Canterbury and Penrith kicked off proceedings on Thursday night, with the Bulldogs confirming their spot in the top four with a wing over a second-string Panthers outfit.
New Zealand slipped to a defeat to Parramatta in the first match of a double-header on Friday, which was headlined by an incredible Sydney Roosters demolition job on Melbourne.
Canberra potentially have the chance to seal the minor premiership in the nation's capital when they take on the Wests Tigers.
Manly's slim hopes of making the finals are still alive after a wave of upsets last weekend and they simply must beat St George Illawarra if they are to have any chance of climbing into the top eight.
The concluding game of a Saturday triple-header will see North Queensland host Brisbane in Townsville.
On Sunday, Cronulla will attempt to pile even more misery on Newcastle, before the curtains are drawn on the penultimate round of the regular season with a QLD derby between the Dolphins and Gold Coast.
MORE: NRL injury list 2025 - Your club’s medical news, casualty ward, player return dates
NRL LADDER 2025
Last updated Friday, August 29
| Position | Team | GP | Wins | Draws | Losses | Byes | P/D | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canberra Raiders | 23 | 19 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 186 | 44 |
| 2 | Melbourne Storm | 23 | 17 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 228 | 40 |
| 3 | Canterbury Bulldogs | 23 | 16 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 138 | 38 |
| 4 | New Zealand Warriors | 23 | 14 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 22 | 34 |
| 5 | Brisbane Broncos | 22 | 13 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 148 | 32 |
| 6 | Cronulla Sharks | 22 | 13 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 67 | 32 |
| 7 | Penrith Panthers | 23 | 12 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 87 | 31 |
| 8 | Sydney Roosters | 23 | 12 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 102 | 30 |
| 9 | Dolphins | 22 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 81 | 26 |
| 10 | Manly Sea Eagles | 22 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 26 |
| 11 | Wests Tigers | 22 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 3 | -127 | 24 |
| 12 | Parramatta Eels | 23 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 3 | -132 | 24 |
| 13 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 23 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 3 | -151 | 24 |
| 14 | North Queensland Cowboys | 23 | 9 | 1 | 13 | 2 | -138 | 23 |
| 15 | St George Illawarra Dragons | 22 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 3 | -94 | 22 |
| 16 | Newcastle Knights | 22 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 3 | -220 | 18 |
| 17 | Gold Coast Titans | 22 | 5 | 0 | 17 | 3 | -201 | 16 |
NRL FIXTURES AND RESULTS THIS WEEKEND (ROUND 26)
| Date | Match | Time (AEST) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thurs. Aug. 28 | Canterbury Bulldogs 28 def. Penrith Panthers 4 | 7:50pm | Accor Stadium |
| Fri. Aug. 29 | New Zealand Warriors 22 def. by Parramatta Eels 26 | 6:00pm | Go Media Stadium |
| Fri. Aug. 29 | Melbourne Storm 10 def. by Sydney Roosters 40 | 8:00pm | AAMI Park |
| Sat. Aug. 30 | Canberra Raiders 24 def. by Wests Tigers 10 | 3:00pm | GIO Stadium |
| Sat. Aug. 30 | St George Illawarra Dragons vs. Manly Sea Eagles | 5:30pm | Jubilee Stadium |
| Sat. Aug. 30 | North Queensland Cowboys vs. Brisbane Broncos | 7:35pm | QLD Country Bank Stadium |
| Sun. Aug. 31 | Cronulla Sharks vs. Newcastle Knights | 2:00pm | Sharks Stadium |
| Sun. Aug. 31 | Dolphins vs. Gold Coast Titans | 4:05pm | Suncorp Stadium |
| BYE | Rabbitohs |