1. Panthers - 2025 was the year they needed to reset. McLean and Talagi coming along very well. Lost most of their first up depth players but they tend to replace them pretty easily. Need Edwards to bounce back and Chin to remain on the field
2. Roosters - At their best they beat basically everyone, issue will be doing it more often then not. DCE will be good for them, good young forwards, better depth then most
3. Dolphins - My smokey. Arguably the best backline in the comp, game breakers everywhere, experienced hard nosed forwards. Katoa in his fourth year of NRL and about to come into his own
4. Broncos - We havent had a Premier like them for a long time, were nowhere near the best team in the comp during the year then went on a little hot run. If anything that might prove to be a good thing as there is improvement for 26
5. Sharks - Will do what they always do. Beat the shit teams, lose to the really good ones. Be there at the end but never look like winning it
6. Storm - There were a lot of cracks in 25 and with two key losses its going to get worse. No forward leader, no game breaker in the 1-5, depth starting to be tested. If Munster or Hughes miss some games they could miss the 8
7. Souths - From here to 12th or so they are interchangeable but I cant see Bennett missing the finals 5 years in a row. Still have quality even if its not in the spine
8. Eels - Another smokey, Moses is now inarguably the most important single player to his teams chances in the comp. They play a different style to all other teams and that will trouble a lot. They're one achilles away from a spoon though
9. Dogs - Initially had them 8th but the average is 3 teams turn over every year so swapped them out. Still lack quality in the spine and havent progressed as a team, it’s still entirely effort based. One of the hardest draws
10. Tigers - On paper the team in strong enough. 9 of the 13 have played in the second week of finals. Better depth, but he worst coach in the game and not mentally strong
11. Raiders - Controversial but one team always falls way down the ladder. They havent backed up good years well before. Had a lot go their way with the draw and lowest injury toll
12. Knights - Holbrook is a good attacking coach and has plenty to work with in Ponga, Best, Brown, Sharpe etc. Apart from Lucas the pack is absolute trash though and will take a bit of sorting out.
13. Wahs - Likely very wrong but their fade last year was insane and they became a genuine bottom 2-3 team. Metcalfe 27 and coming back from his 2nd ACL, for a player who relies on speed its going to take a while to get his game back
14. Titans - Pretty much every win last year was on the back of Foran, a lot of work here for Hannay
15. Cowboys - Payten will be the first coach sacked. Very ordinary forwards, every win relies on the 1 & 6.
16. Dragons - Some good young forwards but probably have the least amount of class players in the comp. Guthos back half of the year was horrible and he isnt getting better
17. Sea Eagles - Seibold going to have a Broncos 2020 season.
