2015 NRL season


The 2015 NRL season was the 108th season of professional rugby league in Australia and the 18th season of the National Rugby League in Australia and New Zealand. The season started in New Zealand with the annual Auckland Nines, which was followed by the Rugby League All Stars Match, returning after a one-year hiatus, and the World Club Series. North Queensland Cowboys won their first premiership in only the second Grand Final to be decided in extra time.

Season launch & advertising

The season launched with a gala event at the Queens Wharf, Auckland on 29 January attended by a selection of the code's stars including Shaun Johnson and Greg Inglis. It was the first time the event had been held outside Australia.
The NRL and their longstanding ad agency MJW Haukuhodo used, for the second year running, Robbie Williams' "Let Me Entertain You" as the commercial soundtrack. The launch commercial takes members and supporters on a journey from the outback plains of Western Queensland to an inner city boot camp in Sydney and features more than fifty NRL club members and fans in a range of scenarios that include a rendition of a Haka on a Sydney train and a focus on Greg Inglis' trademark Goanna post-try celebration.
The second Sunday afternoon match began at 4:10 pm instead of the traditional 3:10 pm. This change was to allow the Nine Network to show the match live into New South Wales and Queensland, and use it as a lead-in to their respective 6:00 pm news bulletins.

Teams

The lineup of teams remained unchanged for the 9th consecutive year. The NRL's salary cap for the clubs' top 25 players will be $A6.3M for 2015.
ColoursClubSeasonHome groundHead coachCaptain
Brisbane Broncos28th seasonSuncorp StadiumWayne BennettJustin Hodges
Canberra Raiders34th seasonGIO Stadium CanberraRicky StuartJarrod Croker
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs81st seasonANZ Stadium & Belmore Sports GroundDes HaslerJames Graham
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks49th seasonRemondis StadiumShane FlanaganPaul Gallen
Gold Coast Titans9th seasonCbus Super StadiumNeil HenryNate Myles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles66th seasonBrookvale OvalGeoff TooveyJamie Lyon
Melbourne Storm18th seasonAAMI ParkCraig BellamyCameron Smith
Newcastle Knights28th seasonHunter StadiumRick Stone→Danny Buderus Kurt Gidley
New Zealand Warriors21st seasonMt. Smart StadiumAndrew McFaddenSimon Mannering
North Queensland Cowboys21st season1300SMILES StadiumPaul GreenJohnathan Thurston & Matt Scott
Parramatta Eels69th seasonPirtek StadiumBrad ArthurTim Mannah
Penrith Panthers49th seasonPepper StadiumIvan ClearyPeter Wallace
South Sydney Rabbitohs106th seasonANZ StadiumMichael MaguireGreg Inglis
St. George Illawarra Dragons17th seasonWIN Jubilee Oval & WIN StadiumPaul McGregorBen Creagh
Sydney Roosters108th seasonAllianz StadiumTrent RobinsonMitchell Pearce & Jake Friend
Wests Tigers15th seasonCampbelltown Stadium & Leichhardt OvalJason TaylorRobbie Farah

Pre-season

The 2015 pre-season featured the second Auckland Nines tournament, held over a weekend at Auckland's Eden Park in which the South Sydney Rabbitohs defeated the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the final. This tournament took place on the last weekend of January, and the All Stars match was played on Friday 13 February at Cbus Super Stadium in Robina. The 2015 World Club Series took place in England with 2014 premiers the South Sydney Rabbitohs taking on Super League champions St. Helens in the showpiece match, which South Sydney won.

Regular season

Team1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526F1F2F3GF
Brisbane BroncosSOU
30
CRO
8
NQL
22
NZL
8
GCT
10
SYD
4
SGI
2
PAR
12
PEN
3
NQL
11
NEW
13
CAN
12
MAN
34
XMEL
2
NEW
22
XCBY
8
WTI
26
GCT
34
MAN
30
CBY
2
SGI
26
SYD
2
SOU
35
MEL
7
NQL
4
XSYD
19
NQL
1
Canberra RaidersCRO
4
NZL
12
SGI
2
SYD
28
MAN
13
MEL
4
WTI
8
SOU
8
GCT
40
SGI
14
CBY
7
BRI
12
NEW
22
XNQL
1
NZL
22
XNEW
14
CRO
1
PEN
10
NQL
8
WTI
2
MAN
2
GCT
16
PEN
16
PAR
4
Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsPEN
6
PAR
20
MAN
4
WTI
1
SOU
1
SGI
25
MAN
12
WTI
24
NQL
7
SYD
14
CAN
7
XSGI
13
GCT
14
PEN
12
MEL
16
XBRI
8
PAR
24
CRO
2
SYD
10
BRI
2
GCT
22
SOU
14
NEW
2
NZL
4
SGI
1
SYD
26
Cronulla-Sutherland SharksCAN
4
BRI
8
MEL
18
GCT
2
SYD
8
NEW
16
SOU
8
PEN
8
NZL
4
GCT
1
XSGI
36
SYD
6
XNEW
2
NQL
6
MAN
12
SGI
20
CAN
1
CBY
2
NZL
4
NQL
12
MEL
28
WTI
22
PAR
7
MAN
2
SOU
16
NQL
39
Gold Coast TitansWTI
1
PEN
40
NEW
2
CRO
2
BRI
10
PAR
22
PEN
26
NZL
4
CAN
40
CRO
1
XSOU
6
WTI
7
CBY
14
NZL
22
SYD
10
XMAN
32
NEW
28
BRI
34
PAR
10
MEL
22
CBY
22
CAN
16
SGI
2
NQL
30
Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesPAR
30
MEL
2
CBY
4
SGI
8
CAN
13
PEN
10
CBY
12
MEL
2
NEW
20
PEN
1
XNQL
4
BRI
34
XWTI
10
SOU
12
CRO
12
GCT
32
NQL
18
NZL
20
BRI
30
SOU
20
CAN
2
PAR
4
SYD
36
CRO
2
Melbourne StormSGI
8
MAN
2
CRO
18
NQL
1
NZL
16
CAN
4
SYD
1
MAN
2
PAR
18
SOU
4
XSYD
22
PEN
20
PAR
4
BRI
2
CBY
16
XNZL
14
PEN
42
SGI
18
WTI
18
GCT
22
CRO
28
NEW
14
NQL
8
BRI
7
SYD
2
XNQL
20
Newcastle KnightsNZL
10
NQL
2
GCT
2
PEN
12
SGI
13
CRO
16
PAR
6
NQL
2
MAN
20
WTI
10
BRI
13
NZL
4
CAN
22
XCRO
2
BRI
22
XCAN
14
GCT
28
SOU
46
SGI
22
SYD
16
WTI
6
MEL
14
CBY
2
PEN
18
New Zealand WarriorsNEW
10
CAN
12
PAR
13
BRI
8
MEL
16
WTI
10
NQL
4
GCT
4
CRO
4
PAR
4
XNEW
4
SOU
32
SYD
4
GCT
22
CAN
22
XMEL
14
SYD
24
MAN
20
CRO
4
SGI
36
PEN
14
NQL
34
WTI
34
CBY
4
North Queensland CowboysSYD
24
NEW
2
BRI
22
MEL
1
PEN
20
SOU
18
NZL
4
NEW
2
CBY
7
BRI
11
WTI
8
MAN
4
PAR
6
XCAN
1
CRO
6
SGI
6
XMAN
18
PAR
42
CAN
8
CRO
12
SOU
13
NZL
34
MEL
8
GCT
30
BRI
4
CRO
39
MEL
20
BRI
1
Parramatta EelsMAN
30
CBY
20
NZL
13
SOU
13
WTI
16
GCT
22
NEW
6
BRI
12
MEL
18
NZL
4
SOU
2
PEN
6
NQL
6
MEL
4
XSGI
4
WTI
12
XCBY
24
NQL
42
GCT
10
PEN
6
SYD
10
MAN
4
CRO
7
CAN
4
Penrith PanthersCBY
6
GCT
40
SYD
8
NEW
12
NQL
20
MAN
10
GCT
26
CRO
8
BRI
3
MAN
1
XPAR
6
MEL
20
XCBY
12
WTI
23
SOU
14
SYD
20
MEL
42
CAN
10
SOU
4
PAR
6
NZL
14
SGI
7
CAN
16
NEW
18
South Sydney RabbitohsBRI
30
SYD
8
WTI
14
PAR
13
CBY
1
NQL
18
CRO
8
CAN
8
SGI
6
MEL
4
PAR
2
GCT
6
NZL
32
WTI
28
XMAN
12
PEN
14
XSGI
16
NEW
46
PEN
4
MAN
20
NQL
13
CBY
14
BRI
35
SYD
30
CRO
16
St. George Illawarra DragonsMEL
8
WTI
18
CAN
2
MAN
8
NEW
13
CBY
25
BRI
2
SYD
2
SOU
6
CAN
14
XCRO
36
CBY
13
XSYD
5
PAR
4
NQL
6
CRO
20
SOU
16
MEL
18
NEW
22
NZL
36
BRI
26
PEN
7
GCT
2
WTI
2
CBY
1
Sydney RoostersNQL
24
SOU
8
PEN
8
CAN
28
CRO
8
BRI
4
MEL
1
SGI
2
WTI
32
CBY
14
XMEL
22
CRO
6
NZL
4
SGI
5
GCT
10
XPEN
20
NZL
24
WTI
25
CBY
10
NEW
16
PAR
10
BRI
2
MAN
36
SOU
30
MEL
2
CBY
26
BRI
19
Wests TigersGCT
1
SGI
18
SOU
14
CBY
1
PAR
16
NZL
10
CAN
8
CBY
24
SYD
32
NEW
10
NQL
8
XGCT
7
SOU
28
MAN
10
PEN
23
PAR
12
XBRI
26
SYD
25
MEL
18
CAN
2
NEW
6
CRO
22
NZL
34
SGI
2
Team1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526F1F2F3GF

Bold – Opposition's Home game
X – Bye
Opponent for round listed above margin

Ladder

Ladder progression

Team1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526
1 Sydney2246666681012141416182022242628303234363840
2 Brisbane02468101012141416182022242628303234343436363838
3 North Queensland 000246810121416182022242426283032343434363638
4 Melbourne2244681010121416161818181820202224242628283032
5 Canterbury-Bankstown024666888810121414161820202222222426283032
6 Cronulla-Sutherland000024666810101214161818202224262828303232
7 South Sydney24668888101012141616182020222426282830303030
8 St. George Illawarra0024681012121416181820202020202020222424262628
9 Manly-Warringah022222246688810121214161618202224242426
10 Canberra22224468101010101214141416181820202020202224
11 Penrith2444466881012121214141618181818181820202022
12 Parramatta222444666668810121416181818182020222222
13 New Zealand0244466681012141414161820222222222222222222
14 Gold Coast000224688810101214141416161616181818202222
15 Wests24446668888101012121212141414161818182020
16 Newcastle2468888881010101012121214141616161618202020

Finals series

A new record was set for overall attendance in Week 1 of the Finals with a combined total of 131,794.
† Match decided in golden point extra time.

Chart

Grand final

Regular season player statistics

The following statistics are of the conclusion of Round 26.
Top 5 point scorers
PointsPlayerTriesGoalsField Goals
236 Jarrod Croker12940
226 James Maloney9942
197 Pat Richards17641
176 Johnathan Thurston3804
176 Gareth Widdop9700

Top 5 try scorers
TriesPlayer
24 Semi Radradra
22 Curtis Rona
17 Alex Johnston
17 Pat Richards
17 James Tedesco

Top 5 goal scorers
GoalsPlayer
94 James Maloney
94 Jarrod Croker
80 Johnathan Thurston
70 Gareth Widdop
68 Michael Gordon

Top 5 tacklers
TacklesPlayer
1140 Andrew McCullough
1092 Simon Mannering
1034 Cameron Smith
1024 Shaun Fensom
965 Elijah Taylor

2015 Transfers

Players

Player2014 Club2015 Club
Ben Barba Brisbane Broncos Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
David Hala Brisbane Broncos Gold Coast Titans
Ben Hannant Brisbane Broncos North Queensland Cowboys
Josh Hoffman Brisbane Broncos Gold Coast Titans
Martin Kennedy Brisbane BroncosSuspension
Todd Lowrie Brisbane BroncosRetirement
Terry Campese Canberra Raiders Super League: Hull Kingston Rovers
Tom Learoyd-Lahrs Canberra Raiders Melbourne Storm
Anthony Milford Canberra Raiders Brisbane Broncos
Reece Robinson Canberra Raiders Parramatta Eels
Bill Tupou Canberra Raiders Super League: Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Brett White Canberra RaidersRetirement
Mitch Brown Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Michael Ennis Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Dale Finucane Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Melbourne Storm
Krisnan Inu Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsStade Français
Reni Maitua Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Featherstone Rovers
Todd Carney Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Super League: Catalans Dragons
Isaac De Gois Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Parramatta Eels
Bryce Gibbs Cronulla-Sutherland SharksRetirement
Daniel Holdsworth Cronulla-Sutherland SharksRetirement
John Morris Cronulla-Sutherland SharksRetirement
Beau Ryan Cronulla-Sutherland SharksRetirement
Nathan Stapleton Cronulla-Sutherland SharksN/A
Siosaia Vave Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Jonathan Wright Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks New Zealand Warriors
Luke Bailey Gold Coast TitansRetirement
Maurice Blair Gold Coast Titans Super League: Hull Kingston Rovers
Ashley Harrison Gold Coast TitansRetirement
Albert Kelly Gold Coast Titans Super League: Hull Kingston Rovers
Steve Michaels Gold Coast Titans Super League: Hull F.C.
Mark Minichiello Gold Coast Titans Super League: Hull F.C.
Brad Takairangi Gold Coast Titans Parramatta Eels
Daniel Harrison Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles London Broncos
Jason King Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesRetirement
Glenn Stewart Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles South Sydney Rabbitohs
Anthony Watmough Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Parramatta Eels
Ryan Hoffman Melbourne Storm New Zealand Warriors
Junior Moors Melbourne Storm Super League: Castleford Tigers
Bryan Norrie Melbourne StormRetirement
Justin O'Neill Melbourne Storm North Queensland Cowboys
Ben Roberts Melbourne Storm Super League: Castleford Tigers
Joel Romelo Melbourne StormEastern Suburbs Tigers
George Rose Melbourne Storm St. George Illawarra Dragons
Sisa Waqa Melbourne Storm Canberra Raiders
Darius Boyd Newcastle Knights Brisbane Broncos
Adam Cuthbertson Newcastle Knights Super League: Leeds Rhinos
Michael Dobson Newcastle Knights Super League: Salford Red Devils
Willie Mason Newcastle Knights Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Alex McKinnon Newcastle KnightsRetirement
Timana Tahu Newcastle KnightsRetirement
Zane Tetevano Newcastle KnightsN/A
Travis Waddell Newcastle Knights Brisbane Broncos
Jayson Bukuya New Zealand Warriors Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Suaia Matagi New Zealand Warriors Sydney Roosters
Feleti Mateo New Zealand Warriors Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Dane Nielsen New Zealand Warriors St. George Illawarra Dragons
Jerome Ropati New Zealand WarriorsRetirement
Anthony Mitchell North Queensland CowboysTownsville Blackhawks
Ashton Sims North Queensland Cowboys Super League: Warrington Wolves
Tariq Sims North Queensland Cowboys Newcastle Knights
Brent Tate North Queensland CowboysRetirement
Ricky Thorby North Queensland CowboysTownsville Blackhawks
Mitchell Allgood Parramatta Eels Super League: Hull Kingston Rovers
Jarryd Hayne Parramatta EelsSan Francisco 49ers
Fuifui Moimoi Parramatta Eels Leigh Centurions
Lee Mossop Parramatta Eels Super League: Wigan Warriors
Ken Sio Parramatta Eels Super League: Hull Kingston Rovers
Ben Smith Parramatta EelsRetirement
Willie Tonga Parramatta Eels Super League: Catalans Dragons
Tim Grant Penrith Panthers South Sydney Rabbitohs
Kevin Kingston Penrith PanthersRetirement
Kevin Naiqama Penrith Panthers Wests Tigers
Wes Naiqama Penrith Panthers London Broncos
Matt Robinson Penrith Panthers Gold Coast Titans
Ryan Simpkins Penrith Panthers Gold Coast Titans
Luke Burgess South Sydney Rabbitohs Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Sam Burgess South Sydney RabbitohsBath
Beau Champion South Sydney Rabbitohs Parramatta Eels
Nathan Merritt South Sydney RabbitohsRetirement
Joe Picker South Sydney RabbitohsRetirement
Ben Te'o South Sydney RabbitohsLeinster
Lote Tuqiri South Sydney RabbitohsRetirement
Gerard Beale St. George Illawarra Dragons Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Bronson Harrison St. George Illawarra DragonsRetirement
Dan Hunt St. George Illawarra DragonsRetirement
Brett Morris St. George Illawarra Dragons Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Adam Quinlan St. George Illawarra Dragons Super League: St. Helens
Kyle Stanley St. George Illawarra DragonsRetirement
Jack Stockwell St. George Illawarra Dragons Newcastle Knights
Michael Witt St. George Illawarra DragonsRetirement
Rémi Casty Sydney Roosters Super League: Catalans Dragons
Heath L'Estrange Sydney Roosters St. George Illawarra Dragons
Anthony Minichiello Sydney RoostersRetirement
Daniel Mortimer Sydney Roosters Gold Coast Titans
Frank-Paul Nu'uausala Sydney Roosters Canberra Raiders
Sonny Bill Williams Sydney RoostersCounties Manukau
Braith Anasta Wests TigersRetirement
Blake Austin Wests Tigers Canberra Raiders
Adam Blair Wests Tigers Brisbane Broncos
Liam Fulton Wests TigersRetirement
Cory Paterson Wests Tigers Super League: Salford Red Devils
Bodene Thompson Wests Tigers New Zealand Warriors
Daryl Millard Super League: Catalans Dragons South Sydney Rabbitohs
Sam Williams Super League: Catalans Dragons Canberra Raiders
Antonio Kaufusi Super League: Huddersfield Giants Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Greg Eden Super League: Hull Kingston Rovers Brisbane Broncos
Josh Hodgson Super League: Hull Kingston Rovers Canberra Raiders
Josh Drinkwater Super League: London Broncos Wests Tigers
Willie Manu Super League: St. Helens Sydney Roosters
Iosia Soliola Super League: St. Helens Canberra Raiders
Blake Green Super League: Wigan Warriors Melbourne Storm
Eddy Pettybourne Super League: Wigan Warriors Gold Coast Titans
Richie Fa'aosoN/A Parramatta Eels
Blake FergusonN/A Sydney Roosters
Lagi SetuN/A Sydney Roosters
Danny WicksSuspension Parramatta Eels

Coaches