The 2018 NRL finals series determines the winner of the 2018 National Rugby League season. The series ran over four weekends in September 2018, culminating with the 2018 NRL Grand Final at Sydney's ANZ Stadium on 30 September 2018.
The top eight teams from the 2018 NRL Season qualified for the finals series. NRL finals series have been played under the current format since 2012. The qualifying teams are Melbourne, Sydney, South Sydney, Cronulla-Sutherland, Penrith, Brisbane, St George Illawarra and New Zealand.
Qualification
Melbourne qualified for their 8th straight finals series. Sydney qualified for their 2nd straight final series. South Sydney qualified for their first finals series since 2015. Cronulla-Sutherland qualified for their 4th straight finals series. Penrith qualified for their 3rd straight finals series. Brisbane qualified for their 5th straight finals series. St George Illawarra qualified for their first finals series since 2015. New Zealand qualified for their first finals series since 2011.
Venues The matches of the 2018 NRL finals series were contested at four venues in three different states around the country.
Melbourne's AAMI Park hosted 2 matches, Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium hosted one match and Sydney hosted the remaining 6 matches, which were played at Allianz Stadium and ANZ Stadium.
+MelbourneSydneyAAMI ParkAllianz StadiumCapacity: 30,050Capacity: 45,500BrisbaneSydneySuncorp StadiumANZ StadiumCapacity: 52,500Capacity: 83,500
Finals structure The system used for the 2018 NRL finals series was a final eight system. The top four teams in the eight received a "double chance" when they played in week-one qualifying finals, such that if a top-four team lost in the first week it still remained in the finals, playing a semi-final the next week against the winner of an elimination final. The bottom four of the eight played knock-out games – only the winners survived and moved on to the next week. Home-state advantage went to the team with the higher ladder position in the first two weeks, to the qualifying final winners in the third week.
In the second week, the winners of the qualifying finals received a bye to the third week. The losers of the qualifying final played the elimination finals winners in a semi-final. In the third week, the winners of the semi-finals from week two played the winners of the qualifying finals in the first week. The winners of those matches moved on to the grand final at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.
Qualifying & elimination finals
1st qualifying final
Team lists:FB1Billy SlaterWG2Suliasi VunivaluCE3Cheyse BlairCE4Curtis ScottWG5Josh Addo-CarrFE6Cameron MunsterHB19Brodie CroftPR8Jesse BromwichHK9Cameron Smith (c)PR10Tim GlasbySR11Felise KaufusiSR12Joe StimsonLK13Dale FinucaneSubstitutes:IC14Brandon SmithIC15Christian WelchIC17Kenny BromwichIC20Sam KasianoCoach:Craig BellamyFB1Alex JohnstonWG2Campbell GrahamCE3Greg Inglis (c)CE4Dane GagaiWG5Robert JenningsFE6Cody WalkerHB7Adam ReynoldsPR8Tom BurgessHK9Damien CookPR10George BurgessSR11John SuttonSR12Angus CrichtonLK13Sam BurgessSubstitutes:IC14Hymel HuntIC15Cameron MurrayIC16Jason ClarkIC17Dean BrittCoach: Anthony Seibold
1st elimination final
Team lists:FB1Dallin Watene-ZelezniakWG2Josh MansourCE3Waqa BlakeCE4Tyrone PeacheyWG5Christian CrichtonFE6James Maloney (c)HB7Nathan ClearyPR8Trent MerrinHK9Sione KatoaPR10Reagan Campbell-GillardSR11Viliame KikauSR12Isaah YeoLK13James Fisher-HarrisSubstitutes:IC14Tyrone MayIC15Moses LeotaIC16Corey Harawira-NaeraIC17James TamouCoach: Cameron CiraldoFB1Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (c)WG2David Fusitu'aCE3Peta HikuCE4Solomone KataWG5Ken MaumaloFE6Blake GreenHB7Shaun JohnsonPR8James GavetHK9Issac LukePR10Agnatius PaasiSR11Adam BlairSR12Tohu HarrisLK13Simon ManneringSubstitutes:IC14Jazz TevagaIC15Isaiah Papali'iIC16Bunty AfoaIC17Gerard BealeCoach:Stephen Kearney
2nd qualifying final
Team lists:FB1James TedescoWG2Daniel TupouCE3Latrell MitchellCE4Joseph ManuWG5Blake FergusonFE6Luke KearyHB7Cooper CronkPR8Jared Waerea-HargreavesHK9Jake Friend (c)PR10Siosiua TaukeiahoSR11Boyd Cordner (c)SR16Mitchell AubussonLK12Isaac LiuSubstitutes:IC13Victor RadleyIC14Lindsay CollinsIC15Zane TetevanoIC17Ryan MattersonCoach: Trent RobinsonFB1Valentine HolmesWG2Sosaia FekiCE3Josh DuganCE4Ricky LeuteleWG5Edrick LeeFE6Matt MoylanHB7Chad TownsendPR8Andrew FifitaHK9Jayden BraileyPR10Matt PriorSR11Luke LewisSR12Wade GrahamLK13Paul Gallen (c)Substitutes:IC15James SegeyaroIC16Aaron WoodsIC17Jayson BukuyaIC18Scott SorensenCoach: Shane Flanagan
2nd elimination final
Team lists:FB1Darius Boyd (c)WG2Corey OatesCE3James RobertsCE4Jordan KahuWG5Jamayne IsaakoFE6Anthony MilfordHB7Kodi NikorimaPR15Joe OfahengaueHK9Andrew McCulloughPR10Sam ThaidaySR17David FifitaSR12Tevita Pangai JuniorLK13Josh McGuireSubstitutes:IC8Matthew LodgeIC14Patrick MagoIC16Korbin SimsIC18Kotoni StaggsCoach: Wayne BennettFB1Matthew DuftyWG2Nene MacdonaldCE3Zac LomaxCE4Tim LafaiWG5Jordan PereiraFE6Gareth Widdop (c)HB7Ben HuntPR8James GrahamHK9Cameron McInnesPR10Leeson Ah MauSR11Tyson FrizellSR12Tariq SimsLK13Jack de BelinSubstitutes:IC14Jeremy LatimoreIC15Kurt MannIC16Blake LawrieIC17Luciano LeiluaCoach: Paul McGregor
Semi-finals
1st semi final
Team lists:FB1Valentine HolmesWG2Sosaia FekiCE18Jesse RamienCE4Ricky LeuteleWG5Edrick LeeFE6Matt MoylanHB7Chad TownsendPR8Andrew FifitaHK9Jayden BraileyPR10Matt PriorSR11Luke LewisSR14Kurt CapewellLK13Paul Gallen (c)Substitutes:IC12Scott SorensenIC15James SegeyaroIC16Aaron WoodsIC17Jayson BukuyaCoach:Shane FlanaganFB1Dallin Watene-ZelezniakWG2Josh MansourCE3Waqa BlakeCE4Tyrone PeacheyWG5Christian CrichtonFE6James Maloney (c)HB7Nathan ClearyPR8Trent MerrinHK9Sione KatoaPR10Reagan Campbell-GillardSR11Viliame KikauSR12Isaah YeoLK13James Fisher-HarrisSubstitutes:IC14Tyrone MayIC15Moses LeotaIC16Corey Harawira-NaeraIC17James TamouCoach: Cameron Ciraldo
2nd semi final
Team lists:FB1Alex JohnstonWG2Campbell GrahamCE3Greg Inglis (c)CE4Dane GagaiWG5Robert JenningsFE6Cody WalkerHB7Adam ReynoldsPR8Tom BurgessHK9Damien CookPR10George BurgessSR11John SuttonSR12Angus CrichtonLK13Sam BurgessSubstitutes:IC14Hymel HuntIC15Cameron MurrayIC16Jason ClarkIC17Dean BrittCoach:Anthony SeiboldFB1Matthew DuftyWG2Nene MacdonaldCE3Zac LomaxCE4Tim LafaiWG5Jordan PereiraFE6Kurt MannHB7Ben HuntPR8James GrahamHK9Cameron McInnes (c)PR10Leeson Ah MauSR11Tyson Frizell (c)SR12Tariq SimsLK13Jack de BelinSubstitutes:IC14Jeremy LatimoreIC16Blake LawrieIC17Luciano LeiluaIC19Jai FieldCoach: Paul McGregor
Preliminary finals
1st preliminary final
Team lists:FB1Billy SlaterWG2Suliasi VunivaluCE3Will ChambersCE4Curtis ScottWG5Josh Addo-CarrFE6Cameron MunsterHB7Brodie CroftPR8Jesse BromwichHK9Cameron Smith (c)PR10Tim GlasbySR11Felise KaufusiSR12Joe StimsonLK13Dale FinucaneSubstitutes:IC14Kenny BromwichIC15Christian WelchIC17Nelson Asofa-SolomonaIC18Brandon SmithCoach:Craig BellamyFB1Valentine HolmesWG2Sosaia FekiCE3Jesse RamienCE4Ricky LeuteleWG5Edrick LeeFE6Matt MoylanHB7Chad TownsendPR8Andrew FifitaHK9Jayden BraileyPR10Matt PriorSR11Luke Lewis (c)SR12Kurt CapewellLK16Aaron WoodsSubstitutes:IC14Scott SorensenIC15James SegeyaroIC17Jayson BukuyaIC20Joseph PauloCoach:Shane Flanagan
2nd preliminary final
Team lists:FB1James TedescoWG2Daniel TupouCE20Paul MomirovskiCE4Joseph ManuWG5Blake FergusonFE6Luke KearyHB7Cooper CronkPR8Jared Waerea-HargreavesHK9Jake Friend (c)PR10Sio Siua TaukeiahoSR11Boyd Cordner (c)SR3Mitchell AubussonLK12Isaac LiuSubstitutes:IC13Victor RadleyIC14Lindsay CollinsIC15Zane TetevanoIC17Ryan MattersonCoach:Trent RobinsonFB1Alex JohnstonWG2Campbell GrahamCE3Greg Inglis (c)CE4Dane GagaiWG5Robert JenningsFE6Cody WalkerHB7Adam ReynoldsPR8Tom BurgessHK9Damien CookPR10George BurgessSR11John SuttonSR12Angus CrichtonLK13Sam BurgessSubstitutes:IC14Hymel HuntIC15Cameron MurrayIC17Dean BrittIC20Tevita TatolaCoach:Anthony Seibold
Grand final
Team lists:FB1James TedescoWG2Daniel TupouCE3Latrell MitchellCE4Joseph ManuWG5Blake FergusonFE6Luke KearyHB23Cooper CronkPR8Jared Waerea-HargreavesHK9Jake Friend (c)PR10Sio Siua TaukeiahoSR11Boyd Cordner (c)SR7Mitchell AubussonLK13Victor RadleySubstitutes:IC12Isaac LiuIC14Dylan NapaIC15Zane TetevanoIC17Ryan MattersonCoach:Trent RobinsonFB1Billy SlaterWG2Suliasi VunivaluCE3Will ChambersCE4Curtis ScottWG5Josh Addo-CarrFE6Cameron MunsterHB7Brodie CroftPR8Jesse BromwichHK9Cameron Smith (c)PR10Tim GlasbySR11Felise KaufusiSR12Joe StimsonLK13Dale FinucaneSubstitutes:IC14Kenny BromwichIC15Christian WelchIC16Brandon SmithIC17Nelson Asofa-SolomonaCoach:Craig Bellamy
References
External links