The fourth round of the 2025 NRL season saw multiple highlights, including the Melbourne Storm upset by the St George Illawarra Dragons, Canterbury Bulldogs move to the top of the ladder and South Sydney Rabbitohs win against the four-time premiers.
Bulldogs remain unbeaten, move to first
In a round that saw the Sydney Roosters, Penrith Panthers and Melbourne Storm all lose in the same weekend for the first time since 2017, the Canterbury Bulldogs remain the only undefeated team in the NRL.
Winning four consecutive matches to begin the season for the first time since 1993, the 20-6 win against the Cronulla Sharks moves the Bulldogs to the top of the NRL ladder, solidifying them as a premiership contender.
Still, without Australian Kangaroos candidate Jacob Kiraz, Origin representative Matt Burton, and George Peponis Medal winner Viliame Kikau, the Bulldogs didn’t slow down; instead, they stood up to the occasion at Shark Park.
While the Bulldogs outperformed their opponents without a trio of stars, the Sharks remained inconsistent throughout the contest, with Nicho Hynes failing to perform when it mattered most.
“They were good and strong, they outworked us a little bit,” Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon said.
“Every time we got there we turned it over or we didn’t execute. They outplayed us today.”
Skip's first of the year 🫡 pic.twitter.com/VrG6BJ7UwG
— Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (@NRL_Bulldogs) March 29, 2025
Dragons upset premiership contenders
The St George Illawarra Dragons took full advantage of a Melbourne Storm team that was without Jahrome Hughes, Nick Meaney and Nelson Asofa-Solomona creating the upset of Round 4.
Winning by six points in a match that went down to the final seconds of the match, the Dragons stood tall through their recruits Clinton Gutherson and Valentine Holmes as well as hooker Jacob Liddle who was instrumental coming off the interchange bench and making an immediate impact.
Holmes and Liddle both crossed the line for a try, while back-rower Jadyn Su’A was one of the team’s best on the field as he led them in defence and out-manoeuvred their opponents in wet and rainy conditions at Koograh.
“‘Lids’ comes on and gives us that bit of speed out of dummy half and another threat,” Flanagan said on the dummy-half who came on for Damien Cook throughout the clash.
“It’s really important, they (starting hooker Damien Cook and Liddle) are a tag team.
“‘Lids’ had a bad preseason, three hand surgeries, didn’t train a lot, so he’s coming good at the right time.”
We’re all Gutho right now 🙌#BreatheFire pic.twitter.com/ioCTqplzA4
— St George Illawarra Dragons (@NRL_Dragons) March 29, 2025
Rabbitohs surprise Penrith with dominant win
In one of their worst losses over the past five years, the Penrith Panthers were humiliated by the Rabbitohs in the opening half of the match which saw them enter with a 28-0 deficit heading into the break.
Losing three consecutive matches for the first time since 2019, Penrith were a much better team in the second-half but the onslaught in the opening 40 minutes was too much to handle and they weren’t able to come back into the clash.
However, at one stage, it did look as though the four-time reigning premiers were set to pull off a miraculous comeback only for a controversial decision made by the bunker to set them back once front-rower Moses Leota crossed the line to what everyone thought was a try.
“We just haven’t got any rhythm in the way we’re playing,” Penrith head coach Ivan Cleary said.
“We’re going to need to find it really soon. Once we get that, we will have a better idea of how we’re going.
“I get the narrative, I get where you’re going with this. I’m sure no-one is crying for us.
“But you haven’t seen the real us yet. Once we do, then you can start making judgements on stuff like that.”
Didn’t take long for AJ to find the try line again 🐰❤️💚 pic.twitter.com/wDI0YoxdrR
— South Sydney Rabbitohs 🐰 (@SSFCRABBITOHS) March 30, 2025