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.
10. Cronulla Sharks
Wingers: Sione Katoa and Sam Stonestreet
Centres: Jesse Ramien and KL Iro
Other options: Michael Gabrael, Chris Vea'ila, Mawene Hiroti
The Sharks will be without Ronaldo Mulitalo for much of 2025 after he sustained an ACL injury in what is, frankly, a devastating blow for the club.
It does mean Sam Stonestreet - a towering winger with a knack for finding the tryline - will get a fulltime opportunity in first-grade alongside Sione Katoa.
The duo could well be fighting for a single contract up for grabs.
In the centres, Jesse Ramien has been a little rocks and diamonds recently, but at his best, is a great option, while KL Iro continues to grow into his role and scores plenty of tries.
Watch for more improvement from this group in 2026.
” 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.