NRL team news as England handed double Ashes boost

It’s the final round of the NRL regular season this week and the team news has confirmed some major injury boosts for England ahead of the Ashes.

Round 27 will determine the final placings on the NRL ladder ahead of the play-offs with a big battle for the eighth and final spot, something that three teams are competing for.

Sydney Roosters are in the driving seat with the Dolphins as the most likely to capitalise as they look to make the top eight for the first time in their club’s short history.

The Dolphins host Minor Premiership winners Canberra Raiders on Sunday morning, knowing that they must win and make up a points difference margin of 15 on the Roosters, who take on South Sydney Rabbitohs on Friday morning.

Whilst that play-off battle is intriguing in itself, the game between the Dolphins and the Raiders is one to watch for English fans anyway as it marks the injury return of at least one possible Ashes star, and possibly a second.

Matty Nicholson makes NRL return amid Herbie Farnworth fitness update

Matty Nicholson is set to make his NRL return after months on the sideline following his syndesmosis injury and fracture to his fibula in Round 10.

Prior to that, Nicholson had been one of the in-form forwards in the competition with the Englishman making the transition to the NRL seamlessly.

An August return was expected and that has happened with Nicholson playing the last two rounds of the New South Wales Cup but he’s now back in the first team as Ricky Stuart rotates his side ahead of the play-offs.

Nicholson will start for the Raiders and he could feature against another possible Ashes star who has been on the sidelines as Herbie Farnworth has been named to the Dolphins’ extended squad following his recent hamstring injury.

Named among the reserves, Kristian Woolf could call upon the star centre later in the week, something that would be a massive boost to the Dolphins’ chances of winning and securing that final play-off spot.

Other Englishmen, or players who have confirmed interest in featuring in the Ashes, playing in the NRL this week include Sydney Roosters’ Billy Smith and Victor Radley, Gold Coast Titans’ AJ Brimson and Newcastl Knights’ Dominic Young and Kai Pearce-Paul.

It will be the final game in the NRL this year for the final three, whilst it could be for Smith and Radley if the Roosters fail to hold onto eighth.

Check out every NRL Team List for the final countdown ⏰ https://t.co/qoUUVO6t6r

— NRL (@NRL) September 2, 2025