Four ugly fails, two endangered coaches and a rising contender in bottom-nine wreckage

The 2025 regular season has been run and won — and there are nine clubs who have been left to pick up the pieces.

For some of those sides, the season wasn’t a disaster and the future looks bright.

However, some teams endured horror campaigns and the end of the season couldn’t come quick enough, while big question marks remain for next year.

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9th — DOLPHINS

Record: 30 points (12 wins, 12 losses)

Grade: B

What went right: The Dolphins were the best attacking team in the competition, with their 62-point haul in Round 27 against the Raiders taking them to 721 points for the regular season. Not only were the Dolphins the best attacking team this year, led by brilliant young halfback Isaiya Katoa, but their haul was the ninth-most points scored by any team in the regular season in the NRL era (1998-present). The eight teams from the past who scored more points than the Dolphins all finished in the top four, so it’s extraordinary that they somehow recorded an unwanted first by missing the finals. However, the Dolphins showed improvement yet again and the maiden season of a new head coach Kristian Woolf was all-but a success after a brutal 0-4 start, keeping the Wayne Bennett Curse at bay. In the Dolphins’ first season in 2023, they finished 13th, while they came 10th in 2024 and ninth this season. A finals appearance — and perhaps genuine contender status with the likes of Katoa, Herbie Farnworth and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow on deck — doesn’t appear too far away.

What went wrong: If you’re the best attacking team in the competition but miss the top eight, it can only mean your defence isn’t up to scratch. The Dolphins let in 596 points this season, which is close to 25 points per game and ranked as the seventh-worst defence in the NRL. To give an idea of how far the Dolphins were off the pace defensively, they conceded 75 more points this season than the Roosters (521), who are the worst defensive team in the top eight. There’s no prizes for guessing what Woolf will need to focus on over the off-season.

What they need: It could be argued that the Dolphins haven’t recruited as many forwards as they need to. Their only addition up front for 2026 is England international Morgan Knowles. Knowles will again link up with Woolf, after the pair won three consecutive Super League premierships together at St Helens. Knowles has won four Super League titles and a Challenge Cup with the Saints, and played over 200 games. While the signing of Knowles is a solid boost for the Dolphins, there were no Dolphins forwards in the top 50 players in the NRL for run metres this season. With the retirements of Kenny Bromwich and Mark Nicholls, and the departure of Josh Kerr to the Dragons, the Dolphins will need to go to the market and add to their stocks up front.

Matty & Cronk analysis: “I thought they deserved to play finals. I thought they were very good for the majority of the year,” Cooper Cronk said. Matty Johns said: “They were smashed by injuries, the pack was decimated, Herbie is one of their most important players and they lost him. They’ve blooded a lot of young guys. If they have a decent run of injuries next year, Katoa’s 12 months on older, same with (Kurt) Donoghoe and some of those other young players ... don’t worry about them playing finals football, next year they could easily be a contender. They could improve that much.”

10th — SEA EAGLES

Record: 30 points (12 wins, 12 losses)

Grade: F

What went right: While Manly had a season they would rather forget, there were promising signs towards the end of the season that provided some cause for optimism going into 2026. Manly won their last three games and seemed to unlock their attack in the process; albeit with departing halfback Daly Cherry-Evans pulling the strings. The Sea Eagles put 58 points on the Dolphins in Round 25, 40 on the Dragons in Round 26 and 27 on the Warriors in Round 27, for a total of 125 points at 41.6 per game. Lehi Hopoate’s form over that stretch of games was particularly impressive, having scored doubles against the Dolphins and Warriors. Gun young half Joey Walsh also debuted in the game against the Warriors, giving Sea Eagles fans a look their future. “I thought their best player was Tolutau Koula,” Johns said of the flying outside back.

What went wrong: Daly Cherry-Evans’ announced exit proved to be a huge distraction for the Sea Eagles and the club never recovered. On NRL 360 last month, journalist Andrew Webster described Manly as a club torn asunder as a result of DCE’s decision to leave. “I don’t know if you guys have heard any of the stuff I have about what’s going on at Manly, but even if a fraction of it is right, it’s a club in absolute turmoil,” Webster said. “It’s a club that’s not happy. There’s division between obviously Cherry-Evans and (CEO) Tony Mestrov since the start of the year despite all the platitudes that have been said in the last few months.” Ultimately, Manly had a team that they believed could challenge for a premiership ... and they couldn’t even make the finals, falling off a cliff after a strong start in a wide-open season that was ripe with opportunity. It was a disastrous outcome in the last campaign for long-term halfback DCE and with the Trbojevic brothers past their best — and coach Anthony Seibold’s job will be under major pressure next season despite the club claiming otherwise. There is a train of thought among Manly supporters that had the DCE situation not provided cover this season, Seibold would be copping far more heat.

What they need: With the departure of Cherry-Evans, and with the Trbojevic brothers off-contract at the end of 2026, it presents the Sea Eagles with an opportunity to get their salary cap in order. It could be argued the Trbojevic brothers are both being overpaid by the Sea Eagles currently. Tom is on a reported $1.3 million a season, but has only played 20 games in a season once since 2019 due to constant injury problems, while few would think that Jake has performed to his $1.1 million a season price tag. It’s likely the Sea Eagles will only keep the pair if they’re willing to accept less money; a genuine possibility, with both staunch Manly men. If they take a paycut, or leave the club, plenty more cash will be freed up to spend on other players.

Matty & Cronk analysis: “You look at the talent in the side and what they did, that side should be playing finals. They’ve got a great home ground where they’re hard to (beat), all those things,” Johns said. Cronk added: “I thought (Haumole) Olakau’atu, when he went down, hurt them. But they at the first part of the year were looking top-four bound. Then obviously Daly did his thing and they just fell apart. They should not be sitting on the sidelines at this time of year.”

11th — EELS

Record: 26 points (10 wins, 14 losses)

Grade: C+

What went right: When key playmaker Mitchell Moses returned from a calf injury at the back end of the season, the Eels showed that their rebuild under new coach Jason Ryles is on track. Parramatta recorded a stunning upset win over the Broncos in Round 21, and also scored surprise victories over the Roosters in Round 25 and the Warriors in Round 26. The Eels also performed admirably in their Round 22 loss to the Storm, going down by only six points. Perhaps the highlight of their season though was saved for last when they thrashed Newcastle by 56 points, with Moses scoring a hat-trick and having a hand in a couple more. Crucially, their big call to part ways with Clint Gutherson and elevate Isaiah Iongi to fullback paid off, with the former Panther looking a budding superstar, while Dylan Walker also proved a great buy. Iongi was perhaps the highlight of a dramatic Eels revamp under Ryles, who somehow emerged from a tough first season as a head coach — which began with a 46-point first-half annihilation from Melbourne in Round 1 — with his reputation enhanced.

What went wrong: Unfortunately, Moses just wasn’t on the field enough for the Eels, playing only played 13 of 24 games this season due to injury. A foot injury sidelined Moses at the start of the season, while a calf strain he suffered during NSW Origin camp kept him out for the middle part of the year. The 30-year-old’s influence on the result for the Eels is very clear. Parramatta won seven of the 13 games that Moses played for them this season (54%). On the other hand, in the 11 games Moses missed the Eels won just three (27%).

What they need: The Eels are short on forwards and it’s area of recruitment that Ryles will need to focus on heavily. Junior Paulo is now 31 and only has one season left to run on his contract. Aside from him, stocks are thin for Parramatta up-front. They’ve signed middle forward Jack de Belin for next season, with an option in the club’s favour for 2027. But at the age of 34, De Belin is in the latter stages of his career and isn’t a long-term solution. He’s also the only player the Eels have recruited for next year. Ryles will need to bolster the Eels’ stocks upfront as a priority, though they had some promising improvements in the pack with the likes of Jack Williams and Luca Moretti, while Ryley Smith and Tigers recruit Tallyn Da Silva are locked in as hooker options with significant upside that must be quickly delivered upon. The Eels now have to hope that Joash Papalii can become a bankable replacement at No.6 for the departing Dylan Brown.

Matty & Cronk analysis: “Moses makes them a 12, 14, 15-point better team. He’s that important to them,” Cronk said. Johns added: “I’m just really excited for them next year. Every individual in that side improved, even the veteran players; Josh Addo-Carr, Junior Paulo. As far as improvement goes you give them a 10 out of 10, and they’ve unearthed an emerging superstar, Isaiah Iongi. Man, what a footballer.”

12th — COWBOYS

Record: 25 points (9 wins, 14 losses, 1 draw)

Grade: F

What went right: It’s not a sustainable playing style in the NRL nor is it a way to win premierships, but in high-scoring, free-flowing games, the Cowboys are hard to beat. They have the ability to score from anywhere on the park. Defensively he needs to improve, but oScott Drinkwater was again among the league leaders in try assists. In his first season at halfback, Tom Dearden was the team’s best player by some margin. He looked much more dynamic with ball in hand and played with a stack of confidence. Jaxon Purdue proved his electric eight-game rookie season in 2024 was no fluke, playing in all 24 games this year and being among the club’s best. Despite his tender age and slight build, Purdue took it to some of the game’s best outside backs and more than held his own. Re-signing the 20-year-old before the November 1 deadline has to be a must for Cowboys brass.

What went wrong: Once again, the Cowboys’ defence was their Achilles heel. Most weeks it was non-existent, with North Queensland giving up 684 points (28.5 per game). That’s the second-worst mark in the NRL, behind only the Titans. You have to feel for some players, particularly Dearden, who tries his heart out defensively but is too often let down by his teammates. Some of their tackling efforts have left a lot to be desired in recent seasons. New recruit Reed Mahoney should prove to be a big addition as he will attempt to set the tone defensively. He is one of the game’s best tacklers and coming from a strong system at the Bulldogs, who have been the league’s best defence over the past two seasons, Mahoney will have a lot to offer his new team. He will need to; the Cowboys should really have been more likely to make the top four than miss the eight.

What they need: A damaging forward. Other than an ageing Jason Taumalolo, the Cowboys just don’t have any forwards who can consistency bend the line. That issue will only escalate with Jordan McLean retiring. North Queensland really missed Taumalolo, who was sidelined most of the year. Coen Hess had some strong performances in the middle but he was a one-man show in the forward pack at times. Coach Todd Payten resisted picking Tom Mikaele for much of the season, but when Mikaele was on the field in spurts he looked like the most dominant forward on the park. Mikaele’s issue is that he doesn’t have a big tank and couldn’t be given too much playing time. Hopefully that’s a part of his game he can improve in the off-season, as he is quite a handful for opposition defences more often than not. The return of Heilum Luki from an ACL injury will bolster the Cows’ pack. Back-row partner Jeremiah Nanai is so good when he’s at his best, but North Queensland simply need more from him next season. For the money he’s on, he has too many games where he’s provides little impact or is poor defensively. Payten started the year with a statement axing of Nanai to reserve grade, an early sign that the coach was under pressure and searching for answers. His job will be under real scrutiny in 2026 after a hugely sub-par year. Ultimately, what the Cowboys need is consistency, having gone prelim final, 11th, semi-final, 12th in their past four seasons.

Matty & Cronk analysis: “With that roster and what they have done before, their heights are borderline top-four and their worst is bad,” Cronk said, branding North Queensland’s season a two out of 10 effort. “It was bad year for the Cowboys. They showed signs that they could do it, then they showed signs that they’re just a few years away.” Johns branded them a “frustrating” team: “So much talent and so little grit.”

13th — WESTS TIGERS

Record: 24 points (9 wins, 15 losses)

Grade: C-

What went right: Coming into this season, the Wests Tigers had won three consecutive wooden spoons, so the fact that they’ve finished above four teams is an achievement in itself. Skipper Jarome Luai has made his presence felt in his first season at the joint venture, coming off four straight premierships with the Panthers. While his performances maybe weren’t quite where Luai wanted them to be, there’s no denying he has had a positive influence. The form of Adam Doueihi towards the back end of the season was a real highlight for the Tigers; notably, he kicked the match-winning field goal in the Tigers’ thrilling win over the Titans in Round 20, which sent the Leichhardt Oval crowd into hysterics. Doueihi also scored a try and played a starring role in the Tigers’ win over the Bulldogs in Round 22, which was one of the upsets of the season. Skipper Api Koroisau is optimistic about the Tigers’ future. “Obviously we’re building and I think the style of footy that we’re trying to play is really working with the boys we’ve got here, and obviously we’ve got some good players coming next year,” Koroisau said on Sunday Night with Matty Johns. Koroisau and Jahream Bula had strong seasons in the Tigers’ spine, while new addition Terrell May was massive in the middle and brother Taylan May was an exciting late-season addition.

What went wrong: The mid-season departure of Lachlan Galvin to the Bulldogs created a massive disruption for the Tigers. After his signing with Canterbury was confirmed amid turmoil in late May, the Tigers lost their next four games. While the Tigers were much improved in 2025, it could be argued they should have fared better than they did, given they had a very good run with injuries. The NRL Physio X account released a table after Round 24, which showed the collective games missed due to injury for each team; at that stage, Tigers players had missed the least games of any NRL team through injury this season. There were real points of frustration throughout the season. Playing in front of their Leichhardt Oval faithful in Round 25, the Tigers led 28-16 late in the game, before the Cowboys scored three tries in the space of just five minutes to snatch a 34-28 victory. Benji Marshall answered some questions about his coaching but significant ones remain; chief among them, whether he is the man to instill the starch that has been missing for so long at Wests Tigers, who missed the finals for a 14th consecutive year.

What they need: Aside from May, the Tigers are light on in the forwards and could use some help in the engine room. May had the third-most run metres for any player in the NRL this season, but he is the only Tigers forward in the top 50. Thankfully, they’ve recruited a couple of very capable second rowers for 2026. Knights forward Kai Pearce-Paul will join the Tigers next season, as will Mavrik Geyer from the Panthers. Jock Madden will return to the club from Brisbane to boost the halves depth.

Matty & Cronk analysis: “They dealt with a lot of stuff at the start of the year, and then I thought their mid-season was outstanding but I thought their last month was really disappointing. That loss to the Cowboys just really pricked the balloon,” Johns said. Cronk added: “On the weekend (against the Titans), they were up by 20-odd and run down. The Tigers are improved under Benji. I’m going to give Bula their best player (award) at the moment, he is a point of difference. When he gets going, he’s the guy that can score points for them.”

14th — RABBITOHS

Record: 24 points (9 wins, 15 losses)

Grade: C-

What went right: Not much. Jye Gray was the highlight of the season for Souths and actually led the Dally M Medal early in the year, before he joined their massive casualty ward. Gray has to be strongly in the frame as Souths’ long-term fullback going forward because he sets the tone for the side with his energy and involvement and he punches above his weight, so no one else can hide from the dirty work. The injuries to star players also saw Souths unearth young talents like Ashton Ward and Tallis Duncan, who were excellent, while Keaon Koloamatangi announced himself as the leader of the pack after a switch to prop that catapulted him to his best season yet. Jaime Humphreys started the year strongly, but probably needs another year or two to develop his craft as a halfback.

What went wrong: A lot. The signing of English half Lewis Dodd was a $2 million disaster and he barely played, clearly not rated highly by coach Wayne Bennett. Souths lost skipper Cameron Murray for the season (bar one game) and Latrell Mitchell for eight weeks before a ball was kicked. Those two injuries sparked the worst casualty ward of any club in 2025 and of Bennett’s entire career. Souths had up to 10 of their starters out at the same time at one point and stars like Cody Walker and Campbell Graham spent most of the season on the sidelines. Brandon Smith came to the club as a big-name reinforcement, but ended up struggling with injuries before an off-field drug charge rocked the club and his previous team the Roosters. Mitchell played just 11 games for the second straight season and until he returns to centre or five-eighth and plays a full year, Souths will struggle to match the elite teams. Touted a premiership hopeful at the start of the season, their lack of depth was badly exposed.

What they need: The Rabbitohs need to have some luck with injuries first and foremost, but they also need to settle on a spine and find a general with a kicking game to run the side. Whether that means moving Mitchell to five-eighth to partner Walker in the halves and moving Jamie Humphreys to hooker remains to be seen. But the difference between the good and bad teams in the NRL is an elite and reliable kicking game, and Souths have had neither since Adam Reynolds left for the Broncos. The club are rumoured to be getting David Fifita from the Titans and unlocking his enormous potential will be crucial to boost their strike in the forwards.

Matty & Cronk analysis: “No team has been smashed, I don’t reckon in the last decade, like Souths have been smashed (by injuries),” Johns said. “There were some weeks the team was just unrecognisable. But the silver lining is the fact they blooded a lot of young guys who showed a bit, so next year if they can have a decent run of injuries they’ve got a lot of depth.” Johns branded Gray Souths’ best player and Cronk added: “He needs to be in their team, Jye Gray. If you’re going to win a finals match in September for Souths, I think Latrell’s your fullback. But I tell you what, you cannot leave Jye Gray out.”

15th — DRAGONS

Record: 22 points (8 wins, 16 losses)

Grade: D

What went right: Coach Shane Flanagan said before the season that he expected his side to play finals, but in both of the coach’s two years at the helm they’ve missed the top eight. With that said, there appeared to be some improvement before they undid the good work late in the season. Entering Round 24, they were still a live chance to play finals football, just two wins outside of the eight. However, a horror run to end the season thwarted their hopes, with the Red V losing four straight games. While they didn’t finish they way Flanagan would have wanted, the coach would have been pleased with some of his team’s development and his recruitment of Clint Gutherson was a huge win in both performance and leadership. Because of a tough injury toll this season (see below), the Dragons were able to unearth some talented young guns who will derive a stack of benefit from their taste of first grade in 2025. Flanagan handed NRL debuts to exciting forwards Loko Pasifiki Tonga, Hamish Stewart and Jacob Halangahu as well as outside backs Hayden Buchanan and Nathan Lawson. With the Dragons expected to move on from several veterans at season’s end, these young players will be relied upon in 2026 and with another pre-season under their belt, expect sharp improvement. Flanagan himself got a two-year extension last month, putting some certainty around the coaching situation; which may not last long if 2026 starts poorly.

What went wrong: Injuries killed the Dragons this year. Strike centre Valentine Holmes, promising forwards Toby Couchman, Ryan Couchman and Dylan Egan all suffered season-ending injuries and played just 29 games between them in 2025. All four players would be part of the Dragons’ best 17. The horror casualty ward probably didn’t rob them of premiership glory or anything, but it was clear the depth was really tested late. The silver lining was that some youngsters were given their chance to accelerate their development. Points also came at a premium for the Red V as their attack failed to fire for much of the season. The Dragons were one of only four teams who didn’t eclipse 500 points for the season. Defensively, there were some decent signs, but in attack, that aspect of their game will need a major facelift in the off-season if they want to return to the finals. In the chief attacking position, No.7, the furore over Flanagan’s son Kyle was a huge, ugly distraction for most of the year.

What they need: With all due respect to Kyle Flanagan, he’s not the answer at halfback. He does his try his guts out every week and is a strong defender, but he doesn’t strike much fear into the opposition. He’s better suited at lock or maybe five-eighth, but not as a team’s main playmaker. Daniel Atkinson will join the Red V from Cronulla in the off-season and is likely to be given the first chance in 2026 in the No. 7, but there are plenty of question marks over him, with many viewing Atkinson as a utility. Jonah Glover has flashed glimpses in NSW Cup but he’s departing to Souths. Lachlan Ilias has had an impressive season in reserve grade after being axed from the NRL side in Round 8. If Atkinson fails to do much early on, Ilias should be given another chance as he has been pretty hard done by this year — though the latest word is that the Dragons are looking to move him on, after he’s been cast as the victim of the Kyle Flanagan furore and left in reserve-grade limbo.

Matty & Cronk analysis: “I reckon they’ve improved last year,” Johns said. “I reckon a couple of games in this last month were terrible, they let themselves down; but at the start of the year they gave a lot of cheek, they lost a lot of narrow games, I thought their mid-season you saw them pick up. Their end was disappointing.” Cronk added: “They had a couple of one-point losses in the first half of the year, and Clint Gutherson was their best player by a country mile. But then something happened at the back end. They struggled to score points, if Gutherson didn’t do something they were sort of down and out.”

16th — TITANS

Record: 18 points (6 wins, 18 losses)

Grade: F

What went right: Even though a potential superstar in Keano Kini was sidelined for most of the year, injuries can’t be blamed for their struggles. Not a lot went right for the Gold Coast, a clear conclusion for a team that parted ways with once-mighty coach Des Hasler. If anything, Jayden Campbell came along leaps and bounds as a playmaker. With no clear-cut halfback option and the fact the Titans had three first choice fullbacks on their roster in Campbell, Kini and AJ Brimson, Hasler decided to move the son of NRL legend Preston to halfback. Campbell has room for improvement at the position but his gamebreaking ability was there to see, while his poise and kicking game were both aspects he made great strides in. Campbell is expected to be the club’s halfback to start next season, which will start with a fresh slate under highly-rated new coach Josh Hannay.

What went wrong: Once again, defence was a massive concern. The 719 points they conceded was far and away the worst in the competition. It was a big reason why Hasler was sacked two years into a three-year deal. Hasler was brought on board to improve the Titans attitude and to help add an edge to the team’s defence. Unfortunately, the dual premiership-winning coach wasn’t able to work his magic, with the Titans’ defence regressing instead of improving during Hasler’s time on the glitter strip after he somewhat controversially replaced Justin Holbrook.

What they need: This is a club in desperate need of a culture change, if the potential vs performance scale is anything to go by; and also by the reckoning of captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, who dramatically called out a lack of accountability after Hasler was axed. For whatever reason, the Titans haven’t been able to have any significant success since entering the competition 20 years ago. In that span, they’ve won just one finals game. They’ve had talented teams, including the one they fielded this year, but again it was another long season for them and their fan base. Hannay at least comes well-credentialed for a rookie head coach and perhaps he is what the Titans need to help turn things around. Hannay has been an assistant coach for the Maroons for the past few seasons under Billy Slater, so he has built relationships with some of the Titans’ rep stars, including Fa’asuamaleaui, Moe Fotuaika and Beau Fermor.

Matty & Cronk analysis: “Saturday night (beating the Tigers), they showed what they’re capable of when they apply themselves in that second half,” Johns said, branding Gold Coast’s season a three out of 10. “There’s no excuses for their poor season. You expect more. It’s a really big season next year for a lot of individuals in that side. I think you’ll see the Titans move up into the mid-table under Josh Hannay, but some blokes need to really pull their socks up.” Cronk added: “I’d put them in the Cowboys category. They’ve just got Origin-type players, international players, and if you can’t defend well for long periods of time and just rely on your attack to win every week, you’re going to lose more games than you win.”

17th — KNIGHTS

Record: 18 points (6 wins, 18 losses)

Grade: F

What went right: It’s been a truly tumultuous season for the Knights and it has resulted in coach Adam O’Brien departing after six years in charge; leaving the club where he first picked it up, as the wooden-spooner, albeit with four finals appearances to his credit. There’s a mountain of spot fires for the club’s new mentor to put out, but in one huge positive is that Fletcher Sharpe proved he has what it takes to be a long-term NRL playmaker. The rising star suffered a lacerated kidney and ruptured spleen in Round 16, which ended his season, but prior to that he was arguably Newcastle’s best player. Having spent time on the wing and at fullback in 2024, he made the switch to five-eighth seamlessly and scored a hat-trick in his best performance against the Rabbitohs in Round 9. Sharpe solved one half of a halves headache for the Knights, with club powerbrokers hopeful the other fix will be fabulously expensive Eels recruit Dylan Brown. Elsewhere, young gun Thomas Cant and Jermaine McEwen were impressive in the forwards, with McEwen specifically looking like the perfect candidate to replace the outgoing Kai Pearce-Paul. Meanwhile, Fletcher Hunt and Kyle McCarthy also showed Newcastle have some depth in the outside backs that they can call upon if required.

What went wrong: The Knights were hit with a host of injuries that seriously hampered them in 2025. Losing marquee man Kalyn Ponga was a massive blow, but throw in the mix long-term injuries to Fletcher Sharpe, Dylan Lucas and Adam Elliott and that is a quality quartet missing. Outside of their injuries, Newcastle’s attack was their biggest issue and they scored the least points (338) of any team by a significant margin. Their output was 89 points behind the nearest team in the Rabbitohs, who finished three places above them on the ladder. Their defence was average at best, but the Knights seriously struggled to break their opposition’s defence down, especially after Sharpe’s injury in Round 16. Blake Green was the assistant coach in charge of their attack; he has been named as a potential replacement coach, though Holbrook has been more strongly touted.

What they need: Dylan Brown to hit the ground running after his $13 million switch from Parramatta. As aforementioned, Sharpe looks like the club’s long-term No. 6 and is set to be joined by Brown in the No. 7 jersey; which is a massive gamble, given that Brown has never proven he can be a leading playmaker as opposed to a complementary second half. Newcastle’s halves situation has been consistent problem and even this season O’Brien cycled through several faces. But with two clear starting options, the club’s new coach can build around them and does not have to go to market to find a new playmaker; Jack Cogger and Jackson Hastings are both set to depart the Hunter and Sandon Smith has been touted as a depth signing. Outside of Brown’s potential to deliver, with both Kai Pearce-Paul and Leo Thompson departing, the Knights will be desperate for a new crop of young guns to stand tall. Jermaine McEwen, Thomas Cant, Elijah Salesa-Leaumoana, Pasami Saulo and Lachlan Crouch could all be called upon on in 2026 and the club will be hopeful they can fill the forwards void left by the departure of some big-name stars.

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