The 2026 NRL Pre-season Challenge of the National Rugby League was played from 7 to 22 February 2026, before a 7-day lead up until the beginning of the 2026 NRL season. ^[1]

Contents

• Background
• Standings
• Fixtures
• First week
• Second week
• Third week
• See also
• References

Parramatta Eels claimed the A$100,000 prize for finishing atop the ladder at the end of the competition.

Background

The Brisbane Broncos did not participate in the Pre-season Challenge as they were in the United Kingdom contesting the 2026 World Club Challenge. ^[2]

Standings

The winner of the Pre-season Challenge receives $100,000 AUD. Twelve competition points are awarded for a win and six for a draw. One bonus competition point is awarded for each of the following: 5 or more tries, 5 or more line breaks, and 10 or more offloads.

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	BP	Pts
1	Parramatta Eels	2	2	0	0	68	28	+40	6	30
2	Gold Coast Titans	2	2	0	0	66	24	+42	5	29
3	Wests Tigers	2	2	0	0	68	38	+30	5	29
4	North Queensland Cowboys	2	2	0	0	100	54	+46	3	27
5	South Sydney Rabbitohs	2	2	0	0	58	30	+28	3	27
6	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	2	1	0	1	58	34	+24	4	16
7	Dolphins	2	1	0	1	50	58	−8	4	16
8	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	2	1	0	1	54	46	+8	3	15
9	St. George Illawarra Dragons	2	1	0	1	52	46	+6	3	15
10	Canberra Raiders	2	1	0	1	38	54	−16	3	15
11	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	2	1	0	1	39	48	−9	2	14
12	Sydney Roosters	2	0	0	2	48	70	−22	3	3
13	New Zealand Warriors	2	0	0	2	52	71	−19	2	2
14	Newcastle Knights	2	0	0	2	18	56	−38	2	2
15	Melbourne Storm	2	0	0	2	18	74	−56	1	1
16	Penrith Panthers	2	0	0	2	36	92	−56	0	0

Fixtures

First week

Saturday, 7 February	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	30–34	North Queensland Cowboys	Jubilee Stadium, Sydney
16:30 AEST (UTC+10:00)	Tries: Matamua  37' Fitzgibbon  46' Toy  57' Grossemy  63' Rauqe  66' Nassar  77' Goals: Sua  38'(1/3) Fitzgibbon  67', 78'(2/3)	Report	Tries: Luki  5' Derby  15', 21' Laybutt  17' O'Donnell  26' Barber  75' Goals: Clifford  7', 19', 23', 28'(4/5) Sutton  75'(1/1)	Attendance: 3,926 Referee: Liam Kennedy

Saturday, 7 February	St. George Illawarra Dragons	28–18	Newcastle Knights	Jubilee Stadium, Sydney
18:30 AEST (UTC+10:00)	Tries: Reed  12' Tu  23' Kerr  49' Feagai  69' Buchanan  75' Sloan  77' Goals: Reed  13', 25'(2/5) O'Neill (0/0)	Report	Tries: McCarthy  16' Jones  27' Schiller  31' Cant  64' Goals: Cant  66'(1/1) Smith (0/3)	Attendance: 3,926 Referee: Peter Gough

Second week

Thursday, 12 February	Dolphins	12–24	Gold Coast Titans	Kayo Stadium, Redcliffe
19:00 AEST (UTC+10:00)	Tries: Flegler  50' Garton  55' Goals: Bowles  52', 56'(2/2)	Report	Tries: Ilias  9' Fotuaika  12' Ieremia  66' Steinwede  69' Morrin  77' Goals: Harrison  14'(3/4) Baira  78'(1/1) Sin bin: De Groot 46' to 56'	Attendance: 10,023 Referee: Wyatt Raymond

Friday, 13 February	Canberra Raiders	32–6	Melbourne Storm	Seiffert Oval, Queanbeyan
16:30 AEST (UTC+10:00)	Tries: Asomua  18', 35' Innes  44' Finau  50', 77' Afamasaga  53' Kris  67' Goals: Alaia  54'(1/3) Stewart  69'(1/3) Darmody (0/1) Sin bin: Tuialii 71' to 80'	Report	Tries: Williams  72' Goals: Murgha  54'(1/1)	Attendance: 7,310 Referee: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski

Friday, 13 February	North Queensland Cowboys	66–24	Penrith Panthers	BB Print Stadium, Mackay
19:00 AEST (UTC+10:00)	Tries: Burns  2', 13' Purdue  5' Drinkwater  11' Clifford  21', 32' Luki  35' Taulagi  40' O'Donnell  52', 60', 64' Mikaele  78' Goals: Drinkwater  7', 12', 15', 22', 36', 40'(6/8) Sutton  53'(1/1) Clifford  61', 79'(2/3) Sin bin: Laybutt 26' to 36'	Report	Tries: McLean  42' Liddiard  67' Skipps  70', 76' Goals: Falls  43'(1/1) Clarke  68', 72', 77'(3/3)	Referee: Jarrod Cole

Saturday, 14 February	New Zealand Warriors	18–33	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	McLean Park, Napier
12:40 AEST (UTC+10:00)	Tries: Leiataua  4', 38' Tauafiafi-Iutoi  71' Tafua  75' Goals: Boyd  40'(1/2) Norris (0/1) Inch (0/1)	Report	Tries: Bryan  10' Hart  30', 43' Faulalo  34' Wilson  58' Muagututia  78' Goals: Wakeham  11', 32', 59', 79'(4/6) Drop goals: Walsh  80'(1/1)	Attendance: 13,575 Referee: Ashley Klein

Saturday, 14 February	Wests Tigers	42–26	Sydney Roosters	McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
14:50 AEST (UTC+10:00)		Report		Attendance: 8,358 Referee: Kieren Irons

Saturday, 14 February	Newcastle Knights	0–28	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
17:00 AEST (UTC+10:00)		1st: 0–16 2nd: 0–12 Report	Tries: Sua  15' Burton  19' Salmon  33' Kikau  64' Toy  74' Goals: Crichton 2/3  21', 35' O'Sullivan 2/2  65', 75'	Attendance: 8,358 Referee: Liam Kennedy

See also: Charity Shield (NRL)

Saturday, 14 February	St. George Illawarra Dragons	24–28	South Sydney Rabbitohs	WIN Stadium, Wollongong
19:10 AEST (UTC+10:00)		Report		Referee: Gerard Sutton

Sunday, 15 February	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	6–40	Parramatta Eels	Henson Park, Sydney
17:00 AEST (UTC+10:00)		Report		Attendance: 8,972 Referee: Tyson Brough

Third week

Friday, 20 February	New Zealand Warriors	34–38	Dolphins	Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
17:00 AEST (UTC+10:00)	Tries: Ford  4' Egan  24' Watene-Zelezniak  36', 58' Leiataua  54' Ieremia-Toeava  60' Goals: Boyd  6', 26', 37', 55'(4/5) Tuaupiki  62'(1/1) Sin bin: Ford 12' to 22'	Report	Tries: Cobbo  9' Schneider  19' Fuller  42' Isaako  46' Naufahu  69' Fineanganofo  72' Pouniu  75' Goals: Isaako  20', 44'(2/4) Schneider  70', 73', 76'(3/3) Sin bin: Molo 53' to 63'	Referee: Grant Atkins

Friday, 20 February	Wests Tigers	26–12	Penrith Panthers	Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
19:10 AEST (UTC+10:00)		Report		Referee: Ashley Klein

Saturday, 21 February	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	48–6	Canberra Raiders	polytec Stadium, Gosford
14:50 AEST (UTC+11:00)		Report		Referee: Gerard Sutton

Saturday, 21 February	Sydney Roosters	22–28	Parramatta Eels	polytec Stadium, Gosford
17:00 AEST (UTC+10:00)		Report		Referee: Wyatt Raymond

Saturday, 21 February	Melbourne Storm	12–42	Gold Coast Titans	Sunshine Coast Stadium, Sunshine Coast
19:10 AEST (UTC+10:00)		Report		Attendance: 10,062 Referee: Peter Gough

Sunday, 22 February	South Sydney Rabbitohs	30–6	Manly Sea Eagles	Glen Willow Oval, Mudgee
15:00 AEST (UTC+10:00)		Report		Referee: Todd Smith

See also

• 2026 NRL season
• 2026 NRL season results

References