Townsville, Australia – August 30, 2025 – In a thrilling penultimate round of the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, the Brisbane Broncos secured their spot in the top four with a hard-fought 38-30 victory over the North Queensland Cowboys in Townsville, while the Canberra Raiders clinched the minor premiership with a convincing 24-10 win against the Wests Tigers. Meanwhile, the Manly Sea Eagles kept their faint finals hopes alive by thumping the St George Illawarra Dragons 40-24 in Sydney, setting the stage for a dramatic final round.
The Broncos’ win, which saw them leapfrog the New Zealand Warriors into fourth place following the Warriors’ loss to the Parramatta Eels on Friday, was anything but straightforward. Trailing at halftime after a chaotic first half, Brisbane coach Michael Maguire delivered a fiery dressing-room rant that ignited his side. “I don’t know if there’s a PG version of what he said at half-time,” halfback Ben Hunt told Fox League post-match. “You’d have to put a lot of beeping in there to block it out.” Star fullback Reece Walsh was the hero for Brisbane, scoring a stunning try just before the break, creating five others, and running for 200 meters despite committing five errors, including an intercept that gifted the Cowboys a try early in the second half. “Semi Valemei has read me like a children’s book twice now,” Walsh admitted. Payne Haas and Kotoni Staggs also shone, with the Broncos scoring six tries to the Cowboys’ five in a match that featured 12 tries and double-digit incomplete sets for both teams. For the Cowboys, playing their final game of the season after 30 years in the competition, it was a gallant effort but not enough to spoil Brisbane’s party. The result leaves the Broncos with one hand on a home semi-final, as they prepare to face the Melbourne Storm in Round 27.
Earlier in Canberra, the Raiders sealed their first minor premiership since 1990 with a dominant performance at GIO Stadium, winning 10 of their last 11 home games this season. The 24-10 victory over the Tigers, played before a capacity crowd, earned them the JJ Giltinan Shield, presented by NRL CEO Andrew Abdo. Coach Ricky Stuart’s side, who started the year with a stunning win over the Warriors in Las Vegas, finished the regular season with 19 wins from 23 games, guaranteeing two home semi-finals in their quest for a first premiership trophy in the nation’s capital in 31 years. Key contributors included Hudson Young and Joseph Tapine, with the Raiders’ defense holding firm against a Tigers side that has struggled all year. “We’ve built something special here,” Stuart said post-match. The minor premiership caps a remarkable turnaround for Canberra, who were tipped by few to challenge for the top spot at the start of the season.
On Sydney’s southern shores at Jubilee Stadium, the Sea Eagles delivered a statement win to keep their top-eight aspirations flickering. Trailing the Sydney Roosters by two points and well behind on for-and-against, Manly ran in seven tries to the Dragons’ four in a 40-24 rout, but the 16-point margin may not be enough to overhaul the Roosters even if results go their way in the final round. Fijian international Caleb Navale marked his NRL debut with a penalty try after being held back by Dragons second-rower Jacob Halangahu, while Daly Cherry-Evans and Tom Trbojevic orchestrated the attack. Coach Anthony Seibold named young gun Joey Walsh as 18th man but opted for continuity in the lineup. “We’re still in contention for the top eight, so we wanted to have continuity this week,” Seibold explained. The Dragons, already out of finals contention, showed fight but couldn’t match Manly’s intensity, conceding four tries in a frantic second half. The Sea Eagles now face a must-win scenario against the Warriors next weekend, needing a big victory and a Roosters loss to sneak into eighth.
These results shake up the ladder heading into the final round on September 6-7, with the top four locked in but spots five through eight still up for grabs. The Raiders’ minor premiership ensures they host a qualifying final, while the Broncos’ climb sets up a potential blockbuster semi-final path. The Storm’s loss to the Roosters on Friday night has opened the door for the Bulldogs and Panthers to vie for second and third, but Brisbane’s surge adds intrigue. As the regular season draws to a close, fans are gearing up for what promises to be an explosive finals series starting September 13.