March 3 is the date all the rugby predictors have marked on their calendar as the 2025 National Rugby League season is about to start.
It feels like we are about to experience another exciting campaign as the upcoming season is poised to be special with the new signings and team dynamics around the league.
As usual, we have our expert tips and the most accurate predictions to start the season with. The Penrith Panthers will go after the fifth consecutive championship, and it will be interesting to see if there is a team capable of standing in their way.
Prediction 1: Broncos in the Top Two
Broncos to Shine Under Maguire’s Leadership
Last season did not go as planned for the Brisbane Broncos and they hope for a change of scenario in 2025. Last season, the Broncos finished 12th in the NRL with a record of 10 wins and 14 losses. That was their worst record since 2021, the year when Kevin Watson took over the team.
The Broncos had high expectations going into last season after finishing as runner-up the year before. However, things ended up well, and Watson was fired at the end of the season.
Michael Maguire will take over the hot seat after a short stint with New South Wales last year. Maguire has wide coaching experience, and he seems like the man who can shake things up in Brisbane.
Ben Hunt is coming home to Brisbane after spending the last six seasons with the St. George Illawarra Dragons. He didn’t leave the Broncos on good terms, but he will be more than welcomed by the fans.
The team will definitely need some time to adapt under the new coach, but there is no doubt they will be much better than last year. It is a pretty bold prediction to go with them in the top two, but they have the potential, and Maguire knows how to get the best out of this roster.
Prediction 2: Ricky Stuart and the Raiders’ Rise
Can Ricky Stuart Secure Dally M Coach of the Year?
The Canberra Raiders are coming off another mediocre season, splitting the 24 games on the schedule, which left them in the middle of the standings, where they have been in the last four seasons.
Ricky Stuart will go into his second decade as head coach of the Raiders and hopes to bring back the glory days in Canberra. As a player, he won three premierships and hopes to take the Raiders close to the top.
He will definitely need to make some changes in his style and increase the aggressiveness of the team. Ethan Strange is one of the key men in Stuart's rotation, and the Raiders fans hope that he will become the face of the club this season. The 20-year-old played 21 games last season, and the potential is definitely there. Of course, it is too early to expect him to lead the team, but his energy can make a difference.
Stuart is a living legend in Canberra, but after four average seasons, he will be under pressure. There is no doubt that the Raiders will improve, and if they finish among the top four teams in the league, Stuart will be the front-runner to win the Dally M Coach of the Year award.
Prediction 3: Nicho Hynes as Top Points Scorer
Nicho Hynes: Sharks’ Scoring Machine
Nicho Hynes had major difficulties with a leg injury last year, but there is no doubt that the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks’ halfback will be ready for another impressive season.
The Sharks have finished in fourth place in the last two seasons, and it is time for them to take one step forward and maybe even compete for the championship. That will mainly depend on Hynes, who has a lot to prove this season.
The 2022 Dally M Medal Winner finished 8th last season in the NRL with 117 total points, or 7.8 on average, in 15 games for the Sharks. He seems ready to take his game to another level, and as long as he is healthy and keeps connecting with Will Kennedy and Sione Katoa, we expect him to be the top-point scorer in the 2025 NRL season.
Other Bold Predictions for 2025
After winning four consecutive championships, the Penrith Panthers go into this one as the favorites for the trophy. Still, the competition has not been stronger in a while, so the Brisbane Broncos or last year’s finalists, the Melbourne Storm, may finally bring them down from the throne.
What These Predictions Mean for the League
So all of our predictions are pretty bold but that’s why we are here. We’ll see how close we are when the preseason begins on February 7, and there is no doubt that we will make the season even more interesting with our rugby predictions.
