The 2020 National Rugby League finals series was a tournament staged to determine the winner of the 2020 Telstra Premiership season. The series was played over four weekends in October, culminating in the 2020 NRL Grand Final on 25 October 2020 at ANZ Stadium. The Grand Final was ultimately won by the second-placed Melbourne Storm, who defeated the minor premiers the Penrith Panthers 26–20.
The top eight teams from the 2020 NRL season qualify for the finals series. NRL finals series have been played under the current format since 2012.
Qualification
Venues and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic For the 2020 NRL Finals Series, the stadia will be permitted to hold up to 50% of capacity under New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and Queensland government guidelines. For the preliminary finals Lang Park's permitted capacity was increased to 75%.
Due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria, the Melbourne Storm will play their home finals at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane rather than their regular home ground of AAMI Park in Melbourne. Suncorp will hold two games, Canberra's GIO Stadium will host one match and Sydney will host the remaining six matches, between ANZ Stadium, Bankwest Stadium, Panthers Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground. BrisbaneCanberraSydneySuncorp StadiumGIO StadiumANZ StadiumCapacity: 52,500Capacity: 25,011Capacity: 83,500Games: 2Games: 1Games: 3SydneyBankwest StadiumPanthers StadiumSydney Cricket GroundCapacity: 30,000Capacity: 22,500Capacity: 46,000Games: 1Games: 1Games: 1
Finals structure
The system used for the 2020 NRL finals series is a final eight system. The top four teams in the eight receive the "double chance" when they play in week-one qualifying finals, such that if a top-four team loses in the first week it still remains in the finals, playing a semi-final the next week against the winner of an elimination final. The bottom four of the eight play knock-out games – only the winners survive and move on to the next week. Home ground advantage goes to the team with the higher ladder position in the first two weeks and to the qualifying final winners in the third week.
In the second week, the winners of the qualifying finals receive a bye to the third week. The losers of the qualifying final plays the elimination finals winners in a semi-final. In the third week, the winners of the semi-finals from week two play the winners of the qualifying finals in the first week. The winners of those matches move on to the Grand Final.
Bracket
Summary HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)VenueRefereesCrowd QUALIFYING & ELIMINATION FINALS Penrith Panthers 29 – 28 Sydney Roosters 2 October 2020, 7:50pm Panthers Stadium Gerard Sutton 7,209 Canberra Raiders 32 – 20 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 3 October 2020, 5:40pm GIO Stadium Canberra Grant Atkins 9,602 Melbourne Storm 36 – 24 Parramatta Eels 3 October 2020, 7:50pm Suncorp Stadium Ashley Klein 16,238 South Sydney Rabbitohs 46 – 20 Newcastle Knights 4 October 2020, 4:05pm ANZ Stadium Ben Cummins 17,212 SEMI FINALS Sydney Roosters 18 – 22 Canberra Raiders 9 October 2020, 7:55pm Sydney Cricket Ground Ashley Klein 18,110 Parramatta Eels 24 – 38 South Sydney Rabbitohs 10 October 2020, 7:50pm Bankwest Stadium Gerard Sutton 14,510 PRELIMINARY FINALS Melbourne Storm 30 – 10 Canberra Raiders 16 October 2020, 7:50pm Suncorp Stadium Ashley Klein 37,112 Penrith Panthers 20 – 16 South Sydney Rabbitohs 17 October 2020, 7:50pm ANZ Stadium Gerard Sutton 30,116 † Match decided in extra time.
Qualifying & elimination finals
1st Qualifying final
Team lists:FB1Dylan EdwardsWG2Josh MansourCE3Brent NadenCE4Stephen CrichtonWG5Brian To'oFE6Jarome LuaiHB7Nathan ClearyPR8James Tamou (c)HK9Apisai KoroisauPR10James Fisher-HarrisSR11Viliame KikauSR12Liam MartinLK13Isaah YeoSubstitutes:IC14Tyrone MayIC15Kurt CapewellIC16Moses LeotaIC17Zane TetevanoCoach:Ivan ClearyFB1James TedescoWG2Daniel TupouCE3Josh MorrisCE4Joseph ManuWG5Brett MorrisFE6Luke KearyHB7Kyle FlanaganPR8Jared Waerea-HargreavesHK9Freddy LussickPR10Siosuia TaukeiahoSR11Boyd Cordner (c)SR16Angus CrichtonLK13Isaac LiuSubstitutes:IC12Sitili TupouniuaIC15Lindsay CollinsIC18Nat ButcherIC19Mitchell AubussonCoach: Trent Robinson
1st Elimination final
Team lists:FB1Charnze Nicoll-KlokstadWG2Semi ValemeiCE3Jarrod Croker (c)CE4Jordan RapanaWG5Nick CotricFE6Jack WightonHB7George WilliamsPR8Josh PapaliiHK9Tom StarlingPR15Sia SoliolaSR11John BatemanSR12Elliott WhiteheadLK13Joseph TapineSubstitutes:IC10Dunamis LuiIC14Siliva HaviliIC16Hudson YoungIC17Corey Harawira-NaeraCoach:Ricky StuartFB1William KennedyWG2Sione KatoaCE3Josh DuganCE4Jesse RamienWG5Ronaldo MulitaloFE6Connor TraceyHB7Chad TownsendPR8Braden Hamlin-UeleHK9Blayke BraileyPR13Toby RudolfSR11Briton NikoraSR12Wade Graham (c)LK14Siosifa TalakaiSubstitutes:IC10Aaron WoodsIC15Scott SorensenIC16Andrew FifitaIC17Jack WilliamsCoach: John Morris
2nd Qualifying final
Team lists:FB1Ryan PapenhuyzenWG2Suliasi VunivaluCE3Brenko LeeCE4Justin OlamWG5Josh Addo-CarrFE6Cameron MunsterHB7Jahrome HughesPR8Jesse BromwichHK9Cameron Smith (c)PR10Christian WelchSR11Felise KaufusiSR12Kenny BromwichLK13Nelson Asofa-SolomonaSubstitutes:IC14Brandon SmithIC15Tino Fa'asuamaleauiIC17Nicho HynesIC22Chris LewisCoach:Craig BellamyFB1Clinton Gutherson (c)WG2Maika SivoCE3Michael JenningsCE4Waqa BlakeWG5Blake FergusonFE6Dylan BrownHB7Mitchell MosesPR8Reagan Campbell-GillardHK9Reed MahoneyPR10Junior PauloSR11Shaun LaneSR12Ryan MattersonLK13Nathan BrownSubstitutes:IC14Will SmithIC15Andrew DaveyIC16Kane EvansIC17Marata NiukoreCoach: Brad Arthur
2nd Elimination final
Team lists:FB1Corey AllanWG2Alex JohnstonCE3Campbell GrahamCE4Dane GagaiWG5Jaxson PauloFE6Cody WalkerHB7Adam Reynolds (c)PR8Tevita TatolaHK9Damien CookPR10Thomas BurgessSR12Bayley SironenSR15Liam KnightLK13Cameron MurraySubstitutes:IC11Jaydn Su'AIC14Mark NichollsIC16Jed CartwrightIC17Keaon KoloamatangiCoach:Wayne BennettFB1Kalyn PongaWG2Edrick LeeCE3Enari TualaCE4Bradman BestWG5Hymel HuntFE9Kurt MannHB7Mitchell Pearce (c)PR8David KlemmerHK14Chris RandallPR10Daniel SaifitiSR11Lachlan FitzgibbonSR13Mitchell BarnettLK16Herman Ese'eseSubstitutes:IC12Aidan GuerraIC15Jacob SaifitiIC17Sione Mata'utiaIC20Tex HoyCoach: Adam O'Brien
Semi-finals
1st Semi-final
Team lists:FB1James TedescoWG2Daniel TupouCE3Josh MorrisCE4Joseph ManuWG5Brett MorrisFE6Luke KearyHB7Kyle FlanaganPR8Jared Waerea-HargreavesHK9Jake Friend (c)PR10Siosuia TaukeiahoSR11Boyd Cordner (c)SR16Mitchell AubussonLK13Isaac LiuSubstitutes:IC12Angus CrichtonIC15Sitili TupouniuaIC17Sonny Bill WilliamsIC18Nat ButcherCoach:Trent RobinsonFB1Charnze Nicoll-KlokstadWG2Semi ValemeiCE3Jarrod Croker (c)CE4Jordan RapanaWG5Nick CotricFE6Jack WightonHB7George WilliamsPR8Josh PapaliiHK14Siliva HaviliPR16Hudson YoungSR11John BatemanSR12Elliott WhiteheadLK13Joseph TapineSubstitutes:IC9Tom StarlingIC10Sia SoliolaIC15Dunamis LuiIC17Corey Harawira-NaeraCoach:Ricky Stuart
2nd Semi-final
Team lists:FB1Clinton Gutherson (c)WG2George JenningsCE4Waqa BlakeCE19Brad TakairangiWG20Haze DunsterFE6Dylan BrownHB7Mitchell MosesPR8Reagan Campbell-GillardHK9Reed MahoneyPR10Junior PauloSR11Shaun LaneSR12Ryan MattersonLK13Nathan BrownSubstitutes:IC14Will SmithIC15Andrew DaveyIC16Kane EvansIC17Ray StoneCoach:Brad ArthurFB1Corey AllanWG2Alex JohnstonCE3Campbell GrahamCE4Dane GagaiWG5Jaxson PauloFE6Cody WalkerHB7Adam Reynolds (c)PR8Tevita TatolaHK9Damien CookPR10Thomas BurgessSR11Jaydn Su'ASR12Bayley SironenLK13Cameron MurraySubstitutes:IC14Mark NichollsIC15Liam KnightIC16Jed CartwrightIC17Keaon KoloamatangiCoach:Wayne Bennett
Preliminary finals
1st Preliminary Final
Team lists:FB1Ryan PapenhuyzenWG2Suliasi VunivaluCE3Brenko LeeCE4Justin OlamWG5Josh Addo-CarrFE6Cameron MunsterHB7Jahrome HughesPR8Jesse BromwichHK9Cameron Smith (c)PR10Christian WelchSR11Felise KaufusiSR12Kenny BromwichLK13Nelson Asofa-SolomonaSubstitutes:IC14Brandon SmithIC15Tino Fa'asuamaleauiIC17Nicho HynesIC18Dale FinucaneCoach:Craig BellamyFB1Charnze Nicoll-KlokstadWG2Semi ValemeiCE3Jarrod Croker (c)CE4Jordan RapanaWG5Nick CotricFE6Jack WightonHB7George WilliamsPR8Josh PapaliiHK14Siliva HaviliPR16Hudson YoungSR11John BatemanSR12Elliott WhiteheadLK13Joseph TapineSubstitutes:IC9Tom StarlingIC10Sia SoliolaIC15Dunamis LuiIC17Corey Harawira-NaeraCoach:Ricky Stuart
2nd Preliminary Final
Team lists:FB1Dylan EdwardsWG2Josh MansourCE4Stephen CrichtonCE14Tyrone MayWG5Brian To'oFE6Jarome LuaiHB7Nathan ClearyPR8James Tamou (c)HK9Apisai KoroisauPR10James Fisher-HarrisSR11Kurt CapewellSR12Liam MartinLK13Isaah YeoSubstitutes:IC3Brent NadenIC16Moses LeotaIC17Zane TetevanoIC18Mitch KennyCoach:Ivan ClearyFB1Corey AllanWG2Alex JohnstonCE4Dane GagaiCE12Bayley SironenWG5Jaxson PauloFE6Cody WalkerHB7Adam Reynolds (c)PR8Tevita TatolaHK9Damien CookPR10Thomas BurgessSR11Jaydn Su'ASR13Cameron MurrayLK15Liam KnightSubstitutes:IC14Mark NichollsIC16Jed CartwrightIC17Keaon KoloamatangiIC19Hame SeleCoach:Wayne Bennett
Grand Final
Team lists:FB1Dylan EdwardsWG2Josh MansourCE3Brent NadenCE4Stephen CrichtonWG5Brian To'oFE6Jarome LuaiHB7Nathan ClearyPR8James Tamou (c)HK9Apisai KoroisauPR10James Fisher-HarrisSR11Viliame KikauSR12Liam MartinLK13Isaah YeoSubstitutes:IC14Tyrone MayIC15Kurt CapewellIC16Moses LeotaIC17Zane TetevanoCoach:Ivan ClearyFB1Ryan PapenhuyzenWG2Suliasi VunivaluCE3Brenko LeeCE4Justin OlamWG5Josh Addo-CarrFE6Cameron MunsterHB7Jahrome HughesPR8Jesse BromwichHK9Cameron Smith (c)PR10Christian WelchSR11Felise KaufusiSR12Kenny BromwichLK13Nelson Asofa-SolomonaSubstitutes:IC14Brandon SmithIC15Tino Fa'asuamaleauiIC16Dale FinucaneIC17Nicho HynesCoach:Craig Bellamy
References