Rugby League News
Brisbane defeat Canberra 29-28 to secure home preliminary
Reece Walsh goes from sin bin to leading unlikely comeback
Brisbane are within one win of the NRL grand final, after Ben Hunt slotted a 93rd-minute field goal to kick the Broncos to an epic 29-28 qualifying final victory over Canberra.
On a day of utter madness at GIO Stadium, Reece Walsh was sin-binned for a head-butt before engineering one of the most unlikely finals comebacks in memory.
Continue reading...Cronulla hold off Sydney for 20-10 elimination final victory
Penrith defeat NZ Warriors 24-8 to set up semi-final with Bulldogs
Cronulla have proven they are no finals pushovers, ending the Sydney Roosters’ season with a classic 20-10 win in their sudden-death clash at Shark Park.
Often derided for their poor finals record, Cronulla overcome an early deficit and then hung on late to claim victory in a Saturday night bellringer.
Continue reading...Melbourne Storm 26-18 Canterbury Bulldogs
Visitors hampered by early loss of Stephen Crichton
Melbourne have earned a week off after locking down a preliminary final with a 26-18 victory over a gallant Canterbury, who played much of the match without injured skipper Stephen Crichton.
The top-four teams opened the NRL finals series at AAMI Park on Friday night, with the home side edging the Bulldogs, who were hunting their first play-off victory in 10 years.
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Continue reading...Leeds 8-16 Catalans Dragons
Rhinos face possibility of trailing in fifth
Leeds Rhinos’ hopes of a top-two finish before the Super League playoffs are now all-but over: and they could yet finish as low as fifth after delivering a worryingly under-par performance to suffer a shock defeat against Catalans Dragons.
Brad Arthur’s side have been magnificent for most of this season but this was arguably the nadir. Had they won here against a Catalans side with nothing to play for, they knew victory away at second-placed Wigan last week could have ensured second spot, and guaranteed a bye through the opening round of the playoffs.
However, should results now fall as expected elsewhere in the final two rounds, it is likely the Rhinos will finish fifth – meaning the prospect of being away in the first week of the playoffs and likely then have an away trip to the league leaders, Hull KR, just to reach the Grand Final.
The opening 40 minutes was incredibly low on quality from the hosts, and did little to suggest they are primed and ready for the playoffs. Leeds were, in ruth, woeful and far below the standards they have set under Arthur this season. It was therefore no surprise when they fell behind as Ugo Tison spotted a gap in the Leeds ruck to cross from dummy-half.
It was a moment that summed up Leeds’ play to that point; laboured and significantly off the pace. Their attempts to provide a response to falling 6-0 behind were panicked and it was evident they were missing the composure and guile of Jake Connor. Leeds would trail further by half-time, after Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet’s penalty nudged Catalans eight points ahead.
It was a scoreline that didn’t flatter the Dragons, who had defended courageously and taken their one real moment of promise in attack. You expected the Rhinos would respond after half-time, but they continued to labour without much effect whatsoever.
Aispuro-Bichet then added a second penalty to make it 10-0 and not even a run of four consecutive penalties Leeds’ way, plus the sin-binning of Romain Navarrete, could aid them in finding an immediate opening. However, they ultimately did capitalise on some pressure when Brodie Croft’s clever kick found Ryan Hall unmarked in the corner.
But with six minutes left, a crucial error from Leeds’ full-back, Lachie Miller, allowed Navarrete to mark his return to the field with the try that secured victory for the Dragons. Croft’s late try briefly threatened a comeback: but Miller missed a straightforward conversion to leave the gap at eight and ensure Catalans secured a rare away victory.
A group of Australian millionaires aim to transform the 22nd best team in the country into one of the elite
If you heard that a group of Australian millionaires had attended the London Broncos v Bradford Bulls game at Plough Lane on Saturday with a view to buying one of rugby league’s sleeping giants, you might assume they were interested in the visitors, who won the match by 10 points to keep the pressure on York and Toulouse at the top of the Championship table.
But Brisbane Broncos and Australia legend Darren Lockyer, his long-term business partner Grant Wechsel of MWG Mining, and the former Brisbane Broncos CEO Paul White are about to become majority investors in London Broncos. The former South Sydney coach Jason Demetriou has agreed to become their new head coach, they have lined up a string of players from the NRL and aim to be in Super League by 2027, if not 2026.
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Continue reading...The Welshman was a brilliant, original coach who had to fight against a culture that was prejudiced against him
Hull FC began one of the greatest seasons in their history 70 years ago this week. Roy Francis guided them to their first title in 20 years with a desperately tight 10-9 win over Halifax at Maine Road. Not only was Francis an outstanding coach but he was black and this was the 1950s. In his majestic new book Rugby’s Forgotten Black Leader, Tony Collins calls Francis “quite probably the only black person to be a leader of white people in any walk of life in Britain”. He really was extraordinary.
No one had written in great depth about Francis and then two books came along almost at once. Peter Lush’s Ahead of his Time focuses on his tremendous playing and coaching career, whereas Collins widens the lens to take in Francis’s remarkable life.
Continue reading...A festival atmosphere in Sunderland, Salford and York may succeed in inspiring the next generation of England stars
The streets of Eccles have given little away on the face of it over the past two Saturdays. Local residents are going about their business, the nearby canal path is full of walkers and runners, and there is a slumberous Saturday morning feel: until you turn into the Salford Community Stadium.
The Women’s Rugby World Cup has made a strong start with decent crowds and good viewing figures. But there was a concerted effort to go beyond familiar territory in this tournament and lay down some roots in the north of England, too. The early signs suggest that may well have been achieved.
Continue reading...The Challenge Cup, Magic Weekend, international calendar and women’s game will look different next year
Super League is going to look different next season. The big news is that the division is likely to expand to 14 teams, but that’s not the only change coming for fans. A review into the sport led by Nigel Wood has suggested various new ideas, with Magic Weekend, the Challenge Cup, international fixtures, the Championship, women’s and wheelchair games all affected. Now that the report has been digested, we have a fuller picture of how the sport will shape up in 2026.
Continue reading...South Sydney star issued with summons by Queensland Police
29-year-old hooker set to appear in court on 18 September
NRL star Brandon Smith has been charged with drug supply and using inside knowledge for betting.
The South Sydney hooker was questioned by police when he arrived in Queensland ahead of their 10 August clash with Gold Coast, but released without charge.
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Continue reading...Troubled club at least manage to fulfil a fixture before losing 38-6 at Leigh, but Super League status is looking desperate
The notion of Salford walking out on Friday night to play their game against Leigh may seem to casual observers like a positive step, given they failed to fulfil their recent fixture against Wakefield and seem engulfed in a perma-crisis.
In hindsight, the Salford warning signs were there last winter when the club requested an advance of £500,000 on their central distribution to survive the off-season. “We should have seen the wolves were at the door then,” one Super League chief executive said this week.
Continue reading...Red Devils have only two senior players available
COO Claire Bradbury accused ownership of misogyny
The crisis at Salford Red Devils has deepened on and off the field in the past 24 hours. On Thursday, their chief operating officer claimed she had resigned after the club’s ownership suggested she “sleep with someone at the RFL” to alleviate their financial issues and on Friday the club’s Super League game against Wakefield on Sunday was cancelled.
The Red Devils have been embroiled in controversy for most of 2025, following a takeover by a consortium led by Dario Berta. Players and staff have repeatedly been paid late, most of their first-team squad have left and the club is in court next month over an unpaid tax bill of almost £700,000.
Continue reading...No one seems to want a bigger league – other than the clubs that will benefit – but it’s not an entirely bad idea
Do you know anyone who thinks expanding Super League to 14 clubs next season is a good idea, beyond the people who voted for it and the Championship clubs with hopes of promotion? Me neither. When almost no one thinks something is the right thing to do, it almost certainly isn’t. But why have nine successful businessmen made such a controversial decision? Let’s analyse the widespread objections to the idea and play devil’s advocate to see if there are valid reasons for making a change.
Continue reading...RFL under scrutiny after controversial appointment
Funding is critical to future of the sport
Sport England will meet the Rugby Football League in the coming weeks to air their concerns over developments at the governing body. It is a move that could affect the sport’s financial outlook.
Rugby league is one of several sports in receipt of millions of pounds worth of funding from Sport England every year. That is critical to the existence of the sport and is particularly important for the RFL, with continued adherence to the code for sports governance essential to maintain it.
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