1m agoThu 14 Aug 2025 at 8:35am
ANALYSIS: The most improved players of the 2025 NRL season
By Michael Doyle
By Michael Doyle
When Kaeo Weekes faced his former club for the first time in 2025, he had one of the toughest nights of his career.
He finished the rematch as one of Canberra and the NRL’s newest and most dazzling stars.
ABC Sport’s Nick Campton has taken a look at the most improved players of the 2025 NRL season.
NRL Round 24 fixtures
By Michael Doyle
By Michael Doyle
All times are in AEST
Payne Haas reported defection to Samoa to boost international rugby league for World Cup
By Michael Doyle
By Michael Doyle
Outgoing Australia coach Mal Meninga says Payne Haas’s call to defect to Samoa will make international rugby league more competitive.
Reports on Thursday linked the NRL’s best prop with a change in eligibility, with 25-year-old Haas set to begin preferencing his Samoan roots over the Kangaroos in future international fixtures.
It comes after months of speculation that Haas could join the likes of Brian To’o, Stephen Crichton and Jarome Luai as superstar players to have chosen Samoa over Australia in recent years.
Under international rugby league rules, a player eligible for a tier-one nation like Australia and a tier-two nation such as Samoa can change allegiance provided they do not represent both teams in the same calendar year.
The Brisbane Broncos star is of Samoan, Swiss and Filipino descent. He has played four Tests for Australia, scoring one try.
Four months ago, Haas told the media that he was considering changing his allegiance from Australia to Samoa.
AAP/ABC
What time does the NRL start tonight?
By Michael Doyle
By Michael Doyle
Tonight’s match between the Penrith Panthers and Melbourne Storm will be played at Western Sydney Stadium.
Here is the kick-off time, wherever you are across Australia:
- 7:50pm AEST: NSW, Vic, Qld, ACT, Tas
- 7:20pm ACST: South Australia, Norther Territory
- 5:50pm AWST: Western Australia
Welcome to the ABC Sport NRL live blog
By Michael Doyle
By Michael Doyle
Good evening, Australia.
Welcome back to ABC Sport’s live digital coverage of the 2025 NRL premiership season.
Round 24 begins tonight with a proper blockbuster: Penrith vs Melbourne.
The Panthers and Storm played in last year’s grand final, and they gave us a thrilling contest in round three of this season.
Tonight, a win for the Panthers will solidify them in fourth on the NRL ladder.
A win for the Storm will solidify them in second on the NRL ladder.
Join the conversation and let us know your thoughts on all things footy in the comment section.
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