Recency bias may be at play here but I’m confident in saying that 2025s NRL season produced some of the best action we’ve seen.
Reece Walsh’s heroics throughout the finals series are at a level we haven’t seen since an Eels fullback produced similar all those years ago.
Mark Nawaqanitawase became a human highlight reel. State of Origin went to a decider. Canberra’s rise was a thing of beauty.
Off the field the game grew. Crowds were massive across the competition. The Perth Bears were officially added to the NRL competition.
Simply put, we were blessed this past season.
Below are 20 quick thoughts, covering all 17 teams, the two announced clubs joining the comp, and the officials.
1. The Brisbane Broncos had the perfect season! They timed they run perfectly and played their best footy at the business end of the season. No one remembers mid-season slumps or slow starts if you end up lifting the Provan-Summons Trophy. Reece Walsh was the best player in the competition in the big moments. Michael Maguire deserves so much credit for what he did over the span of one season.
2. The Newcastle Knights put in one of the historically terrible season. Scoring on 338 points across the season put them 89 points behind the second worst team, the injury depleted Bunnies. Knights fans continued to show up all season despite a two win home record. They need to move on from Kalyn Ponga.
3. The Wests Tigers were big improvers but still finished four wins and 250 differential points outside of the Finals. Given the recruits they welcomed, I don’t know if that is good enough. Jarome Luai’s contract clauses were a distraction all season and came up again over the past few days. They need to close that loophole over the off-season and built in ’26.
4. The Parramatta Eels need to insist that both Zac Lomax and this Rugby 360 league pay a huge get out fee if they’re to allow the player to leave the club. The Eels built around the Moses/Lomax combo all season and will have to re-set if Lomax bails after one season. I feel the Eels took a big step forward under new coach Jason Ryles. I though they’d regret it but I now believe letting Clint Gutherson go was the right move.
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 09: Jason Ryles, head coach of the Eels looks on before the round one NRL match between the Melbourne Storm and the Parramatta Eels at AAMI Park on March 09, 2025, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
5. David Fifita is undoubtedly a class signing for the Rabbitohs but I don’t believe they need another big money player with injury concerns. I don’t have the numbers to say they’re the oldest team in the comp but they absolutely feel like the oldest team. Injuries ruined their 2025 season. As they did 2024. 2023 … Wayne Bennett isn’t the man to oversee a much needed youth movement at Redfern.
6. Those celebrating a potential downfall out Penrith way have to put the party poppers away. Their Jersey Flegg team made the Grand Final while their NSW Cup side would have played Finals if not taken out via mass resting in the infamous First Grade game. The Panthers system is the best in the game. Penrith also proved this year that it’s near impossible to win the comp from outside the Top Four.
7. Despite crashing out in the same spot as last season, the Prelim Final, the Sharks feel a much better team now than they did 12 months ago. Addin Fonua-Blake was the perfect signing while future stars Jesse Colquhoun and Sam Stonestreet not have plenty of First Grade footy under their belts. The jury is still out in whether or not they can win a Premiership but I believe the odds in ’26 are much better than they were heading into 2025.
8. The general feeling is that The Canberra Raiders were massive overachievers in 2025. Only time will tell but the steps forward taken by Ethan Strange and Kaeo Weekes were a thing of beauty. The Green Machine are back at their entertaining best. Some teams are just fun to watch. Canberra are one of those sides. The pressure is on next year now that expectations have been set.
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA – JULY 07: Kaeo Weekes of the Raiders looks dejected following the round 18 NRL match between Canberra Raiders and Newcastle Knights at GIO Stadium on July 07, 2024 in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
9. The Melbourne Storm potentially moving on from Ryan Papenhuyzen could be a good thing. Sua Fa’alogo looked like the next star of the game while the chance to upgrade in the forwards is an opportunity I believe Melbourne need. It’s hard to be critical of a side who have played back to back Grand Finals but twice they’ve been overpowered by superior middles across two seasons.
10. I believe Dolphins players and fans will be disappointed not to have made their Final’s debut in 2025 but they’ll surely be there next year. Herbie Farnworth would have won Centre of the Year honours if not for an injury while Isaiya Katoa is the best young playmaker in the game. With Thomas Flegler back next year and a fully fit Max Plath and Tom Gilbert, it’s hard to see how they can be stopped.
11. The St George Illawarra Dragons unearthed some incredible forward prospects in 2025. Toby Couchman looks like a special talent while I love what I’ve seen from Hamish Stewart. Hayden Buchanan is the standout when it comes to young backline stars. That said, I don’t like the Flanagan x 2 combination. How did they extend a coach who saw them to a 15th placed finish?
12. People debate the Sydney Roosters finishing spot with great vigor. Some say they underachieved while many say they overachieved. 8th was literally perfect. They had Dally M medalist James Tedesco and the freakish Mark Nawaqanitawase absolutely carry them. That said, considering how much time Sam Walker missed, you’d have to be happy with a Finals finish.
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – MAY 02: Mark Nawaqanitawase of the Roosters looks on during the round nine NRL match between Sydney Roosters and Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium, on May 02, 2025, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
13. The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs season fell apart after a magnificent start. The easy scapegoat is Lachlan Galvin, but I’m more worried about Matt Burton. Whereas Gavin is still a relative rookie and new to the system, Matt Burton’s fourth season at the Bulldogs saw him produce just four try assists. He needs to do more, especially beside a young halfback.
14. The fact that Manly powerbrokers have come out and stated that coach Anthony Seibold is not under any pressure heading into 2026 shows they are not a serious club. The way in which Manly alienated club captain and legend Dally Cherry-Evans, and now Tom Trbojevic, shows major issues within the ranks.
15. The Gold Coast Titans boasted that they got their man in Josh Hannay. Reports have since broken that Craig Bellamy remains on their radar and that Hannay’s contract has a clause that relegates him to assistant should Bellamy sign on. So he isn’t their man? I can’t take the Titans seriously despite some incredible talent. Des Hasler’s appointment was an abject failure.
16. The New Zealand Warriors probably feel as though they under delivered having not recorded a Finals win. I think they over delivered on pre-season expectation and if Luke Metcalf and Mitch Barnett hadn’t been injured … Who knows? Surely it’s time to look at Taine Tuaupiki at fullback now!
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – MARCH 14: Ali Leiataua of the Warriors celebrates his try with Luke Metcalf during the round two NRL match between New Zealand Warriors and Manly Sea Eagles at Go Media Stadium, on March 14, 2025, in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
17. At times the North Queensland Cowboys looked like world beaters. At other times they were easy beats. There wasn’t much in between. The Cowboys middle rotation is probably the worst in the competition. Todd Peyton starts 2026 under huge pressure.
18. I’m very much looking forward to November 1st to see what the Perth Bears inclusion does to the player market. I expect signings to start landing thick and fast. Cameron Munster and Jesse Ramien are the names I expect to see. Perth’s inclusion is way overdue but 2026 should be a lot of fun off the field for the Bears.
19. I fully admit to not loving the PNG Chiefs inclusion into the NRL but it’s hard to not be just that little bit excited seeing the scenes on Sunday afternoon. Results don’t matter in the PM’s games, it’s all about the crowds. Results very much matter in the NRL though.
20. It has been a horrible season for the officials. Our technology has never been better yet the standard has never been lower. I believe it’s time for a genuine gutting of the officials ranks, on and off the field. Some members of the crew just aren’t up to it. Time to tell the truth rather than worry about the massive egos that have grown within the ranks.
