The North Queensland Cowboys enter 2026 as one of the competition's most under pressure teams.
There is simply no doubt on that front.
Todd Payten is a man who has, frankly, underachieved with his side since taking over. There have been finals appearances, but the consistency hasn't been there, and 2025 saw another downturn for the North Queensland outfit.
That shouldn't be happening to a team playing with the likes of Scott Drinkwater, Tom Dearden and Jeremiah Nanai.
What is clear is that the Cowboys need to turn things around if the playing group want to avoid a cull, and if Payten wants to continue in his job.
And there are some enormous selection questions facing the Cowboys as they head into the new year surrounding both their young talent and veterans alike.
Does Tom Chester find a spot?
The Cowboys lack of success in 2025 wasn't all their own doing. They had injuries to contend with, although certainly not on the same level as some other clubs like the South Sydney Rabbitohs and St George Illawarra Dragons.
One of those injuries was talented and versatile back Tom Chester.
Always touted for big things, Chester was starting to do just that in the centres in recent times, with the fullback adding the ability to play elsewhere with Scott Drinkwater locked in at fullback for the Townsville-based outfit.
But now, even heading into a contract year, there is a real question mark around whether Chester will be able to push his way back into the side.
It certainly won't be at fullback where Drinkwater is one of the game's best attacking weapons, and with Braidon Burns likely to be on the wing, it could well be that the final spot in the side comes down to Chester and Clifford, with Purdue to play in the spot of the man who doesn't get selected.
Zac Laybutt will certainly be the other centre, while the way things are shaping up, powerful ball-runner Viliami Vailea is going to miss out.
