The 2025 NRL season is a month away, and with the Panthers eyeing an incredible fifth-straight premiership, every other team is fine-tuning their lineups in order to mount a serious challenge.
Return to this page for the latest scores, match reports and any injury news to come out of the Pre-season Challenge.
(All times listed in AEDT)
Friday, February 7
Cronulla Sutherland Sharks 12-12 New Zealand Warriors
DWZ concern as Metcalf excels in Warriors-Sharks trial
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak was an early casualty of the NRL's pre-season challenge as Luke Metcalf signalled the Warriors' future without Shaun Johnson was in good hands.
Watene-Zelezniak was subbed off midway through the first half in the Warriors' 12-12 trial draw with Cronulla at Shark Park on Friday night.
The New Zealand Test winger landed awkwardly as he challenged for a high ball and was taken off the field for further assessment.
It was not immediately known whether the injury would impact the prolific tryscorer's involvement in the Warriors' season-opener in Las Vegas.
Fellow winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was a late scratching on Friday and the Warriors were also without halves contenders Chanel Harris-Tavita and Tanah Boyd.
The absence of the two playmakers looks to have worked in the favour of Metcalf as coach Andrew Webster searches for a candidate to replace Shaun Johnson at halfback.
Wearing the No.7, Metcalf was lively with ball in hand, nudged an impressive 40/20, and registered a game-high 356 kicking metres.
His exploits came after the Sharks had taken an early lead through in-demand prop Tom Hazleton.
Warriors fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad soon cancelled out the home side's advantage to level the scores at 6-6 to end the first half.
Nicoll-Klokstad and Metcalf combined 12 minutes after the break to send Taine Tuaupiki over on the right edge.
With 20 minutes left, Webster gave Metcalf an early night and replaced him with Jett Cleary, the younger brother of Penrith ace Nathan.
Their father, Ivan, was on hand to watch Jett's first outing in Warriors colours alongside long-time Panthers prop James Fisher-Harris, who got through unscathed.
For Cronulla, the Puru twins - lock Hohepa and halfback Niwhai - looked like they will be pushing for NRL action over the course of 2025.
Hohepa's late try helped secure a draw for the Sharks.
Prop Braden Hamlin-Uele got valuable minutes under his belt and Siosifa Talakai lined up as a right-sided second-rower.
Coach Craig Fitzgibbon kept the Sharks' big guns on ice and will likely let his more high profile names loose in next Thursday's second and final trial away to Canberra.
-- AAP
Saturday, February 8
Penrith Panthers 16-22 Canberra Raiders
Raiders outgun understrength Panthers
Canberra's "generation next" has sent a message to coach Ricky Stuart that they are ready for the rigours of first grade after downing Penrith in the NRL's pre-season challenge.
Led by a two-try performance from crafty hooker Owen Pattie, a largely second-string Canberra outfit claimed an 22-16 trial win over the Panthers at Shark Park on Saturday.
Penrith didn't pick a single one of their grand final heroes, but there was still plenty of intrigue over the side coach Ivan Cleary named.
Former Wests Tigers back-rower Isaiah Papali'i was solid on the left edge in his first outing for the Panthers, while Casey McLean - the leading contender to replace Sunia Turuva on the wing - churned through 115m.
With Nathan Cleary and Parramatta recruit Blaize Talagi both coming off summer surgeries heading into their Las Vegas season opener against Cronulla on March 2, neither Jack Cole nor Brad Schneider made a compelling case to become the first-drop back-up.
On the opposing side, Ethan Sanders showed glimpses why the Eels were so gutted to see him follow Talagi out the door at the end of last season.
Halfback Sanders had a hand in the Raiders' opening try when he ran deep into the line to set up Simi Sasagi for a short-range finish.
Penrith hit back through David Fale, but Pattie's introduction from the bench turned the game back in Canberra's favour.
Since Josh Hodgson's exit from the Green Machine in 2021, Stuart has chopped and changed his first-choice No.9.
Tom Starling, Danny Levi and the since-departed Zac Woolford have all shared hooking duties, but Pattie's performance would suggest he might not be far off from staking his own claim.
Pattie narrowly missed out on a first-half 40/20, was opportunistic out of dummy-half, and snuck in for two tries after the break.
Prop Noah Martin also charged over for the Raiders, before Sam Lane and Zack Lamont hit back for the Panthers late on.
Other highlights for the Raiders, who host Cronulla on Thursday night in their final trial, included former Warrington forward Matty Nicholson sitting Papali'i down with the hit of the night in his first game since arriving from England.
Promising fullback Chevy Stewart looked a handful, and Albert Hopoate, who will miss the Raiders' Vegas trip to face the Warriors because of the impending birth of his child, clocked up 112m from centre.
-- AAP
Thursday, February 13
Canberra Raiders vs. Cronulla Sharks
7:50pm - GIO Stadium Canberra
Friday, February 14
Newcastle Knights vs. Parramatta Eels
6pm - McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
North Queensland Cowboys vs. Dolphins
8pm - Barlow Park, Cairns
Saturday, February 15
New Zealand Warriors vs. Melbourne Storm
1:30pm - FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
South Sydney Rabbitohs vs. Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
3:30pm - Industree Group Stadium, Gosford
NRL All Stars 2025
Women
Indigenous vs. Maori
5:50pm CommBank Stadium, Sydney
Men
Indigenous vs. Maori
8:10pm CommBank Stadium, Sydney
Sunday, February 16
Brisbane Broncos vs. Gold Coast Titans
3:30pm - Toowoomba Sports Ground, Toowoomba
Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs vs. Wests Tigers
5:30pm - Netstrata Jubilee Stadium
St George Illawarra Dragons vs Sydney Roosters
7:30pm - Netstrata Jubilee Stadium
Friday, February 21
Manly Sea Eagles vs. Penrith Panthers
6pm - Leichhardt Oval
Wests Tigers vs. Parramatta Eels
8pm - Leichhardt Oval
Saturday, February 22
St George Illawarra Dragons vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs
3pm - Glen Willow Oval, Mudgee
Brisbane Broncos vs. Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs
5:30pm - Kayo Stadium, Redcliffe
Dolphins vs. Gold Coast Titans
7:30pm - Kayo Stadium, Redcliffe
Sunday, February 23
Sydney Roosters vs. Newcastle Knights
3:15pm - Industree Group Stadium, Gosford
Melbourne Storm vs. North Queensland Cowboys
5:30pm - Casey Fields, Melbourne