NRL Ladder Predictions 2026

[Wrighty]

Kia ora Kotou e hoa

It is time for the annual ladder prediction thread.

Predict a 1-17. Feel free to provide rationales if you wish to or just post your 1-17.
Particular attention will be paid to your top 8 and where you place the Warriors.

Yes you may make multiple predictions if more information comes to light. All predictions due in before round one. But don't wait as most people predict now.

Here is last years' thread so you can see what you said. I got 6 out of the top 8 which is pretty good going. But had the warriors in 17th spot. Be careful what you predict as people reminded me of my prediction throughout the year !!!

NRL Thread 'Ladder Predictions 2025'

Oct 15, 2024

What will be the positions for the end of the regular season 2025 - 1 through 17?

This is an annual thread - time to kick it off this year.

Feel free to make multiple predictions as more information comes to light. All predictions due in before game one.

Wrighty's prediction

1 Penrith
2 Storm
3 Rooster
4 Broncos
5 Rabbitohs (Because of Wayne)
6 Sharks
7 Dogs
8 Titans (Because of Des)
9 Knights (Doomed to be 9th every year)
10 Cowboys
11 Raiders
12 Dolphins
13 Manly (Because of father time)
14 Dragons
15 West Tigers (Improved due to signings)
16 Eels
17 Warriors (First spoon for club -...

• Wrighty
• Replies: 151
• Forum: NRL

• 
• 

Wrighty's 2026 predictions to kick things off

Top 4
1) Minor Premiers Le Rooster - provided Sam Walker and DCE stay healthy I see them sweeping in. They also have some young forwards coming through.
2) Raiders
3) Bulldogs - I think they will get their spine sorted this year by jettisoning big Sexy and Galvin will step up.
4 Warriors - if we stay injury free
Other top 8
5) Broncos - I think they will coast in the regular season into the top four
6) Sharks
7) Panthers
8) Wests - I think KPP addition does a lot for them

9) Le Eel - If Moses stays healthy they are top 8. Pezet will be decent for them.
10) Dragons - Nearly in the top 8 this year
11) Knights - They lose KPP but gain Dylan Brown and lose Leo Thompson - I don't think their forwards are up to it. But should be a high scoring team.
12) Storm - to miss the top 8
13) Dolphin
Bottom 4
14) Rabbitohs - who are their halves
15) Titans - New Coach new enthusiasm lifts them a few places
16) Manly
17) Cowboys - Spoon. I see them disintegrating. Robson out and Mahoney in is not an upgrade.

How about your predictions?

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

1 - Raiders (repeat of 2025)
2 - Warriors (up the Wahs!)
3 - Bulldogs (building)
4 - Sharks (top 4 since forever)
5 - Panthers (start slow again)
6 - Broncos (hot and cold team)
7 - Storm (on the slide but Bellamy)
8 - Roosters (history)
9 - Eels (settle team could challenge)
10 - Dolphins (always there about)
11 - Knights (change the players but won’t change the result significantly)
12 - Cowboys (exciting attack will keep them interesting)
13 - Manly (on the slide)
14 - South’s (irrelevant)
15 - Dragons (just don’t like them!)
16 - Tigers (fold the club!)
17 - Titans (going from disaster to disaster)

Can’t see anyone outside this years top 8 making massive improvements to be honest.

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

This is my top 8 for 2026 in alphabetical order. This year it was hard to predict and I suspect next year will be as well.

Broncos
Panthers
Raiders
Roosters
Sharks
Storm
Warriors
West Tigers

Always like to add a smokie so it was a coin toss between the Eels and Tigers. Likely top 4 would be Broncos, Raiders, Sharks and Storm. Fucking hate the Storm but you can never write them off, Not buying into the Roosters hype. A DCE/Walker pairing doesn't seem right and DCE was on the slide this year and will only get worst. They are good enough for the 8 though.

Bulldogs could make the 8 but I think teams will work them out next year. Cowboys should be in the 8 with their roster but I think Payton will have his last year as Cowboys coach.

 

[sup42]

1. Bulldogs
2. Raiders
3. Penrith
4. Warriors
5. Broncos
6. Storm
7. Roosters
8. Knights

Dogs seem to be favored as the next man up mentality for NRL pet team by the organization, they are consistent, I'm going against last year where like everyone else I kept waiting for them to fall over.

Raiders have a fit young side, a bit of a cop out picking last years minors for this year - forgive me.

Panthers needs no explanation coz Panthers.

Warriors in 4th is a bit of a heart pick, but they do have the opportunity to change the script this season. Their attacking options will improve a lot.

Having said that, we are talking a bear cupboard here, improving a lot doesn't mean much compared to the industry standard, but a modest improvement in the year of our Lord 2025 would have been significant.

Round 12
Warriors 10 Raiders 16

Round 22
Warriors 18 Dolphins 20

Round 26
Warriors 22 Eels 26

Round 27
Warriors 26 Manly 27

As always it depends on our injury status. We could do with Nelson to be honest, our propping is woefully shy of depth.

We also have issues to solve around fullback and Center, but I am less concerned now, given CNK and Leka have been used at Center, it shows the club are well aware there is a big problem and are willing to try solutions more adventurous than just Capewell.

I could definitely see Gannon ending up in the Centers to cover for the loss of or lack of players like Rocko and Ali. Of all our forwards Gannon is the guy that would naturally adapt to center best because he is young and reasonably mobile for a big man, he will let in Try's no doubt, but he would be a monster at setting up a player like AKP, so swings and round abouts.

With AKP coming I expect we will see CNK at fullback, simple reality is the kick return issue with AKP.....

Anyway enough about the Warriors, I could invent shit about them all day.

Broncos 5th because I don't like them.

Storm 6th for the same reason.

Roosters 7th coz it seems reasonable.

Knights 8th, more than one go to guy, and both world class....what a change....go the Knights Kiwi bros.

 

[sup42]

Be careful what you predict as people reminded me of my prediction throughout the year !!!

Bugger what the critics say bro,

Part of the fun of these threads I find, is going back and having a laugh at your own predictions, and anyway isn't the idea that it is your top eight?

 

[WahsaurusRex]

RL Project has its ladder predictor up https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nrl-2026/ladder.html

I haven't given it a go yet, but atm I have the Dolphins and Rabbitohs moving into the top 8, the Roosters and the Bulldogs dropping out (I'm a hater, what can I say ). Panthers Minor Prem, Dargons Spoon.

 

[Canonball]

Kia ora Kotou e hoa

It is time for the annual ladder prediction thread.

Predict a 1-17. Feel free to provide rationales if you wish to or just post your 1-17.
Particular attention will be paid to your top 8 and where you place the Warriors.

Yes you may make multiple predictions if more information comes to light. All predictions due in before round one. But don't wait as most people predict now.

Here is last years' thread so you can see what you said. I got 6 out of the top 8 which is pretty good going. But had the warriors in 17th spot. Be careful what you predict as people reminded me of my prediction throughout the year !!!

NRL Thread 'Ladder Predictions 2025'

Oct 15, 2024

What will be the positions for the end of the regular season 2025 - 1 through 17?

This is an annual thread - time to kick it off this year.

Feel free to make multiple predictions as more information comes to light. All predictions due in before game one.

Wrighty's prediction

1 Penrith
2 Storm
3 Rooster
4 Broncos
5 Rabbitohs (Because of Wayne)
6 Sharks
7 Dogs
8 Titans (Because of Des)
9 Knights (Doomed to be 9th every year)
10 Cowboys
11 Raiders
12 Dolphins
13 Manly (Because of father time)
14 Dragons
15 West Tigers (Improved due to signings)
16 Eels
17 Warriors (First spoon for club -...

• Wrighty
• Replies: 151
• Forum: NRL

• 
• 

Wrighty's 2026 predictions to kick things off

Top 4
1) Minor Premiers Le Rooster - provided Sam Walker and DCE stay healthy I see them sweeping in. They also have some young forwards coming through.
2) Raiders
3) Bulldogs - I think they will get their spine sorted this year by jettisoning big Sexy and Galvin will step up.
4 Warriors - if we stay injury free
Other top 8
5) Broncos - I think they will coast in the regular season into the top four
6) Sharks
7) Panthers
8) Wests - I think KPP addition does a lot for them

9) Le Eel - If Moses stays healthy they are top 8. Pezet will be decent for them.
10) Dragons - Nearly in the top 8 this year
11) Knights - They lose KPP but gain Dylan Brown and lose Leo Thompson - I don't think their forwards are up to it. But should be a high scoring team.
12) Storm - to miss the top 8
13) Dolphin
Bottom 4
14) Rabbitohs - who are their halves
15) Titans - New Coach new enthusiasm lifts them a few places
16) Manly
17) Cowboys - Spoon. I see them disintegrating. Robson out and Mahoney in is not an upgrade.

How about your predictions?

storm out of the 8?! not sure if I can agree with that but would love to see it ... I'll have a think and list mine later

 

[Warrior#138]

1 - Warriors

Shaun Metcalf’s hamstrings hold up for an entire season and Mt Smart becomes a 20+ point winning fortress. If he breaks down, we calmly place on our oxygen masks and board the Jett. The Human Sofa makes himself comfortable on the bench.

2 - Panthers

Cleary the Elder still plays like a man loading cheat codes in real time. They’ll start slow, then quietly assemble a 9-game streak while no one’s looking.

3 - Bulldogs

Burton bombs now require CAA clearance. Crichton reveals he was actually born on Krypton and becomes ineligible for SOO.

4 - Broncos

Reece Walsh breaks laws of physics twice. Mamm plays like a highlight reel with an ankle bracelet and tax issues. Still lose to a bottom-four team at least once.

5 - Sharks

Hynes’ hair conditioner earns a Dally M. Same old Cronulla script: aggressive, pretty consistent and then sometimes emotionally unhinged.

6 - Storm

Bellamy keeps coaching every match like it’s the last five minutes of Saving Private Ryan. Ryan Paps may not be there, but Bellamy turns a ball kid he spotted running up and down the sideline into a generational fullback – and then he changes his name by deed poll to Ryan.

7 - Rabbitohs

David Fat Fita shows up looking like the world’s strongest bakery customer. If Wayne gets him fit, he becomes a red & green Sith Lord throwing halves into the stratosphere. If he doesn’t, he’ll be 18th man in the warm ups and ordering banana bread at halftime. Trell delivers ten games of gold, five games where he looks like he’s got a dinner reservation across town, and at least two send-offs where he leaves the field smiling like – ‘sorry not sorry’.

8 - Roosters

The rorters finally get their cherry on top but still sign two big names mid-season using a combination of bitcoin, antique postage stamps and shoe boxes marked “Do Not Open. Definitely Not Player Payments.” Manu possibly returns. Walker actually needs a walker after a season ending acrobatic argument with a goal post.

9 - Raiders

Ricky wins 13 games and has 7 losing press conferences that should win him a gold Logie. The Green Machine goes mouldy this year and drops out of the eight.

10 - Dolphins

Phins up, Hoes down, If your edge can’t swim, The Hammer makes you drizown, Katoa enters his grown-man era. But the team still loses the big ones.

11 - Eels

Moses does Moses things, parting defensive lines one week and wandering the wilderness the next and setting a bush on fire. The Pez Dispenser spends half the season trying to learn the Ten Commandments of Moses-ball. Until he figures them out, the Eels play like a team resembling the afor mentioned burning bush

12 - Cowboys

The Moo-Men start the season in chaos when Todd Payten, aka Merciless Ming, suffers a career-ending facial hair injury after an ill-advised attempt to braid his moustache into a defensive structure. Drinkwater, Dearden, Taumalolo and Cotter all get suspended after they are exposed to have started a betting scheme based around the teams weekly bonding sessions called The Bubbler Olympics. Police issue a Queensland wide warning about “misuse of public fountains”.

13 - Knights

Ponga gives a top shelf performance once a month. Then disappears mid season to start a professional tennis career. Dyls slumps in into ‘the Newcastle way” and plays less like a Kiwi possessed and more like the disinterested Eel we all know.

14 - Manly

The air intake, intercooler and oil feeds on the Turbo all give out at once. Time to trade in and go electric.

15 - Dragons

Shane Flanagan leans so hard into Project Nepo Baby he drafts in his 8 year old nephew as a regular starter. Flanno talks about how little Johnny Flannagan is “trying his best” even though he’s a quarter the size of everyone else and had to come to the sideline to get the coach to tie his boots.

16 - Titans

Des coaches like he’s just walked out of the desert after a life affirming peyote trip and lasts until mid-season, when even the whiteboard asks for a release. Tino carries the entire club on his back for so long he has to eventually make an ACC claim to get a break. AJ Brimson gives them a handful of electric games before pulling his groin in a post try celebration. GC stay true to tradition: fun to watch, allergic to defence.

17 - Tigers

Mathematics still exists. Someone must finish last. Meow.

 

[Canonball]

1 - Warriors

Shaun Metcalf’s hamstrings hold up for an entire season and Mt Smart becomes a 20+ point winning fortress. If he breaks down, we calmly place on our oxygen masks and board the Jett. The Human Sofa makes himself comfortable on the bench.

2 - Panthers

Cleary the Elder still plays like a man loading cheat codes in real time. They’ll start slow, then quietly assemble a 9-game streak while no one’s looking.

3 - Bulldogs

Burton bombs now require CAA clearance. Crichton reveals he was actually born on Krypton and becomes ineligible for SOO.

4 - Broncos

Reece Walsh breaks laws of physics twice. Mamm plays like a highlight reel with an ankle bracelet and tax issues. Still lose to a bottom-four team at least once.

5 - Sharks

Hynes’ hair conditioner earns a Dally M. Same old Cronulla script: aggressive, pretty consistent and then sometimes emotionally unhinged.

6 - Storm

Bellamy keeps coaching every match like it’s the last five minutes of Saving Private Ryan. Ryan Paps may not be there, but Bellamy turns a ball kid he spotted running up and down the sideline into a generational fullback – and then he changes his name by deed poll to Ryan.

7 - Rabbitohs

David Fat Fita shows up looking like the world’s strongest bakery customer. If Wayne gets him fit, he becomes a red & green Sith Lord throwing halves into the stratosphere. If he doesn’t, he’ll be 18th man in the warm ups and ordering banana bread at halftime. Trell delivers ten games of gold, five games where he looks like he’s got a dinner reservation across town, and at least two send-offs where he leaves the field smiling like – ‘sorry not sorry’.

8 - Roosters

The rorters finally get their cherry on top but still sign two big names mid-season using a combination of bitcoin, antique postage stamps and shoe boxes marked “Do Not Open. Definitely Not Player Payments.” Manu possibly returns. Walker actually needs a walker after a season ending acrobatic argument with a goal post.

9 - Raiders

Ricky wins 13 games and has 7 losing press conferences that should win him a gold Logie. The Green Machine goes mouldy this year and drops out of the eight.

10 - Dolphins

Phins up, Hoes down, If your edge can’t swim, The Hammer makes you drizown, Katoa enters his grown-man era. But the team still loses the big ones.

11 - Eels

Moses does Moses things, parting defensive lines one week and wandering the wilderness the next and setting a bush on fire. The Pez Dispenser spends half the season trying to learn the Ten Commandments of Moses-ball. Until he figures them out, the Eels play like a team resembling the afor mentioned burning bush

12 - Cowboys

The Moo-Men start the season in chaos when Todd Payten, aka Merciless Ming, suffers a career-ending facial hair injury after an ill-advised attempt to braid his moustache into a defensive structure. Drinkwater, Dearden, Taumalolo and Cotter all get suspended after they are exposed to have started a betting scheme based around the teams weekly bonding sessions called The Bubbler Olympics. Police issue a Queensland wide warning about “misuse of public fountains”.

13 - Knights

Ponga gives a top shelf performance once a month. Then disappears mid season to start a professional tennis career. Dyls slumps in into ‘the Newcastle way” and plays less like a Kiwi possessed and more like the disinterested Eel we all know.

14 - Manly

The air intake, intercooler and oil feeds on the Turbo all give out at once. Time to trade in and go electric.

15 - Dragons

Shane Flanagan leans so hard into Project Nepo Baby he drafts in his 8 year old nephew as a regular starter. Flanno talks about how little Johnny Flannagan is “trying his best” even though he’s a quarter the size of everyone else and had to come to the sideline to get the coach to tie his boots.

16 - Titans

Des coaches like he’s just walked out of the desert after a life affirming peyote trip and lasts until mid-season, when even the whiteboard asks for a release. Tino carries the entire club on his back for so long he has to eventually make an ACC claim to get a break. AJ Brimson gives them a handful of electric games before pulling his groin in a post try celebration. GC stay true to tradition: fun to watch, allergic to defence.

17 - Tigers

Mathematics still exists. Someone must finish last. Meow.

Super SuperLeka... gold star my man

 

[BabylonPink]

Man I think the comps looking more and more even every year. Phins the best thing to happen and I worry too many more might dilute it too much.
Only teams looking crap imo are the Dragons , Rabbits and Titans.

 

[BabylonPink]

1. BRONCOS
2. ROOSTERS
3. PENRITH
4. STORM
5. WARRIORS
6. PARRAMATTA
7. TIGERS
8. SHARKS

9. DOGS
10. NEWCASTLE
11. RAIDERS
12. DOLPHINS
13. COWBOYS
14. MANLY
15. TITANS
16.RABBITOHS
17. DRAGONS

 

[Worried2Death]

1 - Warriors

Shaun Metcalf’s hamstrings hold up for an entire season and Mt Smart becomes a 20+ point winning fortress. If he breaks down, we calmly place on our oxygen masks and board the Jett. The Human Sofa makes himself comfortable on the bench.

2 - Panthers

Cleary the Elder still plays like a man loading cheat codes in real time. They’ll start slow, then quietly assemble a 9-game streak while no one’s looking.

3 - Bulldogs

Burton bombs now require CAA clearance. Crichton reveals he was actually born on Krypton and becomes ineligible for SOO.

4 - Broncos

Reece Walsh breaks laws of physics twice. Mamm plays like a highlight reel with an ankle bracelet and tax issues. Still lose to a bottom-four team at least once.

5 - Sharks

Hynes’ hair conditioner earns a Dally M. Same old Cronulla script: aggressive, pretty consistent and then sometimes emotionally unhinged.

6 - Storm

Bellamy keeps coaching every match like it’s the last five minutes of Saving Private Ryan. Ryan Paps may not be there, but Bellamy turns a ball kid he spotted running up and down the sideline into a generational fullback – and then he changes his name by deed poll to Ryan.

7 - Rabbitohs

David Fat Fita shows up looking like the world’s strongest bakery customer. If Wayne gets him fit, he becomes a red & green Sith Lord throwing halves into the stratosphere. If he doesn’t, he’ll be 18th man in the warm ups and ordering banana bread at halftime. Trell delivers ten games of gold, five games where he looks like he’s got a dinner reservation across town, and at least two send-offs where he leaves the field smiling like – ‘sorry not sorry’.

8 - Roosters

The rorters finally get their cherry on top but still sign two big names mid-season using a combination of bitcoin, antique postage stamps and shoe boxes marked “Do Not Open. Definitely Not Player Payments.” Manu possibly returns. Walker actually needs a walker after a season ending acrobatic argument with a goal post.

9 - Raiders

Ricky wins 13 games and has 7 losing press conferences that should win him a gold Logie. The Green Machine goes mouldy this year and drops out of the eight.

10 - Dolphins

Phins up, Hoes down, If your edge can’t swim, The Hammer makes you drizown, Katoa enters his grown-man era. But the team still loses the big ones.

11 - Eels

Moses does Moses things, parting defensive lines one week and wandering the wilderness the next and setting a bush on fire. The Pez Dispenser spends half the season trying to learn the Ten Commandments of Moses-ball. Until he figures them out, the Eels play like a team resembling the afor mentioned burning bush

12 - Cowboys

The Moo-Men start the season in chaos when Todd Payten, aka Merciless Ming, suffers a career-ending facial hair injury after an ill-advised attempt to braid his moustache into a defensive structure. Drinkwater, Dearden, Taumalolo and Cotter all get suspended after they are exposed to have started a betting scheme based around the teams weekly bonding sessions called The Bubbler Olympics. Police issue a Queensland wide warning about “misuse of public fountains”.

13 - Knights

Ponga gives a top shelf performance once a month. Then disappears mid season to start a professional tennis career. Dyls slumps in into ‘the Newcastle way” and plays less like a Kiwi possessed and more like the disinterested Eel we all know.

14 - Manly

The air intake, intercooler and oil feeds on the Turbo all give out at once. Time to trade in and go electric.

15 - Dragons

Shane Flanagan leans so hard into Project Nepo Baby he drafts in his 8 year old nephew as a regular starter. Flanno talks about how little Johnny Flannagan is “trying his best” even though he’s a quarter the size of everyone else and had to come to the sideline to get the coach to tie his boots.

16 - Titans

Des coaches like he’s just walked out of the desert after a life affirming peyote trip and lasts until mid-season, when even the whiteboard asks for a release. Tino carries the entire club on his back for so long he has to eventually make an ACC claim to get a break. AJ Brimson gives them a handful of electric games before pulling his groin in a post try celebration. GC stay true to tradition: fun to watch, allergic to defence.

17 - Tigers

Mathematics still exists. Someone must finish last. Meow.

The Bubbler Olympics got me, nearly choked on my beer

 

[Kaos A.D.]

Kia ora Kotou e hoa

It is time for the annual ladder prediction thread.

Predict a 1-17. Feel free to provide rationales if you wish to or just post your 1-17.
Particular attention will be paid to your top 8 and where you place the Warriors.

Yes you may make multiple predictions if more information comes to light. All predictions due in before round one. But don't wait as most people predict now.

Here is last years' thread so you can see what you said. I got 6 out of the top 8 which is pretty good going. But had the warriors in 17th spot. Be careful what you predict as people reminded me of my prediction throughout the year !!!

Damn boy you had Warriors last

even though I thought we looked weaker coming into 2025 season, I still thought we looked better than a few sides... I'm with christchurch_warrior on the bulldogs, I think they'll be found out this season and will drop out the 8, Paramatta I think could take the bulldogs spot, pretty much the same as last year... With a few teams fighting the last few spots