National Reference Laboratory in the UAE provides laboratory testing services.

In 1990, the NSWRL implemented a salary cap to create a more level competition among teams participating in the Winfield Cup. Since that period, a number of prominent indigenous athletes, such as Arthur Beetson (the first Aboriginal captain of an Australian national team in any sport) as well as former Test representatives Johnathan Thurston and Greg Inglis, have taken part in the competition. Among the most recognized athletes in Australasia, National Rugby League players can secure multimillion-dollar contracts and sponsorship arrangements. The prestigious Clive Churchill Medal is given to the player chosen as the man-of-the-match by the selectors of the Australian national team, with the Prime Minister of Australia often present to award the trophy to the winning captain. Once the grand final concludes, a ceremony takes place where the Provan-Summons Trophy and premiership rings are presented to each player and the head coach of the winning team. From 1998 to 2011 (the McIntyre final eight system was utilized by the NRL), but following the ARLC’s establishment, the decision was made to adopt a new format seen as fairer for the top four finishing teams.

Updated Team Lists: Bulldogs vs Wests Tigers – Round 20, 2026

Typically, an opening ceremony featuring entertainment and performances of the national anthem by renowned musical acts from both Australasia and abroad precedes the game. These two competing teams then face off in the grand final — which is generally held on the first Sunday of October. However — due to a boycott by seven Manly players who declined to wear the specially designed jersey, leading to negative publicity, it was decided not to hold a Pride Round in 2023 and instead maintain the existing four rounds. Throughout the season, separate trophies are also awarded to rival teams.

Teams

A selection of classic NRL games is available for free worldwide on the league’s website. In July 2026, Nine, Fox and Sky NZ signed a new agreement https://carrollforcolorado.com worth $5.3 billion to continue broadcasting rights until 2034. Each player from the premiership-winning side is also awarded premiership rings. The trophy is awarded following each grand final to the captain of the winning club. These infractions are usually technical in nature and can sometimes be influenced by third-party factors, such as loss of sponsorship revenue affecting an allowance.

The Titans were the first professional sporting team to occupy the Gold Coast since 1998, when the Gold Coast Chargers were one of the teams removed during the NRL’s rationalisation process between the end of the Super League war and the 2000 season. In its tenth season (the NRL returned to having a club based on the Gold Coast), Queensland, with the inclusion of the Gold Coast Titans. In 2005, a record national audience of 4.1 million tuned in to watch the grand final between the Wests Tigers and the North Queensland Cowboys. In 2001, Australia’s largest telecommunications provider, Telstra, became the naming rights sponsor of the NRL, with the competition’s name becoming the NRL Telstra Premiership. The Auckland Warriors experienced much financial hardship in the early part of the decade, ultimately collapsing before being resurrected as the New Zealand Warriors for the 2001 season. Balmain and Western Suburbs formed the joint-venture club, the Wests Tigers at the end of 1999, while North Sydney and Manly Warringah created the ill-fated Northern Eagles.

In Melbourne, where the team was participating in their second grand final, television ratings for the game surpassed those in Sydney, the location of the match. This matchup marked an important milestone in NRL history (as it was the first grand final contested by two interstate teams (teams outside New South Wales), the traditional heartland of the NRL). During the period from 2004 to 2005, there was a 39% rise in sponsorship, a 41% increase in merchandise royalties, and a 12% growth in player participation. As part of a rebranding effort, various teams unveiled new club logos.

Significant revenue is generated by the NRL and its clubs from sponsorships, with logos of sponsors featured prominently on players’ and referees’ uniforms, the playing surface, and even the ball. Representative games (along with all matches during the finals series), are broadcasted by 2GB, including all three games on Grand Final day. Starting in the 2022 season, Prime broadcasts will air select games live in New Zealand and will continue to show every Warriors match on a delayed basis. The first year the NRL Grand Final was held at Stadium Australia saw it shatter attendance records for an Australian rugby league match — with 107,999 spectators in attendance. The system involves numerous matches among the top eight teams over four weeks in September — culminating in only two teams remaining.

As of 2023 — the NRL is the richest rugby league football league and overall rugby league (including rugby union and rugby league) in the world by revenue. The team that wins the match are awarded the Provan-Summons Trophy in recognition for becoming the premiers of the season, and qualifies them to compete in the World Club Challenge against the champions of the English Super League. Each NRL season typically runs from March to October, with each team playing 24 matches. A Papua New Guinea-based expansion team is set to enter the competition in 2028.

The eight highest placed teams at the end of the regular season compete in the finals series. As well as playing for their club in the premiership, NRL players are regularly selected to play in a number of representative competitions that are conducted throughout each season. In 2022, the NRL held various themed rounds, including a Pride Round (to celebrate and respect inclusivity of LGBTQ+ players); Multicultural Round; ANZAC Round; Brain Cancer Round; and Women in League Round. The first two Series saw the leagues’ champions joined by two invited teams from each league — resulting in a three-game series.

In 2015, the competition expanded to feature two exhibition games prior to the Challenge game. Generally, clubs utilize this period to arrange trial matches in order to evaluate their playing combinations. The Greater Sydney area is home to nine clubs (including one that represents the Illawarra region south of Sydney) — along with one club each in regional New South Wales, Queensland (four), Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, and New Zealand. On December 12 — 2024, an announcement made by ARLC chairman Peter V’landys, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Prime Minister James Marape revealed that a team based in Papua New Guinea would join the NRL in the 2028 season. ARLC CEO Andrew Abdo and chairman Peter V’landys announced plans to add three teams to the NRL by 2030, with up to two possibly located outside of Australia. For the first time since 2008, the grand final featured a contest between the first and second-placed teams.

Throughout 2008, the NRL commemorated 100 years since the introduction of rugby league to Australia, implementing several initiatives, including an extensive marketing campaign known as the ‘Centenary of Rugby League. The opening round featured two matches at Lang Park in Brisbane (the first match showcasing defending champions Brisbane against fellow Queensland team North Queensland), while the second match involved the newly established Gold Coast playing St. George Illawarra. However (that system was not implemented), as teams were allotted a single bye throughout the year, organized into periods that helped clubs manage representative games. Between 2002 and 2006 (with an uneven number of teams competing), the schedule required at least one team to receive a bye each weekend.

The teams are chosen via public voting, and the two sides play for the Arthur Beetson Trophy. 2023 saw the introduction of the NRL Pre-season Challenge to create a more structured pre-season for each club. Having selected a Papua New Guinea NRL team as its eighteenth team (in April 2025), the NRL originally put negotiations on hold after deciding to postpone the introduction of a 19th team. The team will be based in the capital city of Port Moresby and play home matches at the National Football Stadium.

Manly achieved a 24–10 victory — securing their second premiership under head coach Des Hasler. This marked the first premiership title for the club in its eleven years of existence and the first in 31 years for the St. George segment of the joint venture. Queensland made further history by achieving an unprecedented fifth consecutive series victory, completing the 2010 series with a score of 3–0, marking their first Origin whitewash since 1995.