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.

SEE ALSO: Every NRL club's spine ranked for 2026

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.

RELATED: Every NRL forward pack ranked for 2026

Centres are also more important than ever, particularly in defence.

Here is every club's centres and wingers ranked.

11. Parramatta Eels

Wingers: Josh Addo-Carr and Bailey Simonsson
Centres: Will Penisini and Sean Russell
Other options: Brian Kelly, Richard Penisini, Jordan Samrani, Jake Tago

The Eels are close to breaking through to a much higher point of this list, although it just feels their overall quality isn't quite up to the standards of some of the competition's big guns.

Parramatta are a side many expect to climb this year though, and a large part of that is down to the consistency across the park in 2025 led around by a hopefully fit Mitchell Moses.

Will Penisini has become a crucial part of everything the blue and gold do in the centres, while Josh Addo-Carr has a brilliant 2025 season.

Bailey Simonsson, who can play either centre or wing, appears to have moved on from his spat with the club in what will be a major positive for the Western Sydney-based side, while Sean Russell also has plenty of talent and versatility.

1 COMMENT

  1. ” there are issues that need to be addressed though, with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak – not a star by any means, but important to the Warriors – to line up on the other side of the park ”

    I’d quibble with your assessment of DWZ as “not a star”. I’d rate him better than plenty of the wingers in clubs that you’ve got higher on the table.