2018 NRL season


The 2018 NRL season was the 111th season of professional rugby league in Australia and the 21st season run by the National Rugby League. The main competition, known as the 2018 Telstra Premiership due to sponsorship from Telstra, featured 16 teams playing 25 weekly rounds of matches from March until September, resulting in the top eight teams playing a series of finals matches to determine which two teams reached the 2018 NRL Grand Final.

Teams

The lineup of teams remained unchanged for the 12th consecutive year.
ColoursClubSeason Home groundHead coachCaptain
Brisbane Broncos31st seasonSuncorp StadiumWayne BennettDarius Boyd
Canberra Raiders37th seasonGIO Stadium CanberraRicky StuartJarrod Croker
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs84th seasonANZ Stadium & Belmore Sports GroundDean PayJosh Jackson
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks52nd seasonSouthern Cross Group StadiumShane FlanaganPaul Gallen & Wade Graham
Gold Coast Titans12th seasonCbus Super StadiumGarth BrennanRyan James
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles69th seasonLottolandTrent BarrettDaly Cherry-Evans
Melbourne Storm21st seasonAAMI ParkCraig BellamyCameron Smith
Newcastle Knights31st seasonMcDonald Jones StadiumNathan BrownJamie Buhrer & Mitchell Pearce
New Zealand Warriors24th seasonMt. Smart StadiumStephen KearneyRoger Tuivasa-Sheck
North Queensland Cowboys24th season1300SMILES StadiumPaul GreenJohnathan Thurston & Matt Scott
Parramatta Eels72nd seasonANZ StadiumBrad ArthurTim Mannah, Beau Scott & Clint Gutherson
Penrith Panthers52nd seasonPanthers StadiumCameron Ciraldo James Maloney
South Sydney Rabbitohs109th seasonANZ StadiumAnthony SeiboldGreg Inglis
St. George Illawarra Dragons20th seasonUOW Jubilee Oval & WIN StadiumPaul McGregorGareth Widdop
Sydney Roosters111th seasonAllianz StadiumTrent RobinsonJake Friend & Boyd Cordner
Wests Tigers19th seasonLeichhardt Oval, Campbelltown Stadium & ANZ StadiumIvan ClearyChris Lawrence, Benji Marshall, Elijah Taylor, Josh Reynolds & Russell Packer

Pre-season

The 2018 pre-season featured the 2018 World Club Challenge match with the NRL premiers Melbourne Storm defeating the Super League champions Leeds Rhinos.

Regular season

With the City vs. Country representative game having been scrapped, the NRL scheduled 6 games to take place in regional areas of New South Wales and Queensland as a replacement: Tamworth, Bathurst & Mudgee, and Toowoomba, Gladstone & Cairns.
The overall structure of the season's draw was also revised. The second game of the 2018 State of Origin series was played as a stand-alone fixture on a Sunday to avoid conflict with the regular season. Due to this the competition was shortened to 25 rounds and each team got 1 bye as opposed to 2 in previous years.
Team12345678910111213141516171819202122232425F1F2F3GF
Brisbane BroncosSGI
22
NQL
4
WTI
2*
GCT
12
NEW
5
NZL
9
MEL
14
SOU
4
CBY
2
MAN
14
SYD
6
PAR
8
XMEL
16
CRO
4
CAN
4
GCT
34
NZL
20
PEN
32
CRO
2
CBY
14
NQL
4
SOU
20
SYD
14
MAN
32
SGI
30
Canberra RaidersGCT
2
NEW
2
NZL
1
MAN
16
CBY
16
PAR
16
SOU
20
NQL
10
GCT
14
CRO
8
SGI
7
MAN
1
XPEN
1
WTI
36
BRI
4
CBY
4
NQL
26
CRO
4
MEL
34
PEN
9
WTI
2
SYD
2
SOU
12
NZL
4
Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsMEL
18
SYD
18
PEN
2
SOU
4
CAN
16
NQL
17
SYD
6
PEN
8
BRI
2
PAR
8
CRO
6
WTI
4
XSGI
2
GCT
22
NEW
20
CAN
4
SOU
18
PAR
6
WTI
12
BRI
14
MAN
12
NZL
1
SGI
38
CRO
12
Cronulla-Sutherland SharksNQL
6
SGI
4
PAR
10
MEL
10
SYD
18
SGI
20
PEN
4
GCT
1
PAR
2
CAN
8
CBY
6
NEW
38
SOU
8
WTI
8
BRI
4
NZL
3
XPEN
12
CAN
4
BRI
2
MAN
1*
MEL
3
NQL
12
NEW
26
CBY
12
SYD
9
PEN
1
MEL
16
Gold Coast TitansCAN
2
NZL
12
SGI
46
BRI
12
MAN
12
PEN
23
NQL
12
CRO
1
CAN
14
MEL
14
NEW
7
SYD
20
XSOU
2
CBY
22
WTI
18
BRI
34
SYD
8
NEW
6
NZL
24
PAR
16
PEN
1*
MAN
8
MEL
2
NQL
4
Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesNEW
1*
PAR
54
SOU
28
CAN
16
GCT
12
WTI
26
PAR
34
NEW
6
SYD
2
BRI
14
MEL
20
CAN
1
NQL
14
NZL
20
SGI
24
PEN
8
XMEL
1
SYD
32
PEN
4
CRO
1*
CBY
12
GCT
8
WTI
2
BRI
32
Melbourne StormCBY
18
WTI
2
NQL
16
CRO
10
WTI
1
NEW
26
BRI
14
NZL
40
SGI
20
GCT
14
MAN
20
NQL
1
XBRI
16
NEW
18
SYD
1
SGI
22
MAN
1
NZL
6
CAN
34
SOU
10
CRO
3
PAR
16
GCT
2
PEN
6
SOU
1
XCRO
16
SYD
15
Newcastle KnightsMAN
1*
CAN
2
SYD
30
SGI
18
BRI
5
MEL
26
WTI
2
MAN
6
SOU
18
PEN
11
GCT
7
CRO
38
PAR
26
SYD
2
MEL
18
CBY
20
XPAR
2
GCT
6
NQL
2
WTI
9
NZL
16
PEN
8
CRO
26
SGI
10
New Zealand WarriorsSOU
12
GCT
12
CAN
1
SYD
24
NQL
10
BRI
9
SGI
8
MEL
40
WTI
22
SYD
32
PAR
10
SOU
20
XMAN
20
NQL
7
CRO
3
PEN
32
BRI
20
MEL
6
GCT
24
SGI
6
NEW
16
CBY
1
PEN
20
CAN
4
PEN
15
North Queensland CowboysCRO
6
BRI
4
MEL
16
PEN
19
NZL
10
CBY
17
GCT
12
CAN
10
PEN
6
WTI
8
SOU
1
MEL
1
MAN
14
PAR
6
NZL
7
SOU
1
XCAN
26
SGI
14
NEW
2
SYD
6
BRI
4
CRO
12
PAR
38
GCT
4
Parramatta EelsPEN
10
MAN
54
CRO
10
WTI
10
PEN
6
CAN
16
MAN
34
WTI
2
CRO
2
CBY
8
NZL
10
BRI
8
NEW
26
NQL
6
SOU
18
SGI
2
XNEW
2
CBY
6
SOU
6
GCT
16
SGI
36
MEL
16
NQL
38
SYD
34
Penrith PanthersPAR
10
SOU
4
CBY
2
NQL
19
PAR
6
GCT
23
CRO
4
CBY
8
NQL
6
NEW
11
WTI
14
SGI
26
XCAN
1
SYD
26
MAN
8
NZL
32
CRO
12
BRI
32
MAN
4
CAN
9
GCT
1*
NEW
8
NZL
20
MEL
6
NZL
15
CRO
1
South Sydney RabbitohsNZL
12
PEN
4
MAN
28
CBY
4
SGI
4
SYD
12
CAN
20
BRI
4
NEW
18
SGI
14
NQL
1
NZL
20
CRO
8
GCT
2
PAR
18
NQL
1
XCBY
18
WTI
16
PAR
6
MEL
10
SYD
4
BRI
20
CAN
12
WTI
41
MEL
1
SGI
1
SYD
8
St. George Illawarra DragonsBRI
22
CRO
4
GCT
46
NEW
18
SOU
4
CRO
20
NZL
8
SYD
16
MEL
20
SOU
14
CAN
7
PEN
26
XCBY
2
MAN
24
PAR
2
MEL
22
WTI
4
NQL
14
SYD
18
NZL
6
PAR
36
WTI
10
CBY
38
NEW
10
BRI
30
SOU
1
Sydney RoostersWTI
2
CBY
18
NEW
30
NZL
24
CRO
18
SOU
12
CBY
6
SGI
16
MAN
2
NZL
32
BRI
6
GCT
20
WTI
2
NEW
2
PEN
26
MEL
1
XGCT
8
MAN
32
SGI
18
NQL
6
SOU
4
CAN
2
BRI
14
PAR
34
CRO
9
XSOU
8
MEL
15
Wests TigersSYD
2
MEL
2
BRI
2*
PAR
10
MEL
1
MAN
26
NEW
2
PAR
2
NZL
22
NQL
8
PEN
14
CBY
4
SYD
2
CRO
8
CAN
36
GCT
18
XSGI
4
SOU
16
CBY
12
NEW
9
CAN
2
SGI
10
MAN
2
SOU
41
Team12345678910111213141516171819202122232425F1F2F3GF

Bold – Opposition's Home game
X – Bye
* – Golden point game

Opponent for round listed above margin

Ladder

Ladder progression

Team12345678910111213141516171819202122232425
1 Sydney024466881012121416182020222426283032323234
2 Melbourne2244468101012121416182022242628303030323434
3 South Sydney002446881012141618202224262828303232323234
4 Cronulla-Sutherland002444681012141616181820222426262628303234
5 Penrith244681010121214161820222222242424262830303032
6 Brisbane024446681010121416161820222224262626283032
7 St. George Illawarra2468101212141616181820222426262628282828303032
8 New Zealand2468101012121414161618202222222424242628283032
9 Wests244681010101012121414141414161820202224242626
10 Canberra000024468881012121414161818181818202222
11 Newcastle2444668101010101012121212141618181818202020
12 Canterbury-Bankstown00222444466688810101010121414161818
13 North Queensland2222224466668888101010121214141618
14 Gold Coast22246666668810101214141414161616181818
15 Manly-Warringah02244444468888810121212121416161616
16 Parramatta00000024444446668810101214141414

Finals series

† Match decided in extra time.

Chart

Grand final

Player statistics and records

The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 25.
Top 5 point scorers
PointsPlayerTriesGoalsField Goals
233 Jamayne Isaako11941
228 Latrell Mitchell15840
191 Gareth Widdop4871
186 Adam Reynolds4842
181 Cameron Smith1881

Top 5 try scorers
TriesPlayer
22 David Fusitu'a
21 Valentine Holmes
18 Robert Jennings
18 Corey Oates
17 Blake Ferguson
17 Josh Addo-Carr

Top 5 goal scorers
GoalsPlayer
94 Jamayne Isaako
88 Cameron Smith
87 Gareth Widdop
84 Adam Reynolds
84 Latrell Mitchell

Top 5 tacklers
TacklesPlayer
1,102 Jake Friend
1,062 Cameron McInnes
968 Jake Trbojevic
963 Matt Eisenhuth
954 Aidan Guerra

2018 Transfers

Players

Player2017 Club2018 Club
Jai Arrow Brisbane Broncos Gold Coast Titans
Adam Blair Brisbane Broncos New Zealand Warriors
Herman Ese'ese Brisbane Broncos Newcastle Knights
Ben Hunt Brisbane Broncos St. George Illawarra Dragons
Benji Marshall Brisbane Broncos Wests Tigers
David Mead Brisbane Broncos Super League: Catalans Dragons
Tautau Moga Brisbane Broncos Newcastle Knights
Travis Waddell Brisbane BroncosSouths Logan Magpies
Kurt Baptiste Canberra Raiders Sydney Roosters
Jeff Lima Canberra RaidersRetirement
Clay Priest Canberra Raiders Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Dave Taylor Canberra RaidersCentral Queensland Capras
James Graham Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs St. George Illawarra Dragons
Sam Kasiano Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Melbourne Storm
Brenko Lee Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Gold Coast Titans
Josh Reynolds Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Wests Tigers
Chase Stanley Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsToronto Wolfpack
Gerard Beale Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks New Zealand Warriors
Jack Bird Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Brisbane Broncos
Fa'amanu Brown Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Adam Clydsdale Cronulla-Sutherland SharksRetirement
Chris Heighington Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Newcastle Knights
Jeremy Latimore Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks St. George Illawarra Dragons
James Maloney Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Penrith Panthers
Daniel Mortimer Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Leigh Centurions
Sam Tagataese Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Brisbane Broncos
Tony Williams Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Parramatta Eels
Joe Greenwood Gold Coast Titans Super League: Wigan Warriors
Chris Grevsmuhl Gold Coast TitansN/A
Jarryd Hayne Gold Coast Titans Parramatta Eels
Chris McQueen Gold Coast Titans Wests Tigers
Agnatius Paasi Gold Coast Titans New Zealand Warriors
Eddy Pettybourne Gold Coast TitansToulouse Olympique
Leivaha Pulu Gold Coast Titans New Zealand Warriors
Tyrone Roberts Gold Coast Titans Super League: Warrington Wolves
Dan Sarginson Gold Coast Titans Super League: Wigan Warriors
Daniel Vidot Gold Coast TitansRetirement
William Zillman Gold Coast TitansRetirement
Pita Godinet Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Wests Tigers
Blake Green Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles New Zealand Warriors
Jarrad Kennedy Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesN/A
Brenton Lawrence Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesRetirement
Darcy Lussick Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesToronto Wolfpack
Cooper Cronk Melbourne Storm Sydney Roosters
Slade Griffin Melbourne Storm Newcastle Knights
Tohu Harris Melbourne Storm New Zealand Warriors
Jordan McLean Melbourne Storm North Queensland Cowboys
Nate Myles Melbourne StormRetirement
Mark Nicholls Melbourne Storm South Sydney Rabbitohs
Robbie Rochow Melbourne Storm Wests Tigers
Brendan Elliot Newcastle Knights Gold Coast Titans
Dane Gagai Newcastle Knights South Sydney Rabbitohs
Trent Hodkinson Newcastle Knights Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Sam Mataora Newcastle KnightsRetirement
Peter Mata'utia Newcastle Knights Leigh Centurions
Mickey Paea Newcastle Knights Super League: Hull F.C.
Pauli Pauli Newcastle Knights Super League: Wakefield Trinity
Tyler Randell Newcastle Knights Super League: Wakefield Trinity
Josh Starling Newcastle KnightsRetirement
Jack Stockwell Newcastle Knights Gold Coast Titans
Anthony Tupou Newcastle KnightsRetirement
Joe Wardle Newcastle Knights Super League: Castleford Tigers
Kieran Foran New Zealand Warriors Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Charlie Gubb New Zealand Warriors Canberra Raiders
Ryan Hoffman New Zealand Warriors Melbourne Storm
Jacob Lillyman New Zealand Warriors Newcastle Knights
Ben Matulino New Zealand Warriors Wests Tigers
Bodene Thompson New Zealand Warriors Leigh Centurions
Blake Leary North Queensland CowboysBurleigh Bears
Ray Thompson North Queensland CowboysRetirement
Frank Pritchard Parramatta EelsRetirement
Semi Radradra Parramatta EelsRC Toulonnais
Jeff Robson Parramatta EelsRetirement
Sitaleki Akauola Penrith Panthers Super League: Warrington Wolves
Tim Browne Penrith PanthersRetirement
Bryce Cartwright Penrith Panthers Gold Coast Titans
Leilani Latu Penrith Panthers Gold Coast Titans
Matt Moylan Penrith Panthers Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Michael Oldfield Penrith Panthers Canberra Raiders
Mitch Rein Penrith Panthers Gold Coast Titans
Bryson Goodwin South Sydney Rabbitohs Super League: Warrington Wolves
Aaron Gray South Sydney Rabbitohs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Luke Kelly South Sydney RabbitohsRetirement
Dave Tyrrell South Sydney RabbitohsEastern Suburbs Tigers
Josh Dugan St. George Illawarra Dragons Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Kalifa Faifai Loa St. George Illawarra DragonsTownsville Blackhawks
Siliva Havili St. George Illawarra Dragons Canberra Raiders
Jake Marketo St. George Illawarra DragonsTimișoara Saracens
Will Matthews St. George Illawarra Dragons Gold Coast Titans
Josh McCrone St. George Illawarra DragonsToronto Wolfpack
Russell Packer St. George Illawarra Dragons Wests Tigers
Joel Thompson St. George Illawarra Dragons Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Paul Carter Sydney RoostersCessnock Goannas
Kane Evans Sydney Roosters Parramatta Eels
Michael Gordon Sydney Roosters Gold Coast Titans
Aidan Guerra Sydney Roosters Newcastle Knights
Shaun Kenny-Dowall Sydney Roosters Newcastle Knights
Mitchell Pearce Sydney Roosters Newcastle Knights
Connor Watson Sydney Roosters Newcastle Knights
Matt Ballin Wests TigersRetirement
Joel Edwards Wests TigersLimoux Grizzlies
Jamal Idris Wests TigersRetirement
Kyle Lovett Wests Tigers Leigh Centurions
Mitchell Moses Wests Tigers Parramatta Eels
Ava Seumanufagai Wests Tigers Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
James Tedesco Wests Tigers Sydney Roosters
Aaron Woods Wests Tigers Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Mahe Fonua Super League: Hull F.C. Wests Tigers
Mitchell Allgood Super League: Wakefield Trinity St. George Illawarra Dragons
Sam Williams Super League: Wakefield Trinity Canberra Raiders
Peta Hiku Super League: Warrington Wolves New Zealand Warriors
Corey Thompson Super League: Widnes Vikings Wests Tigers
Anthony Gelling Super League: Wigan Warriors New Zealand Warriors
Frank-Paul Nu'uausala Super League: Wigan Warriors Sydney Roosters
Reece RobinsonNew South Wales Waratahs Sydney Roosters
Sandor EarlSuspension Melbourne Storm

Source:

Coaches