Brisbane Tigers
Oskar Bryant, the brother of Brisbane Heat star Max Bryant, has signed with the Brisbane Tigers for 2026.
Coach: Jim Lenihan
Captain: TBA
2025 finish: 9th (9-10-1)
NRL affiliation: Perth Bears 2027
Fresh faces: The Tigers have undergone a significant roster refresh, with Lenihan confirming the club has recruited heavily across the board with a focus on hard-working forwards and strong character.
New arrivals expected to feature prominently include prop
Jacob Sykes (Manly NSW Cup), back-rower
Clay Webb (Featherstone Rovers), fullback
Zacariah Miles (Redcliffe Dolphins), forward
Zane Dunford (Manly NSW Cup), hooker
Judah Rimbu (PNG Hunters), utility
Oskar Bryant (Ipswich Jets), prop
Ben Liyou (Titans/Ipswich Jets), centre
Kea Pere (Burleigh) and utility back
Jarrett Subloo (Northern Pride).
Lenihan said the recruitment drive centred less on flashy signings and more on bringing in players willing to buy into the club’s work ethic.
“I love middle forwards, so I think you can’t have enough of those sort of guys in the team,” the coach said.
Players to watch: Former Falcons and Dolphins fullback
Zacariah Miles looms as a key figure after catching the coach’s eye during pre-season, while playmaker
Tahj Wood is expected to steer the side around the park after a successful transition into the number seven jersey last season.
Lenihan said recruits
Judah Rimbu and
Oskar Bryant – both talented rakes – had made strong impressions over summer.
Forward
Jacob Sykes is another to watch after being singled out by the coach as a likely contributor.
Former PNG Hunters rake Judah Rimbu is a key addition to the Tigers’ squad.
Coach says: The Tigers are aiming to return to finals football after narrowly missing out last season, with Lenihan saying defensive improvement will be the cornerstone of their campaign.
“We’ve just worked really hard at getting as fit and as strong as we can… and working on a few things that we want to try and improve going into next year which would be based around our defence more than anything else,” he said.
Lenihan said the side was competitive in many matches last year but struggled to close games out, identifying fitness, application and mental toughness as areas of focus.
“I think last year we were in a lot of games, but then we just probably fell away at the back end,” he said.
With a large intake of new players and an emphasis on balance for a largely part-time playing group, the coach believes improved consistency week to week will be key as the Tigers push to play finals in 2026.
2026 squad: Oscar Amosa, Luke Bain, Cameron Brown, Oskar Bryant, Jackson Chang, Caleb Daunt, Zane Dunford, Harry Durbin, Alex Fonoti, Ayden Hoad, Sully Hoad, Jake House, Esom Ioka, Nathan Kegg-King, Zack Lamont, Ben Liyou, Zacariah Miles, Maea Mitchell, Sylvester Namo, Noah Natapu, Kea Pere, Myles Posu, Judah Rimbu, Vaka Sikahele, Mitchell Spencer, Jarrett Subloo, Jacob Sykes, Benjamin Taylor, Leon Tehau, LeBron Tuala, Samuela Vakadula, Sam Wallis, Solo Wane, Clay Webb, Tahj Wood.
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