Source :- THE AGE NEWS
While the top eight clubs will tomorrow begin their preparations for the finals series, Mad Monday beckons for the nine also-rans.
Here, we look at where things went wrong over the season, and the areas that will provide their fans with cause for optimism over the summer.
Manly
What went wrong? It took just three games for the Sea Eagles to pull the trigger on coach Anthony Seibold. The move prompted the desired response, with the players immediately warming to his interim replacement, Kieran Foran. Thus began a honeymoon period for “Fozball”; Foran was the toast of the town, the Sea Eagles soared up the ladder and an unlikely finals appearance appeared possible.
However, playing on emotion alone was only going to take the team so far, and injuries conspired against them. For Tom Trbojevic, it was the same old story; those gammy hamstrings went on him again and the fullback was sidelined for half the season.
How can they turn it around in 2027? There were some positive signs in the post-Daly Cherry-Evans era. Joey Walsh is a star on the rise and fellow young gun half Onitoni Large will also be introduced to first grade next year.
It’s imperative they play behind a strong pack, but the Sea Eagles still look thin for middle forwards. Foran will be better for his experiences this year, but will he be able to lift his side now that the novelty of his appointment has worn off? As ever, much will depend on the fitness of Trbojevic.
Canterbury
What went wrong? In hindsight, it appears the Bulldogs overachieved in 2025. They carried a very similar squad into this year’s campaign but fell short. By the club’s own admission, they were one of the slowest teams to adapt to the new rule changes. But their biggest issues were in the spine.
This was meant to be the year that young halfback Mitchell Woods announced himself to the NRL. However, hamstring injuries meant he was never sighted. Lachlan Galvin was their biggest threat with the football – his combination with Jacob Preston continues to improve – but it’s still unclear what his best position is.
How can they turn it around in 2027? It’s all about the spine. The Bulldogs must find an elite halfback and fullback to be a genuine contender. That could happen if Woods has some joy on the injury front, while the shift of Stephen Crichton from centre to five-eighth feels like a stop-gap solution.
And the club is yet to settle on a long-term No.9 since Reed Mahoney left. There has been plenty of turnover of players in recent seasons, yet the only recruit for next year is journeyman dummy half Freddy Lussick.
Melbourne
What went wrong? Melbourne’s season effectively ended before it started. Ryan Papenhuyen and Nelson Asofa-Solomona left, Eli Katoa and Xavier Coates didn’t play a single game, Tui Kamikamica retired prematurely after suffering a stroke and countless other injuries also conspired against the Storm.
Coach Craig Bellamy then revealed he had been diagnosed with a form of neurodegenerative disorder. The team has shown glimpses of its usual metronomic self, but just couldn’t reproduce it consistently.
How can they turn it around in 2027? It’s unlikely the Storm will miss the finals in successive seasons. In Cameron Munster, Jarome Hughes, Harry Grant and Sua Fa’alogo they still have one of the best spines in the game. Jamayne Isaako and Bronson Xerri will add much-needed depth to the backline, while Coates’ return will be a game changer.
Their pack is a little short on grunt, but this is a team that will be motivated to send off Bellamy on the right note in what is shaping as his final season with the clipboard.
Canberra
What went wrong? This is a big fall for the minor premiers. It took a while for Ethan Sanders to warm to the No.7 jersey following Jamal Fogarty’s departure and the season quickly slipped away.
The Raiders threatened a late play-off run after big wins over the Bulldogs and Rabbitohs in July, but Hudson Young’s season-ending injury quickly dashed those hopes. The Green Machine simply made too many errors and was too inconsistent to be a factor.
How can they turn it around in 2027? Any improvement will have to come from within, as the Raiders haven’t made any signings of note for next season. It’s going to be a pack rebuild after stalwarts Josh Papalii, Corey Horsburgh, Morgan Smithies and Jayden Brailey depart. The club has some big decisions to make with nine top-liners – including Joseph Tapine, Hudson Young, Sanders and Xavier Kris – about to come off contract.
Parramatta
What went wrong? To put it bluntly, this is a pretty ordinary roster. Coach Jason Ryles has done a good job of squeezing the most out of it, but he needs some help from his recruiting team. And when injuries struck – no team had more players in the casualty ward – their lack of depth was sorely exposed.
The Jonah Pezet experiment didn’t work and a lot of players were blooded before their time. They lose the ruck too often and opposition momentum often leads to points.
How can they turn it around in 2027? Jarome Luai’s arrival, on a 12-month stop-over en route to PNG, is the key to any revival. His combination with Mitchell Moses, which has previously clicked at Origin level, will be one of the stories of the season.
If it goes awry, at least they have Ronald Volkman, the most improved player in the NRL, as a playmaking option. Jaydn Su’A’s arrival will help, but Parramatta desperately needs to find another middle forward and outside back in the off-season. Some luck on the injury front would help too.
Wests Tigers
What went wrong? Everything was pointing towards a breakthrough finals appearance … and then Jarome Luai signed with PNG. It was the moment everything unravelled. Luai’s form nosedived and the Tigers lost 13 of their next 16 games. This is a club that just can’t avoid drama, and all of it is self-inflicted.
When Adam Doueihi refused to play after being shifted out of the halves, revelations emerged about players vaping and taking shortcuts in their preparation. They need to sort themselves out off the field to have any chance of performing on it.
How can they turn it around in 2027? Luai’s departure will give the Tigers a much-needed circuit breaker. It will leave Doueihi, Latu Fainu, Javon Andrews and Jock Madden to battle it out for halves spots. Having moved on Luai early to free up funds to retain Samuela Fainu, the Tigers can’t afford to allow the star back-rower to leave.
After a couple of aggressive years of recruiting, their only signings are Jake Averillo and Jayden Brailey. They need a good start or the pressure on Benji Marshall – despite being contracted until the end of 2030 – will quickly mount.
Brisbane
What went wrong? In a word, everything. It started with Payne Haas’ decision to leave at the end of the season for South Sydney. Assistant coach Ben Te’o was gone in March, star players broke down, Adam Reynolds may or may not have ruled himself out of a retirement game … there was drama at every turn.
Reece Walsh, the superstar of their premiership triumph in 2025, couldn’t reproduce the purplest of purple patches and, unlike during their storied run last year, this season when an opponent got in front they stayed there. There were calls for Michael Maguire’s head from the moment the Broncos lost the World Club Challenge, and they didn’t abate. Conceding an average of 28 points per game is a disgrace.
How can they turn it around in 2027? They’ll need to do it without Haas, the best prop of his generation, and captain Reynolds. Mitch Barnett is a handy pickup, but Jonah Pezet is going to have to show a lot more than he did at Parramatta if he’s any chance of wearing the No.7 jersey.
Maguire needs a hot start to keep the critics at bay. But perhaps the biggest change is getting the entire club on the same page after one of the worst premiership defences in history.
Gold Coast
What went wrong? This was never going to be a quick fix for new coach Josh Hannay. He started overhauling the roster the moment he arrived, but there are still issues – like having too many fullbacks on the books. One of them, AJ Brimson, is tired of playing out of position and is likely to leave. There have been some bright moments with the football, but their inability to turn the opposition away has proven costly.
How can they turn it around in 2027? There have been some positive signs in the form of young halfback Zane Harrison, hooker Oliver Pascoe and promising forwards Arama Hau and Cooper Bai. Keeping them all together is a priority.
The Titans can be an attractive watch when it all comes together, but you’re not going to win many games of football when you’re conceding almost 28 points per game. The roster will remain pretty much the same, so improvement will have to come from within.
St George Illawarra
What went wrong? Before their first game, Shane Flanagan conceded this was not a premiership team. It was no great revelation, but few could have predicted how bad things would become. Flanagan was gone by April and they didn’t earn their first win until the very end of May, against the hapless Broncos.
Performances improved sufficiently under Dean Young for him to be appointed Flanagan’s replacement on a permanent basis, but it’s a season the Red V is keen to forget after finishing with the wooden spoon for the first time.
How can they turn it around in 2027? Struggling teams can’t normally buy their way out of trouble, but recruiter Daniel Anderson has done a magnificent job overhauling the worst team in the NRL. Scott Drinkwater, Keaon Koloamatangi, Kodi Nikorima, Luke Metcalf, Phillip Sami and Connor Watson provide much-needed class.
Just as importantly, the Dragons have re-signed promising young forwards Ryan Couchman and Toby Couchman, Dylan Egan, Loko Pasifiki Tonga and Jacob Halangahu. Young has the chance to put his imprint on a new-look squad over the summer. Should be the NRL’s biggest improvers.
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