Wins that defined a season for the eight title contenders

The finals are locked and loaded and the top eight sides have survived a six-month rollercoaster ride to get their shot at premiership glory.

Across a gruelling 24-game season the eight finalists have grappled with injuries and suspension, stunning wins and shock losses to book their spot in September.

For the Dolphins it's the first ever finals series, for the Roosters it's 10 years in a row and minor premiers Penrith line up in their seventh consecutive finals series.

Ahead of a cracking weekend of footy where two teams will bow out of the premiership race and two others will progress to a preliminary final, NRL.com takes a look back at the season defining game for each of the contenders.

Games That Defined The Season

Penrith Panthers

Round 13 v Warriors at CommBank Stadium . . . WON 20-18

No Cleary, no Yeo, no To’o. No worries.

The Panthers made it 11 wins from their first 12 games despite going in without their Origin stars.

With Blaize Talagi and Jack Cogger calling the shots, the Panthers gave up a 16-6 half-time lead to trail 18-16 after Alofiana Khan-Pereira's try in the 59th minute but Paul Alamoti's second try of the night in the 70th minute was enough to get Penrith home and take them four points clear at the top of the ladder.

Both sides ripped in at CommBank Stadium in a high-quality contest that featured elite completion rates (Panthers 92%, Warriors 89%) and scintillating attack from the likes of Casey McLean (158 run metres), Alamoti (181m) and Taine Tuaupiki, who ran for 225 metres and broke 10 tackles.

Fulback Dylan Edwards stood tall as the elder statesman and ran for 222 metres in a slashing display.

A statement at the midway point of the season against a team they now look destined to meet in the finals after they finished 1-2.

 

New Zealand Warriors

Round 23 v Panthers at Go Media Stadium . . . WON 28-12

The Warriors entered the round in third spot and made a huge statement against the ladder leaders as Luke Metcalf made a triumphant return with two tries, his celebrations showing just how much it meant to him.

It was a huge opening from the home side with their forwards up for the physical challenge, overpowering their opposition. They got out to an 18-0 half-time lead and were able to quash a mini-comeback from the Panthers in the second half.

Powerhouse centre Leka Halasima was borderline unstoppable with 239 run metres and 11 tackle breaks as the Wahs fired a huge warning shot a month out from finals.

The 16-point victory was sweet revenge for a 20-18 loss to the Panthers in Round 13 – a bona fide contender for game of the season.

Such was the momentum Andrew Webster’s men took out of the Round 23 win that they have been unbeaten since then, taking down the Broncos, Rabbitohs, Knights and Sea Eagles on the way to finishing second.

 

Dolphins

Round 23 v Broncos at Suncorp Stadium . . . WON 40-32

Quickly establishing itself as one of the NRL’s biggest rivalries, more than 50,000 passionate fans were in the house when the Dolphins cemented their finals chances with a comeback win over Brisbane at The Cauldron.

The Broncos had owned the 'Battle for Brisbane' head-to-head stakes leading in, claiming six wins out of their previous seven encounters, and seemed on track to add another victory when they raced out to a 24-0 lead after 20 minutes.

Enter Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.

A misdirected Broncos pass hit the deck and the Phins flyer pounced, scooping up the ball to run away and score their first to stem the tide.

From then on, momentum was on the side of the Dolphins, who outpointed their rivals in a high-scoring shootout, securing their inaugural finals appearance in the process. 

The Hammer ran for 268 metres and bagged a double, Herbie Farnworth clocked up 156 run metres and Max Plath busted six tackles and ran 184 metres as the Phins notched a 13th win for the season.

 

Sydney Roosters

Round 20 v Storm at Allianz Stadium . . . WON 14-6

There’s not much that holds more power in rugby league that a good old hoodoo, but the Roosters were able to overcome history and a loss of star power with a drought-breaking win over Melbourne.

Leading into this game, the Storm had enjoyed a mini-resurgence in the middle parts of the season and were fighting to keep their finals hopes alive.

The Roosters were aiming to build on a three-game winning run to help solidify a place in the top four.

However, the odds were stacked against them, going into the game missing a host of representative stars including Rob Toia, Lindsay Collins and influential skipper James Tedesco.

In the end, the win wasn’t pretty, but it was gritty, with coach Trent Robinson saying he “loved” the defensive performance in the grinding 14-6 result. 

While their attack was disjointed in a game played in wet conditions, their veteran playmaker Daly Cherry-Evans showcased his class with the boot with a 40/20 and a try assist, highlighting the team’s ability to find leaders to step up when needed.

 

Cronulla Sharks

Round 19 v Dolphins at Kayo Stadium . . . WON 66-0

It was a bloodbath at Kayo Stadium the day the Sharks came to play, with Braydon Trindall and Nicho Hynes toying with their prey in a stunning 66-0 win.

Playing at their spiritual home ground at Redcliffe, home fans had barely taken their seats in the Des Webb stand before the Dolphins gave up a penalty in the opening minute - but nothing could have prepared them for the punishment to come.

With popular team-mates Oregon Kaufusi and Will Kennedy celebrating their 150th games, Cronulla had plenty to play for and turned in a ruthless performance for their milestone men. 

Also celebrating his birthday, Trindall had the ball on a string, setting up three tries, while Hynes also set up three tries and booted a perfect 11 from 11 conversions in a record-breaking display.

It was a performance that showed the Sharks could be dangerous when they bared their teeth, delivering a statement win.

 

South Sydney Rabbitohs

Round 19 v Knights at Accor Stadium . . . WON 26-24

It was Jai Arrow's birthday celebration - and there was no way the Bunnies were going to let the Knights spoil the party.

With a big and eclectic crowd in the house, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and performers The Wiggles, the Rabbitohs raced out to a 20-6 half-time lead in honour of their team-mate.

When Jye Gray crossed for another Bunnies try in the 64th minute, the side seemed well on track to wrap up a comfortable win in a big red-and-green bow to complete the birthday celebrations. 

Then, inevitably, came the Newcastle fightback to provide a grandstand finish. 

Star fullback Kalyn Ponga kick-started a late rally, scoring a quick-fire double, while another to Harrison Graham meant the visitors had crossed for three tries in seven minutes to cut the margin to two points.

With five minutes left to play, they were on the cusp of completing a record comeback. 

However, the South Sydney side scrambled in the dying minutes of an emotion-charged game to defend the Burrow and snare a gritty two-point win, ensuring the club could celebrate Jai Arrow’s 31st birthday in style.

 

Newcastle Knights

Round 2 v Sea Eagles at 4 Pines Park … WON 36-16

Already missing Fletcher Sharpe, who had suffered a knee injury in Las Vegas in Round 1, Knights coach Justin Holbrook watched on in horror as his big guns Kalyn Ponga and Dylan Brown also went down against Manly.

For a team that had won just six games in 2025 and collected the wooden spoon, this could have been a hammer blow to their confidence and composure.

Just three minutes after scoring his team’s third try, Ponga left the field with a  hamstring injury, while Brown failed to return from the sheds after the half-time break due to a MCL strain.

The Knights had a healthy lead at the break but could so easily have fallen in a heap with Ponga and Brown out of the match but instead they went on with the job to make it back-to-back wins to start the season.

The flying mullet Fletcher Hunt shifted to fullback and was a standout in the second half while Jacob Saifiti, Dane Gagai and Bradman Best also stood tall in a character-building victory at a ground where the Knights had won just four times in 23 previous visits.

 

North Queensland Cowboys

Round 17 v Panthers at Queensland Country Bank Stadium . . . WON 26-12

A huge night for the ninth-placed Cowboys as they celebrated club legend Jason Taumalolo’s 300th game by rolling ladder leaders Penrith in front of 23,000 fans in Townsville.

If ever there was a night for the Cowboys to make a statement this was it, with the milestone man running for 197 metres while Jeremiah Nanai bagged a double and ran for 100 metres.

After scores were locked 10-all at half-time, the two sides went toe-to-toe for 30 minutes after the break before late tries to Nanai and Jake Clifford saw the home kick away.

With Her Royal Highness Princess Angelika Lātūfuipeka Tuku‘aho and Tongan Prime Minister Lord Fakafanua in attendance for Taumalolo’s big night, the Cowboys produced their best performance of the season to serve notice they would be a contender come September.