The 2025 NRL season is nearly upon us as Las Vegas is set to get its second taste of NRL action at Allegiant Stadium.
As the season is set to kick off, coaches will be sacked, bolters will make a case for State of Origin selection and one club will cop the dreaded wooden spoon. Here are 17 questions clubs will have to ponder across the season.
Broncos – Can they become a defensively resolute team?
If there’s one thing Michael Maguire prides on, it’s defence, which was clear during New South Wales regaining the State of Origin Shield as the Blues defended their way towards victories in Melbourne and Brisbane.
The Broncos have plenty of X-factor, but their defensive deficiencies (conceding 607 points in the 2024 season compared to 425 in 2023 by Round 27) cost them a finals spot. There will be times where the Broncos lose games due to poor defence, but if the playing group believe in the coach and not certain Broncos Old Boys in the media, the Broncos will be back in the finals and potentially end their 19-year wait to lift the premiership in October.
Raiders – Will youth be able to guide Raiders back into the finals?
Since 2020, the Canberra Raiders have not made a preliminary final and frankly have not looked like a team who will contend for a premiership. They barely scraped into the finals in 2023 and narrowly missed out on finals the following year. With the losses of Jordan Rapana and Elliott Whitehead, Ricky Stuart will be desperately hoping Kaeo Weekes and Zac Hosking have an injury free season to get back into finals footy.
Bulldogs – Will consistency continue, or was 2024 a flash in the pan?
2024 saw the Bulldogs go through a few memorable late wins against the Eels, Warriors and Sharks at home. However, the Bulldogs ran out of gas with two comprehensive losses at home to the Sea Eagles and Cowboys in regular season before losing to the Sea Eagles in front of their own crowd come the elimination final.
Given that Leo Thompson is not going to join the Bulldogs till 2026, they still lack a powerhouse forward alongside quality depth in the halves should Matt Burton go down with injury. Should the Bulldogs start 2025 poorly, it could be a tough way up given how other teams have strengthened for this season.
Matt Burton of the Bulldogs attempts a field goal (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Sharks – Can Hynes step up under pressure?
The Sharks have shown steady improvement under Craig Fitzgibbon, but a record of one win in five finals games in three years is not a record of a team challenging for a premiership.
Nicho Hynes is in his fourth year of his halfback career in the NRL. Pressure has been on the Sharks halfback to step up and learn from his past three seasons towards a premiership? Only time will tell.
Dolphins – Can Woolf break the Bennett curse?
While many coaches who have tasted success at Super League have struggled at NRL level, Kristian Woolf’s appointment at the Dolphins is different given his success in making Tonga a powerhouse nation who can challenge for a World Cup title. Having been involved with the Dolphins since their inauguration, Woolf knows the club and his playing group inside out.
He has an exciting spine and forward pack alongside a young core to work with for the following seasons. Having come so close to finals football, can Woolf break the Bennett curse and take the Dolphins to another level?
Given how he improved Tonga and his success at St Helens, I believe Woolf will achieve success at NRL level.
Titans – Can they find an identity and stick to it?
After so many years, the Gold Coast Titans have struggled for relevance, hardly being a powerhouse in the NRL despite having squads with potential.
With David Fifita backing out of joining the Roosters, Des Hasler has an experienced forward pack that can cause damage on their day. But with a lack of identity at the club, there will be no consistency at the Titans. Attack and vibes can work in one off games here and there. But across a season, it sure won’t get you into playing finals football come September.
Sea Eagles – Will discipline cost the Sea Eagles from being contenders again?
Of course there will be days where the Sea Eagles will be without Tom Trbojevic, but young guns in Tolutau Koula and Lehi Hopoate provide assurity at fullback in his absence. But the club has had issues in matches where they give away cheap penalties and make errors in their own half and lose games. If the playing group can overcome that mental block, they can go far in 2025.
Storm – Is Utoikamanu addition enough to topple Penrith?
Out of all the clubs, it’s the Melbourne Storm who seem to be best equipped to stop the Penrith juggernaut having beaten them in the 2020 grand final and coming close to stopping them in 2024 before two errors saw Penrith punish Melbourne.
Stefano Utoikamanu is a huge plus for the Storm, as the young Samoan prop brings in size and aggression that was missing for the Storm to overcome Penrith. Given that the Panthers have lost James Fisher-Harris, the addition of Utoikamanu may be enough to stop Penrith from winning five consecutive premierships.
Warriors – Can Fisher-Harris change the fortunes of the Wahs?
Despite the results, the Warriors selling out all their home games in Auckland was a huge plus point for the NRL, and the club will be hoping to emulate those numbers in 2025, too.
NRL tipping is BACK on The Roar for 2025! Get your tips in here.
On the field, the leadership of James Fisher-Harris is huge for the Warriors. A serial winner like many leaders in the Panthers team over the past few season, the impact of JFH will be huge for the Wahs to grind through tough periods in the season alongside having a successful culture off the field as well.
Knights – Can they stick to one halves combination long enough?
I lost count at one stage last year, but I’m pretty sure the Knights had more changes in their halves pairing in a year than the average person has situationships in their whole life. Fletcher Sharpe seems to have grabbed the role of five-eighth, but he will need a No.7 to pair with him week in week out to get the best out of him and for the Knights to not panic after a loss or two.
Kalyn Ponga is key to the Knights’ fortunes. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
Oh, and stop relying on Kalyn Ponga to bail Adam O’Brien from getting the sack.
Cowboys – How will they cope with a thin backline?
With Valentine Holmes and Kyle Feldt departing the club alongside Tom Chester out with an ACL injury, the Cowboys will be severely tested in their backline, especially if their injury list continues to rise. With one of Braidon Burns or Jaxson Paulo taking up a spot on the wing, they will need to have their best career season if the Cowboys are to avoid missing finals football.
Eels – Will Zac Lomax’s stubbornness cost the Eels?
After a breakthrough season for the St George Illawarra Dragons on the right wing, Zac Lomax was rewarded with an Origin and international jersey, playing a key part in NSW winning the Shield and Australia winning the Pacific Championships.
But his stubbornness of wanting to play at centre when he’s lucky to be a top 10 centre may cost the Eels a genuine shot of playing finals football. For every unsuccessful, unnecessary flick pass Lomax throws into touch, I will take a shot during the 2025 NRL season.
Panthers – Can Ivan Cleary do the improbable?
Every season, it feels like the Panthers may have finally met their match with the losses of Matt Burton, Kurt Capewell, Api Koroisau and Stephen Crichton over the past few years. But they just continue to find a way having currently won four premierships in a row.
Three in a row was unlikely. Four in a row was improbable. Five seems implausible, especially with the loss of James Fisher-Harris and Jarome Luai, arguably the best players in the world in their positions respectively.
But this is the Panthers we’re talking about. The core of this squad are serial winners. They don’t know what losing means anymore. And winning never gets boring for them. And you absolutely cannot rule them out from winning five in a row.
Rabbitohs – Can they avoid the spoon?
Following two poor results in pre-season alongside possibly losing Cameron Murray for the whole season, you may as well put a line through the Rabbitohs.
New signing Lewis Dodd has struggled at halfback and the constant scrutiny on the former St Helens No.7 may be too much to handle. The only saving grace for the struggling Rabbitohs is Wayne Bennett, but a lack of quality leadership and a below par spine is the perfect recipe for a disastrous season.
Lewis Dodd. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)
No club is big enough to avoid the spoon, and for this season, I see the Rabbitohs as the most likely club to get the spoon.
Dragons – Will experienced heads lead Dragons back into finals football?
Having avoided finals footy since 2018, the Red V and its fanbase are desperate to play deep into September. Shane Flanagan has been smart with his recruitment, signing experienced players who still have a year or two of NRL quality standard left in their bodies in Clint Gutherson, Damien Cook and Val Holmes.
If the trio can lead the way and the young core follow them, the Dragons will be in with a chance of playing finals and potentially upsetting a team or two.
Roosters – Is 2025 a development year for the club?
Having lost so much experience and quality alongside Sam Walker and Brandon Smith still recovering from ACL injuries, the Roosters already seem to be running out of ideas. Their defence looked poor in the trials, particularly on the right edge and opposition teams will definitely exploit that.
Just like the Rabbitohs, I’ve put a line through the Roosters who will be looking to avoid the spoon and use 2025 as a rebuilding season for the following few years. Cue the sombrero jokes.
Tigers – How far can Luai take Wests?
Despite being a four-time premiership winner, two-time State of Origin winner and having a World Cup runners up medal with Samoa, the consensus seems to be Jarome Luai will mostly be remembered for his stint at the Wests Tigers.
Luai will bring in two key components the struggling club needs – controlled arrogance and a winning mentality. With the Tigers recruiting well since Shane Richardson arrived at the club, all eyes will be on Luai and how he utilises a talented forward pack with a high ceiling and whether he can ensure that Campbelltown and Leichhardt become a fortress for the Tigers.
Even if the Tigers miss out on finals football, they will definitely be the most improved team of the season.
