The NRL finals work as a four-week playoff series involving the top 8 teams from the regular season, culminating in the Grand Final where the champion is decided.

Structure of the NRL Finals

• Week 1: Includes four matches: two Qualifying Finals (1st vs 4th and 2nd vs 3rd) and two Elimination Finals (5th vs 8th and 6th vs 7th). Winners of Qualifying Finals get a bye to Week 3, while losers get another chance in Week 2. Losers of Elimination Finals are eliminated.
• Week 2: Features two Semi-Finals where winners from Elimination Finals play the losers from Qualifying Finals. Losers here are eliminated.
• Week 3: Two Preliminary Finals are played between winners of Qualifying Finals and winners from Semi-Finals. Losers here are eliminated.
• Week 4: The winners of the Preliminary Finals meet in the Grand Final to compete for the NRL premiership.

This format rewards top four teams with a safety net in Week 1 and ensures a competitive knockout structure in the subsequent weeks leading to the Grand Final.