What every rugby league team wants for Christmas

Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Every club has a premiership on their Christmas wish list – but instead of hoping for a case of Dom Perignon, a bottle of Passion Pop would rate as a successful holiday gift for most teams. From halfbacks and health, to contracts and curses, here are some of the treats NRL teams would like to find under their Christmas trees next Wednesday morning. Wests Tigers – A functioning board Jarome Luai meets Tigers fans during pre-season training. Credit: Rhett Wyman It’s been a tumultuous few years for the Wests Tigers. Three wooden spoons, two sacked coaches, the entire board dissolved and now whispers that the current board want the Western Suburbs Magpies to replace the Wests Tigers in the NRL. Yikes. The team is starting to take some shape, thanks to the talent of Jarome Luai, Api Koroisau, Lachlan Galvin, Jahream Bula and Sunia Turuva, but it’s time to get the club sorted at an administrative level.

Advertisement

Sea Eagles – A healthy Tom Trbojevic Tom Trbojevic leaves the field after suffering a serious shoulder injury in 2024. Credit: Getty No late-night sprint races with punters for Tom Trbojevic this off-season – the Sea Eagles need their star fullback to conserve his hamstrings. It’s been six years since the Sea Eagles got an entire healthy season out of Trbojevic, who has had numerous hamstring and shoulder injuries throughout his career at Manly. Despite the club having excellent back-up No.1 options in Lehi Hopoate and Tolutau Koula, the Sea Eagles’ 2024 finals run showed that Trbojevic is integral to their success. Eels – Dylan Brown to take up his contract options Dylan Brown could be at Parramatta until 2031 if he chooses. Credit: Getty The Jason Ryles revolution has begun at Parramatta.

Advertisement

Now they’ve shed the likes of Clint Gutherson and Reagan Campbell-Gillard, they need to start building a team around their halves partners – Mitchell Moses and Dylan Brown. Brown is technically signed with the club until 2031 ... if he wants. The 24-year-old has an absurd amount of player options in his contract, and he has until round 10 of the 2025 season to decide if he wants to take them up. Rabbitohs – Wayne to get best out of Latrell Latrell Mitchell holds the key to Souths’ success Wayne Bennett is back, and ready to make Latrell Mitchell great again. The supercoach knows how to get the best out of Mitchell, who has struggled with injuries and suspensions in recent years, but already been a standout at training before Christmas. If Mitchell fires, Souths will be right back in the premiership hunt. How fit did he look stripped down to a pair of swimmers in a promo with teammate Jai Arrow last week? Panthers – Fill the shoes of Jarome Luai Blaize Talagi has joined the Panthers ahead of the 2025 season. Credit: NRL Photos

Advertisement

Jarome Luai is a tough act to follow, but that’s precisely what rising star Blaize Talagi needs to do. The Parramatta junior inked a three-year-deal with the four-time premiers during the 2024 season, and he has the opportunity to slip into the gap left by Luai’s departure to the Tigers. But if Talagi can’t live up to expectations, Brad Schneider, Jack Cole or Daine Laurie will be waiting in the wings to take his place at five-eighth. Dragons – A half that’s not related to Shane Flanagan St George five-eighth Kyle Flanagan. Credit: Janie Barrett With Ben Hunt back at the Broncos, the jury is out on St George Illawarra’s halves pairing this upcoming season, with some suggesting they will be the weakest in the NRL. Lachie Ilias, who suffered a shocking leg injury last season, would love the chance to prove he is a genuine No. 7 after falling out of favour at Souths, and hopes to hit it off with Kyle Flanagan.

Advertisement

It’s not all bad news for the Dragons though, with Sharks utility Daniel Atkinson penning a three-year deal with the club from 2026, and Damien Cook, Valentine Holmes and workhorse Clint Gutherson joining the Red V in 2025 to help restore the club to the glory of the 1950s and 60s. Quiz results:

7 out of 7: All your Christmas wishes come true.

5-6: You get all the presents you wanted, but you have to sit next to the boring uncle who smells like a wet dog at Christmas lunch.

3-4: You get a new pair of kicks – but they are Skechers.

0-2: You’ve been bad all year. Your stocking is empty, and you tear your hamstring off the bone going for a quick single in the post-Christmas lunch backyard cricket game and spend seven hours of Boxing Day in the emergency ward of your local hospital. Broncos – Players to stay out of trouble Reece Walsh has signed on with the Broncos until 2029. Credit: Getty The Broncos are full of eye-catching players, but a string of on- and off-field incidents during the past couple of seasons played its part in Brisbane’s demise in 2024. Reece Walsh and Ezra Mam are two of the club’s most talented, but the pair were under the microscope from the NRL integrity unit for a late-night incident in Bali in September, not to mention Mam appeared in court this week and pleaded guilty to drug driving and driving without a licence.

Advertisement

Click here to read article