Queensland teams shut out as Abdo eyes Magic Round move

Magic Round is meant to be a celebration of rugby league in Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, but instead it turned into a weekend to forget for the home-state faithful.

All four of the Queensland-based teams including the Brisbane Broncos, North Queensland Cowboys, Gold Coast Titans, and the Dolphins were beaten over the weekend at the drenched Suncorp arena.

The Broncos were schooled 32-8 by a clinical Penrith Panthers side on Sunday, as Nathan Cleary put on a masterclass – even coming up with an identical 2023 grand final try, beating Adam Reynolds on the inside, to stoke the unresolved trauma felt by Brisbane fans of that grand-final clinching moment.

The Cowboys tried harder but fell short in a tight clash with the in-form Warriors.

The Titans were outclassed by the top-of-the-table Bulldogs, and the Dolphins couldn’t keep pace with the Roosters in a 62-point shootout.

With not a single Queensland team registering a win, it was the visiting fans who again got to celebrate on Maroon soil.

And for the real New South Wales purists, it’s worth mentioning Melbourne also lost in golden-point.

While the on-field results were bleak for the rugby league heartland of the north, NRL chief executive officer Andrew Abdo used the moment to announce a potential shake-up for future editions of Magic Round – in what could be yet another blow for Queensland.

Speaking after a weekend of sell-outs at Suncorp, Abdo acknowledged the Queensland government’s longstanding support around Magic Round but admitted the league is again looking at expansion.

“We want to keep growing the event… but we’ve also had interest from elsewhere,” Abdo told Code Sports.

“At some point in the future you’d want to [take it overseas] because our strategy is to try and globalise the sport that we love and take it to new markets.”

While Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has made clear his intent to extend Brisbane’s hosting deal beyond 2027, Abdo didn’t rule out a relocation, referencing international interest and a desire to offer fans “bucket-list destinations” for future editions.

Abdo confirmed the NRL will “engage with the Queensland Government” as discussions about the long-term future of the event begin to ramp up.

Overseas options such as Las Vegas or even London’s Wembley Stadium have been considered, especially in the wake of the NRL’s growing international ambitions.

The potential move would mark a significant shift from the event’s Brisbane roots, where the Queensland government has helped nurture Magic Round from concept to marquee calendar fixture.

Despite the weekend’s home-state woes, Abdo praised the spectacle and the standard of play.

“We’re talking about some pretty exciting games of football,” he said, highlighting the improved discipline on display and the referees’ steady handling of recent concerns around the use of sin-binning.

But for Queensland fans, Magic Round 2025 will be remembered for the damp weather and damp performances of local teams.

And with the future of the marquee event potentially on the move, Queensland rugby league fans may soon have more to lose than two premiership points.