It all comes down to this – for a few days at least. NRL Round 27 is upon us and signals the end of the road for nine of the 17 teams. The final standings on the ladder will be decided and the top eight locked in ahead of the end-of-season finals series, building towards the 2024 Grand Final on Sunday, October 6.
Although seven sides have already booked their places in the finals, sides placed second to seventh on the ladder can all still move around in the fight to secure a home semifinal, while five teams – the Dolphins, Knights, Dragons, Raiders and Broncos – all remain in massive contention to secure the eighth and final berth.
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As the final round of regular-season NRL fixtures begins before the business end of the campaign truly kicks into gear, The Sporting News is on hand to bring you the latest scheduling, TV and live streaming information, and start times for this weekend's must-see games.
NRL Round 27 schedule, fixtures
| Date/Time (AEST) | Match | TV channel / live stream |
|---|---|---|
| Thu. September 5 (7.50 pm) | Broncos vs. Storm | Fox League, Nine Network / Nine Now, Kayo, Foxtel |
| Fri. September 6 (6 pm) | Wests Tigers vs. Eels | Fox League / Kayo, Foxtel |
| Fri. September 6 (8 pm) | Rabbitohs vs. Roosters | Fox League, Nine Network / Nine Now, Kayo, Foxtel |
| Sat. September 7 (3 pm) | Dragons vs. Raiders | Fox League / Kayo, Foxtel |
| Sat. September 7 (5.30 pm) | Bulldogs vs. Cowboys | Fox League / Kayo, Foxtel |
| Sat. September 7 (7.35 pm) | Panthers vs. Titans | Fox League, Nine Network / Nine Now, Kayo, Foxtel |
| Sun. September 8 (2 pm) | Sea Eagles vs. Sharks | Fox League / Kayo, Foxtel |
| Sun. September 8 (4.05 pm) | Knights vs. Dolphins | Fox League, Nine Network / Nine Now, Kayo, Foxtel |
| BYE | New Zealand Warriors | — |
How to watch NRL Round 27: TV channel, free live stream
TV channel: Fox League
Free-to-air channel: Channel Nine
Live stream: Kayo, Foxtel, Nine Network
NRL Round 27 matches will be broadcast live on Fox League, with live streaming also available on Kayo Sports.
Every match across the final round of the regular season will be available for live streaming and replay on Kayo Sports. New users of Kayo can currently sign up for a FREE trial.
Select matches are also being shown on free-to-air TV channel, Channel Nine.
The match of the weekend could well prove to be the game which closes out the 2024 NRL regular season, as the two teams either side of the finals qualifying line, Newcastle Knights and the Dolphins, do battle for eighth place.
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Both the Knights and Dolphins were big winners against respective South-East Queensland sides last weekend, with Newcastle triumphing 36-14 over the Titans and the Dolphins flying out of the blocks in a one-sided Battle of Brisbane with the Broncos, running out 40-6 winners and all-but dumping their city rivals out of finals contention.
The Dolphins reversed a negative points differential with that massive derby win at Suncorp and rose above the Knights, Dragons and Raiders into eighth place. With that being the only finals berth still up for grabs, expect Newcastle crowd to be roared on by a passionate home crowd at McDonald Jones Stadium.
NRL Round 27 preview
While a few sides don't have anything to play for this weekend, every single fixtures involving every single team seems to be going head-to-head to be the match of the round. With battles at the bottom and the top of the ladder, Round 27 is farewelling the regular season with some salivating encounters.
Starting at the foot of the ladder, the Tigers and Eels face off in a Western Sydney derby with the loser set to be awarded the wooden spoon, while the 15th-placed Rabbitohs face their bitter rivals the Roosters, looking to spoil the Chooks' own bid to secure a home semifinal next weekend.
As well as the Dolphins and Knights, the Dragons and Raiders will also look to beat one another to the final play-off berth when they go head-to-head at Kogorah Oval, with only one of the four teams able to make that eighth spot.
The Broncos – now outsiders for the finals after their huge loss to the Dolphins – have the daunting task of beating minor premiers Melbourne if they want to stand any chance of leapfrogging the aforementioned quartet and ensure their season doesn't end on Friday.
Within the top eight, there is still plenty to be decided too. The Bulldogs and Cowboys, locked level on 34 points each, can both qualify for the top four, but that may only be the case who whoever comes away from Accor Stadium victorious. The Sharks and Sea Eagles are in a similar position in the Battle of the Beaches at 4 Pines Park, with Cronulla keen to rubber-stamp their own top four place.