The 2026 NRL season is just around the corner, and final preparations are well underway around the competition.
The first teams are not all that far away, but for most clubs, the all-important spine is all but locked away.
The fullback, five-eighth, halfback and hooker are the players who ultimately drive the team forward, set up the points and dictate the way footy is going to be played throughout the course of the season.
There are important positions all over the park, but no team have won a competition without a strong spine.
Here are the rankings ahead of the 2026 campaign.
6. North Queensland Cowboys
Likely first choice spine: Scott Drinkwater, Tom Dearden, Jake Clifford, Reed Mahoney
Other options: Tom Chester, Jaxon Pudue, Zac Herdegen, Xavier Kerrisk, Soni Luke
The Cowboys have some of the game's best attacking weapons, which makes you raise a serious eyebrow over how they missed the finals in 2025.
It's fair to say Todd Payten won't see out the season if he can't find a way to get the best from them.
Scott Drinkwater and Tom Dearden are both representative calibre players, while Jake Clifford is a good game manager.
The arrival of Reed Mahoney's big minutes should offset the departure of Reece Robson.
Maybe the biggest question for the Cowboys is whether Purdue plays in the centres or at five-eighth. Either way, this spot feels about right for the Townsville-based side.
I would not put the Roosters above the Storm or the Panthers because DCE hasn’t played 6 for years. Maybe the Roosters think two half-backs will work (like it does at Cronulla) but until we have seen how they actually function working together as a pair, I wouldn’t be saying that they are the best in the game.