The 2026 NRL season is approaching, and it could well be one of the most wide-open campaigns in recent history.
While arguments could be made for why plenty of teams are in the mix for the premiership, realistically, there are only a small handful likely to take out the Provan-Summons trophy on that first Sunday in October.
The usual suspects - the teams who have dominated recent seasons - are all likely to be in the mix again, but there is also a smokey or two in the mix.
Here are the teams that can win the premiership in 2026.
1. Penrith Panthers
The Panthers are undoubtedly going to be in the mix again.
They had an awful start to 2025, sitting bottom of the ladder midway through the season after a couple of key off-season departures that they just couldn't seem to get their head around.
But class eventually shone through, and their rise to make the top eight was one of the great in-season recoveries of the modern era.
Eventually, the four-time premiers were cut short at the preliminary final stage against eventual premiers the Brisbane Broncos, but even that was a thriller.
They head into 2026 with a relatively stable side, young guns with more runs on the board, and a system they know still works from the second half of 2025.
It would be a stunner if Penrith weren't there in the final weeks of the campaign.
Souths do NOT have as much of a chance to win compared to the Canberra Raiders and the Bulldogs.
They definitely have more of a chance than Canterbury if they stay fit. What area do the dogs have that’s better than the bunnies?
Might just be the Bunnies fan in me, but I hope the DCE move goes so wrong that by the end of the season, people are discussing whether or not the cocks should relocate.