The 2026 NRL season delivered fairytale stories, surprise packets and another memorable finals series. From the Sydney Roosters’ premiership triumph and Newcastle’s stunning rise from wooden spooners to grand finalists, to Penrith’s heartbreak and the Dolphins’ breakthrough campaign, we assess how each of the top eight teams performed and what lies ahead in 2027.
Premiers: Sydney Roosters (16W, 8L)
Ladder Position after Round 27: 4th
Expectation vs Reality: After a disappointing 2025, the Roosters signalled their intentions by signing Daly Cherry-Evans over the off-season. It paid off, with DCE playing 27 games, averaging 383 kicking metres, and kicking a crucial field goal in the Grand Final.
Turning Point: Eight straight wins (Round 16 to Round 24) put the Roosters in the top four and they stayed there despite three losses to end the regular season.
Standouts: There were a number of standouts for the Roosters: Cherry-Evans, Sam Walker (also making his Origin debut for Queensland and returning for the finals after a syndesmosis injury), Clive Churchill Medallist James Tedesco (388 running metres in the Grand Final), Mark Nawaqanitawase (22 tries), Daniel Tupou (15 tries), and Naufahu Whyte (27 games for 620 tackles and 4,580 running metres).
Outlook for 2027: The Roosters lose some key players next season (Cherry-Evans, Angus Crichton, Nawaqanitawase, Daniel Tupou, Spencer Leniu, and Connor Watson), so they may drop off a bit, though they should still be top eight contenders.
Runner-Up: Newcastle Knights (14W, 10L)
Ladder Position after Round 27: 7th
Expectation vs Reality: Led by new coach Justin Holbrook, Newcastle were the fairytale team of 2026, rising from the wooden spoon to the Grand Final. They also unlocked their attack under Holbrook, almost doubling their regular season points tally (633 in 2026 vs 338 in 2025) as they navigated some crucial injuries.
Turning Point: Newcastle’s reaction to Dylan Brown’s injury in Round 21 defined their season. They could have easily fallen away, but they won six from nine without their multi-million-dollar signing. While the Knights would prefer having Brown fit and in form, they showed they can win without him if needed.
Standouts: Kalyn Ponga finally put the consistent rumours about his future to rest, re-signing with Newcastle and playing 19 games. Francis Manuleleua had an outstanding debut season, playing 15 games and earning a spot in Samoa’s World Cup squad. Wingers Greg Marzhew (25) and Dominic Young (23) combined for 48 tries.
Outlook for 2027: Newcastle has the potential to be a regular finals side and premiership contender for years to come.
Preliminary Finalists: Penrith Panthers and Dolphins
Penrith Panthers (18W, 6L)
Ladder Position after Round 27: Minor Premiers
Expectation vs Reality: Penrith were in first place for most of the season and seemed destined to make another Grand Final. It was a disappointing finish considering their high expectations.
Turning Point: Nathan Cleary’s injury in the preliminary final was devastating. While Penrith led 14-6 in the second half, Cleary’s absence gave Newcastle the opportunity to erase that deficit. It was the second straight season that Penrith have let a lead slip in a preliminary final.: unusual for a club that’s been the benchmark since 2020.
Standouts: A joint winner of the Ken Irvine Medal, Tom Jenkins (30 tries) scored 11 doubles, a hat-trick, and a double hat-trick (four tries), including 16 tries in his first seven games as Penrith got off to a flying start. Nathan Cleary was vital to Penrith winning the minor premiership, and he finally got the “he can’t dominate in Origin” criticism off his back with a series win for NSW, adding the Wally Lewis Medal to his Dally M later in the season.
Outlook for 2027: In Ivan Cleary’s last season as coach, Penrith will want to win their fifth premiership in eight seasons and prove their dynasty isn’t over yet.
Dolphins (17W, 7L)
Ladder Position after Round 27: 3rd
Expectation vs Reality: After some close misses in previous seasons, the Dolphins finally made their first finals series and won their first finals game. The Redcliffe Dolphins won the Queensland Cup and the State Championship, which is a good sign for the NRL Dolphins’ depth. With the Broncos crashing from their 2025 premiership, the Dolphins gained some ground as Queensland’s favourite team: the Dolphins won their second Battle of Brisbane game and over 50,000 attended the preliminary final at Suncorp Stadium.
Turning Point: The Dolphins had two eight-game winning streaks (Round 9 to Round 17; Round 20 to the qualifying final) to secure a top four spot and prove the 66-0 loss to Cronulla-Sutherland was an aberration. They also won two out of three games (against Canberra and the Roosters) without their Origin players.
Standouts: Jamayne Isaako again scored points at will for the Dolphins (the leading points-scorer with 310) and will be a big loss when he moves to Melbourne. Selwyn Cobbo (18 tries) had a wonderful first season for the Dolphins and returned to the Queensland Origin side, while Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow scored 14 tries. Kurt Donoghoe and Max Plath were both important impact players, with Plath playing multiple positions and making his Queensland Origin debut.
Outlook for 2027: The Dolphins will be aiming for another top four finish.
Semi-Finalists: NZ Warriors and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
New Zealand Warriors (18W, 6L)
Ladder Position after Round 27: 2nd
Expectation vs Reality: The Warriors appeared to have one foot in the Grand Final with a top two finish and two home finals, but – like Canberra in 2025 – the Warriors were gone in straight sets. On regular season form alone, Andrew Webster was a worthy Dally M Coach of the Year and Warriors fans consistently showed their passion as rugby league grows in popularity in New Zealand.
Turning Point: Their last two regular-season home games exposed some worrying issues. While they beat Newcastle and Manly Warringah, they conceded 32 (Knights) and 30 (Sea Eagles) points respectively, with their edge defence a major concern. They were arguably too conservative in the qualifying final (with Taine Tuaupiki kicking five penalty goals), giving the Dolphins an opening to overrun them in the last 20 minutes.
Standouts: Alofiana Khan-Pereira showed his move from the Gold Coast was justified, scoring 16 tries from 19 games. Leka Halasima played 21 games and scored 10 tries (including a double in the semi-final against Newcastle). James Fisher-Harris (23) played more than 20 games in a season for the ninth time. Wayde Egan played 25 out of 26 games for the Warriors: his consistency was a big factor in the Warriors’ top two finish, playing between 50 and 60 minutes per game for the majority of the season.
Outlook for 2027: The Warriors will want to prove that 2026 was the beginning of something big. A top four finish will be the minimum expectation next season.
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (14W, 10L)
Ladder Position after Round 27: 5th
Expectation vs Reality: A disappointing season considering the Sharks’ expectations, missing the preliminary final for the first time since 2023.
Turning Point: The Sharks looked set for a top four finish – with their last five regular season games against bottom nine teams (St George Illawarra, Canberra, Gold Coast, Parramatta, Melbourne) – but they lost four out of five to finish fifth.
Standouts: While he again copped most of the criticism for Cronulla’s poor performances, Nicho Hynes (218) still finished as equal second-highest points-scorer behind Jamayne Isaako. Braydon Trindall’s injury against Canberra hurt Cronulla’s top four hopes, though he returned for the finals and finished with 33 try assists, with Sione Katoa scoring 19 tries and Ronaldo Mulitalo 13. Addin Fonua-Blake played 23 games (554 tackles and 3,266 running metres), with the new eligibility rules giving him the opportunity to play Origin for NSW.
Outlook for 2027: The Sharks are losing some key players (including Katoa, Cameron McInnes, and Jesse Ramien), so they could struggle in 2027. Cronulla have made five straight finals appearances under Craig Fitzgibbon, but their premiership window may be closing.
Week 1 Elimination Finalists: South Sydney Rabbitohs and North Queensland Cowboys
South Sydney Rabbitohs (14W, 10L)
Ladder Position after Round 27: 6th
Expectation vs Reality: A successful season for Souths, making their first finals series since 2002, and there was a lot of goodwill around their support of Jai Arrow. Alex Johnston broke Ken Irvine’s try-scoring record and was the joint winner (with Tom Jenkins) of the Ken Irvine Medal.
Turning Point: While Souths struggled for consistency amid another heavy injury toll (with superstar Latrell Mitchell only playing 12 games), four wins from their last five regular season games secured an elimination final.
Standouts: Johnston had another outstanding season, passing 30 tries in a season for the third time; Tallis Duncan showed his versatility in his 22 games, switching between centre and second row when required; Keaon Koloamatangi farewelled Souths by playing all 25 games (785 tackles and 4,250 running metres); Campbell Graham scored 14 tries in 19 games; captain Cameron Murray rebounded from an injury-interrupted 2025 to play 20 games in 2026.
Outlook for 2027: Souths will want to build on this season’s improvement and stay in the top eight.
North Queensland Cowboys (13W, 11L)
Ladder Position after Round 27: 8th
Expectation vs Reality: While the Cowboys did well to make the finals, they weren’t a legitimate premiership threat. Their heavy loss to Canberra in Round 27 (against a Raiders side out of finals contention) showed they weren’t going to go far, and they were knocked out by Cronulla in the elimination final.
Turning Point: Four straight wins (Round 3 to Round 6) put the Cowboys in touch with the eight early on and they stayed there for the rest of the season. But their inconsistency was highlighted by a three-week stretch where they beat Brisbane (Round 21), lost 82-12 to the Roosters (Round 22), and beat the Gold Coast (Round 23).
Standouts: In his 17th season at the Cowboys, Jason Taumalolo played 24 games and reached 300 games in Round 17. After playing 22 games in two seasons since returning to the Cowboys, Jake Clifford (24 games) secured a regular halves spot this season, switching between five-eighth and halfback and scoring 144 points (nine tries, 53 goals, one two-point field goal).
Outlook for 2027: At best, the Cowboys will be fighting for an elimination final spot next season.
