The Sydney Roosters head into 2026 in a position they are accustomed to. Expectations are high, pressure is constant, and anything less than a deep finals run will be viewed as a failure.
Despite shedding a huge amount of experience at the end of 2024, the Roosters produced an inconsistent but impressive 2025 campaign, one where many expected them to struggle to even make the top eight. Instead, they found a way.
A number of young players exceeded expectations and stepped into roles they had been developed for across multiple seasons. The rise of Naufahu Whyte and the emergence of Robert Toia gave the Roosters a stronger platform through the middle and on the edges than most predicted. Sam Walker continued his progression as one of the most talented young halves in the competition, while James Tedesco turned back the clock in a way that shocked even his critics.
After falling out of favour in representative football in recent seasons, Tedesco adjusted his game, found a new balance, and ran away with the Dally M Player of the Year award. It was a reminder that the Roosters still have elite class at the top end of their roster.
Now, they add one of the biggest signings in the modern era. Daly Cherry-Evans arrives in his 16th season of NRL football and likely the final chapter of his career. With his leadership, his kicking game, and his ability to control matches, the Roosters have immediately become one of the most feared teams in the competition.
Combined with a forward pack so deep they could almost field two NRL-quality sides, the Roosters are expected to compete hard for the premiership and will almost certainly start the year in the top three or four of the betting markets.
But even with all that upside, there are still improvement areas. Finishing eighth is not the standard at the Roosters. If they are to turn that ladder position into a genuine premiership run, they will need key players to lift their consistency, durability, and impact across the season.
These are the five players who must improve for the Roosters to obtain the edge over their fellow heavyweights in 2026!
4. Spencer Leniu
Why his role is so important
Spencer Leniu arrived at the Sydney Roosters with massive expectations, and for good reason. At Penrith, he built a reputation as one of the most damaging bench enforcers in the competition. He was the forward who would enter the game for short bursts, often only ten to fifteen minutes either side of halftime, but completely change the momentum with pure aggression and power.
Leniu was not just replacing players like James Fisher-Harris or Moses Leota. He was coming on and lifting the intensity. His ability to put dents in defensive lines, run with fearlessness, and attack opposition packs head on made him one of the most intimidating middle forwards in the NRL. Teammates fed off it, and fans loved it, because his style is built on courage and confrontation.
For the Roosters, that role is still critical. They already have a pack stacked with size, skill and depth, but every premiership contender needs a genuine momentum forward. A player who can swing the tone of a game, win the middle, and force opposition packs onto the back foot. Leniu has the potential to be exactly that piece.
What needs to improve
It is fair to say that Spencer Leniu has not yet reached the level at the Roosters that many expected when he arrived. He has had good matches and strong moments, but the consistent impact he produced at Penrith has not carried across week to week.
A big part of the expectation was that Leniu would evolve into a starting prop, increase his minutes, and go to another level in responsibility and output. While there have been games where he has played longer minutes, it still feels like he is at his best in that twenty five to thirty minute bench role, where he can explode into the contest at full intensity.
Statistically, his output has remained solid and his defensive work is still strong. But the hype around his arrival has not yet matched the reality, and the Roosters need more consistent dominance from him if they want to take the next step in 2026.
Why his improvement matters
The Roosters are not entering 2026 with rebuilding expectations. They are entering with premiership expectations. And in that environment, Spencer Leniu cannot simply be a good middle forward who has strong games here and there. He needs to be the reliable enforcer he was at Penrith.
Now in his third season at the club, this becomes a defining year for Leniu's Roosters career. If he can bring the same energy, intimidation and consistency that made him so valuable at the Panthers, he makes the Roosters significantly tougher to deal with.
In a forward pack already loaded with elite talent, Leniu becoming the momentum forward the Roosters thought they signed could be the difference between being a dangerous finals team and being a genuine premiership threat.
