The 2025 NRL season proper has reached its conclusion, with just eight teams remaining to battle it out for the premiership. We take a look at each team's 2025 performance and hand out the grades.
The Top 8 teams will receive their grades and be added once they complete their seasons.
Dolphins
Finish: 9th
Points: 30
Wins: 12 Losses: 12
For: 721 Against: 596
Stand-out performer: Isaiya Katoa
Grade: C-
The Dolphins avoid a D in Kristian Woolf's debut season as head coach; courtesy of sheer point scoring glory and another brave campaign amid a crippling injury toll. They go no higher than a C- on account of another miss at finals qualification, ongoing struggles away from home and a problem taming teams higher than they are on the ladder. Going toe to toe and even edging out wins over the likes of the Warriors, Panthers and Melbourne will never stand out as the best thing about a Dolphins year while they are regularly conceding 40+ points in defeat. Defensive deficiencies in energy and communication rear their head under pressure; the Dolphins score some miraculous tries while conceding some of the softest seen across the competition this year. They struggle to deal with the momentum created by set restarts, and concede plenty of them through persistent ill-discipline around the ruck. A mid season patch of point scoring devastation was the high marker and the rise of Isiah Katoa has many wondering why Lachlan Galvin gets all the headlines; but the question of depth is still as pertinent now as it was when the Dolphins came into the top grade.
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Finish: 10th
Points: 30
Wins: 12 Losses: 12
For: 555 Against: 534
Stand-out performer: Toluta'u Koula
Grade: C+
The Sea Eagles had a disappointing season, just missing out on a finals berth after losing as many games as they won. Apart from losing Tom Trbojevic for chunks of the season through injury, it seemed as though Daly Cherry-Evans announcing that he would not stay with the club after 2025 had an adverse affect on their morale and subsequently their ability to build any semblance of consistency. They have signed Raiders halfback Jamal Fogarty to fill DCE's boots next season and it will be hoped that he can hit the ground running and ignite their exciting backline, including the nigh on impossible to stop Toluta'u Koula, who was their best player. Add to this the seemingly never ending uncertainty over coach Anthony Siebold and its a C+ at best.
Parramatta Eels
Finish: 11th
Points: 26
Wins: 10 Losses: 14
For: 502 Against: 578
Stand-out performer: Mitchell Moses
Grade: B-
The Eels had some trouble settling in under new coach Jason Ryles as he tried to stamp his playing style on the club. The March signing of Dylan Brown by the the Knights was disruptive, as was the loss of superstar halfback Mitchell Moses to injury at crucial times. The Eels finished strongly with Moses back in the No. 7 jersey, winning five of their last seven games including victories over the Broncos, Roosters and Warriors to move well away from the wooden spoon. Whilst giving Eels fans something positive to look forward to, it also left them wondering what could have been this season had a bit of luck fallen their way.
North Queensland Cowboys
Finish: 12th
Points: 25
Wins: 9 Losses: 14
For: 538 Against: 684
Stand-out performer: Tom Dearden
Grade: D
A big miss from the Cowboys and the obvious deficiencies of a side caught in the thick of a generational divide. The Titans probably have a few too many young heads at the moment, whereas the Cowboys have some of the games most exciting prospects sharing the paddock with some of its older heads. Putting it bluntly the youth is raw, the age is slowing down; and it's a big problem. The middle and edges of the field became wide open farm gates this year as Jordan McLean and Jason Taumololo lost a step, Reuben Cotter had a quiet year by his lofty standards, Jeremiah Nanai was patchy and the bench failed to maintain the rage. Vaunted signing John Bateman fell well short of expectations and the starch simply wasn't there. Tom Dearden had a brilliant campaign in Maroon and showed on multiple occasions why he is as highly regarded as he is, but struggled to consistently unlock the Cowboys backline and often appeared to be calling plays others simply weren't prepared for. When it came off it was spectacular, when it didn't it was ugly.
Wests Tigers
Finish: 13th
Points: 24
Wins: 9 Losses: 15
For: 477 Against: 612
Stand-out performer: Terrell May
Grade: C+
The Tigers started 2025 with so much hope, with a raft of new signings and Benji Marshall settling into the coaching role. Jarome Luai was the big star signing, and fans saw him potentially leading the Tigers back into the finals for the first time in living memory. The Tigers had revamped their engine room with Terrell May proving to be more than handy throughout the season. On the wing Sunia Turuva added much-needed spark and finishing power, while the mid-season signing of Terrell's brother Taylan to play in the centres was a revelation. Although finals were beyond them, after patches of real inconsistency Tigers fans finished the year more than happy to avoid another wooden spoon, and looking forward to further improvement in 2026.
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Finish: 14th
Points: 24
Wins: 9 Losses: 15
For: 427 Against: 608
Stand-out performer: Jye Gray
Grade: D
Wayne Bennett returned to coach the Rabbitohs in 2025 and he must have been disappointed with the effort from his players at times during the season. Sure, injuries were a major factor, but their dedication to the cause was missing at times. With star Latrell Mitchell missing large parts of the season through injury, Jye Gray really shone in the fullback role, so much so that he forced Mitchell into the centres at one point, as Bennett searched for a winning combination. They finished the season well with wins over the Titans, Eels and Dragons, but couldn't manage a last round victory over their bitter rivals the Roosters.
St George Illawarra Dragons
Finish: 15th
Points: 22
Wins: 8 Losses: 16
For: 498 Against: 628
Stand-out performer: Jacob Liddle
Grade: D-
The Dragons entered the 2025 season hoping that the addition of several veterans to the squad would see them improve on their 11th place finish last year. Whilst Clint Gutherson, Damien Cook and David Klemmer added some welcome leadership, the team actually regressed. They won just three of their first nine games, with victories over the Storm, Titans and Sea Eagles, losing two games by a single point during that run. Lachlan Ilias didn't work out as a halfback option, Lyhkan King-Togia showed some promise whilst being a bit raw and Kyle Flanagan was solid at times, but never really the answer when looking to build a premiership winning spine. Jacob Liddle played most of the year off the bench, behind Damien Cook, but always proved to be dangerous when injected into the game.
Gold Coast Titans
Finish: 16th
Points: 18
Wins: 6 Losses: 18
For: 520 Against: 719
Stand-out performer: AJ Brimson
Grade: F
The 2025 season started with rays of grand optimism on the Gold Coast, fell apart spectacularly, and was really never going to recover without a drastic change. Des Hasler's fate was sealed in headlines a long way before the Coast limped home with a spoon averting 6th win of the year over the Tigers at home in round 27; a game that typified the year by combining exhilarating attack with insipid defence, waning commitment and shocking defence. Incoming coach Josh Hannay has embraced the magnitude of the challenge before him, and ignored the ridiculous critique surrounding taking on a 'poisoned chalice' for his first NRL post. The Titans are fixable and have the bones of a finals team; the union of Hannay with Origin stalwart Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and their mission to reconstruct the club's attitude will pique the interest ahead of next year. The job begins with a clear out at the long suffering club and the priorities must be halves, with rugby union convert Carter Gordon remaining an experiment at this point, and especially in the wake of Keiran Foran's retirement. A few familiar names might just be following Hasler and seeking fortunes elsewhere before 2026 rolls around.
Newcastle Knights
Finish: 17th
Points: 18
Wins: 6 Losses: 18
For: 338 Against: 638
Stand-out performer: Dane Gagai
Grade: F
The Knights had a multitude of issues during the season, for which coach Adam O'Brien eventually fell on his own sword. Possibly the biggest was an inability to name a halves pairing that went well enough to hold down their jobs for any length of time. The Knights had about half a dozen options and let them all know in March that Dylan Brown was going to replace one of them next year. Add to this the ongoing injury issues for their number one salary collector Kalyn Ponga, a lack of punch and commitment in the forwards, and it proved to be a very ordinary season for the Knights.