NRL finals 2025: Everything you need to know

The 2025 NRL season is approaching its finish as the grand final draws close.

We’ve had dramatic defeats, crazy comebacks and stunning upsets.

So, from who’s playing, to parking, public transport and live performances, here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 NRL finals.

Nicho Hynes celebrates victory on Friday night.Credit: Getty Images

What happened in week one?

We said goodbye to two teams on week one, after the Sharks defeated the Roosters in the Shire, and the Panthers continued their hunt for the five-peat with a decisive victory against the Warriors in Auckland.

The finals began on September 13, when Melbourne defeated the Bulldogs 26-18 at AAMI Park in the first qualifying final.

Tyran Wishart and Harry Grant celebrate.Credit: Getty Images

Meanwhile, the Raiders suffered a crushing defeat to the Broncos in a 94-minute, 29-28 golden point thriller after an inspired performance from Reece Walsh helped Brisbane come back from two sin-bins and a 16-point deficit to claim victory.

What happened in week two?

Melbourne and Brisbane put their feet up for the week, after winning their qualifying finals in week one.

Meanwhile, the Raiders and Sharks went head-to-head in Canberra for the first of the elimination semi-finals on Saturday night.

Canberra had a shaky start to the day, after young playmaker Ethan Strange was ruled out early with the flu, and it didn’t get much better from there, with the Sharks smashing the Raiders 32-12. It meant the 2025 minor premiers went out in straight sets.

Sunday’s clash was an all-Sydney affair, with the Bulldogs and Panthers battling it out at Accor Stadium. It wasn’t quite the 70,000-strong crowd they were expecting, but the match still attracted 57,000 (mostly Bulldogs) fans.

Unfortunately for the Belmore-faithful, Penrith gave Canterbury a schooling, with a comprehensive 46-26 victory on Sunday afternoon.

The first half blitz from the Panthers – potentially the club’s best 40 minutes of football all year – was too much for the Bulldogs to come back from, despite three tries in the second half.

The Panthers got through the game mainly unscathed, although there were concerns for Liam Martin and Casey McLean, who both came from the field before full-time. But both have confirmed there’s nothing to worry about, with Martin saying he was “being a sook” after a heavy tackle from former teammate Viliame Kikau.

Sharks captain Tiana Penitani-Gray celebrates victory.Credit: Getty Images

In the NRLW, the Roosters and Broncos were the ones resting this week, after taking the top two spots on the NRLW ladder at the end of the regular season.

The Knights hosted the Titans in the first of the elimination finals, with the two-time premiers sealing a 34-20 victory, while the Sharks kept their hopes of back-to-back grand final appearances alive with a 24-18 win against the Cowboys in Townsville.

How does the NRL final series work

Who is playing in week three?

Now, the Sharks head to Melbourne to play the Storm at 7.50pm at AAMI Park on Friday night (to avoid the AFL grand final on Saturday), while the Panthers head to Suncorp Stadium to play the Broncos at 4.05pm on Sunday afternoon.

As for the NRLW, the Sharks now have the tough task of facing the undefeated Roosters – a team they have never beaten before and one they lost against in the 2024 grand final – at Polytec Stadium in Gosford at 7.45pm on Saturday night.

Then, the Broncos host the Knights for a 1.15pm match at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.

What date is the NRL grand final 2025?

The NRL grand final will be held on Sunday, October 5, at Accor Stadium in Sydney.

Public transport is free with any game ticket and additional trains and buses will be operating to get fans out to Olympic Park. A flat rate fee of $35 applies to all parking but must be pre-booked on the Sydney Olympic Park website.

What time is the NRL grand final 2025 kick-off?

Gates will open from 1pm with the state championship kicking off at 1.20pm, followed by the NRLW grand final kicking off at 3:55pm. The pre-game entertainment for the NRL grand final starts at 6.30pm and kick off is slated for 7.30pm with full-time expected to come to 9.20pm.

Who are the favourites?

Bookmakers have the Melbourne Storm as favourites for the 2025 premiership, with Sportsbet paying $2.90 for them to lift the trophy.

It’s the Storm and Panthers who are the frontrunners to make the grand final, ahead of Brisbane and Cronulla.

Who is Teddy Swims, the grand final entertainment?

While the AFL has locked in Snoop Dogg for their grand final this month, Grammy nominated singer-songwriter Teddy Swims is travelling from the US to perform at the NRL grand final. Swims was nominated for Best New Artist at this year’s Grammy Awards and his most popular song, Lose Control, has two billion streams on Spotify.

How to watch the NRL grand final 2025?

Every NRL and NRLW finals series match will be free on Channel 9 and 9NOW, while also broadcast on Fox League, Kayo Sports, Sky NZ and Watch NRL. The grand final is exclusively live on Channel 9, with delayed coverage on Fox League and Kayo.

There are still tickets available for the grand final ranging from $74 to $739 on Ticketek.

NRL is Live and Free on Channel 9 & 9Now

Michael Chammas and Andrew “Joey” Johns dissect the upcoming NRL round, plus the latest footy news, results and analysis. Sign up for the Sin Bin newsletter.