NRL 2025 Pre-Season Thread

[Big Del]

Of course I'm referring to Nicho Hynes. He holds the key for them and if he can play his best footy they'll make plenty of noise. I think where he's struggled these past couple of years is that he's had to split his focus between club and representative commitments. Nicho had the whole weight of the world on his shoulders when he's at his best when he just probes around and is able to draw in a couple of defenders before going again.

Wasn`t fit for a lot of the season .
Ankle troubles . I was reading he has had surgery and is good to go .

Attempting to jump to collect a kick, Hynes came down on his ankle and rolled it before he was assisted from the field.
Hynes will undergo surgery on Wednesday and the club envisages he’ll be able to return in eight weeks, which will mean he’ll be available for Cronulla’s finals campaign if they finish in the top eight.
“It has been confirmed that Nicho has a complete syndesmosis rupture, plus a tibia fracture to his left ankle,” Sharks Head of Performance Nathan Pickworth said via a club-issued statement.

Daniel Atkinson, who played well in patches in the halves earlier in the season, will replace Hynes and partner five-eighth Braydon Trindall.

Trindal at #6 ? I thought they were at their best with Trindal #7 and Atkinson at #6 . Nicho had his best season ever @ #1 way back when .

 

[Alec]

Let's take a look...

South Sydney Rabbitohs 2025
1. Latrell Mitchell
2. Alex Johnston
3. Jack Wighton
4. Campbell Graham
5. Tyrone Munro
6. Cody Walker
7. Lewis Dodd/Jayden Sullivan
8. Tevita Tatola
9. Peter Mamouzelos/Jamie Humphreys
10. Jai Arrow
11. Keaon Koloamatangi
12. Euan Aitken
13. Cameron Murray

14. Siliva Havili
15. Tallis Duncan/Sean Keppie/Shaq Mitchell
16. Davy Moale
17. Josh Schuster

So in the modern NRL you have the Penrith Panthers who are an absolute phenomenon no questions asked. Then you have a team like Melbourne who even when they're struggling still manage to make the Top 4 and just keep on rolling. Then there's the Roosters who have a fantastic team on paper but can't quite match it with those teams and always seem to leave their run too late.

Below them is South Sydney who have this brilliant core that can beat anyone on their day but have completely lost the plot the past couple of years. It was amazing just how quickly it all fell apart. Half-way through 2023 they were the form team of the competition and had an embarrassment of riches with Jack Wighton joining the next year. A year later they're sending out an SOS to Bennett as all the star players start going AWOL.

They've completely underachieved and while they've veered off course they have a coach who can make the big calls and win the big matches. He doesn't always get it right and sometimes it's a case of so close yet so far but with him on board I certainly feel more confident than I did with Demetriou and Hornby respectively.

I think the reason why they're being favoured so much is because they have arguably the best back and the best forward in the competition in Latrell and Murray. We've seen what both can do on their day and if Bennett can unlock them it'll just allow so much to fall into place. Ever since leaving the Roosters Latrell has been complacent but I think his time is drawing to a close and if he doesn't sort himself out quickly he knows he could be entering the next phase of his life prematurely. One last serious run with Bennett could be just the inspiration he needs.

The forwards need to really lift. If Tatola and Arrow can get back to their best that will be a huge boost because Souths were awful in the ruck last year. I like the Aitken and Schuster purchases - it's two sides of the coin where you have a reliable player in Aitken who can slot in. Then you have the high ceiling player in Schuster who could be a match-winner. Bennett will have to manage him well and there's a risk factor there but that could be a huge boon.

Also have my doubts around halves and hooker. Will they be able to direct traffic and control possession? WIll they take the pressure off the other players and allow them to shine? I'm not even sold on the halves I've named - even Bennett didn't seem to recognise Dodd from what I saw. Sullivan just seems like another back-up half to play alongside Gerome Burns. It could very well be a Wighton/Walker combo for all I know.

Souths have been high on Mamouzelos for years but he's yet to make an impact at NRL. Humphreys showed some potential last year at Manly but the jury is well and truly out.

It's tough because if it all goes to plan, they'll finish Top 4. However I just think Bennett got his hands on this team too late and they won't be as consistent as he'd like. Still think they're a signing or two off from where they need to be to challenge for the premiership.

Do you think Gerome Burns has a realistic chance to become a first grader? Asking cause his partner was one of my coworkers before they moved to Sydney, obviously wish them luck.. but this place could be kinda stuffed if they don't come back

 

[Big Pete]

Do you think Gerome Burns has a realistic chance to become a first grader? Asking cause his partner was one of my coworkers before they moved to Sydney, obviously wish them luck.. but this place could be kinda stuffed if they don't come back

Gerome was the best player in QCup before he ruptured his patella. I think he would have played NRL last year had it not been for the injury. I don't think he'll get first crack but I'm far from convinced with the current halves options at Souths so there's an opportunity if he's good enough.

My impression is that he's an Albert Kelly type of signing. He'll make some inroads with the footy but whether he can help make Souths into a genuine contender is another story.

 

[john1420]

I'd love to do the Knights for you but you do this better than anyone and I get accused of making too many lists which is hard to argue with. Happy to read your write ups instead.

Totally loving the BigPete write-ups, but there's no such thing as too many Sproj lists ;)

Anyone accuses you of that, well they are entitled to their very obviously wrong opinion

 

[Big Pete]

100% and I don't want this thread to be a personal soap-box, I'd love to see other perspectives.

Trindal at #6 ? I thought they were at their best with Trindal #7 and Atkinson at #6 . Nicho had his best season ever @ #1 way back when .

6 or 7, Trindall will still play down that left-hand side. It's just a question of whether he'll continue to handle the majority of the kicking which he did at the end of the year, or whether he'll split the duties with Hynes like earlier in the year.

I thought their first half of 2024 was their best period. They had that one completely out of character performance against the Tigers, otherwise they were the form team of the competition. Then they came up against the Panthers and got completely smashed and never looked likely again.

Hynes shifting to fullback could be an option but with Atkinson leaving I don't think it will be a preference.

 

[Big Pete]

Working our way down in alphabetical order...

Dolphins 2025
1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
2. Jamayne Isaako
3. Jake Averillo
4. Herbie Farnworth
5. Jack Bostock
6. Kodi Nikorima
7. Isaiya Katoa
8. Daniel Saifiti/Tom Flegler
9. Jeremy Marshall-King
10. Tom Gilbert
11. Felise Kaufusi/Connelly Lemuelu
12. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki
13. Max Plath

14. Josh Kerr/Ray Stone/etc.
15. Mark Nicholls
16. Kenny Bromwich/Felise Kaufusi etc.
17. Connelly Lemuelu/etc.

Originally I had Gilbert at 13, but good luck keeping Plath out of the starting side.

Plath typifies the resolve of the side. Not the fastest, strongest or most skillful player but he's a team player and he inspires those around him.

What I like about the Dolphins pack is that they all bring something to the table. Kaufusi is your enforcer, Lemuelu runs great lines, Kerr has that second phase, Nicholls is ever reliable etc.

I'm curious to see what Saifiti and Finefeuiaki bring to the side. I don't think Finefeuiaki came back to the south-east just to be closer to family, I think he's looking for an opportunity to start and the Dolphins are going to give it to him. If he can stay focused, he should give them a physical edge and somebody they can look to play off.

As for Saifiti, I like the way Marshall-King uses his forwards and think Saifiti could be a real beneficiary either skittling the defence to open up the play for JMK or scoring one himself. I just hope Daniel backs up what he's been saying this pre-season and asserts himself more. I felt he became annonymous at Newcastle and got over-shadowed not only be his twin brother but also Leo Thompson. If he can step up and you bring Flegler in alongside him the pack would be really difficult to contain.

To cut to the chase, for the Dolphins to become serious title contenders, they need Tabuai-Fidow to work on his fitness and for Katoa to take his game to the next level.

The latter is a huge ask. Katoa is only 20 (going on 21 in a few weeks) and realistically he 's a couple of years off from being a dominant halfback. However they've thrown him into the deep end and so they need him to be more adventurous with the footy and create more points. The play that sticks out was the Round 20 clash against the Panthers where the Dolphins had the defending premiers on the ropes and Katoa had an opportunity to win the game. However instead of backing himself, Katoa went the safe option and went for a cross-field kick that ultimately kept Penrith in the game. The Dolphins need a halfback that will win them the game in that scenario.

Meanwhile the Hammer is their most dangerous player, but he struggles to put in an 80 minute performance and will clock off, particularly in defence. If the rumours are true and the Dolphins are training the house down, I think the Hammer could have a very similar impact as a Billy Slater, Matt Bowen, Ben Barba and have far more try involvements.

It's a big test for the franchise this year. It was one thing to get off the ground with Bennett, it's another to perform without the mastercoach. They should be in the mix for a Top 8 spot, but I don't think it'll be a smooth transition. I expect there to be some turbulence with Woolf injecting some fresh blood into the team and putting his own spin on the side which won't work for all the incumbents. I don't think it will be the end of the world if they fail to make the 8, but they have to put themselves in a position where they can improve in 2026.

What do you make of them Wolfie? Any word out in the Peninsula?

 

[Alec]

Gerome was the best player in QCup before he ruptured his patella. I think he would have played NRL last year had it not been for the injury. I don't think he'll get first crack but I'm far from convinced with the current halves options at Souths so there's an opportunity if he's good enough.

My impression is that he's an Albert Kelly type of signing. He'll make some inroads with the footy but whether he can help make Souths into a genuine contender is another story.

I know Wayne is a big fan (or at least was before the injury) and wanted him to be the next Cody Walker type story. Hopefully he'll get a start at some point.