The high-flying Panthers are not the only team to lose talent in what has been a dramatic offseason marked by big-name transfers, high-profile coach moves, devastating injuries and, in some cases, crippling inertia.
17th – St George Illawarra Dragons
Dragons coach Shane Flanagan has always had a greater affinity for veteran players and it showed in the recruitment of Clint Gutherson, Damien Cook and Valentine Holmes, joining Lachlan Ilias and Emre Guler as new faces who will start for the Red V. The addition of three decorated rep players bodes well for the Dragons early as all will have plenty to prove, but the ability of the trio – all aged over 30 – to get their bodies through a rigorous season is questionable. The biggest concern for the Dragons though is a starting halves pairing of Kyle Flanagan and Lachlan Ilias, who are a combined 68-84 in the NRL.
16th – Parramatta Eels
No team has rolled the dice more often this offseason than the Eels, who have taken some major risks over the offseason in the name of a rebuild. Jason Ryles was a surprise selection as a head coach, particularly since he has had no head coaching experience outside of the Illawarra Rugby League. Moving on Clint Gutherson and replacing him with a one-game Panther who played 59 games of NSW Cup the last three years – Isaiah Iongi – is akin to throwing a few bob on the 100-1 shot in the Melbourne Cup. Zac Lomax joins the Eels as their rolled-gold recruit but the failure of Ryles to learn from Shane Flanagan and keep Lomax on the wing should raise plenty of red flags for a club that appears to be taking reckless chances.
15th – North Queensland Cowboys
The Cowboys have entered a period of significant transition and Todd Payten’s ability to handle that will very much dictate the kind of season the club will have. Veterans Kyle Feldt, Valentine Holmes and Chad Townsend have departed while hooker Reece Robson has signed with the Roosters from 2026. Season-ending injuries to Heilum Luki and Tom Chester means North Queensland will present a very different looking team to the one that finished fifth in 2024. John Bateman is a big signing who will take Luki’s spot on an edge but there remain real worries over who will wear the No 7 jersey with Jake Clifford underwhelming last year and youngsters Tom Duffy and Jaxson Purdue pushing for a start. The Cowboys’ success last year looked to be based on fairly flimsy foundations and it would not surprise if the club took a sharp turn south this season.
14th – Gold Coast Titans
The last time the Gold Coast Titans had a winning season Julia Gillard was prime minister, Breaking Bad was three seasons in and the Wests Tigers were playing finals football. Despite finishing in the top eight twice since, the Titans have not posted more than 11.5 wins since 2010. Mediocrity is entrenched in the culture and despite Des Hasler’s long record of success, he must prove he can overcome the organisational constraints. Gold Coast absolutely have the talent to improve sharply with AJ Brimson, Keano Kini and speedster Alofiana Khan-Pereira in the backline and David Fifita, Beau Fermor and the returning Tino Fa’asuamaleaui in the pack. Reagan Campbell-Gillard is a solid addition to the prop rotation. It is not about the talent at the Titans though – it is about doing what nobody has done in 15 years and pulling it all together.
13th – Newcastle Knights
There is an old mantra at footy clubs that says if you have three halves you have depth and if you have four halves you have no halves. The Knights go into 2025 with seven relatively equal players as coach Adam O’Brien tries to manufacture boom youngster Fletcher Sharpe into a five-eighth. Sharpe looks set to start the season at No 6 and will be paired with either Tyson Gamble or Jack Cogger. How long the starting duo last though is anyone’s guess with Adam O’Brien going through 29 combinations with 15 players over his five-year tenure. Newcastle have a genuine star in Kalyn Ponga but until they get stability in the halves, his stardust is wasted.
12th – Canberra Raiders
No team has been gifted a softer draw than the Raiders in 2025, despite Ricky Stuart saying it is “the worst he has received in 22 years of coaching first grade”. Canberra play just four top-four teams from last year, have the most seven-plus days turnarounds and play a combined win tally from last year of 10 victories fewer than the team with the second softest draw. The far bigger concern for the Raiders is the lack of talent with just five genuine rep players and none of them in the key positions. For the Raiders to do well, they need young players like Ethan Strange, Ethan Sanders, Zac Hosking and recruit Matty Nicholson to come on. The one positive for the Raiders is that no Ricky Stuart Raiders team has won fewer than 10 games since his first year at the helm in 2014 and with an easy draw, they are likely to finish well above the wooden spoon even with a dearth of talent.
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11th – Wests Tigers
The Tigers have put the many failings of the previous administration behind them, steadied the ship and decided to splash some cash as they look to end three straight seasons anchored to the bottom of the ladder. CEO Shane Richardson is the club’s most important signing in many seasons and his ability to bring in Jarome Luai could prove pivotal in ending the longest finals drought in the premiership. Luai has done nothing but win and showed last year he can win as the focal point. The signing of Terrell May is not grabbing the same headlines but he was outstanding for the Roosters in 2024 and is set to have a major impact. Sunia Turuva and Jeral Skelton add some much-needed impact out wide. Culturally, organisationally and developmentally the Tigers still have a long way to go – but they have given themselves a chance in 2025.
10th – Sydney Roosters
Trial form should always be taken with a grain of salt but the abhorrent performance put up against Newcastle in the Roosters’ 48-10 loss will send major concerns through a club that should already have plenty of worries given the departures and injuries that have gutted their roster. The Chooks named arguably their strongest team but trailed 36-4 at half-time. The club saw Joey Manu and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii defect to rugby union, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves move to Super League, Luke Keary retire and Terrell May and Sitili Tupouniua go to other clubs. Combined with long-term injuries to halfback Sam Walker and hooker Brandon Smith, the Chooks look desperately short of both top-end talent and depth. Manu may return mid-season and Walker and Smith are slated to come back but it could all be too little and too late by then.
Ninth – South Sydney Rabbitohs
After a star-crossed season that saw Jason Demetriou sacked as coach and the club endure an historically bad run with injuries, hopes have shone bright for the Rabbitohs ever since luring former coach Wayne Bennett back. Bennett was sublime in his last stint at the Bunnies, going 51-24 and taking Souths to their only grand final since their famous 2014 premiership. The biggest concern coming into this season would be at No 7 with former St Helens star Lewis Dodd expected to win the jersey but a strong pre-season from Manly recruit Jamie Humphreys has created a genuine race. Turmoil hit the Rabbitohs last week though when Cameron Murray suffered a likely season-ending ACL injury and Latrell Mitchell picked up a hamstring injury that will sideline him for eight weeks, severely denting hopes of returning to the finals.
NRL 2025 predicted ladder part two will be published tomorrow.
