NRL’s beaten brigade: Why your team was no good in 2025, and might struggle again in ’26

Another wasted year. Over time, they have gone from a giant club to a small one which is no longer a proud destination for players. Shane Flanagan can coach, but he made many errors in 2025. Bagging Lachie Ilias publicly was a big one. Unless they miraculously unearth a couple of champion halves in the next few years, it’ll be a long decade to come. They won’t compete for signatures to fix the roster alongside the expansion clubs and ‘destination clubs’ like the Storm.

2026 prediction: No chance of the finals.

Rabbitohs (14th)

Their season was gone in one five-minute patch of a pre-season training session. Leader Cam Murray did his Achilles and farmer Latrell Mitchell a hamstring, which meant it was all over red rover before it started. The problems they have going forward are: Cody Walker at 36 is too old for 24 rounds of magnificence; injury-prone Mitchell can’t string together a full season and Jack Wighton isn’t as good as he used to be. The positives are Wayne Bennett as coach and a fit Murray.

2026 prediction: Will be in the hunt, but will miss out again.

Wests Tigers (13th)

The Lachie Galvin imbroglio killed them through the crucial mid-part of the season. Then, it kind of helped them because he was gone, taking his “promising future” – and that’s all it is at this stage – to the Bulldogs. They were good early and late, but poor in the middle. Overall, with nine wins, the season was still a fail. At least they bullied governments and councils into fixing two of their three – or is it four? – home grounds.

2026 prediction: Will break through and make the eight.

Cowboys (12th)

Wow, what a disappointment they’ve been since their preliminary final appearance in 2022. For a roster stacked with Origin stars, it was appalling at times this season. Credit to the board for sticking with Todd Payten as coach, but he is at the last chance saloon next season. All of his assistants are gone and it’s time for them to properly aim up over 27 rounds. Jaxon Purdue is a find but needs an off-season on the protein shakes and in the gym.

2026 prediction: Finals bound.

Eels (11th)

Roster inexperience and two Mitch Moses injuries meant they didn’t have the firepower to compete. With the star half only featuring in 14 matches, a win-loss record of 10-14 was actually not too bad in Jason Ryles’ first season as coach. He’s blooded plenty of players now and showed what a great coach he might turn out to be when he axed chronic non-winner Dylan Brown who’s leaving the club. There were very promising signs late in the season. They are in better shape than many of the beaten brigade.

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2026 prediction: Seriously in the mix for a spot in the eight if Moses stays fit.

Manly (10th)

Drama, then more drama. DCE’s leaving, the Turbo brothers battled injury, the old boys were whispering away in the background. It was a soap opera, and it ended in disappointment. Missing the finals is a major fail, but when two of your biggest-paid stars Jake and Tom Trbojevic can’t physically deliver, you’re stuffed. Particularly Tom – he simply can’t run. It’s like asking Oscar Piastri to win the Formula One title in a car which only gets to fifth gear, when your rivals have eight.

2026 prediction: It won’t get any better. It’ll be a long year.

Dolphins (9th)

Missing the finals by one win is a cruel blow but, in the end, they got what they deserved after a 0-4 start thanks to Cyclone Alfred in March. Remember that? It had the player’s partners so frightened that the likes of Kodi Nikorima, Mark Nicholls and Kenny Bromwich refused to go to Sydney to play. The cyclone fizzled out, and so did their season as a four-match losing streak from the get-go is very difficult to reel in. Injuries also crippled them.

2026 prediction: After three years of near misses, they can get there.

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