Southern Hemisphere footy mania is about to begin as the National Rugby League is set to return from its five-month-long slumber. Join us as we look into the new NRL season and roll out our 2025 NRL betting predictions.
The first two matches in the 118th NRL season will kick off at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on March 1. The Canberra Raiders and New Zealand Warriors will play in the opening match, while the Penrith Panthers and Cronulla Sharks will lock horns in the second match. After the stateside adventure, the NRL moves to its native setting in Australia and New Zealand.
We have looked at all 17 teams in the division to form our National Rugby League 2025 predictions. After the 27-round regular season, the top eight teams will proceed to the finals.
The NRL finals have four stages. In the first phase, the teams participate in the qualifying and elimination finals. The top two teams progress to the preliminary finals. Teams ranked third to sixth battle for the remaining two preliminary finals spots in the semi-finals.
After the four preliminary finalists are determined, they play in two preliminary final games. The winning teams will qualify for the 2025 NRL Grand Final on October 5.
| ℹ️ Tournament: | Rugby League, 2025 NRL Premiership |
| 🏟️ Venues: | Stadiums in USA, Australia, and New Zealand |
| 🗓️ Dates: | Saturday, March 1 to Sunday, October 5, 2025 |
The National Rugby League originally began in 1908, and it was a Sydney-only tournament at first. Starting as the New South Wales Rugby League, the tournament did not go through much change till the ‘80s.
In the ‘80s, the league started to expand, and teams outside Sydney started to get entry in the competition. The Canberra Raiders and Illawarra Steelers became the first non-Sydney NSWRL teams in 1982. Six years later, Newcastle Knights, Brisbane Broncos, and Gold Coast-Tweed Giants also dove into the competition.
The tournament officially became an all-Australian affair in 1995 when the Australian Rugby League started. Four more teams outside New South Wales joined the competition in the inaugural edition of the ARL.
A rival competition emerged over broadcasting rights conflicts at that time. After extended negotiations, a unified competition started in 1998. That’s the competition we know as the National Rugby League today.
20 teams participated in the first NRL season. Now, it’s a 17-team affair. Here’s how the points table looked after the 2024 NRL season:
| Team | Matches | Points | Points Difference |
| Melbourne Storm | 24 | 44 | +243 |
| Penrith Panthers | 24 | 40 | +186 |
| Sydney Roosters | 24 | 38 | +275 |
| Cronulla Sharks | 24 | 38 | +222 |
| North Queensland Cowboys | 24 | 36 | +89 |
| Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 24 | 34 | +96 |
| Manly Warringah Sea Eagles | 24 | 33 | +113 |
| Newcastle Knights | 24 | 30 | -40 |
| Canberra Raiders | 24 | 30 | -127 |
| Dolphins | 24 | 28 | -1 |
| St. George Illawarra Dragons | 24 | 28 | -126 |
| Brisbane Broncos | 24 | 26 | -70 |
| New Zealand Warriors | 24 | 25 | -62 |
| Gold Coast Titans | 24 | 22 | -168 |
| Parramatta Eels | 24 | 20 | -155 |
| South Sydney Rabbitohs | 24 | 20 | -188 |
| Wests Tigers | 24 | 18 | -287 |
Here are the last five teams that have taken the NRL trophy home:
Since the Panthers won the last four editions of the NRL, most National Rugby League 2025 predictions will consider them favorites again. Do we think the same? We’ll find out soon.
Rugby League betting sites have given their verdict on the 2025 National Rugby League favorites. Here are the teams with the most favorable National Rugby League 2025 odds before the season starts:
The Melbourne Storm were the team to beat in the 2024 regular season. It seemed destined that Craig Bellamy’s men would end the Panthers’ three-year reign as the NRL champions, but they could not live up to expectations in the final. 2025 NRL betting predictions from rugby betting apps in Australia, however, suggest they can do one better this time.
There’s no need to explain why a fifth successive title-chasing team is in the mix for our 2025 NRL betting tips. Jarome Luai’s departure will be a big challenge for the Panthers to overcome, and Nathan Cleary’s fitness will also be a concern. But they have shown in the past that they can grind through the difficulties to snatch the NRL crown.
The Brisbane Broncos failed to qualify for the finals last season, but they have had a strong pre-season. After defending their Pre-Season Challenge title, the Broncos will look to extend their pre-season form to the main season as well. Rugby predictions for 2025 NRL indicate that they will be a team to watch this term.
The Cronulla Sharks managed to have a strong regular season run in 2024, despite the extended injury absences of key players like Nicho Hynes. The Sharks have assembled a balanced roster with promising young talents and seasoned veterans. They, therefore, will feature heavily in 2025 NRL betting tips.
The Manly Sea Eagles enter the fray with a pool of players that seem ready to embrace the challenge of a title charge. The likes of Luke Brooks, Daly Cherry-Evans, Tommy Turbo, Taniela Paseka, and Haumole Olakau’atu form a solid core that can upset the big guns and end their 14-year wait for the premiership.
We have explored the best bookies for the NRL 2025 to get you the best 2025 NRL season betting deals. Here are the picks we have gone for:
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The Storm stormed to the Minor Premiership last season, but they fell narrowly short of a perfect finish. They became the latest victim of the Panthers’ unstoppable premiership pedigree and will have to start anew this season. However, they did not press the panic button. Bellamy has made some promising tweaks to the roster that could finally help them become champions.
Powerhouse prop Stefano Utoikamanu has come in as the marquee addition to the team. He was a shining exception in a vastly mediocre Wests Tigers unit last season. The New Zealander could be the missing piece Bellamy has been looking to perfect his forward line. If the Storm can steer clear of major injury issues, they should be the team to beat.
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Last season, the Sea Eagles made it back to finals footy and managed to squeeze past the Bulldogs in a thrilling opening-round encounter before being trounced by the Roosters the next week. Though it was a mixed campaign with occasional flashes of promise, it finally underlined the still-existing flaws when dealing with the elite NRL teams.
The Sea Eagles have gone for stability over panic buys, and it makes us believe they can be a surprise package this season. There are many young players on the roster who will approach this season as more mature players. New signings Jazz Tevaga and Siosiua Taukeiaho could also provide the push required for a title challenge.
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Clint Gutherson, Damien Cook, and Valentine Holmes add plenty of experience to the Dragons’ side. That said, Shane Flanagan’s over-reliance on NRL veterans could backfire as all of these players have crossed the 30-year milestone. The starting halves partnership of Kyle Flanagan and Lachlan Ilias also appears mediocre.
Putting our money on Storm to avenge their grand final loss seems to be the most sensible NRL betting tip at the moment. The Dragons, on the contrary, appear to be the favorites for the Wooden Spoon.
