The outside backs have grown more and more important in recent years at both ends of the park.
Gone are the days where wingers in the NRL were simply there to finish plays, and long gone are the days when centres were seen as expendable.
Instead, wingers are required to run the ball, get sets off to a good start, break tackles and be able to pass while having incredible finishing ability.
Centres are also more important than ever, particularly in defence.
Here is every club's centres and wingers ranked.
13. North Queensland Cowboys
Wingers: Braidon Burns and Murray Taulagi
Centres: Jaxon Purdue and Zac Laybutt
Other options: Tom Chester, Jaxson Paulo, Viliami Vailea
The Cowboys head into the new season with injury questions and major depth issues in their outside backs, with Todd Payten needing to find the best out of the group as he works to salvage his job.
Murray Taulagi is an Origin level winger, but spent a lot of 2025 sidelined, while Jaxon Purdue is a rising star in the centres, but could well yet be called into the halves.
Zac Laybutt has had his fair share of injuries as well and could do well to hold his spot if he can't find his best quickly.
Braidon Burns has plenty of experience, and had a career-best year in 2025, but he has always been something of a fringe NRL level talent - that changes in 2026 as he gains an opportunity to start on a full time basis.
