Round 4 of the 2025 NRL season has wrapped up, so we’re looking over the results and digging into three big takeaways from the weekend.
NRL Wrap
The early rounds of an NRL season often produce unexpected results and upsets. In Round 2, the Sydney Roosters produced an upset for the ages in beating the Penrith Panthers. That upset isn’t looking quite so impressive now after the Panthers lost their third straight for the first time since August 2019.
The South Sydney Rabbitohs blew them off the park to lead 28-0 at halftime before taking the chocolates with a 28-18 win.
Watch all the highlights from Souths v Panthers in Round 4 of the NRL Premiership. pic.twitter.com/ZpVuoyYZ2e
— NRL (@NRL) March 27, 2025
Having caused such a big upset a fortnight ago, the Roosters were upset themselves in Round 4. The Gold Coast Titans entered the match as underdogs with Keano Kini ruled out for the rest of the NRL season, but their attack is starting to fire and ran in 30 points on a strong Roosters defence. Later, the Brisbane Broncos did it tough to beat the Dolphins 20-12 at Suncorp Stadium. It wasn’t a particularly impressive victory which only adds more pressure to Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf and his winless start to the season.
Winless coming into Round 4, the St George Illawarra Dragons and North Queensland Cowboys got themselves in the winners circle for 2025.
The Dragons should have won in Round 2 before the bye but managed to blow a 24-12 lead. They’re a better team than their first two results suggested and proved as much in beating the Melbourne Storm 14-8 at Jubilee Stadium.
In contrast, Todd Payten had his job come under question following a sting of poor performances to start the NRL season. At home, searching for their first win and playing for their coach, the Cowboys found another gear to beat the Canberra Raiders 30-20.
Todd Payten wasn't happy with the officiating in his side's win over the Raiders… and believes comments made by Ricky Stuart last week 'had an effect' on the referees 😬
MORE 👉 https://t.co/OUJ8eJWuF6 pic.twitter.com/iZcnK84hPe
— Fox League (@FOXNRL) March 29, 2025
With the Storm losing earlier in the day, the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs are the last remaining unbeaten team in the NRL following their impressive 20-6 win over the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. Losing Kayal Iro and Siosifa Talakai didn’t help the Sharks, but the Bulldogs had laid a strong platform for victory before running at a depleted opposition.
Yet another injury to star fullback Tom Trbojevic overshadowed a 26-12 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles win over the Parramatta Eels. There is little light at the end of the tunnel for the Eels who scored a late consolation try to make the game appear closer than it was.
Finally, the New Zealand Warriors and Wests Tigers played out a Sunday evening banger at Campbelltown Stadium. Wests entered as favourites at home but the visitors finished strongest to take the two points back across the ditch with a 26-24 win.
3 Takeaways From Round 4
When Do We Start Worrying About The Panthers?
Not yet…
But the inevitability that they will put it all together and be the benchmark by the end of the NRL season isn’t so strong right now.
Their system is what has made them great. It still might. However, the loss of James Fisher-Harris in the middle of their kick chase and without Jarome Luai to pick up the slack without Nathan Cleary, the Panthers don’t look themselves.
🗣 "You haven't seen the real us yet."
Ivan Cleary takes responsibility for poor start, but declares the best is yet to come.
🎙 https://t.co/GxQfI4V2GQ #pantherpride 🐾 #NRLStormPanthers pic.twitter.com/VFpFjqe2eI
— Penrith Panthers 🐾 (@PenrithPanthers) March 27, 2025
Penrith played without Cleary and Dylan Edwards in this one. That much needs to be said and would be enough of an excuse for a poor performance for most teams. The Panthers aren’t most teams, though. We’ve seen them plug and play different players into the squad and win games time and time again. It’s not always pretty or exciting, but the Panthers find a way to get it done.
They never looked like finding a way against a Rabbitohs outfit who played without two of their best players – Cameron Murray and Latrell Mitchell.
We know better than to start worrying too much about the Panthers right now. They’ve made a habit of making slow starts over the last couple of NRL seasons. Still, it wouldn’t be a surprise to be questioning their place among the favourites in another 6-8 weeks from here.
Upcoming Draw: Cowboys, @ Dolphins, @ Roosters, Sea Eagles, Broncos
Are The Bulldogs The Real Deal?
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs started the year with premiership aspirations but were surrounded by doubts by those around them.
Their defence is of premiership-winning quality. History suggests you need a top-three defence to be in contention, and the Bulldogs are playing with one right now. But in beating the Sharks – a fellow contender and attacking powerhouse – without Matt Burton and Viliame Kikau, the Bulldogs have sealed themselves as the real deal for the time being.
They’re the only undefeated team in the NRL after starting the season 4-0 for the first time since 1993.
This group is playing with the grit and grind of past successful Bulldogs teams. It’s not always pretty. The Round 4 win over the Sharks certainly wasn’t one that will feature a lot of highlights. Still, they’re finding a way to win, and doing it without two of your best players is a positive sign for the back-end of the season.
Parra’s Struggles
Jason Ryles speaks positively in press conferences, but that positivity isn’t making it onto the footy field. The final 26-12 scoreline against the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles is flattering. A late try in the final minute added some respectability to another disappointing performance.
The numbers make for bleak reading.
- 45% possession
- 73% completion rate
- -458 net running metres
- 2 linebreaks made
- 6 linebreaks conceded
- 12 errors
Zac Lomax continues to bring everything he can to the side, floating between wing and centre on both sides of the ball. Isaiah Iongi has displayed some promising signs, too. But the main concerns come through the middle.
No Eels forward cracked 100 running metres against the Sea Eagles.
Even if Mitchell Moses was healthy and available, he can’t do much behind a beaten pack.
Ryles has some moves he can make to the team. Bryce Cartwright, Wiremu Greig, Bailey Simonsson and Ryan Matterson are languishing in reserve grade. He needs to find some answers soon before his seat starts to heat up.