NRL looks to a fresh chapter

After a dazzling start to the year in Las Vegas, the NRL season ended on Sunday night with the Penrith Panthers’ historic fourth straight premiership in front of 80,000 spectators in Sydney. Their hard-fought 14-6 triumph, coming from behind, over the Melbourne Storm put them into record books alongside the legendary St George Dragons and South Sydney Rabbitohs as the only clubs to have won four or more consecutive grand finals in the code’s 116-year history. Salary caps make such dominance even more remarkable.

In March, Panthers co-captain and player extraordinaire Nathan Cleary and his men will be among teams venturing to Las Vegas. Cleary was a star in the decider, playing through the pain of an injured shoulder, for which he now faces surgery.

The 2025 season will be a fresh start as the NRL is expected to limit contact training to avoid the destructive effects of head knocks. The Rugby League Players Association rightly wants the change as early as the pre-season. The players from all codes who give fans so much excitement deserve the best.