current 2026 top squad
1. Bula
2. Turuva
3. Toa
4. Taylan
5. Makasini/Skelton
6. Luai
7. Latu
8. Terrell
9. Api
10. Pole/new marquee prop
11. KPP
12. Sam
13. Douhie
14.
15. Sione
16. Twal
17.
with the top 30 increasingly locked in for 2026 the permutations are starting to settle down as to what our round 1 team will look like. With Douhie at 13 that means you don’t need to carry a player who can play in the halves or backline on the bench. Still a glaring hole at 14 to cover Api and I really don’t think our top 17 will just use that position as an outright hooker like Hope who will be there purely to give Api a rest. I don’t like the shuffling players like Latu around to cover API either, just let the halves settle. Mason in theory should be the one most likely to player as an impact/hooker cover given his versatility but he has had glaring issues in defence and is sloppy when at 9. Those things perhaps can be coached over an off season given his options for breaking into the 17 are getting increasingly limited but that does appear to our biggest open question. The last spot on the bench will depend on whether we can find a marquee prop over the off season. If we can then Pole completes the bench, if not then we need to decide if we want to carry another edge/middle like perhaps Roberts or try and get an upgrade on the impact prop role that Hunt players.
exciting how settled the squad looks and we haven’t even considered the one of the younger kids in the system can jump out of the ground and demand a spot.
Starford To’a extends until the end of 2028
I just had a quick look at the numbers of players used at each club so far this season. I looked at how many players had been used 5 times or less and how many not used at all as per the lists at Rugby League Project. These are the results
Raiders list is 30 players, 6 not used at all, 5 made 5 appearances or less. 19 players have played the majority of their games.
Storm list of 30. 2 not used at all, 6 have made 5 appearances or less. - 22 played the majority of games.
Dogs: 32 players, 3 not used, 6 made 5 appearances or less. - 23 played majority
Wahs: 29 listed, 0 not used, 6 made 5 or less. - 23 played majority
Bronco: 30 listed, 3 not used, 4 made 5 or less. - 23 played majority
Panthers: 36 listed, 0 not used, 13 made 5 or less. - 23 played majority
Roosters: 33 listed, 2 not used, 8 made 5 or less. - 23 played majority
Sharks: 28 listed, 3 not used, 2 made 5 or less. - 23 played majority
Phins: 35 listed, 6 not used, 7 made 5 or less. - 22 played majority
Manly: 30 listed, 2 not used, 8 made 5 or less. - 20 played majority
Tigers: 36 listed, 7 not used, 8 made 5 or less. - 21 played majority
Cowboys: 32 listed, 2 not used, 6 made 5 or less. - 24 played majority.
eels: 32 listed, 0 not used, 8 made 5 or less. - 24 played majority
Dragon: 36 listed, 3 not used, 11 made 5 or less. - 22 played majority.
Souths: 32 listed, 2 not used, 6 made 5 or less. 24 played majority
Knights: 38 listed, 6 not used, 9 made 5 or less. - 23 played majority
Titans: 33 listed, 4 not used, 5 made 5 or less. - 24 played majority
Obviously the less players who play the majority of games the better the chances of the team's success. The Raiders having used 19 for the majority of games is very fortunate. Perhaps only 1 team a year will be this fortunate. They have used only 24 players this year.
The Sharks also quite fortunate having only used 25 players. The Rorters have done very well given they've used 31 players which is more than any other club in the top 8 discounting the Panthers who used quite a few against the Dogs this week.
The Tigers used 29 which is okay but had the most of any club not used. That is obviously an area they need to fix next year. They dont want to use too many of course but they also need to have players in their top 30 who can fill in if required.
the final point from all this is to make your top 23 0r 24 as strong as possible. Having 5 or 6 players on minimum or thereabouts is great if they can fill in for 2 or 3 games e.g. Kit, Tony Sukkar, Heath and 2 or 3 more. Theses positions are important as they will allow the club to spend a bit more on guys in that top 22 or 23.
@russtutty63 handy research thanks for this.
Last weekend was a pretty clear indicator of where we are at and I think the result backs up your stats.
I think the likes of Murray, Mason and Sukkar are not NRL standard. They need to be kept away from NRL for us to improve again.
If Taylan May re-signs and there are two contract spots left for 2026 then the club needs to find NRL standard forwards with experience as an upgrade on last weeks bench.
Personally I would be telling Luke and Kit they are not in the clubs plans moving forward. I think both are well down the pecking order for selection. They both lack size and I also think they are likely to be on big money (given Jordan Miller was thought to be on $300k when he was shown the door)
What ended up happening with the Jordan Miller thing? Seems to have all gone quiet.
No idea what has happened but it has been on my mind to ask one of the young guys at the club if they know how he's going. If I remember to do so I will ask at the Gala night.What ended up happening with the Jordan Miller thing? Seems to have all gone quiet.
I think it's important to have 5 or 6 guys who are on minimum in your top 30, almost all, if not all, clubs would have these players. Very few of them would play more than 3 or 4 games a year if any at all. That's why it's probably best to have young guys amongst that group as they are improving, or have room for improvement, and could have a breakout year if given the opportunity and they begin to really find their feet at this level. They then become as good as buying a $400,000+ player outside of the club. I've no idea how good the likes of Kit will become but he does have something not many middles possess and that is good leg speed. He can get up a head of steam over a 10 meter distance pretty quickly. I've mentioned before he reminds me a little of Reuben Cotter in terms of his build and game style although obviously Cotter can get through much more work and has much more experience at NRL level. I think next season is an important one for Kit as he will turn 21 which is usually about the time most middles start to show how good they might become. I think its also his final year of his contract although I haven't checked. With 2 new teams looking for players over the ensuing 2 years now is the time to really hit some form particularly if they want to make a career out of footy. Tony Sukkar I would also put in that category as well as Sol Saukuru who started to show some real promise after being shifted to the back row in Flegg. Heath is another who I think will improve next year especially in a stronger Cup team, I think that will help all these young guys.@russtutty63 handy research thanks for this.
Last weekend was a pretty clear indicator of where we are at and I think the result backs up your stats.
I think the likes of Murray, Mason and Sukkar are not NRL standard. They need to be kept away from NRL for us to improve again.
If Taylan May re-signs and there are two contract spots left for 2026 then the club needs to find NRL standard forwards with experience as an upgrade on last weeks bench.
Personally I would be telling Luke and Kit they are not in the clubs plans moving forward. I think both are well down the pecking order for selection. They both lack size and I also think they are likely to be on big money (given Jordan Miller was thought to be on $300k when he was shown the door)
When discounting 4 players, Api, Jarome, Alex Twal and Jack Bird the average amount of games played by the rest of the squad next year is 44 games. The average age outside of those 4 players will be 23.
I see Manly are unlikely to re-sign Gordon Chan Kum Tong. If our club is looking at another back-up 9 he’d be pretty good. Has played for Samoa & is still young. I met him at Lidcombe this year & he’s not big but watching him play he’s got plenty of heart.
Taylan May extends two years 2026 & 2027
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19sPRAxw2o6AR8-Gqw2WVu3CdLEVyABtcXN3pOS8dvQ4/edit?gid=1343954289#gid=1343954289
@mike you can shred Bud Sullivan as well...so we have 3 open spots...question is how many $$ do we have to recruit with.
Is Javon Andrew’s in the top 30 next year?
No idea. Said he’s joined on a three year deal but didn’t say what type of contract it was.Is Javon Andrew’s in the top 30 next year?
