The NRL have announced the full 27-round schedule for the 2025 season. For the second year in a row, the campaign gets underway overseas with Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas hosting four-peat premiers Penrith’s match-up against Cronulla, as well as Canberra’s clash with New Zealand on Sunday, March 2 (AEDT). More League Brisbane Broncos travel to Allianz Stadium to face the Roosters in the first match back on Australian soil on Thursday, March 6.
Magic Round returns to Brisbane for another festival of all you can eat rugby league at Suncorp Stadium in Round 9, with Shane Flanagan’s St George Illawarra Dragons taking on Wests Tigers after missing out on the festivities in 2024. This time, Manly are the odd club out and will not appear at Magic Round. South Sydney fans will have to wait to welcome super coach Wayne Bennett back to the cardinal and myrtle, as the Rabbitohs begin their season with three away games due to a new-look motorsport event taking over Accor Stadium.
New Broncos coach Michael Maguire has been handed a boost, with seven of Brisbane’s first 11 matches at home as they aim for a return to the finals after a dismal 2024 campaign cost club legend Kevin Walters his job. Craig Fitzgibbon and his Sharks side, however, have been dealt a tough hand with more than half their fixtures against top-eight sides in 2024. Cronulla play 13 games against finals sides, as do Parramatta and South Sydney.
The Bunnies have the added challenge of being the only club asked .