The final round of NRL trials has arrived, and with that comes a sea of first-grade stars and marquee match-ups that will have footy fans glued to their screens all weekend.
With most teams now introducing their big guns back into the fold for the first time in 2026, the make-up of the rugby league landscape will begin to take shape following this weekend's trials.
Several stars are set to transition into new roles, positions, or clubs entirely. Injured squads from last year are filled with hope for a better season, while new recruits aim to establish themselves in unfamiliar colours for the first time.
A major round of footy is on the horizon as we gear up for the NRL's Round 1 debut in Vegas in a couple of weeks. Some stars are eager to make their mark before the challenges of the official rugby league season begin.
Doueihi at halfback
The Wests Tigers have seemingly found their halfback after years of searching, and while the likes of Jarome Luai, Luke Brooks, Latu Fainu, and Jackson Hastings have all donned the No. 7 jumper at one point or another, it's ironically the man who has been at the club through it all - Adam Doueihi.
The Lebanon international will partner with Luai in the halves in this weekend's trial clash against the Penrith Panthers, where he will be tasked with mirroring the best halfback of our generation, Nathan Cleary.
This Tigers' outfit is littered with elite firepower across its ranks, but has been lost without a general to guide them for years. If Doueihi can steer the ship and allow the stars around him to shine off the back of his direction, his permanent shift to halfback could prove to be a masterstroke by head coach Benji Marshall.
DCE the Rooster
After what has felt like an eternity of rumours, speculation, and constant media chatter, Daly Cherry-Evans will finally don the Roosters logo for the first time.
While a star of his stature is certain to generate headlines after a bombshell move like the one he pulled to arrive in Bondi, the buzz has mainly emerged from concerns around his age and recent form, with questions around whether the Roosters' decision to sign him was a wise one.
He'll get the opportunity to prove he's still got it this weekend, however, when the Roosters take on the Parramatta Eels alongside his firecracker halves partner, Sam Walker.
Fans will be eager to see how Cherry-Evans approaches his new role, with the 37-year-old set to play second fiddle in the halves for the first time this decade. If he can find his groove and produce close to his best after a rocky 2025 season, he could be the difference between a Grand Final appearance and a first-round finals exit.
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Moses and Pezet
The Parramatta Eels have gone all-in for one season of former Storm half Jonah Pezet, confident that his combination with Mitchell Moses is good enough to earn a ticket to September footy for the first time since 2022.
Pezet was decent in his first showing for the Eels, but the jury is still out on whether he can be a difference maker for Jason Ryles' squad in 2026. If he can provide silky ball-playing and creative attacking play alongside arguably the best game manager in the NRL, hopes of a finals berth may begin to ignite throughout the streets of Parramatta.
Moses is 31 years old and hungry for success as he reaches the twilight years of his career. While the majority of pressure will be on Pezet's shoulders as he continues to adjust to a new system, Moses will be feeling the heat as he looks to build a successful combination with his one-year halves partner.
This year is Moses' best shot at a premiership in nearly half a decade, and he'll be using this weekend's trial match to strengthen that case further.
Full-strength Souths
The most injured team in the NRL last season, the Rabbitohs have been unable to put together an 80-minute performance with all of their stars in nearly 18 months.
Not only will they have all troops back in action this weekend, but they'll also be adding a new face in David Fifita, who will line up in the red and green for the first time. He'll be eager to return to his damaging best under Wayne Bennett, and will certainly be viewing this weekend as the gateway to achieving that.
Joining him in the forward pack is superstar middle duo Cam Murray and Keaon Koloamatangi, both of whom will be eager to kick the year off in elite fashion as they eye a NSW Blues jumper in 2026.
And then, of course, there's Latrell Mitchell. It's been a long time since we've seen Mitchell start the season at centre, but after the emergence of young speedster Jye Gray, the superstar outside-back has reportedly taken his new role in tremendous stride.
Bunnies fans have had very little to get excited about in recent years, and although their true premiership push will come in 2027 following the arrival of the otherworldly Hakeem Haas, this weekend's trial will be a showcase of Souths' S-tier talent across its starting 13.
Manly's newest No. 7
It's been a long time since anyone not named Daly Cherry-Evans has pulled on the No. 7 jumper in Manly.
However, after 15 years, a new face will steer the Sea Eagles around the park in former Canberra Raiders general, Jamal Fogarty.
A tall task awaits the 32-year-old as he kicks off his next chapter in Brookvale, and while very few fans are expecting fireworks from Manly in 2026, with former NRL star Chad Townsend going as far as to nominate them for the wooden spoon this season on his podcast, Fogarty will be eager to prove he can be a viable replacement to DCE.
If he can open up Manly's attack and replicate the game-managing skills that earned the Raiders a minor premiership in 2025, we could begin having a real conversation around a potential finals push from the 2011 premiers.