NRL 2025: What each team needs by Round 1, 2025 season, when does it starts, Adam Reynolds, will he play, Tom Trbojevic, Penrith Panthers, Nicho Hynes

Brisbane: Reynolds to finish pre-season unscathed

Father Time is undefeated. As athletes age their bodies become increasingly susceptible to injuries, a reality Broncos halfback Adam Reynolds is all too familiar with. After a disrupted 2024 campaign, the Broncos captain underwent neck surgery in the days after Christmas, and despite the operation’s success Michael Maguire will be sweating that his skipper gets through the remainder of pre-season without injury. Ben Hunt’s arrival would ensure Brisbane aren’t short of a Reynolds replacement, although Ezra Mam’s suspension leaves them light at five-eighth across the season’s early rounds.

Raiders: Commit to Kaeo Weekes as the starting fullback

The Raiders exceeded expectations in 2024, finishing outside of the top eight on points differential. The reason why many thought they’d struggle is because of the loss of Jack Wighton and plenty of youth in their backline. Ethan Strange did a wonderful job in his rookie year at five-eighth, but Weekes was excellent as well. The former Sea Eagle was trusted by Ricky Stuart in the halves when Jamal Fogarty was out injured, but it was at fullback he was able to thrive. Weekes showed off his match-breaking speed and agility on several occasions, especially in the No. 1 jersey. With Jordan Rapana off to the Super League, the Raiders have to go with Weekes at fullback as he’s the sort of player who can score from anywhere on the field and make something from nothing. Yes, the Raiders do have a teen sensation in Chevy Stewart, but for now, Weekes is the more polished player who gives Canberra the best chance of winning when he plays fullback.

Bulldogs: Land on an Addo-Carr replacement

Canterbury’s remarkable 2024 campaign was soured in the final few weeks with the Josh Addo-Carr saga that ultimately ended the winger’s time at the club. Despite missing a fair chunk of the season through injury, the Foxx has been a crucial element of the Bulldogs recent rise having been one of the first stars to join the club back in 2022. With just about everything else around Belmore settled at the moment, the only major headache for Cameron Ciraldo will be choosing the winger’s replacement. Blake Wilson has deputised exceptionally for the former Blues star in recent seasons, but the arrival of Marcelo Montoya offers Ciraldo another option. While it shouldn’t make or break their season, whether he opts for the young gun or the veteran as Addo-Carr’s replacement looms as Ciraldo’s first big call of the 2025 campaign.

Sharks: Nicho to bury 2024 woes

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Dolphins: Figure their halves out

For pretty much the entirety of last season, Isaiya Katoa and Kodi Nikorima were locked in as Wayne Bennett’s first choice halves pairing. Until the pointy end of the season when they were both sensationally replaced by Sean O’Sullivan and Jake Averillo – who guided them to a 40-6 demolition of the Broncos in Round 26. Whether Kristian Woolf follows in Bennett’s lead and sticks with the latter pairing, or has his own combination in mind, he’ll need to have his decision made early to set his side up for success this season.

Titans: Dessie’s experimental halves pairing to gel

Des Hasler has always been regarded as one of rugby league’s most eccentric thinkers, and his 2025 halves experiment shapes has one of his most intriguing experiments yet. Out goes the experienced Kieran Foran, who continues to defy age, from the club’s No. 7 jersey, and in comes Jayden Campbell. Son of NRL great Preston, the young Campbell lit the NRL up at five-eighth last year. So much so Hasler is entrusting him with the keys to the side, with perennial livewire AJ Brimson set to partner him. Whether two non-traditional, running halves can thrive in a side that isn’t the Melbourne Storm remains to be seen, but Hasler will be hoping pre-season and the trials will give him enough confidence in his decision by the time their season kicks off against Canterbury.

Sea Eagles: Make a call on Turbo’s position

For all his world-beating brilliance with the No. 1 on his back, discussions of a positional switch to preserve Tom Trbojevic have been ever present in recent seasons. While this has largely been due to his various injury issues, the emergence of Lehi Hopoate as a certified future star of the game has complicated the matter. Hopoate, son of former Sea Eagle John, deputised brilliantly for Trbojevic, scoring once, breaking 11 tackles, and averaging 134 metres with the No. 1 on his back. A strong showing at the back for Tonga further highlighted the teenager’s talents. If 2025 is the year Manly are to make Turbo’s long talked about positional switch a reality, getting it sorted before Round One is their best bet at making it a success.

Storm: Cameron Munster to be fit

In a team full of stars there is arguably none bigger than Cameron Munster. The exceptional five-eighth has long been one of the game’s greatest players, but injuries limited his ability to showcase his talents in 2024. Off season surgery on both his hips reportedly were successful, with the 30-year-old firming to return by Round One. While Jonah Pezet is a worthy deputy, Craig Bellamy will be hoping his superstar No. 6 is ready to go for the season’s opener.

Warriors: Anoint Harris’s captaincy successor

Andrew Webster’s preparations for this season began knowing Shaun Johnson’s retirement would leave his side lacking leadership. Tohu Harris’s shock retirement threw a spanner in the works, leaving the club without a captain for 2025. There is no shortage of options for Webster, but the question he’ll need to answer before Round One is: who is the best choice? Roger Tuivasa-Sheck captained the club 104 times last season, though Mitch Barnett took the honours during Harris’s injury absences last season. Both are fine choices who already know the club, but could Webster be tempted by recruit James Fisher-Harris, who was a stalwart of this dynastic Penrith side before making his move over the ditch? With Round One fast approaching Webster will need to make a call, quick.

Knights: Make a decision on the halves

Newcastle’s 2024 season was defined by the chopping and changing of their halves. Tyson Gamble, Jackson Hastings, Will Pryce, Jack Cogger, and Phoenix Crossland were all rotated in and out of the No. 6 and 7 jerseys all year, leading to a lack of connection and continuity. Cogger and Crossland eventually cemented themselves as Adam O’Brien’s preferred pairing over the season’s final rounds. That may remain the case for 2025, but if it’s not O’Brien needs to make the call early and allow his new preferred partnership time to gel, both with themselves and also with superstar fullback Kalyn Ponga.

Cowboys: Rediscover the defensive grit they built in the 2022 pre-season

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Eels: Get Isaiah Iongi through as many reps as possible

The Eels allowed veteran skipper Clint Gutherson to walk in the off-season after nine years at the club. While many Parra fans are sad to see him go, the club clearly need a spark after two very disappointing seasons. Young gun Isaiah Iongi could potentially help with that. A Panthers junior, Iongi was released from the final year of his deal to join the Eels. In what turned out being an audition to rival clubs, Iongi ran for over 200 metres and had eight tackle busts in his NRL debut last year. It piqued the interest of the Eels, who signed the 21-year-old and is set to make him their starting fullback. While clearly talented, Iongi only has one game under the belt, so there’s still a lot to learn.

Panthers: Figure out where recruits fit

On paper, Penrith’s 2025 recruits – Isaiah Papali’i and Blaize Talagi – have all the makings of major successes. And given they’ve joined the impressively stable four-time premiers, they likely will be. Yet, while it may seem the pair are guaranteed starters for Ivan Cleary’s side, is that the case? Talagi appears a seamless replacement for Jarome Luai at No. 6, yet his defensive issues could sway Cleary to opt for Jack Cole to partner Nathan Cleary in the halves, with Talagi shifting to the centres and Paul Alamoti, one of last year’s grand finals stars, to the wing. As for Papali’i, one his day there are few better back rowers in the competition. However, Scott Sorensen has been one of Cleary’s most trusted troops. Is it a guarantee he loses his starting berth to the former Eel? If these are the changes Cleary opts for, sorting them before Round One limits their potential for disrupting the Penrith dynasty.

Rabbitohs: Latrell Mitchell ready to unleash

Wayne Bennett may be back at Redfern this season, but if there’s one man who can dictate the Rabbitohs’ 2025 trajectory more than the veteran coach it’s Latrell Mitchell. An absolute superstar of the game, with an ability to dominate contests that few possess, one of the great anchors to Mitchell’s form over recent years has been his fitness. Mitchell has failed to play more than 17 games in each of his five seasons at Redfern. Considering his influence on the Rabbitohs, any time he’s sidelined is extremely detrimental to their fortunes. Bennett, and the Bunnies, will be hoping 2025 brings a version of Latrell Mitchell that is as durable as it is dangerous.

Dragons: Figure out the Flanagan-Ilias dynamic

For the first time since 2018 the Dragons will begin an NRL campaign without Ben Hunt donning the No.7. It was an unhappy marriage that was bound to end at some point, but the divorce has left Shane Flanagan with two starting halves accustomed to play second fiddle – his son Kyle and Lachlan Ilias. Both are natural No. 7s, though Flanagan did feature at five-eighth alongside Hunt last season, and both have spent the majority of their careers as the second option. Figuring out how this dynamic works is absolutely paramount for the Dragons heading into Round One.

Roosters: A new leadership core to emerge

It’s no secret the Roosters have lost a wealth of experience this off-season. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Luke Keary, and Joseph Manu have all been ever-present in recent seasons, which Michael Jennings’ veteran presence cannot be understated. Lengthy injuries to Sam Walker and Brandon Smith will also hinder Trent Robinson’s side early in the season. Chad Townsend’s arrival should offset both Walker’s injury and some of the leadership gaps created by their mass departures, but the veteran No. 7 will need the assistance of those around him with more experience at the club to help lead the way. Of course, James Tedesco is a brilliant leader, but the likes of Angus Crichton, Victor Radley, and Connor Watson will need to step up and assert themselves as the club’s new wave of leadership core before the season kicks off.

Tigers: Luai’s positive influence to continue

Much of the noise coming out of Concord this pre-season has been …. positive. Jarome Luai has been a large cause of this, with the four-time premiership winners’ energy and leadership breathing new life into the struggling club. Teenage sensation Lachlan Galvin described the Blues hero as “good for us”, citing the many off-field intangibles the proven winner has brought to the club. With Luai’s influence there is a real feel good about the Tiger heading into 2025. For Benji Marshall’s young side, continuing this momentum and building confidence right up until their season kicks off will be critical to getting 2025 off on the right foot.