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Melbourne will get a round three shot at grand final revenge in a likely Friday night ratings bonanza against the Broncos next season as minor premiers Canberra are the surprise Magic Round casualties in 2026.
The Storm will host a likely sold-out Friday, March 30 grand final rematch at AAMI Park, marking their first clash with Brisbane since going down in one of the most thrilling deciders in rugby league history.
Brisbane’s Reece Walsh and Melbourne’s Cameron Munster.Credit: Getty Images
The Broncos’ pulsating 26-22 grand final win – with superstar Reece Walsh claiming Clive Churchill Medal honours – drew the largest TV audience in NRL history, with an average of 4.46 million viewers tuning in on grand final day.
The results were put down to a combination of Brisbane and Melbourne’s respective drawing power in key major cities, along with Sydneysiders’ appetite for the game after a spellbinding finals series.
Free-to-air broadcasters Channel Nine and Fox Sports would anticipate huge interest once more when the Broncos and Storm clash again early next season given the prime-time Friday night slot, growing rivalry between the clubs and pulling power of stars like Walsh and Cameron Munster.
The full NRL draw will be announced on Friday.
Canberra, meanwhile, have been handed the Magic Round bye despite being one of the game’s most entertaining teams last season.
The Canberra Raiders will miss Magic Round despite being one of the NRL’s most entertaining sides in 2025.Credit: Getty Images
The 2025 minor premiers rounded out last year’s event at Suncorp Stadium with a last-gasp golden point win over Melbourne, making for five-straight wins as Ricky Stuart’s side surged up the ladder.
The Raiders will stay at home this season though as the odd side out, with Brisbane’s Sunday afternoon affair against the Warriors – always strongly supported in the Queensland capital – the best match of the round.
Magic Round’s scheduling from Friday, May 15 to 17 will mean the NRL’s mid-season marquee weekend will be the last games before Queensland and NSW pick their Origin I teams for the May 27 series opener.
Penrith play the Dragons in the last Sunday match of Magic Round, making for a potentially shorter build-up and a nervous wait for the likes of NSW hopefuls Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo, Brian To’o, Liam Martin and Dylan Edwards.
Cronulla and Canterbury will kick off the NRL side of things on Friday, May 15 at Suncorp Stadium, with the second women’s Origin held on Thursday night.
Wayne Bennett’s Rabbitohs will then take on his old Dolphins side in the second Friday night contest.
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The Tigers and Sea Eagles take the 3pm Saturday afternoon slot, while star Roosters recruit Reece Robson faces his old club the Cowboys afterwards. Melbourne and Parramatta round out the Saturday fixtures, while the Titans and Knights are the first game on Sunday.
The NRL has also confirmed Wagga Wagga will host the second NRLW Magic Round next year, with 12 clubs descending on the Riverina to play three games each on Saturday, August 1, and Sunday, August 2.
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