2026 NRL Pre-season Challenge

2026 NRL Pre-season Challenge
Duration7 – 22 February 2026
Teams16
PremiersParramatta Eels (1st title)
Matches played16
Points scored823

The 2026 NRL Pre-season Challenge of the National Rugby League was played from 7 to 22 February 2026, before a 7-day lead up until the beginning of the 2026 NRL season.[1]

Parramatta Eels claimed the A$100,000 prize for finishing atop the ladder at the end of the competition.

Background

The Brisbane Broncos did not participate in the Pre-season Challenge as they were in the United Kingdom contesting the 2026 World Club Challenge.[2]

Standings

The winner of the Pre-season Challenge receives $100,000 AUD. Twelve competition points are awarded for a win and six for a draw. One bonus competition point is awarded for each of the following: 5 or more tries, 5 or more line breaks, and 10 or more offloads.

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD BP Pts
1 Parramatta Eels 2 2 0 0 68 28 +40 6 30
2 Gold Coast Titans 2 2 0 0 66 24 +42 5 29
3 Wests Tigers 2 2 0 0 68 38 +30 5 29
4 North Queensland Cowboys 2 2 0 0 100 54 +46 3 27
5 South Sydney Rabbitohs 2 2 0 0 58 30 +28 3 27
6 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 2 1 0 1 58 34 +24 4 16
7 Dolphins 2 1 0 1 50 58 −8 4 16
8 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 2 1 0 1 54 46 +8 3 15
9 St. George Illawarra Dragons 2 1 0 1 52 46 +6 3 15
10 Canberra Raiders 2 1 0 1 38 54 −16 3 15
11 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 2 1 0 1 39 48 −9 2 14
12 Sydney Roosters 2 0 0 2 48 70 −22 3 3
13 New Zealand Warriors 2 0 0 2 52 71 −19 2 2
14 Newcastle Knights 2 0 0 2 18 56 −38 2 2
15 Melbourne Storm 2 0 0 2 18 74 −56 1 1
16 Penrith Panthers 2 0 0 2 36 92 −56 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on 22 February 2026. Source: NRL.com

Fixtures

First week

Saturday, 7 February Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 30–34 North Queensland Cowboys Jubilee Stadium, Sydney
16:30 AEST (UTC+10:00)
 Tries:
Matamua rugby ball 37'
Fitzgibbon rugby ball 46'
Toy rugby ball 57'
Grossemy rugby ball 63'
Rauqe rugby ball 66'
Nassar rugby ball 77'
Goals:
Sua rugby goalposts icon 38' (1/3)
Fitzgibbon rugby goalposts icon 67', 78' (2/3)
 Report
Tries:
Luki rugby ball 5'
Derby rugby ball 15', 21'
Laybutt rugby ball 17'
O'Donnell rugby ball 26'
Barber rugby ball 75'
Goals:
Clifford rugby goalposts icon 7', 19', 23', 28' (4/5)
Sutton rugby goalposts icon 75' (1/1)
Attendance: 3,926
Referee: Liam Kennedy
Saturday, 7 February St. George Illawarra Dragons 28–18 Newcastle Knights Jubilee Stadium, Sydney
18:30 AEST (UTC+10:00)
 Tries:
Reed rugby ball 12'
Tu rugby ball 23'
Kerr rugby ball 49'
Feagai rugby ball 69'
Buchanan rugby ball 75'
Sloan rugby ball 77'
Goals:
Reed rugby goalposts icon 13', 25' (2/5)
O'Neill (0/0)
 Report
Tries:
McCarthy rugby ball 16'
Jones rugby ball 27'
Schiller rugby ball 31'
Cant rugby ball 64'
Goals:
Cant rugby goalposts icon 66' (1/1)
Smith (0/3)
Attendance: 3,926
Referee: Peter Gough

Second week

Thursday, 12 February Dolphins 12–24 Gold Coast Titans Kayo Stadium, Redcliffe
19:00 AEST (UTC+10:00)
 Tries:
Flegler rugby ball 50'
Garton rugby ball 55'
Goals:
Bowles rugby goalposts icon 52', 56' (2/2)
 Report
Tries:
Ilias rugby ball 9'
Fotuaika rugby ball 12'
Ieremia rugby ball 66'
Steinwede rugby ball 69'
Morrin rugby ball 77'
Goals:
Harrison rugby goalposts icon 14' (3/4)
Baira rugby goalposts icon 78' (1/1)
Sin bin:
De Groot yellow card 46' to 56'
Attendance: 10,023
Referee: Wyatt Raymond
Friday, 13 February Canberra Raiders 32–6 Melbourne Storm Seiffert Oval, Queanbeyan
16:30 AEST (UTC+10:00)
 Tries:
Asomua rugby ball 18', 35'
Innes rugby ball 44'
Finau rugby ball 50', 77'
Afamasaga rugby ball 53'
Kris rugby ball 67'
Goals:
Alaia rugby goalposts icon 54' (1/3)
Stewart rugby goalposts icon 69' (1/3)
Darmody (0/1)
Sin bin:
Tuialii yellow card 71' to 80'
 Report
Tries:
Williams rugby ball 72'
Goals:
Murgha rugby goalposts icon 54' (1/1)
Attendance: 7,310
Referee: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski
Friday, 13 February North Queensland Cowboys 66–24 Penrith Panthers BB Print Stadium, Mackay
19:00 AEST (UTC+10:00)
 Tries:
Burns rugby ball 2', 13'
Purdue rugby ball 5'
Drinkwater rugby ball 11'
Clifford rugby ball 21', 32'
Luki rugby ball 35'
Taulagi rugby ball 40'
O'Donnell rugby ball 52', 60', 64'
Mikaele rugby ball 78'
Goals:
Drinkwater rugby goalposts icon 7', 12', 15', 22', 36', 40' (6/8)
Sutton rugby goalposts icon 53' (1/1)
Clifford rugby goalposts icon 61', 79' (2/3)
Sin bin:
Laybutt yellow card 26' to 36'
 Report
Tries:
McLean rugby ball 42'
Liddiard rugby ball 67'
Skipps rugby ball 70', 76'
Goals:
Falls rugby goalposts icon 43' (1/1)
Clarke rugby goalposts icon 68', 72', 77' (3/3)
Referee: Jarrod Cole
Saturday, 14 February New Zealand Warriors 18–33 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles McLean Park, Napier
12:40 AEST (UTC+10:00)
 Tries:
Leiataua rugby ball 4', 38'
Tauafiafi-Iutoi rugby ball 71'
Tafua rugby ball 75'
Goals:
Boyd rugby goalposts icon 40' (1/2)
Norris (0/1)
Inch (0/1)
 Report
Tries:
Bryan rugby ball 10'
Hart rugby ball 30', 43'
Faulalo rugby ball 34'
Wilson rugby ball 58'
Muagututia rugby ball 78'
Goals:
Wakeham rugby goalposts icon 11', 32', 59', 79' (4/6)
Drop goals:
Walsh rugby goalposts icon 80' (1/1)
Attendance: 13,575
Referee: Ashley Klein
Saturday, 14 February Wests Tigers 42–26 Sydney Roosters McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
14:50 AEST (UTC+10:00)
 Report

Attendance: 8,358
Referee: Kieren Irons
Saturday, 14 February Newcastle Knights 0–28 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
17:00 AEST (UTC+10:00)
 1st: 0–16
2nd: 0–12
Report
Tries:
Sua rugby ball 15'
Burton rugby ball 19'
Salmon rugby ball 33'
Kikau rugby ball 64'
Toy rugby ball 74'
Goals:
Crichton 2/3 rugby goalposts icon 21', 35'

O'Sullivan 2/2 rugby goalposts icon 65', 75'
Attendance: 8,358
Referee: Liam Kennedy
Saturday, 14 February St. George Illawarra Dragons 24–28 South Sydney Rabbitohs WIN Stadium, Wollongong
19:10 AEST (UTC+10:00)
 Report

Referee: Gerard Sutton
Sunday, 15 February Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 6–40 Parramatta Eels Henson Park, Sydney
17:00 AEST (UTC+10:00)
 Report

Attendance: 8,972
Referee: Tyson Brough

Third week

Friday, 20 February New Zealand Warriors 34–38 Dolphins Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
17:00 AEST (UTC+10:00)
 Tries:
Ford rugby ball 4'
Egan rugby ball 24'
Watene-Zelezniak rugby ball 36', 58'
Leiataua rugby ball 54'
Ieremia-Toeava rugby ball 60'
Goals:
Boyd rugby goalposts icon 6', 26', 37', 55' (4/5)
Tuaupiki rugby goalposts icon 62' (1/1)
Sin bin:
Ford yellow card 12' to 22'
 Report
Tries:
Cobbo rugby ball 9'
Schneider rugby ball 19'
Fuller rugby ball 42'
Isaako rugby ball 46'
Naufahu rugby ball 69'
Fineanganofo rugby ball 72'
Pouniu rugby ball 75'
Goals:
Isaako rugby goalposts icon 20', 44' (2/4)
Schneider rugby goalposts icon 70', 73', 76' (3/3)
Sin bin:
Molo yellow card 53' to 63'
Referee: Grant Atkins
Friday, 20 February Wests Tigers 26–12 Penrith Panthers Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
19:10 AEST (UTC+10:00)
 Report

Referee: Ashley Klein
Saturday, 21 February Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 48–6 Canberra Raiders polytec Stadium, Gosford
14:50 AEST (UTC+11:00)
 Report

Referee: Gerard Sutton
Saturday, 21 February Sydney Roosters 22–28 Parramatta Eels polytec Stadium, Gosford
17:00 AEST (UTC+10:00)
 Report

Referee: Wyatt Raymond
Saturday, 21 February Melbourne Storm 12–42 Gold Coast Titans Sunshine Coast Stadium, Sunshine Coast
19:10 AEST (UTC+10:00)
 Report

Attendance: 10,062
Referee: Peter Gough
Sunday, 22 February South Sydney Rabbitohs 30–6 Manly Sea Eagles Glen Willow Oval, Mudgee
15:00 AEST (UTC+10:00)
 Report

Referee: Todd Smith

See also

References

  1. ↑ "2026 Draw Debrief: Witzer Pre-Season schedule revealed". NRL.com. 14 November 2025.
  2. ↑ "Brisbane Broncos to Face Hull KR in 2026 World Club Challenge". broncos.com.au. 6 November 2025. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
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