With a new NRL season upon us there is still a lot of speculation across the sport, particularly around how clubs and players are going to perform in 2025. Some clubs have undergone a complete rebuild, whilst others have either signed one key player or remained quiet in the transfer market. The race for the premiership looks to be hotly contested as Penrith appear to be closer to the chasing pack than in previous years, whilst at the other end of the ladder the wooden spoon could be given to a handful of teams. Let’s unpack some of the biggest questions ahead of the 2025 season:

Will Penrith go back to back to back to back to back?

When Phil Gould was involved with Penrith he often spoke about his long term plan for the club and a blueprint for establishing dominance in the NRL. Few people believed him at the time and many thought the idea of a club winning four competitions in a row was impossible. Yet, here we are, Penrith have done the impossible and look to extend their legacy as they chase a history 5th premiership in as many years. Whilst their roster has changed and been reshaped a few times throughout this dynasty, the loss of Cleary’s right hand man Jerome Luai could be the biggest challenge this side has to overcome. In the halves there are a number of highly talented, but inexperienced players competing to play alongside Nathan Cleary meaning there is more pressure than ever for him to step up in the big moments. We rarely see Cleary fail when the spotlight is on him, but teams will be able to target him even more now. It would be a brave punter to tip against them, but surely the dynasty can’t go on forever?

Who will have the best rebuild?

The Tigers, Dragons and arguably the Roosters have all undergone a significant roster overhaul in the offseason. The Tigers and the Dragons have both welcomed a wealth of experience into their sides, whilst the Roosters have lost an incredible amount of talent and are going to be putting their faith in the young stars of the future. The Tigers have gained six players who you would expect to be part of their starting 13 in round one, it’s going to be a completely different side. All eyes will be on Benji Marshall to see whether he can get the best out of the roster he has been able to assemble and climb the ladder to avoid another Tigers wooden spoon. The Dragons have recruited some serious leaders in key positions with Clint Gutherson and Damien Cook taking control of the side from key spine positions. The potential impact of Lachlan Ilias and Valentine Holmes shouldn’t be over looked either. The Dragons seem to have put together a roster that won’t have any excuses this year, especially with premiership winning coach Shane Flanagan at the helm. The Roosters will have to pull of a miracle this year if they are to match their performances in 2024, but their are an elite side with a history of success so right them off at your own risk.

Can Wayne Bennett produce his magic one more time?

If any other coach had taken over at the Rabbitohs there would be a lot more people calling for them to be in wooden spoon contention. But, such is the power of Wayne Bennett there is still a belief that they could be competition in finals football in September. The reality is though that they have lost a significant amount of experience with Damien Cook leaving as well as Cam Murray and Latrell Mitchell going down injured for a big chunk of the year ahead. Cody Walker is one of the oldest players in the competition, and whilst there is still plenty of fight in him, father time catches up with everyone eventually. If Wayne Bennett can get the Rabbitohs into the top eight this year it might just be one of his best coaching performances.

Will Kristian Woolf break the Bennett curse?

Coaches that have taken over from a Wayne Bennett coached side have historically performed poorly. He’s a tough act to follow, so it makes sense that coaches coming in to replace him find it hard to fill his shoes. But, there’s something different about Kristian Woolf. Sure we haven’t seen what he can do as a head coach in the NRL before, but don’t mistake for inexperience. He has been an assistant coach at the Broncos, Knights and of course the Dolphins. Whilst he has also guided the Tongan national team to some of their most memorable and historical victories. In addition, he lead St Helens to three consecutive Super League grand final victories. Woolf has all the ingredients for success in the NRL and where other coaches have failed to succeed in the wake of Wayne Bennett, he could do what the mast coach was unable to do and lead the Dolphins into the top eight.