A club's most important addition doesn't always come from the transfer market.
Sometimes, it's the player already on the roster, one returning from a long injury layoff, refreshed and ready to contribute immediately.
As the 2026 NRL season approaches, several high-profile players loom as “like new recruits” for their clubs.
3. Heilum Luki (Cowboys)
Luki's rise over the past few seasons marked him as one of the NRL's most improved edge forwards.
In 2024, he took a major step forward for the North Queensland Cowboys, combining line-running with improved defensive reliability.
Before injury, Luki was averaging strong metres per carry and regularly threatening the line, making him a key part of North Queensland's attacking shape.
Still only 24, Luki missed the entirety of 2025, a major hurdle in an otherwise promising rise in the NRL.
The star forward is said to be training the house down in the Cowboys preseason, with many anticipating his return to add strike and size to the Cowboys' right edge.
