Your guide to the 2019 NRL season
There is never a dull moment in an NRL offseason and this one was no different. Major player movements at times overshadowed by scandal, it’s been a tough five months for the NRL brass. But, footy is finally back.
Here’s a look at the major signings, biggest worries and key stats for every side ahead of the
2019 premiership.
ROOSTERS
2018 finish: Minor Premiers
Key signings: Brett Morris, Ryan Hall, Angus Crichton
Biggest worry: Tough origin period
Their blessing is also their curse and while the Roosters will be tipped by many, and rightly so, to go back-to-back, they will be hit hard through the Origin period with their squad featuring so many representative players.
Stat: Last year the Roosters were top five in points scored, line breaks, post contact metres and tackle breaks.
STORM
2018 finish: Second
Key signings: None
Biggest worry: Contract distractions
Melbourne are set to have 16 players off contract in 2020. Contract talk can often be a distraction for players, and a lot of noise will be made about that throughout the season.
Stat: Melbourne ran out of dummy half more than any other side last year (320) and to great success, eating up valuable metres time and time again in behind the ruck.
RABBITOHS
2018 finish: Third
Key signings: Wayne Bennett
Biggest worry: Depth
The Bunnies made little to no moves in the off-season but lost some valuable back-up players. Hymel Hunt, Zane Musgrove, Robert Jennings, Jason Clark and Richie Kennar all departed leaving Souths a bit light on outside backs in particular.
Stat: Souths can flat out run. They led the NRL last season in total carries and total run metres.
SHARKS
2018 finish: Fourth
Key signings: Shaun Johnson, Josh Morris
Biggest worry: Discipline The Sharks have a premiership calibre side on paper, but let themselves down through discipline. They were top five for errors and penalties conceded in 2018.
Stat: The Sharks were the most prolific side in terms of offloads last season, leading the league with 323 second phase opportunities.
PANTHERS
2018 finish: Fifth
Key signings: Ivan Cleary, Malakai Watene-Zelezniak
Biggest worry: Sex tapes scandal Penrith have been in the news for all the wrong reasons this offseason and it has to have taken a toll on the playing group. It will fall on senior players and coach Ivan Cleary to push through this year.
Stat: The Panthers had the most missed tackles (975) last year
BRONCOS
2018 finish: Sixth
Key signings: Anthony Seibold, Shaun Fensom
Biggest worry: Young side The Broncos forward pack in particular is young, and experience counts in the NRL. Come finals time it pays to have players who have been there, done that.
Stat: Brisbane had the second best completion rate (79 per cent) last season.
DRAGONS
2018 finish:
Seventh
Key signings: Corey Norman Biggest worry: Corey Norman When he’s on he’s electric, but the Dragons will be hoping they get the best version of their star recruit who has been known to be very hot and cold throughout his career. Stat: The Dragons led the NRL last year in goals kicked and aren’t afraid to take the two when it’s on offer – particularly when Gareth Widdop has his kicking boots on.
WARRIORS
2018 finish: Eighth
Key signings: Leeson Ah Mau, Adam Keighran
Biggest worry: The halves Blake Green is a lock, but no Shaun Johnson means the Warriors have to go with uncapped rookie Keighran at No 6.
The spine is so important in the modern game and Stephen Kearney will be hoping his 21-yearold Aussie recruit is up to the task.
Stat: Feed Fusitu’a, the flying winger led the NRL last year with
23 tries and believes he can go ‘‘a few better’’ this season.
TIGERS
2018 finish: Ninth
Key signings: Ryan Matterson, Paul Momirovski
Biggest worry: Aging roster The Tigers will again roll with Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah in the spine this year, with no real young guns pushing them.
Stat: The Tigers were made to do a mountain of defending last year, making the third most tackles (8583), but also missing the second most (957).
RAIDERS
2018 finish: 10th
Key signings: Ryan Sutton, John Bateman
Biggest worry: Missing the eight The Raiders haven’t been in the playoffs for two straight years and missing it for a third would be unacceptable, given their talented roster.
Stat: Close games weren’t the Raiders strong suit last season, losing 11 games by nine points or less.
KNIGHTS
2018 finish: 11th
Key signings: David Klemmer, Tim Glasby, James Gavet, Hymel Hunt, Kurt Mann, Jesse Ramien
Biggest worry: Kalyn Ponga to six It’s either a stroke of genius or a bridge too far, but it remains to be seen whether or not the call to move one of the game’s most electric fullbacks into the halves will be the right one.
Stat: One thing the Knights do well is decoy runners – they sent more than 1300 at teams last year. BULLDOGS
2018 finish: 12th
Key signings: Christian Crichton, Dylan Napa, Corey Harawira-Naera
Biggest worry: Kieran Foran’s health
Foran is one of the Bulldogs best and most experienced players, but he can’t seem to stay on the field. Making sure the premiership winner is healthy will be key to any Bulldogs’ success this year.
Stat: The Dogs led the NRL last season with an outstanding 80 per cent completion rate.
COWBOYS
2018 finish: 13th
Key signings: Josh McGuire, Nene Macdonald
Biggest worry: No Johnathan Thurston
The Cowboys are about to begin life without Thurston, after the master playmaker manned the fort for 14 years.
Young Kiwi Te Maire Martin is set to step into those big shoes alongside Origin utility, Michael Morgan.
Stat: Jason Taumalolo, arguably the best forward in the game at the moment – last year he topped the competition with an average of
75.8 post-contact metres.
TITANS
2018 finish: 14th
Key signings: Tyrone Peachey, Shannon Boyd
Biggest worry: The draw
The Titans will play just once at home, over the opening month of football.
Stat: Negative plays killed the Titans last season, finishing in the top five for both errors and missed tackles.
SEA EAGLES
2018 finish: 15th
Key signings: Kane Elgey
Biggest worry: Salary cap Manly are a mess as an organisation at the moment, have little to no room to sign any key players for the foreseeable future.
Stat: The Sea Eagles conceded just under 26 points per game last year – the worst in the NRL.
EELS
2018 finish: 16th
Key signings: Blake Ferguson
Biggest worry: Back-to-back wooden spooners
The Eels run the risk of two straight years on the bottom, unless their attack can make serious improvements. The addition of powerhouse winger Ferguson should help that.
Stat: Ferguson averaged just under
200 metres per game last season, and led the NRL’s total running metres (5400).