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.
2018 National Rugby League | |
---|---|
Duration | March 8 – September 30, 2018 |
Teams | 16 |
Premiers | Sydney Roosters (14th title) |
Minor premiers | Sydney Roosters (20th title) |
Matches played | 201 |
Points scored | 8,152 |
Average attendance | 16,205 |
Attendance | 3,257,235 |
Top points scorer(s) | Latrell Mitchell (248) |
Player of the year | Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Dally M Medal) |
Top try-scorer(s) | David Fusitu'a (23) |
Teams
The lineup of teams remained unchanged for the 12th consecutive year.
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.[11]
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | F1 | F2 | F3 | GF |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brisbane Broncos | SGI 22 |
NQL 4 |
WTI 2* |
GCT 12 |
NEW 5 |
NZL 9 |
MEL 14 |
SOU 4 |
CBY 2 |
MAN 14 |
SYD 6 |
PAR 8 |
X | MEL 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 Raiders | GCT 2 |
NEW 2 |
NZL 1 |
MAN 16 |
CBY 16 |
PAR 16 |
SOU 20 |
NQL 10 |
GCT 14 |
CRO 8 |
SGI 7 |
MAN 1 |
X | PEN 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 Bulldogs | MEL 18 |
SYD 18 |
PEN 2 |
SOU 4 |
CAN 16 |
NQL 17 |
SYD 6 |
PEN 8 |
BRI 2 |
PAR 8 |
CRO 6 |
WTI 4 |
X | SGI 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 Sharks | NQL 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 |
X | PEN 12 |
CAN 4 |
BRI 2 |
MAN 1* |
MEL 3 |
NQL 12 |
NEW 26 |
CBY 12 |
SYD 9 |
PEN 1 |
MEL 16 |
|
Gold Coast Titans | CAN 2 |
NZL 12 |
SGI 46 |
BRI 12 |
MAN 12 |
PEN 23 |
NQL 12 |
CRO 1 |
CAN 14 |
MEL 14 |
NEW 7 |
SYD 20 |
X | SOU 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 Eagles | NEW 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 |
X | MEL 1 |
SYD 32 |
PEN 4 |
CRO 1* |
CBY 12 |
GCT 8 |
WTI 2 |
BRI 32 |
||||
Melbourne Storm | CBY 18 |
WTI 2 |
NQL 16 |
CRO 10 |
WTI 1 |
NEW 26 |
BRI 14 |
NZL 40 |
SGI 20 |
GCT 14 |
MAN 20 |
NQL 1 |
X | BRI 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 |
X | CRO 16 |
SYD 15 |
Newcastle Knights | MAN 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 |
X | PAR 2 |
GCT 6 |
NQL 2 |
WTI 9 |
NZL 16 |
PEN 8 |
CRO 26 |
SGI 10 |
||||
New Zealand Warriors | SOU 12 |
GCT 12 |
CAN 1 |
SYD 24 |
NQL 10 |
BRI 9 |
SGI 8 |
MEL 40 |
WTI 22 |
SYD 32 |
PAR 10 |
SOU 20 |
X | MAN 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 Cowboys | CRO 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 |
X | CAN 26 |
SGI 14 |
NEW 2 |
SYD 6 |
BRI 4 |
CRO 12 |
PAR 38 |
GCT 4 |
||||
Parramatta Eels | PEN 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 |
X | NEW 2 |
CBY 6 |
SOU 6 |
GCT 16 |
SGI 36 |
MEL 16 |
NQL 38 |
SYD 34 |
||||
Penrith Panthers | PAR 10 |
SOU 4 |
CBY 2 |
NQL 19 |
PAR 6 |
GCT 23 |
CRO 4 |
CBY 8 |
NQL 6 |
NEW 11 |
WTI 14 |
SGI 26 |
X | CAN 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 Rabbitohs | NZL 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 |
X | CBY 18 |
WTI 16 |
PAR 6 |
MEL 10 |
SYD 4 |
BRI 20 |
CAN 12 |
WTI 41 |
MEL 1 |
SGI 1 |
SYD 8 |
|
St. George Illawarra Dragons | BRI 22 |
CRO 4 |
GCT 46 |
NEW 18 |
SOU 4 |
CRO 20 |
NZL 8 |
SYD 16 |
MEL 20 |
SOU 14 |
CAN 7 |
PEN 26 |
X | CBY 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 Roosters | WTI 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 |
X | GCT 8 |
MAN 32 |
SGI 18 |
NQL 6 |
SOU 4 |
CAN 2 |
BRI 14 |
PAR 34 |
CRO 9 |
X | SOU 8 |
MEL 15 |
Wests Tigers | SYD 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 |
X | SGI 4 |
SOU 16 |
CBY 12 |
NEW 9 |
CAN 2 |
SGI 10 |
MAN 2 |
SOU 41 |
||||
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | F1 | F2 | F3 | GF |
Bold – Opposition's Home game
X – Bye
* – Golden point game
Opponent for round listed above margin
Ladder
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sydney Roosters | 24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 542 | 361 | +181 | 34 |
2 | Melbourne Storm | 24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 536 | 363 | +173 | 34 |
3 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 582 | 437 | +145 | 34 |
4 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 24 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 519 | 423 | +96 | 34 |
5 | Penrith Panthers | 24 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 517 | 461 | +56 | 32 |
6 | Brisbane Broncos | 24 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 556 | 500 | +56 | 32 |
7 | St. George Illawarra Dragons | 24 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 519 | 472 | +47 | 32 |
8 | New Zealand Warriors | 24 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 472 | 447 | +25 | 32 |
9 | Wests Tigers | 24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 377 | 460 | −83 | 26 |
10 | Canberra Raiders | 24 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 563 | 540 | +23 | 22 |
11 | Newcastle Knights | 24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 414 | 607 | −193 | 20 |
12 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 24 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 428 | 474 | −46 | 18 |
13 | North Queensland Cowboys | 24 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 449 | 521 | −72 | 18 |
14 | Gold Coast Titans | 24 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 472 | 582 | −110 | 18 |
15 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | 24 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 500 | 622 | −122 | 16 |
16 | Parramatta Eels | 24 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 374 | 550 | −176 | 14 |
Ladder progression
- Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top 8.
- Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round.
- Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished last place on the ladder in that round.
- Underlined numbers indicate that the team had a bye during that round.
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sydney | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 34 |
2 | Melbourne | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 34 |
3 | South Sydney | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 34 |
4 | Cronulla-Sutherland | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34 |
5 | Penrith | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 32 |
6 | Brisbane | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 |
7 | St. George Illawarra | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 32 |
8 | New Zealand | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 32 |
9 | Wests | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 26 |
10 | Canberra | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 22 |
11 | Newcastle | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
12 | Canterbury-Bankstown | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 18 |
13 | North Queensland | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 18 |
14 | Gold Coast | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
15 | Manly-Warringah | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
16 | Parramatta | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
Finals series
Home | Score | Away | Match Information | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date and Time (Local) | Venue | Referees | Crowd | |||||
QUALIFYING & ELIMINATION FINALS | ||||||||
Melbourne Storm | 29 – 28 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 7 September 2018, 7:50 pm | AAMI Park | Ashley Klein Adam Gee |
17,306 | ||
Penrith Panthers | 27 – 12 | New Zealand Warriors | 8 September 2018, 5:40 pm | ANZ Stadium | Matt Cecchin Henry Perenara |
17,168 | ||
Sydney Roosters | 21 – 12 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 8 September 2018, 7:50 pm | Allianz Stadium | Gerard Sutton Ben Cummins |
24,588 | ||
Brisbane Broncos | 18 – 48 | St. George Illawarra Dragons | 9 September 2018, 4:10 pm | Suncorp Stadium | Grant Atkins Chris Sutton |
47,296 | ||
SEMI FINALS | ||||||||
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 21 – 20 | Penrith Panthers | 14 September 2018, 7:50 pm | Allianz Stadium | Ashley Klein Adam Gee |
19,211 | ||
South Sydney Rabbitohs | 13 – 12 | St. George Illawarra Dragons | 15 September 2018, 7:50 pm | ANZ Stadium | Gerard Sutton Ben Cummins |
48,188 | ||
PRELIMINARY FINALS | ||||||||
Melbourne Storm | 22 – 6 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 21 September 2018, 7:55 pm | AAMI Park | Gerard Sutton Ben Cummins |
26,621 | ||
Sydney Roosters | 12 – 4 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 22 September 2018, 7:50 pm | Allianz Stadium | Ashley Klein Adam Gee |
44,380 |
† Match decided in extra time.
Chart
Qualifying and elimination finals | Semi-finals | Preliminary finals | Grand Final | ||||||||||||||||
8 Sept, Allianz Stadium | |||||||||||||||||||
1 | Sydney | 21 | |||||||||||||||||
4 | Cronulla-Sutherland | 12 | 14 Sept, Allianz Stadium | ||||||||||||||||
Cronulla-Sutherland | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||
8 Sept, ANZ Stadium | Penrith | 20 | 22 Sept, Allianz Stadium | ||||||||||||||||
5 | Penrith | 27 | Sydney | 12 | |||||||||||||||
8 | New Zealand | 12 | South Sydney | 4 | 30 Sept, ANZ Stadium | ||||||||||||||
Sydney | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||
9 Sept, Suncorp Stadium | 21 Sept, AAMI Park | Melbourne | 6 | ||||||||||||||||
6 | Brisbane | 18 | Melbourne | 22 | |||||||||||||||
7 | St. George Illawarra | 48 | 15 Sept, ANZ Stadium | Cronulla-Sutherland | 6 | ||||||||||||||
South Sydney | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||
7 Sept, AAMI Park | St. George Illawarra | 12 | |||||||||||||||||
2 | Melbourne | 29 | |||||||||||||||||
3 | South Sydney | 28 | |||||||||||||||||
Grand final
Sunday, 30 September 7:35pm (AEST) |
Sydney Roosters | 21 – 6 | Melbourne Storm |
---|---|---|
Tries: Daniel Tupou (8') 1 Latrell Mitchell (15') 1 Joseph Manu (37') 1 Goals: Latrell Mitchell 4/6 (4' pen, 16', 31' pen, 79' pen) Field Goals: Luke Keary (69') 1 |
[12] 1st: 18 - 0 2nd: 3 - 6 |
Tries: Josh Addo-Carr (63') 1 Goals: Cameron Smith 1/1 (64') Sin Bin: Cameron Munster 2 (30', 78') |
Player statistics and records
- Jamayne Isaako broke the record for the most points scored in a rookie season with 239, which was set by Mick Cronin in 1977 who scored 225 points.
- Gavin Cooper became the first forward in the 111 year history of the NRL to score a try in nine consecutive games, beating the previous record of eight set by Frank Burge in 1918.
- Cameron Smith became the first hooker in NRL history to score 200 points in a season.
The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 25.
Top 5 point scorers
Top 5 try scorers
|
Top 5 goal scorers
Top 5 tacklers
|
2018 Transfers
Players
Source:[14]
Coaches
Coach | 2017 Club | 2018 Club |
---|---|---|
Michael Maguire | South Sydney Rabbitohs | New Zealand |
Brad Fittler | Lebanon | New South Wales |
References
- "Bulldogs appoint Dean Pay as coach". NRL.com. 28 September 2017.
- "Jackson named Bulldogs captain". NRL.com. 24 January 2018.
- "Sharks to go with Co-Captains in 2018". Sharks.com.au. 11 February 2018.
- "Garth Brennan named new Titans coach". NRL.com. 19 October 2017.
- "Knights announce 2018 co-captains". NewcastleKnights.com.au. 2 March 2018.
- "Gutherson handed Eels co-captaincy". NRL.com. 21 April 2018.
- "Panthers part ways with coach Anthony Griffin four weeks out from finals". NRL.com. 6 August 2018.
- "Panthers name Wallace as 2018 captain". NRL.com. 11 January 2018.
- "Rabbitohs name Seibold as head coach". NRL.com. 7 September 2017.
- "Wests Tigers name five co-captains for 2018". NRL.com. 14 February 2018.
- "2018 NRL Telstra Premiership season schedule". NRL.com. 19 October 2017.
- "Cronk, Keary guide Roosters to grand final glory". NRL.com. 30 September 2018.
- "Sandor Earl suspended until 2017". NRL.com. 14 October 2015.
- "NRL Signings Tracker: Player movements and contracts". NRL.com.