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Raiders rattle Panthers in the rain | 02:26
Rugby league legends Greg Alexander and Paul Gallen have made some bold finals predictions at the NRL’s 2025 season launch event.
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Fox League’s Alexander, Yvonne Sampson and Braith Anasta were among those in attendance in Sydney on Monday morning, with NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo believing this season would only be “bigger and better” after a huge 2024.
The rugby league greats were asked to make some predictions with Panthers legend Alexander tipping it could be the year of the bounce back for some big-name teams.
“It’s hard to imagine that Brisbane, the Bunnies and the Eels all missed finals last year so they will improve and all three have got new coaches,” Alexander said.
“So I think all three, I’m thinking they make finals. The Tigers will be much better, where that leads them? I don’t know, but they will be much better than last year.”
As for Gallen, the NSW legend delivered an almost unthinkable prediction.
“I don’t make a habit of wrapping Queenslanders at all, I’m not a fan of Queenslanders as we know,” Gallen said.
“But it would not surprise me if all four Queensland teams made the semis, I think at least three of the four will. I think the Titans will off the back of their forward pack.
“They’ve got some really good outside backs and the Dolphins have some absolute superstars also. They can both push towards the top eight.
“I think Brisbane will definitely get into the top eight, I’d even go as far as picking them in my top four, and then the Cowboys, who knows?
“But at least three of the four Queensland teams will be in the top eight this year… I don’t know why I’m wrapping them.”
Alexander, Sampson andAnasta will join Matty Johns, Cooper Cronk, Lara Pitt and former Broncos coach Kevin Walters in providing analysis and commentary on Fox League throughout this year.
The 2025 campaign comes off the back of staggering audience numbers in 2024, with over five billion minutes streamed across Kayo and Foxtel.
The NRL season will once again kick off in Las Vegas, with the Panthers, Sharks, Warriors and Raiders venturing to the United States for the annual rugby league showcase.
Alongside those two games, the Aussie Jillaroos will also face England Lionesses while Wigan and Warrington are set to do battle, with Fox League the only place to watch all four games.
“Unfortunately I wasn’t in Vegas last year, so I had to watch it from home… but what was put on last year, it was special,” Alexander said.
“Anyone who wasn’t there would have thought, ‘wow, this is incredible’. We’ve gone bigger this year with the four games, we have the women playing and to have Warrington and Wigan to bring in those English fans will be fantastic.”
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Fox Sports managing director Steve Crawley said rugby league was “in great health”.
“Breaking record across all metrics and we’re excited for the season to begin. For the fans lucky enough to travel to Las Vegas, it will be an awesome opener,” Crawley said.
“For those at home, we’re committed to giving you the best seat in the house – we can’t wait.”
Elsewhere, Warriors superstar Dylan Walker believe his team could be another to rebound from a disappointing campaign.
Ahead of his team’s Vegas venture he explained he believed the team’s “confidence was down” in 2024 as they missed the finals.
“Our confidence was a bit rocked, we forgot how to win especially after the year before, we based a lot of our game off hard work and grit,” Walker said to foxsports.com.au.
“Then the next year we lost a lot of games by a try or less, so a couple of things go our way there, or we get a bit fitter and be a bit harder.
“I think we’ve worked on that, a lot of it is based around resilience.”