Every NRL season, clubs make numerous signings and in every single season, the fans of those same clubs are filled with hope and excitement, convinced their team has made the moves that will rocket launch them into contending for a premiership.

Sometimes they have, but a lot of the time, they haven't.

Whether it be due to injuries, poor form or falling out with the coach, the aforementioned hope and excitement quickly fizzles out, slowly transitioning fans into a waiting period for the following year's signings to be announced, so they can just repeat the same cycle.

Now this is certainly a topic up for debate, how much of a let-down one signing has been compared to another will differ based on who you're talking to.

If you're talking to me, though, these are the six most disappointing signings of the 2025 NRL season.

5. John Bateman

Many at the North Queensland Cowboys were hoping that Bateman would bring the talent and form that saw him win the 2019 Dally M Second Rower of the Year, yet he has left much to be desired in his first season at Townsville.

With a career average low of only 87 run metres a game and a career high of 65 missed tackles in a season, Bateman is clearly struggling in both attack and defence.

Unfortunately for the Englishman, despite his consistent 80-minute efforts this season, he hasn't quite hit the heights that helped the Canberra Raiders reach a grand final all those years ago.

However, with another year on his contract, Bateman still has time to repay the Cowboys' faith in him.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Royce Hunt – to Wests from Cronulla – has been a disappointment.

    By no means on the scale of the others listed, but a disappointment nevertheless.
    I expected him to be a starting prop, but he’s almost always started on the bench. His offload has disappeared; his tackle breaks and tackle numbers are down, as are his post-contact metres.