2021 NRL finals series
Duration	10 September 2021 – 3 October 2021
Teams	8
Premiers	Penrith Panthers
Minor premiers	Melbourne Storm
Matches played	9
Broadcast partners	Nine Network Fox League

The 2021 National Rugby League finals series was a tournament staged to determine the winner of the 2021 Telstra Premiership season. The series was played over four weekends in September and October, culminating in the 2021 NRL Grand Final on 3 October 2021. Due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales the grand final was played outside of Sydney for the first time in competition history, at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.^[1]

The top eight teams from the 2021 NRL season qualified for the finals series. NRL finals series have been played under the current format since 2012.

2021 NRL season v t e
Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	B	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	Melbourne Storm	24	21	0	3	1	815	316	+499	44
2	Penrith Panthers (P)	24	21	0	3	1	676	286	+390	44
3	South Sydney Rabbitohs	24	20	0	4	1	775	453	+322	42
4	Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles	24	16	0	8	1	744	492	+252	34
5	Sydney Roosters	24	16	0	8	1	630	489	+141	34
6	Parramatta Eels	24	15	0	9	1	566	457	+109	32
7	Newcastle Knights	24	12	0	12	1	428	571	−143	26
8	Gold Coast Titans	24	10	0	14	1	580	583	−3	22
9	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	24	10	0	14	1	520	556	−36	22
10	Canberra Raiders	24	10	0	14	1	481	578	−97	22
11	St. George Illawarra Dragons	24	8	0	16	1	474	616	−142	18
12	New Zealand Warriors	24	8	0	16	1	453	624	−171	18
13	Wests Tigers	24	8	0	16	1	500	714	−214	18
14	Brisbane Broncos	24	7	0	17	1	446	695	−249	16
15	North Queensland Cowboys	24	7	0	17	1	460	748	−288	16
16	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	24	3	0	21	1	340	710	−370	8

As a result of the 2021 NRL season's relocation to Queensland due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales and Victoria, all the finals matches were hosted in Queensland with stadiums at full capacity, with the only exception being the grand final at 75% capacity as a result of local COVID-19 cases and Queensland Government restrictions.^[2][3] This saw Rockhampton and Mackay host their first finals matches, whilst Queensland Country Bank Stadium also played host to their first finals at the venue.

Brisbane	Mackay	Rockhampton
Suncorp Stadium	BB Print Stadium	Browne Park
Capacity: 52,500	Capacity: 12,200	Capacity: 8,000
Games: 3	Games: 2	Games: 1
Brisbane Mackay Rockhampton Sunshine Coast Townsville
Sunshine Coast	Townsville
Sunshine Coast Stadium	Queensland Country Bank Stadium
Capacity: 12,000	Capacity: 25,000
Games: 1	Games: 2

The system used for the 2021 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.^[4]

	Qualifying and elimination finals					Semi-finals						Preliminary finals					Grand final
	10 September – Sunshine Coast
	1	Melbourne Storm	40
	4	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	12			17 September – Mackay
						Manly Warringah Sea Eagles		42
	11 September – Townsville					Sydney Roosters		6				25 September – Brisbane
	5	Sydney Roosters	25									Melbourne Storm		6
	8	Gold Coast Titans	24									Penrith Panthers		10			3 October – Brisbane
																	Penrith Panthers		14
	12 September – Rockhampton											24 September – Brisbane					South Sydney Rabbitohs		12
	6	Parramatta Eels	28									South Sydney Rabbitohs		36
	7	Newcastle Knights	20			18 September – Mackay						Manly Warringah Sea Eagles		16
						Penrith Panthers		8
	11 September – Townsville					Parramatta Eels		6
	2	Penrith Panthers	10
	3	South Sydney Rabbitohs	16

Home	Score	Away	Match Information
			Date and Time	Venue	Referee	Crowd
Qualifying & Elimination Finals
Melbourne Storm	40 – 12	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	Friday, 10 September, 7:50pm	Sunshine Coast Stadium	Grant Atkins	9,120
Sydney Roosters	25 – 24	Gold Coast Titans	Saturday, 11 September, 5:40pm	Queensland Country Bank Stadium	Adam Gee	15,237
Penrith Panthers	10 – 16	South Sydney Rabbitohs	Saturday, 11 September, 8:05pm	Queensland Country Bank Stadium	Gerard Sutton	18,244
Parramatta Eels	28 – 20	Newcastle Knights	Sunday, 12 September, 4:05pm	Browne Park	Ashley Klein	5,087
Semi-Finals
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	42 – 6	Sydney Roosters	Friday, 17 September, 7:50pm	BB Print Stadium	Gerard Sutton	5,824
Penrith Panthers	8 – 6	Parramatta Eels	Saturday, 18 September, 7:50pm	BB Print Stadium	Ashley Klein	6,011
Preliminary Finals
South Sydney Rabbitohs	36 – 16	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	Friday, 24 September, 8:05pm	Suncorp Stadium	Ashley Klein	26,249
Melbourne Storm	6 – 10	Penrith Panthers	Saturday, 25 September, 4:00pm	Suncorp Stadium	Gerard Sutton	29,011
Grand Final
Penrith Panthers	14 – 12	South Sydney Rabbitohs	Sunday, 3 October, 6:30pm (AEST), 7:30pm (AEDT)	Suncorp Stadium	Gerard Sutton	39,322

The First Qualifying Final saw the 1st placed Melbourne Storm against the 4th placed Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. This was the fifth finals meeting between these clubs and the first since the 2012 Preliminary Final.

First qualifying final

Friday, 10 September 19:50 AEST (UTC+10)

Melbourne Storm	40 – 12	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Tries: 6 Papenhuyzen  39', 45' Lumelume  3' K Bromwich  10' Welch  14' Olam  77' Goals: 7 Papenhuyzen  5', 15', pen 24', 40', 47', pen 61', 78' (7/8) Field goals: 1 Papenhuyzen  80' (2 pt)	1st: 24–6 2nd: 16–6	Tries: 2 Saab  31', 51' Goals: 2 Garrick  32', 53' (2/2)

Sunshine Coast Stadium, Sunshine Coast Attendance: 9,120 Referee: Grant Atkins Bunker: Ashley Klein Touch judges: Todd Smith, Peter Gough

The First Elimination Final saw the 5th placed Sydney Roosters against the 8th placed Gold Coast Titans. This was the second finals meeting between these clubs after meeting in the 2010 Preliminary Final.

First elimination final

Saturday, 11 September 17:40 AEST (UTC+10)

Sydney Roosters	25 – 24	Gold Coast Titans
Tries: 4 Ikuvalu  24' Tedesco  32' Tupou  42' Morris  60' Goals: 4 Keighran  pen 11', 34', 43', 61' (4/5) Field goals: 1 Walker  78'	1st: 12–6 2nd: 13–18	Tries: 4 Fermor  40' Fa'asuamaleaui  47' Kelly  55' Wallace  69' Goals: 4 Fogarty  pen 14', 48', 56', 71' (4/5) Sin Bin: 1 Peachey  10'

Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville Attendance: 15,237 Referee: Adam Gee Bunker: Steve Chiddy Touch judges: Liam Kennedy, Chris Butler

The Second Qualifying Final saw the 2nd placed Penrith Panthers against the 3rd placed South Sydney Rabbitohs. This was the second finals meeting between these clubs and a rematch of the 2020 Preliminary Final.

Second qualifying final

Saturday, 11 September 19:50 AEST (UTC+10)

Penrith Panthers	10 – 16	South Sydney Rabbitohs
Tries: 1 Crichton  9' Goals: 3 Cleary  10', pen 29', pen 40' (3/3)	1st: 10–10 2nd: 0–6	Tries: 2 Walker  25' Paulo  44' Goals: 4 Reynolds  pen 4', 27', pen 35', pen 65' (4/5)

Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville Attendance: 18,244 Referee: Gerard Sutton Bunker: Alan Shortall Touch judges: Dave Munro, Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski

The Second Elimination Final saw the 6th placed Parramatta Eels against the 7th placed Newcastle Knights. This was the fourth finals meeting between these clubs and the first since the 2001 Grand Final.

Second elimination final

Sunday, 12 September 4:05pm

Parramatta Eels	28 – 20	Newcastle Knights
Tries: 5 Ferguson  38', 48' Blake  10' Moses  36' Penisini  pen 77' Goals: 4 Moses  11', 38', 50', 78' (4/5)	1st: 16–10 2nd: 12–10	Tries: 4 Tuala  2', 53', 58' Hunt  25' Goals: 2 Clifford  27', 54' (2/4)

Browne Park, Rockhampton Attendance: 5,087 Referee: Ashley Klein Bunker: Grant Atkins Touch judges: Phil Henderson, Jon Stone

The First Semi-Final saw the loser of the First Qualifying Final, the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles against the winner of the First Elimination Final, the Sydney Roosters. This was the ninth finals meeting between the clubs and the first since the 2013 Grand Final.

Friday, 17 September 7:50pm

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	42 – 6	Sydney Roosters
Tries: Tom Trbojevic (6', 46') 2 Kieran Foran (12') 1 Daly Cherry-Evans (18') 1 Morgan Harper (32') 1 Dylan Walker (48') 1 Jason Saab (69') 1 Goals: Reuben Garrick 7/7 (8', 14', 19', 34', 47', 50', 71')	1st: 24 – 6 2nd: 18 – 0	Tries: 1 (25') Matt Ikuvalu Goals: 1/2 Adam Keighran (40' pen)

BB Print Stadium, Mackay Attendance: 5,824 Referee: Gerard Sutton

The Second Semi-Final saw the loser of the Second Qualifying Final, the Penrith Panthers against the winner of the Second Elimination Final, the Parramatta Eels. This was the third finals meeting between the clubs and the first since the 2000 Semi-Final.

Saturday, 18 September 7:50pm

Penrith Panthers	8 – 6	Parramatta Eels
Tries: Kurt Capewell (17') 1 Goals: Nathan Cleary 2/2 (18', 40' pen)	1st: 8 – 6 2nd: 0 – 0	Tries: 1 (11') Waqa Blake Goals: 1/1 Mitchell Moses (12')

BB Print Stadium, Mackay Attendance: 6,011 Referee: Ashley Klein

The Second Preliminary Final saw the winner of the Second Qualifying Final, the South Sydney Rabbitohs against the winner of the First Semi-Final, the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. This was the fourteenth finals meeting between these clubs and the first since the 2019 Semi-Final.

Friday, 24 September 8:05pm

South Sydney Rabbitohs	36 – 16	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Tries: Cody Walker (13', 29') 2 Jaxson Paulo (38', 60') 2 Alex Johnston (23', 80') 2 Campbell Graham (51') 1 Goals: Blake Taafe 4/7 (14', 24', 31', 52')	1st: 22 – 0 2nd: 14 – 16	Tries: 2 (44', 77') Reuben Garrick 1 (74') Tom Trbojevic Goals: 2/3 Reuben Garrick (45', 78') Sin Bin: (68') Josh Aloiai

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 26,249 Referee: Ashley Klein

The First Preliminary Final saw the winner of the First Qualifying Final, the Melbourne Storm against the winner of the Second Semi-Final, the Penrith Panthers. This was the second finals meeting between these clubs and a rematch of the 2020 Grand Final.

Saturday, 25 September 4:00pm

Melbourne Storm	6 – 10	Penrith Panthers
Tries: Ryan Papenhuyzen (63') 1 Goals: Ryan Papenhuyzen 1/1 (65')	1st: 0 – 6 2nd: 6 – 4	Tries: 1 (3') Stephen Crichton 1 (43') Brian To'o Goals: 1/2 Nathan Cleary (5')

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 29,011 Referee: Gerard Sutton

The Grand Final saw the winner of the First Preliminary Final, the Penrith Panthers, against the winner of the Second Preliminary Final, the South Sydney Rabbitohs. This was the third finals meeting between the two sides, after the 2021 Qualifying Final, and the first Grand Final played between the teams.

2021 NRL Grand Final

Sunday, 3 October 18:35 AEST (UTC+10)

Penrith Panthers	14 – 12	South Sydney Rabbitohs
Tries: 2 Burton  17' Crichton  67' Goals: 3 Cleary  19', pen 33', 69' (3/3)	1st: 8–6 2nd: 6–6	Tries: 2 Walker  21' Johnston  75' Goals: 2 Reynolds  23', pen 45' (2/3)

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 39,322 Referee: Gerard Sutton Touch judges: Dave Munro, Todd Smith Clive Churchill Medal: Nathan Cleary (Penrith)