The 2026 NRL season is shaping up to be one of the most entertaining and wide open years yet.
Last season proved that the NRL is only getting more competitive, and with the player shuffle in full swing, the next level of footy is coming.
Every team, except for the Cronulla Sharks, have new player signings for the 2026 season.
Now is the perfect time for reinvention and refinement, allowing the bottom-tier clubs to redefine their teams and the top-tier clubs to elevate themselves to the next level.
Here are Zero Tackle's top five recruits who could change their new clubs for the better in 2026 and beyond.
Dylan Brown to the Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights made history last year, securing Parramatta Eels playmaker Dylan Brown on a mammoth ten-year, reported $13 million deal.
With no get-out clauses understood to be included, Brown looks likely to spend the rest of his NRL career in Newcastle.
The landmark signing signals the beginning of a complete rebuild for the Knights under new head coach Justin Holbrook.
At his best, Brown is widely regarded as one of the most dynamic and dangerous five-eighths in the game.
Last season, however, Brown found himself benched or left out entirely at Parramatta amid his impending exit and a dip in form.
Despite this, his potential to redefine the Knights remains enormous, particularly if Holbrook continues to use him at five-eighth rather than halfback as reflected in this weekend's upcoming trial match.
Brown thrives when given space to play instinctively and utilise his elite running game.
He is no traditional playmaker, but rather an explosive five-eighth who has the potential to alleviate the pressure off of Kalyn Ponga and become an unpredictable headache for the opposing team.
While the Knights are not yet ready for a finals campaign this season, the addition of Brown to a previously unsettled spine gives the club the stability and direction needed to launch a genuine push in the years ahead.
