launching the Redcliffe Dolphins in Queensland. As always, Bennett hasn’t lost his sense of humour, greeting South Sydney’s latest English recruit, Lewis Dodd, with a cheeky “Oh, you’re the Pommie!”. Also joining the Bunnies is playmaker Jayden Sullivan, who was released by Wests Tigers.
Meanwhile, Michael ‘Madge’ Maguire will be hoping to continue his success from last year’s State of Origin as he steps into the head coach role at Brisbane Broncos. After making the surprise move from his NSW coaching position, expectations are high for Madge to help the Broncos crack the top eight, especially with Ben Hunt returning to the club.
Penrith has parted ways with several members of its dominant squad, as Sunia Turuva and Jarome Luai have joined the Wests Tigers, James Fisher-Harris heads to the Warriors, Isaiah Iongi is now with the Eels, and Tyrone Peachey has retired. Other notable moves include Zac Lomax’s switch from the Dragons to the Eels, and John Bateman heading north to join the Cowboys on a two-year deal. It’ll be interesting to see how these moves play out over the season.
Joe’s Top NRL Tips for 2025
Your mate Joe Fortune might not be breaking any news with this tip, but Melbourne Storm’s Craig Bellamy has never lost a first-round match as coach. So, even though Melbourne is only paying $1.30 to beat the Eels, it’s a no-brainer to chuck that into your multis if that’s your thing! With the Storm being minor premiers last season and favourites for the 2025 NRL season, it’s not much of a surprise, but you can’t go past Melbourne winning the Premiership, currently priced at around $3.80.
If you’re after a couple of value bets, let’s start with the Top Try Scorer market. The return of Wayne Bennett to South Sydney could be the spark that inspires the team to make a run to the finals. If Alex Johnston stays fit, look out for him to add to his tally and potentially finish as the top try scorer in the 2025 season.
Another value bet could be the Wests Tigers, who might just turn their form around and break into the top four. In what looks to be a wide-open competition, apart from the Storm and Panthers, $7.50 on the Tigers could be worth a small punt.