The New Zealand Warriors were cruising along in 2025 before Luke Metcalf went down injured and the season wound up hitting the dust.
But the club are still generally on an upward trajectory.
Andrew Webster has brought with him two finals series in three years, and frankly, a club that looks like it isn't all that far away from breaking through at times.
But there are big questions confronting the Warriors in 2026.
Youngsters are looking to break through, experienced veterans are approaching the end of their careers, and a few new recruits will look to push their way into the side, but the headaches are, for the most part, good ones to have for coach Webster.
Does Alofiana Khan-Periera walk straight in?
Alofiana Khan-Periera is a superb pick-up for the Warriors heading into 2026, particularly if Webster and the coaching staff can improve his defensive work rate.
That was ultimately the reason he fell out of favour at the Gold Coast under Des Hasler, who valued players turning up in defence.
Khan-Pereira wasn't the only straggler at Parkwood, but he paid the price.
There are, however, no questions about his attack, and the prospect of the dangerous try-scoring machine playing outside Tuivasa-Sheck or Nicoll-Klokstad potentially should be scaring opposition three-quarter lines.
The Warriors may well not have a spot for Khan-Pereira if Nicoll-Klokstad winds up playing in the centres given Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Ali Leiataua, as well as the likes of Rocco Berry and Adam Pompey are in the mix for spots.
The depth in the outside backs is a genuine head-scratcher for Webster, but there is plenty of depth, and potentially no really wrong answers when he wheels out his team for Round 1.
