Nathan Cleary seeks his first Dally M Medal despite strong performances. Rookies to watch in 2026 include Cooper Bai, Heamasi Makasini, and Ethan Sanders.
THE ROOKIES TO WATCH IN THE 2026 NRL SEASON:
Cooper Bai - Gold Coast
This headgear hero played one game last year and, encouragingly for new coach Josh Hannay, committed his long-term future to the Titans over the summer. He's the son of Papua New Guinea legend Marcus Bai and has all of his father's blistering ball-running ability, but plies his trade up the guts rather than on the wing. Will be tough for any opposition defence to handle.
Heamasi Makasini - Wests Tigers