Every year, NRL teams enter the competition with varying levels of expectations.
Some are aiming for the premiership, some are trying to sneak back into finals footy, others are trying to stop a slide, and some just want to steer clear of the bottom after a handful of disastrous campaigns.
The 2025 campaign saw new premiers crowned, finally dethroning the Penrith Panthers, while some clubs were ahead of expectations, led by the Canterbury Bulldogs and Canberra Raiders, and others fell well short of where they should have been, led by the North Queensland Cowboys and South Sydney Rabbitohs.
With off-season moves done, Zero Tackle have unpacked the realistic expectations for every NRL team heading into 2026, picking the pass mark for each and every team.
Multiple teams share the same pass marks throughout, but that ultimately means some teams are going to be left unhappy.
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Top eight
The Rabbitohs had a disaster of a 2025 campaign, but it's difficult to suggest it was down to the players - they simply had too many injuries.
The most we have ever seen. In the end, they lost well over 200 weeks across their squad to the sideline.
Cameron Murray didn't play a game, Latrell Mitchell missed time, and other key players all spent time out.
Their final position isn't a reflection on the squad or coaching at Maroubra, and if they can stay fit, then they should be a finals-bound team.
They have too much talent to be comfortable with anything else.
I think “Push for the Top Four” is ambitious for the Dolphins.
If I were one of their management or their fans, I would think that just making the top eight and playing finals would be a success, this season.