Round 12 of the 2025 NRL season has wrapped up, so we’re looking over the results and digging into three big takeaways from the weekend.
Around The NRL
The State of Origin period can so often cause havoc as the best players are withdrawn from the game and fresh faces make their NRL debut. However, it’s not often that every underdog finds a way to take the two competition points.
Underdog Round kicked off with the Dolphins hammering the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 44-8 on Thursday night. Despite the awful conditions, the Dolphins moved the ball freely to find regular success down the edges. Isaiya Katoa, in particular, used his tempo to further bring the slippery conditions into play.
The Parramatta Eels continue to make steady improvements, this time without Mitchell Moses. While every win at this stage of the NRL season is prefaced with ‘the opposition was without Player A, B and C’ the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles weren’t short on talent. They entered the game as favourites for a reason. But at home and behind a strong pack, the Eels cruised to a 30-10 win.
A skipper’s knock 🫡⁰⁰Get @ActronAir for reliable performance⁰⁰#PARRAdise pic.twitter.com/oys9xkjKm4
— Parramatta Eels (@TheParraEels) May 24, 2025
It’s Round 12 and the Penrith Panthers are at the bottom of the NRL ladder…
This is always a tough period for the Panthers, but they’ve not navigated it from this far down the ladder in recent years. The Newcastle Knights flew out of the blocks in Bathurst to score three tries in the opening 11 minutes. A Dylan Lucas first-half hatrick did the job for the Knights as the beat the defending premiers 25-6.
This should have been a routine win for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks who weren’t impacted by State of Origin selections. The Sydney Roosters had other ideas, though. A Daniel Tupou double inside ten minutes set the table for a dominant 42-16 win in Gosford as the Roosters go equal on points with the Brisbane Broncos at 8th on the NRL ladder.
To finish Round 12, the Canberra Raiders hung on to beat the New Zealand Warriors 16-10 at Mt Smart Stadium. A contest unlike the rest this weekend, both teams were willing to enter the grind and play to the conditions. Canberra has struggled to put 80-minute performances together this season but found one here in front of a raucous home crowd.
Watch all the highlights as the Warriors take on the Raiders in Round 12!#NRLWarriorsRaiders pic.twitter.com/8O9A6DaaNb
— NRL (@NRL) May 25, 2025
3 Takeaways From Round 12
Roosters Back-Five Stand Up
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, as one of the best teams in the NRL, weren’t impacted by State of Origin selections. Unlike most teams towards the top of the ladder, they’re able to keep their cohesion and were expected to pile up points.
However, the Sydney Roosters still boasted an elite back-five on Saturday night.
James Tedesco – 1 try, 195 running metres, 1 try assist, 5 tackle breaks
Daniel Tupou – 2 tries, 143 running metres, 1 linebreak, 3 tackle breaks
Billy Smith – 16 runs, 125 running metres
Mark Nawaqanitawaase – 1 try, 112 running metres, 2 linebreak assists, 1 try assist, 4 tackle breaks
Dom Young – 1 try, 19 runs, 163 running metres, 2 linebreaks, 8 tackle breaks
It required the middle to do their job. Young and relatively inexperienced, the Roosters pack went toe-to-toe with the likes of Addin Fonua-Blake, Briton Nikora and Cameron McInnes. Behind it, the Roosters backline could do what they do best.
Galvin On The Move
The biggest news to come out of Round 12 came off the field as the Lachan Galvin saga appears to have come to an end.
BREAKING: Bulldogs have been made aware Lachlan Galvin wants to play for them. No deal finalised as yet @9NewsSyd @NRLonNine
— Danny Weidler (@Danny_Weidler) May 25, 2025
Although, the newsworthiness of his departure from the Wests Tigers has only grown with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs now looking to implement a young half into their top-of-the-table squad.
It’s an interesting decision from the front office with so much going right on the field at the moment. Toby Sexton and Matt Burton have strung together a strong partnership. Sexton is happy to control the side and provide service to the edges while using his short kicking game in good ball to influence the attack. Meanwhile, Burton is one of the most dangerous attacking weapons in the NRL on the left edge alongside Viliame Kikau.
The question now remains: How does Galvin fit?
His style of play at the Tigers doesn’t translate to the Bulldogs. Cameron Ciraldo plays percentages, to spots on the field, and the long game. Galvin is more likely to try his luck and run it on last tackle 50 metres from the line. At only 19-years old, he’s not going to control the team like Sexton does either.
Provided the deal is sorted early in the week, it’s all coming together perfectly with the Bulldogs now on the bye. They’re preparing to face the Parramatta Eels – the other Galvin suitors – when they return to the field in Round 14.
State Of Origin Impact
Every year the question is asked: Should the NRL season be paused for State of Origin?
The quality of the matches undoubtedly drops when 36 of the best players in the competition are removed. While seeing players debut and young guns given a crack can be exciting for the fans of that particular club, it’s of little interest to the neutral typically invested every week.
Now we have a round in which the underdog caused an upset in every game. If there has ever been an argument for a break in the interest of fairness to the most heavily-impacted teams (Sharks aside), it’s right now.
It won’t be a question asked on Wednesday night, though.
The NRL world will be forgotten for 80 minutes as the Queensland Maroons host the New South Wales Blues at Suncorp Stadium.
It’s a massive game for the Maroons, in particular. They can’t afford to drop one at home. Not when the Blues look this good on paper. Laurie Daley has made a stand by not selecting Terrell May. He’s looking for hard work, reliability and connection. That can be the foundation for their elite playmakers and electric outside backs to pile up points on talent alone.
How Cleary & Moses Work Together
"This won’t be your typical seven and six partnership. While Cleary might be the first look for Reece Robson at dummy half, Moses will have plenty of say on where the ball goes."https://t.co/qWVffZsoY5
— Rugby League Writers (@rlwriters) May 23, 2025
Queensland are at their best when extending the arm wrestle and taking the game deep into the second half. The longer it’s close, the better Queensland play. In Harry Grant, Cameron Munster, Kalyn Ponga and Daly Cherry-Evans, they have the strike to find the match-winner if it’s within reach late.
The opening exchanges will be crucial. If the Blues are able to get on the front foot early at Suncorp, it could be a long series for Billy Slater and the Maroons.