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Sport Nation
Should the NRL adopt a finals bye like the AFL?
SEN • September 8th, 2025 2:54 pm
With the AFL having just come off its pre-finals bye to kick start its finals series, should the NRL adopt a similar approach to allow players who were concussed to be able to play the first week of finals?
With Canterbury’s Bronson Xerri and Melbourne’s Ryan Papenhuyzen both set to miss their qualifying final on Friday night due to failing a HIA (Head Injury Assessment), it prompted Corey Parker to ask about the possibility of mirroring the AFL in this regard.
While the AFL has their bye after the home and away season and the first week of finals, Parker thinks that any finals bye for the NRL would be best served between the preliminary finals and the Grand Final to ensure that both sides were able to have as fit a starting line-up as possible.
“There is some teams going into this finals series that are going to be without some of their stars,” Parker explained on SENQ Breakfast.
“And it is because of the HIA. Now, we are so adamant and rightly so with the head knocks that there needs to be a period of time (where) you have to be out if you are giving a Category Two, Category One HIA.
“There are two players that won’t be taking the field for their respective teams, and they are massive players; they’re big ins.
“So, Ryan Papenhuyzen won’t be there for the Melbourne Storm. So, (Jahrome) Hughes is already not there with a broken arm. Nelson (Asofa-Solomona) is suspended.
“Same as Bronson Xerri (failing an HIA).
“Now, there has been some talk that if the NRL had a week off, everyone would be right and fit and ready to go.
“I think it is something we really need to look at because the Grand Final is the pinnacle. You want to see the best players playing the best football that they can, and if a crucial player was to miss the Grand Final because of a HIA, I think it is a real issue.”
The NRL finals will begin with the Bulldogs travelling to Melbourne to play the Storm on Friday night.
The winner of this clash will host a preliminary final, while the loser will face the winner of the Warriors vs Panthers game.
