Another NRL season is over, with Penrith winning the premiership. But how did the other seven finals teams go? And can they back up their top eight finish in 2025? (overall ladder positions and W-L-D records includes finals games)
Related: 2024 NRL: 9th to 17th – Where Did It Go Wrong?
Premiers: Penrith Panthers (Won 20, Lost 7)
Ladder position after round 27: 2nd
While this was technically Penrith’s “worst” season since their grand final run started (with a 17-7 regular season record), they were still good enough to finish second and win their fourth straight premiership. They were as low as fourth following their round 25 loss to Canberra, but beat Souths and the Gold Coast to seal another double chance. They followed that up with comfortable finals wins over the Sydney Roosters and Cronulla-Sutherland to make their fifth straight grand final (matching Souths’ five grand finals from 1967-71). Penrith led 10-6 at half-time in the grand final with tries to Sunia Turuva and Clive Churchill Medallist Liam Martin. After a controversial No Try to Melbourne’s Jack Howarth, Penrith sealed the win through Paul Alamoti. Nathan Cleary only played 13 games in 2024 (with back-up half Brad Schneider playing 14 games), but he returned in time for the finals, and played 80 minutes in the grand final despite concerns over his shoulder. And he was still Penrith’s top points-scorer (118 points – four tries, 50 goals, and one two-point field goal). Though this champion squad will again lose a few players: namely James Fisher-Harris (NZ Warriors), Sunia Turuva and Jarome Luai (both Wests Tigers).
Embed from Getty ImagesRunner-Up: Melbourne Storm (Won 21, Lost 6)
Ladder position after round 27: 1st
While this was Melbourne’s best season since their last premiership in 2020, losing the grand final still won’t be good enough for the perfectionist Craig Bellamy. Melbourne secured another minor premiership by round 25 and had the luxury of resting nearly half their side against North Queensland in Townsville before they returned to belt Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium. Then they beat Cronulla and the Roosters to make the grand final (their 10th under Bellamy). While they’d beaten Penrith twice in the regular season (8-0 and 24-22) they couldn’t do it when it mattered. Nick Meaney was the top points-scorer with 232 from 24 games (five tries and 106 goals), while Xavier Coates scored probably the try of the century to steal an unlikely win over the Warriors in round 2 (and a runaway winner for Try of the Year at Dally M Medal). After playing only three games in 2023, Ryan Papenhuyzen finally had some good fortune: playing 20 games in 2024 – including the grand final – and scoring 13 tries.
Embed from Getty ImagesEliminated Prelim Final: Sydney Roosters (Won 17, Lost 10)
Ladder position after round 27: 3rd
While the Roosters had their best season since 2019, crucial injuries in the round 26 loss to Canberra arguably cost them a decent crack at the premiership. Sam Walker (with his 204 points – seven tries and 88 goals – from 21 games highlighting how big his absence was) and Brandon Smith were ruled out for the season, and the Roosters won just two more games from there. They beat Souths in the final round, recovered from a big qualifying loss against Penrith to belt Manly in the semi-final, and their season ended with a 48-18 loss to Melbourne in the preliminary final – though they only trailed 24-18 with 30 minutes left. Daniel Tupou (21) pipped the ex-Newcastle Knight Dominic Young (20) for top try-scorer. But 2025 could be a tougher season, with Jared Waerea-Hargreaves gone (Hull KR) and Walker and Smith probably out until mid-season.
Embed from Getty ImagesEliminated Prelim Final: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (Won 17, Lost 10)
Ladder position after round 27: 4th
While Cronulla returned to the top four and finally broke their seven-game finals losing streak, the doubters will remain until the Sharks make another grand final. After securing fourth place with five wins from their last six games, Cronulla lost 37-10 to Melbourne in the qualifying final, leading to a week of media pressure and extra criticism of Nicho Hynes. But the Sharks beat North Queensland 26-18 to make the preliminary final: while they lost that game 26-6 to Penrith, they weren’t disgraced. Hynes was the Sharks’ top points-scorer (131 in 18 games – two tries, 61 goals, and one field goal), while Ronaldo Mulitalo scored 18 tries.
Embed from Getty ImagesEliminated Semi-Finals – North Queensland Cowboys (Won 16, Lost 10)
Ladder position after round 27: 5th
While North Queensland returned to the finals (after missing out in 2023), it could have been so much more. The Cowboys scored 703 points (averaging 27 points/game), but also conceded 610 points (averaging 23 points/game) – so their poor defence almost cancelled out their wonderful attack. They earnt a home final with a 44-6 win over the Bulldogs, beat Newcastle 28-16 in the Townsville elimination final, but lost the semi-final 26-18 to Cronulla-Sutherland. Valentine Holmes was the top points-scorer with 266 points (16 tries and 101 goals), while Kyle Feldt (23 tries) overtook Matt Bowen as the Cowboys’ greatest try-scorer. Holmes (St George Illawarra) and Feldt (St Helens) are both leaving the club after playing 98 and 217 games for North Queensland respectively.
Embed from Getty ImagesEliminated Semi-Finals: Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles (Won 14, Lost 11, 1 Draw)
Ladder position after round 27: 7th
Along with Canterbury, Manly were the most improved 2023 bottom eight side. After beating Souths in the first ever Vegas game, they hovered around the eight for most the season (as high as second and as low as 12th). They made their charge from round 18, winning six of their last nine. After the thrilling elimination final win over the Bulldogs, Manly were eliminated by the Roosters in the semi-final (40-16). Reuben Garrick was the top points-scorer with 202 (10 tries and 81 goals). Not surprisingly, Tom Trbojevic appearing in 20 games was a big part of Manly’s return to the finals, while captain Daly Cherry-Evans played 24 games.
Embed from Getty ImagesEliminated Week 1 Finals: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (Won 14, Lost 11)
Ladder position after round 27: 6th
Canterbury fans shouldn’t be discouraged by their poor finish to the season. For the first 25 rounds, they were the best defensive team in the NRL: they had conceded 355 points (averaging 16.13 per game), and were two points outside the top four, as Cameron Ciraldo’s patience in his squad started to pay off. Unfortunately, losses to Manly (34-22) and North Queensland (44-6) saw them slip to sixth. They led Manly 22-12 in the elimination final before the Sea Eagles scored two tries in the last 25 minutes to win 24-22. From round 17 to round 25, the Bulldogs won seven out of eight. And they enjoyed big wins over the Gold Coast (32-0), Newcastle (36-12 and 32-2), St George Illawarra (44-12), and Brisbane (41-16). Matt Burton was the top points-scorer with 187 (nine tries, 74 goals, three one-point field goals) from 23 games.
Embed from Getty ImagesEliminated Week 1 Finals: Newcastle Knights (Won 12, Lost 13)
Ladder position after round 27: 8th
In a congested middle part of the ladder, Newcastle did well to rise above Canberra, The Dolphins, St George Illawarra, and Brisbane to make the finals: they won four of their last six, including beating The Dolphins 14-6 in the final game of the NRL regular season. And Kalyn Ponga only played 16 games and in seven of the Knights’ 12 wins. Though he was still Newcastle’s top points-scorer (104 points from three tries and 46 goals). Fullback/winger Fletcher Sharpe had an excellent first season: while he didn’t debut until round 14, he scored 11 tries in 12 games, seven of those coming against the Wests Tigers (four in round 23) and the Gold Coast (three in round 26). While Newcastle lost the elimination final to North Queensland, they led 12-4 at half-time and were in the game with 10 minutes left before tries to Reuben Cotter and Tom Dearden sealed the win for the Cowboys.
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