NRL team-by-team analysis: How does your team stack up for 2025 season?

Feel that? It's that sweet sensation just before another NRL season begins, when every team and their supporters believe anything is still possible and this is surely 'their' year.

Within 48 hours, some of that bravado will begin to crumble, when the schedule kicks off with the Las Vegas doubleheader, featuring NZ Warriors v Canberra Raiders.

The off-season has seen the usual shuffling of the deck, with a myriad of player and coaching changes, potentially altering the landscape in terms of contenders and pretenders.

Here's how those teams stack up for 2025.

Brisbane Broncos

2024: 12th (10-14)

Premierships (6): 1992, 93, 97, 98, 2000, 06

TAB Odds: $7

Season-opener: v Sydney Roosters, Thursday, 6 March (away)

Coach: A premiership winner with Wigan Warriors (2010) and South Sydney (2014), Michael Maguire guided NZ Kiwis to a record win over Australia at 2023 Pacific Championship and NSW to 2024 State of Origin success.

Marquee player: Former Warriors rookie Reece Walsh undoubtedly has the speed and athleticism to become one of the game's brightest stars, but must also sort out his off-field problems, after an end-of-season incident in Bali.

New addition: Queensland Origin star Ben Hunt returns to the club where he began his career and played 187 games, including the 2015 Grand Final defeat to North Queensland. He still fancies himself as a half and he may begin the season there, but will slip into hooker, when incumbent Ezra Mam returns from a drug-driving suspension.

Kiwi player to watch: Second-rower Jordan Riki will likely bring up his century of games for the Broncos this season, after making his international debut for New Zealand against Australia last year.

Analysis: After reaching the 2023 final, the Broncos never really fired last season and club legend Kevin Walters was replaced at the helm by the much-travelled Maguire. They undoubtedly have the raw talent to contend again, led by Walsh and barnstorming Payne Haas in the forwards, and have picked up Hunt to partner with Adam Reynolds in the spine.

Canterbury Bulldogs

2024: Sixth (14-10), lost to Manly 24-22 in elimination final

Premierships (8): 1938, 42, 80, 84, 85, 88, 95, 2004

TAB Odds: $13

Season-opener: v St George Dragons, Saturday, 8 March (away)

Coach: Cameron Ciraldo began his coaching career at Penrith, which he guided to the 2018 playoffs as interim boss, before serving as assistant to Ivan Cleary for two championship successes. He followed Phil Gould to the struggling Bulldogs and led them to the playoffs last season - his second in charge.

Marquee player: Heavily influenced by the Panthers programme, the Bulldogs began their recovery process when they lured Stephen Crichton across town last year. The three-time Dally M Centre of the Year was immediately appointed skipper and showed his leadership abilities, when he was also named Captain of the Year.

New addition: After four years with the Warriors, winger Marcelo Montoya was released early to return to the club where he was named Rookie of the Year in 2017.

Kiwi player to watch: Auckland-born second-rower Sitili Tupouniua is a Tongan international, with more than 100 games for Sydney Roosters. He is rehabbing an injury that will sideline him for the opening round.

Analysis: After a rough debut season with the Bulldogs, Ciraldo turned the programme around last season and has quietly added some valuable pieces around Crichton, big-kicking half Matt Burton and hooker Reed Mahoney. They'll rely on their newfound culture to make the playoffs again.

North Queensland Cowboys

2024: Fifth (15-9), lost to Cronulla 26-18 in semifinal

Premierships (1): 2015

TAB Odds: $19

Season-opener: v Manly Sea Eagles, Friday, 8 March (away)

Coach: Former Warriors interim Todd Payten, who replaced Stephen Kearney mid-season in 2020, has now coached the Cowboys for 100 games and a 53 percent winning record over four seasons, including two playoff appearances and 2022 Dally M Coach of the Year honours.

Marquee player: Halfback Tom Dearden has emerged as one of the NRL's top halves, winning Dally M Five-eighth of the Year last season, making his test debut for Australia and winning Player of the Match honours in the Pacific Championship final against Tonga.

New addition: Much-decorated English veteran John Bateman will front for his third NRL club, when he joins the Cowboys this season, after stints with Canberra Raiders and Wests Tigers. Perhaps his best days were in the English Super League, where he won three championships with Wigan.

Kiwi player to watch: Rugged West Coaster Griffin Neame has become a key contributor off both the Cowboys and Kiwis benches in recent seasons, but has re-signed in Townsville for just this one season. He'll be playing for a new contract, either here or elsewhere.

Analysis: The Cowboys have already been rocked by the season-ending knee injury to promising second-rower Heilum Luki and the club's fortunes may depend on how much they can extract from Tongan star Jason Taumalolo, who is in the eighth year of his historic 10-year contract. The 2016 Dally M Medallist has struggled to recapture his best in recent seasons.

Dolphins

2024: 10th (11-13)

No premierships

TAB Odds: $41

Season-opener: v South Sydney Rabbitohs, Friday, 7 March (home)

Coach: Inspirational Tongan international coach Kristian Woolf has won three English Super League crowns with St Helens and now gets a chance in the NRL, with a team that have been more than competitive in their first two seasons under supercoach Wayne Bennett.

Marquee player: Playing anywhere in the back five, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has become a fixture at representative level for Queensland and Australia, and has scored 30 tries in 36 appearances for the Dolphins, including one in each of their first six games.

New addition: After 183 games for Newcastle Knights, and representative football for Fiji and New South Wales, front-rower Daniel Saifiti arrives at Redcliffe as a readymade replacement for retired Kiwis veteran Jesse Bromwich.

Kiwi player to watch: So many to choose from, but winger Jamayne Isaako has used his tenure at the Dolphins to relaunch a career that had begun to stagnate at the Broncos. He has played ever game for the expansion side, and finished their inaugural season as the NRL's leading scorer and try-scorer, as well as Dally M Winger of the Year.

Analysis: Relishing their underdog status, as Brisbane's 'other' team, the Dolphins still feel short of genuine star quality to make them playoff contenders, but Woolf seems to have the ability to instil belief in his teams and that can make up for any shortfall in talent.

St George Dragons

2024: 11th (11-13)

Premierships (1): 2010

TAB Odds: $51

Season-opener: v Canterbury Bulldogs, Saturday, 8 March (home)

Coach: Shane Flanagan earned both disgrace and accolades at Cronulla Sharks, where he was suspended 12 months after a doping investigation, but returned to guide the club to its first ever premiership in 2016. He was deregistered as a coach, after he was found to have violated the terms of his earlier suspension, unable to hold a head-coaching role until 2022, and signed a three-year contract with the Dragons the following year.

Marquee player: Backline utility Valentine Holmes was a key component in Flanagan's champion Sharks outfit and briefly left rugby league to pursue NFL opportunities, when his coach was banned a second time. He has played 21 times for Australia and 19 times for Queensland, and arrives at the Dragons as one of the game's true superstars.

New additions: Flanagan has a reputation for recruiting top class talent, and needed a season to clean out some of the club's veterans (adios, Ben Hunt and Zac Lomax) and replace them with his own guys. Holmes may be the biggest name, but hooker Damien Cook and fullback Clint Gutherson are rep performers, who have immediately stepped into co-captaincy.

Kiwi to watch: Auckland-born winger Christian Tuipulotu made his NRL debut for Sydney Roosters as a teenager, before a three-year stint at Manly. In his first season with the Dragons, he scored eight tries in 12 appearances, but may struggle to command a regular starting spot with the upgrade in talent.

Analysis: St George haven't reached the post-season since 2018, but Flanagan proved his coaching ability with the Sharks, guiding them to playoffs in four of his five complete seasons. He has had to rebuild a Dragons culture that bottomed out, when 13 players were suspended 20 games and fined $300,000, with forward Paul Vaughan sacked for hosting a COVID lockdown party in 2021.

The influx of talent will help end their playoff drought.

Parramatta Eels

2024: 15th (7-17)

Premierships (4): 1981, 82, 83, 86

TAB Odds: $31

Season-opener: v Melbourne Storm, Sunday, 9 March (away)

Coach: Former Australia and NSW prop Jason Ryles has filled a variety of assistant coaching and support roles across both rugby codes, including stints with the England and Australia union teams. This will be his first NRL head coach assignment.

Marquee player: Half Mitchell Moses missed three months of last season with a fractured foot, but returned to play just in time to claim an NSW Origin jersey, producing a Man of the Match performance in their Game Two victory and scoring the series-clinching try in Game Three. Unfortunately, a bicep injury suffered in the final minutes ended his season, but he returns as club captain.

New addition: Veteran back Zac Lomax didn't appreciate his shift from centre to the wing by St George coach Shane Flanagan last season and, after a year of rumblings, finally announced a move to Parramatta. Ironically, he brought up his century of games for the Dragons soon after, made his Origin and international debuts - both on the wing - and was named in that position for the Dally M Team of the Year.

Kiwi player to watch: Currently the subject of a high-stakes bidding war, Dylan Brown's combination with Moses in the halves will likely determine the Eels' fate this season. At 24, he will command a spot in the Kiwis for years to come, but was ruled out of international play last year, with torn knee ligaments in Parramatta's regular season finale, which may also delay his start to the new campaign.

Analysis: After five playoff appearances in six years, the Eels have fallen off the cliff, since losing the 2022 Grand Final to Penrith Panthers, avoiding the wooden spoon last season with victory over Wests Tigers in their last outing. Ryles has a rebuilding project on his hands, but if Moses can stay healthy, they will challenge for the post-season again.

Newcastle Knights

2024: Eighth (12-12), lost to North Queensland 28-16 in elimination final

Premierships (2): 1997, 2001

TAB Odds: $51

Season-opener: v Wests Tigers, Friday, 8 March (away)

Coach: Since serving a coaching apprenticeship at Sydney Roosters, helping them to the 2019 premiership, Adam O'Brien has guided the Knights to playoffs four times over the past five seasons, but has just a 47 percent winning percentage over that period.

Marquee player: After initially ruling himself out of Origin football, fullback Kalyn Ponga eventually reneged to play in the decider, but made himself unavailable for the Kangaroos after the NRL season ended. He's been plagued by injury and concussion, and when he's unavailable, the Knights struggle.

New addition: Former Chiefs and NZ Māori hooker Tyrone Thompson has switched codes to join brother Leo on a development contract with the Knights for the 2025, before his sibling heads to Canterbury Bulldogs.

Kiwi player to watch: Wellington-born Phoenix Crossland has played a variety of positions in his five-year career with the Knights, becoming the first person born in the 2000s to play first grade for the club. He made his international debut at hooker last season and was NZ Man of the Match in their Pacific Championship loss to Tonga.

Analysis: The Knights have remained relatively stable in the off-season, losing front-rower Daniel Saifiti, but retaining most of the local talent that has served them so well. They live and die by Ponga, but have enough talent around him to make another playoff run this season.

Penrith Panthers

2024: Second (17-7), beat Melbourne Storm 14-6 in final

Premierships (6): 1991, 2003, 21, 22, 23, 24

TAB Odds: $4.50

Season-opener: v Cronulla Sharks, Sunday, 2 March (Vegas)

Coach: Former Warriors coach Ivan Cleary is slowly creating his own piece of NRL history, enjoying a successful playing career, before turning his talent to coaching. He has now overseen 451 games across three clubs, with a 57 percent winning record, four straight championships with Penrith and two other Grand Final appearances, including one with the Auckland club.

Marquee player: Half Nathan Cleary is arguably the best rugby league player on the planet - the first name locked in whenever an NSW or Australia representative team is selected. He's a two-time Dally M Medal winner, but is coming off an injury-plagued season that saw him take the field for less than half his team's games.

New addition: Kiwis second-rower Isaiah Papali'i joins his fourth NRL club, after stints with the Warriors, Parramatta Eels - where he was named Dally M Second-rower of the Year and reached the NRL Grand Final - and Wests Tigers, escaping a programme that finished last in the competition for three consecutive years.

Kiwi player to watch: Winger Casey McLean was a relatively unknown, with seven first-grade games and three tries to his name, when he was selected for the Kiwis last year. Expectations are now considerably higher, after he scored four tries in his test debut against Papua New Guinea.

Analysis: Despite leaking players to other clubs, Penrith somehow find a way to remain on top of the heap, now seeking a fifth straight NRL crown. They have lost prop James Fisher-Harris to the Warriors and five-eighth Jerome Luai to Wests, so much will depend on who they partner with Cleary in the halves - but you simply can't bet against them.

South Sydney Rabbitohs

2024: 16th (7-17)

Premierships (21): 1908, 09, 14, 18, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 50, 51, 53, 54, 55, 67, 68, 70, 71, 2014

TAB Odds: $34

Season-opener: v Dolphins, Friday, 7 March (away)

Coach: So-called 'Supercoach' Wayne Bennett returns to Souths for the second time, after leaving three years ago to take on the expansion Dolphins. They have struggled in his absence, failing to reach the playoffs over the past two seasons, after he guided them to the preliminary final four straight years and a Grand Final in his last.

Marquee player: Look up the word 'enigma' in the dictionary and you'll find a picture of Latrell Mitchell next to it. So, so talented, but he just can't stay out of trouble, including the 'white powder' scandal that saw him closed down early last season.

Due to miss the 2025 season-opener through suspension, he had his one-game ban applied to the All Stars fixture instead, but suffered a pre-season hamstring injury that will sideline him anyway.

New addition: Utility Josh Schuster has teased so much during his stint with Manly, without ever delivering on that potential. Bennett has a reputation for getting the best out of players, so if he can't draw that out of Schuster, probably no-one can.

Kiwi player to watch: Hooker/lock Siliva Havili debuted for the Warriors more than a decade ago and played one test for New Zealand, before pledging his allegiance to Tonga. Now with his fourth club, he has cared out a solid NRL career that has seen him chalk up 150 games, most off the bench.

Analysis: The same day Mitchell suffered his hamstring injury, Souths lost captain Cam Murray for the season with a ruptured Achilles tendon. Bennett still has plenty to work with, but injuries and off-field distractions have plagued the Rabbitohs in recent seasons, and this one hasn't started well on both fronts.

Canberra Raiders

2024: Ninth (12-12)

Premierships (3): 1989, 90, 94

TAB Odds: $51

Season-opener: v NZ Warriors, Sunday, 2 March (Vegas)

Coach: Club legend Ricky Stuart was a player in all three Raiders premierships, but his only coaching success so far has come in his very first assignment with Sydney Roosters, more than two decades ago. Now in his 12th year at the helm of the 'Green Machine', Stuart isn't shy of a post-game blow-up against perceived referee shortcomings.

Marquee player: Kiwis prop Joseph Tapine will likely bring up his 200th game for the Raiders this season as captain. In 2024, he was named Dally M Prop of the Year and has established himself as one of the leading front-rowers in the game.

Kiwi player to watch: Centre Matt Timoko has become one of the competition's best midfielders and an automatic selection for the national team. He has played every game for the club over the past three seasons and will need to step up another notch to help the Raiders this year.

Analysis: With no real major signings, and the losses of Kiwi veteran Jordan Rapana and skipper Elliott Whitehead, Stuart will hope the young talent on this roster will continue to develop, guided by half Jamal Fogarty. They may need more than their coach's passion on the sideline to stay competitive.

Sydney Roosters

2024: Third (16-8), lost to Melbourne 48-18 in preliminary final

Premierships (15): 1911, 12, 13, 23, 35, 36, 37, 40, 45, 74, 75, 2002, 2013, 2018, 2019

TAB Odds: $19

Season-opener: v Brisbane Broncos, Thursday, 6 March (home)

Coach: Over 12 years in charge of the Roosters, Trent Robinson has coached more than 300 games at a 63 percent winning clip, winning three championships in the process. Only once has he missed the playoffs in that period.

Marquee player: Fullback James Tedesco seemed to fall from favour last season, when he lost his NSW Origin spot, breaking a 23-game string of consecutive selections. Still, he scored 17 tries in 25 games for the Roosters, was named Dally M Fullback of the Year and will return as captain for 2025 with a score to settle.

New addition: After throwing teenager Sam Walker into deep water probably too quickly, the Roosters have brought veteran Chad Townsend for some stability in the halves. The former two-time Warrior has a premiership crown to his name with the Sharks and 262 games to his career.

Kiwi player to watch: NZ Kiwis hooker Brandon Smith has championship pedigree from 107 games for Melbourne Storm, but is currently in the last year of a three-year contract with the Roosters. His 2024 season ended with a knee injury in Round 26 and he will miss the start of this campaign, probably his last with the club, with NSW Origin hooker Reece Robson already signed for 2026.

Analysis: Sydney lose two big (Kiwi) pieces in veteran enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and backline Swiss army knife Joseph Manu, as well as rugby convert Joseph Sua'ali'i, and Robinson must surely be running out of fingers to stick in the leaking boat - but he will still find a way to take them deep into playoffs.

Manly Sea Eagles

2024: Seventh (13-1-10), lost to Sydney 40-16 in semifinal

Premierships (8): 1972, 73, 76, 78, 87, 96, 2008, 11

TAB Odds: $15

Season-opener: v North Queensland Cowboys, Saturday, 8 March (home)

Coach: Anthony Seibold's best coaching performance saw him guide South Sydney to the 2018 preliminary final, taking Dally M Coach of the Year honours in the process, but he hasn't had much luck since. He was involved in a bizarre coach swap with Brisbane and Wayne Bennett, and guided the Broncos to their two biggest defeats ever and a post-COVID slump, before he was run out of town, but seems to have found a happier home at Manly.

Marquee player: At 36, now the oldest player in the NRL, half Daly Cherry-Evans remains one of the elite performers in his position and become the most capped Sea Eagles player last season, proving remarkably durable through his career. Most of his missed games would have been through representative duties.

New addition: Manly will beef on their pack with the arrival of Warriors fan favourite Jazz Tevaga, who amassed 138 appearances for the Auckland club and was named inaugural Dally M Interchange Player of the Year in 2018.

Kiwi player to watch: Once an outstanding junior with the Warriors, prop Tof Sipley is now a veteran with 81 games over nine injury-plagued years. He can make an impact on the field, but getting there has always been his biggest challenge.

Analysis: Seibold has a solid veteran core with Cherry-Evans, brothers Jake and Tom Trbojevic, and prolific goal-kicking winger Reuben Garrick, who is now the third-highest scorer for the club. Manly always start the season among the favourites, but fall away with the inevitable 'Tommy Turbo' injury.

Cronulla Sharks

2024: Fourth (16-8), lost to Penrith 26-6 in preliminary final

Premierships (1): 2016

TAB Odds: $10

Season-opener: v Penrith Panthers, Sunday, 2 March (Vegas)

Coach: Former NSW and Australia forward Craig Fitzgibbon served a coaching apprenticeship with his old Roosters club, before taking up the Sharks reins in 2022, guiding them to three consecutive playoffs appearances. His 62.7 percent winning record is the best in club history.

Marquee player: Half Nicho Hynes has premiership pedigree with Melbourne Storm and won the Dally M Medal in his first season with the Sharks in 2022. He has probably struggled to meet with those expectations over the past couple of years, when Origin coaches haven't been able to find a spot for him in their line-ups.

New addition: The Warriors' loss is the Sharks' gain, with powerhouse front-rower Addin Fonua-Blake arriving at the Shire to boost the pack. He has won back-to-back Dally M Prop of the Year awards and looks in awesome pre-season shape.

Kiwi player to watch: Winger Ronaldo Mulitalo has become a prolific try-scorer, one of the most colourful characters in the NRL and a popular Kiwis international, and has a new three-year contract with the Sharks to start the season.

Analysis: Cronulla have all the tools required to take another step towards their second premiership, especially if Hynes can stay healthy and ignite the Sharks backline.

Melbourne Storm

2024: First (19-5), lost to Penrith 14-6 in final

Premierships (4): 1999, 2007*, 09*, 12, 17, 20f

*stripped of titles for salary cap violations

TAB Odds: $3.75 (favourites)

Season-opener: v Parramatta Eels, Sunday, 9 March (home)

Coach: Known affectionately as 'Belly Ache', Craig Bellamy is famous for his coaching box blow-ups, but has guided the Storm for more than 20 years and 579 games, winning at a 70 percent clip. That's elite performance that may one day see him mentioned in the same breath as former mentor Wayne Bennett.

Marquee player: Kiwis half Jahrome Hughes enters the 2025 season as reigning Dally M Medallist, only the fourth NZ player to achieve this distinction, after Gary Freeman (1992), Jason Taumalolo (2016) and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (2018).

New addition: Melbourne lose stalwart front-rower Christian Welch to medical retirement, but pick up one-game Origin representative Stefano Utoikamanu from Wests Tigers to shore up that spot in the rotation.

Kiwi player to watch: So many to chose from, including winger William Warbrick and hulking front-rower Nelson 'Big Nasty' Asofa-Solomona, but Moses Leo has followed Warbrick over from the All Blacks Sevens programme and has the potential to make just as big an impact, depending on where the Storm play him.

Analysis: Good teams never seem to rebuild and Melbourne always seem to have a good player stepping into any perceived void. They have perhaps the best spine in the competition in Harry Grant, Hughes, Cameron Munster and Ryan Papenhuyzen, with plenty of beef in their pack and plenty of speed in the backs.

Always contenders to win it all.

Wests Tigers

2024: 17th (6-18)

Premierships (1): 2005

Season-opener: v Newcastle Knights, Friday, 7 March (home)

TAB Odds: $41

Coach: After serving a brief apprenticeship under Tim Sheens, Kiwi legend Benji Marshall, who sparked the club's only championship crown, has landed in the hot seat, desperately trying to turn around a losing culture that has seen the Tigers finish bottom of the table for three straight seasons.

Marquee player: Teenage half Lachlan Galvin was perhaps the only positive to come out of last season's wooden spoon campaign and Marshall has recruited a championship-calibre running mate to take the pressure off him. He was ineligible for Dally M Rookie of the Year honours, due to suspension, but has reportedly come out firing in the pre-season, setting a new club record in the 'Bronco' fitness test.

New addition: Marshall continues to raid the champion Panthers, grabbing Jarome Luai, who has been Nathan Cleary's halves sidekick throughout their four championships. Luai has ridden that combination into the NSW Origin set-up, but now has a chance to break out of the shadow.

Kiwi player to watch: Wests may have lost Stefano Utoikamanu to Melbourne, but they've retained Wellington-born front-rower Fonua Pole, has quickly become a mainstay of the pack, missing just two games since his first-grade against the Warriors in 2022.

Analysis: In his second full season, Marshall has now had a chance to reshape the roster and drive some change in culture. He has a mix of youth and experience in his spine, with veteran Api Koroisau/Galvin/Luai and mercurial fullback Jahream Bula.

Escaping a fourth straight wooden spoon would be a good start.

Gold Coast Titans

2024: 14th (8-16)

No premierships

TAB Odds: $51

Season-opener: v Canterbury Bulldogs, Sunday, 16 March (away)

Coach: Another of the NRL's longest-serving and elite coaches, Des Hasler won two championships as a player with Manly, then guided the Sea Eagles to two more from the sidelines. He lost his first six games in charge of the Titans, but masterminded two wins over the Warriors - the first on Anzac Day at Mt Smart, while the second (66-6) was the biggest ever by a last-placed team.

Marquee players: Gold Coast have two of the best young forwards in the competition, with Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and David Fifita. The former missed all but two games last season, with torn knee ligaments, while Fifita has backflipped on an announcement that he would leave to join Sydney Roosters this season.

New addition: Front-rower Reagan Campbell-Gillard has been one of the game's best props over the past decade, with a wealth of post-season experience at Penrith and Parramatta. He was 2024 Eels Player of the Year, but on the same day, he was granted an early release from his contract to join Gold Coast.

Kiwi player to watch: After his exciting international debut last year, fullback Keano Kini will join an explosive backline that can put up quick points, as the Warriors discovered last season. Kini had two tries in that record-setting encounter and fans on this side of the Tasman will monitor his progress with renewed interest.

Analysis: The Titans have demonstrated their ability on numerous occasions, but have been plagued by injury and inconsistency. The arrival of Campbell-Gillard is important for team culture, but if the stars align, they can reach the playoffs for the first time since 2021.

NZ Warriors

2024: 13th (9-1-14)

No premierships

Season-opener: v Canberra Raiders, Sunday, 2 March (Vegas)

TAB Odds: $41

Coach: After taking the Warriors to the preliminary final and claiming Dally M Coach of the Year honours in his first season at the helm, former Penrith assistant Andrew Webster felt the other side of the coaching equation in his second. Still, confidence remains high that he is the right man for the job.

Marquee player: Still the only Warriors player to win a Dally M Medal, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has apparently given up on the centre experiment and returns to the wing, where he first became an NRL star for Sydney Roosters.

New addition: Losing two-time Dally M Prop of the Year Addin Fonua-Blake represents a major blow to the Warriors, but replacing him with four-time premiership winner James Fisher-Harris, himself a former Prop of the Year, will come as a relief to Webster. Fisher-Harris arrives as an inspirational Kiwis skipper and immediately assumes co-captaincy at his new club.

Kiwi player to watch: Despite the presence of Tuivasa-Sheck and electric youngster Taine Tuaupiki, Webster has made Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad a non-negotiable selection at fullback. He will start with all three at the back, which promises to kick-start the attack.

Analysis: Losing club stalwarts Shaun Johnson and Tohu Harris in quick succession to retirement presents some major headaches for Webster, and much will depend on how he fills those voids. Luke Metcalf has been handed the keys at halfback and his ability to stay clear of injury may determine whether the Warriors can return to the playoffs.