There were several signings this year that proved profitable for players in their new environments, as well as clubs building towards something bigger.
From taking their clubs to finals to making a name for themselves in the competition, here are the recruits of 2026.
Morgan Knowles (Dolphins)
Morgan Knowles has squeezed his way into the recruits list for 2026 due to his unbelievable work rate for the Dolphins. Knowles has become Mr Reliable for his squad, chalking up 24 appearances and even scoring a try in his debut season.
His move from St Helens in the Super League can be attributed to Kristian Woolf, the current head coach of the Dolphins. The two had been at St Helens together and were reunited with Knowles' signing; clearly Woolf saw something in the Englishman, and it has paid off this year with the Dolphins one game away from the grand final.
Knowles has a 90% tackle efficiency rate for 2026 and holds the second-most tackles for the Dolphins behind second-rower Kulikefu Finefeuiaki.
The Dolphins recruit should be expecting an international call-up for England for this year's Rugby League World Cup, alongside his current teammate, Herbie Farnworth.
David Fifita (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
David Fifita's signing to the South Sydney Rabbitohs was a second chance for the edge forward. It was evident he was not playing anywhere near his potential at the Gold Coast Titans, and when Wayne Bennett came knocking, it was his time to put his head down.
Fifita was heavily criticised during his time on the Gold Coast due to his low work rate and contract salary. His inconsistency and involvement in games showed that he was not a million-dollar player; not even close to it.
An early release to the Rabbitohs may have been the best thing Fifita could have done for his career. He played 17 games this year and started in all of them, scored a handful of tries and looked like he was back to his old rampaging self.
Fifita looks healthier and happier under Wayne Bennett and looks to have reignited his form. He will look to retain his starting position on the edge for South Sydney and possibly return to representing Queensland in 2027.
Jamal Fogarty (Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles)
Jamal Fogarty has provided experience to a young Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles side since leaving the Canberra Raiders. Despite narrowly missing out on finals, Fogarty clocked in 23 try assists in 2026, placing him in the top five players for try assists.
Fogarty's kicking is arguably the best part of his game. He maintains an average top-five position in the competition for kicking stats such as forced dropouts, total kicks and average kicking metres.
Fogarty's conversion rate, however, was a struggle for the veteran halfback, only kicking around 70% of goals. He had taken the kicking duties of Manly centre Reuben Garrick, who many would consider a more reliable goal kicker.
Regardless, Fogarty was the most significant signing for Manly in 2026, especially after Cherry-Evans' departure to the Roosters. He is contracted to the Sea Eagles until the end of 2028 and will be setting his sights on finals footy next year.
Cody Ramsey (Sydney Roosters)
Cody Ramsey has represented one of the league's miracle stories to date. After being diagnosed with life-threatening ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, no one would have thought he would return to the NRL.
He dropped significant weight and underwent more than ten surgeries, with warnings from doctors that his NRL career was over. Despite these warnings, he defied medical advice and made his return to reserve grade in 2025 for the St George Illawarra Dragons.
The Dragons were unwilling to retain Ramsey, and at the end of last year, the Sydney Roosters swooped in and picked the fullback up.
Since then, he has proved useful for the Roosters, starting at fullback in several matches when James Tedesco was out. Ramsey has shown that he still has the rapid pace and attacking threat he had before his illness. It would be wonderful to see him win a premiership this year.
Sandon Smith (Newcastle Knights)
Alongside Dylan Brown, the signing of Sandon Smith has been huge for the Newcastle Knights and provided depth in their halves following the eventual season-ending injury to Brown.
Smith has appeared in 22 games this season with finals chances still alive; he has also been very handy as a goal-kicker with Kalyn Ponga taking a step back from conversions this year.
Smith was playing well at the Sydney Roosters in 2025, but with whispers of the Cherry-Evans signing, Smith did not see himself getting much game time in 2026. His signing at the Hunter has proved very beneficial for both himself and the Knights.
He finds himself in the starting halfback position within the Newcastle Knights' finals campaign, and the Knights are only one match away from a grand final. There has only been one side in the NRL era to go from wooden-spooners to grand final winner in one season; could Newcastle make it two?
Dylan Brown (Newcastle Knights)
The Newcastle Knights appear on the list once again, and that is through the signing of Dylan Brown from the Parramatta Eels.
Brown made headlines with his enormous contract of $13 million over a ten-year period. This signing from the Knights made Brown one of the highest-paid athletes in the NRL.
The halfback has shown he is worth this kind of money at the Knights, assisting the club in making an incredible turnaround from wooden-spooners last year to making the preliminary finals in 2026.
Brown has an electric playing style accompanied by dancing feet that make him so elusive to any defender. Defence-wise, he has proved he is one of the best defenders in the halves, tallying a 92% tackle efficiency for the season.
Trey Mooney (Newcastle Knights)
Departing from the nation's capital under Ricky Stuart, Trey Mooney was looking for more game time and that regular starting prop position. It is safe to say he found that at the Newcastle Knights under Justin Holbrook.
Following a mediocre career at the Canberra Raiders, Mooney was able to lock down a starting position at Newcastle and record 22 appearances. Unfortunately, he sustained a fractured shoulder blade in round 26 that ruled him out of the remainder of the Knights' 2026 campaign.
Mooney has made a name for himself this season as one of the competition's top prop forwards, showcasing that he can run the ball well and score tries too.
Looking ahead to next year, Mooney should be available post-pre-season, depending on his three-to-six-month recovery and rehabilitation. All in all, Mooney proved to be an excellent signing for Newcastle.
Alofiana Khan-Pereira (New Zealand Warriors)
Leaving the Gold Coast Titans in 2025, there has not been a player who looks so comfortable in a new jersey as 'Lofi Khan-Pereira has.
Being of Māori descent, Khan-Pereira just looked right in a New Zealand Warriors jersey and slotted smoothly into the team, providing depth to the outside backs.
Known as one of the competition's speedsters, his blistering pace and ability to break tackles saw him cross the line 16 times in 18 games. With the Warriors spoilt for choice in their outside backs, Khan Pereira did struggle to get game time with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad locking down the primary wing positions.
However, Khan-Pereira has shown this season that he belongs in New Zealand and has been one of the signings of the year. He will most definitely be getting game time next year on the wing.
Daly Cherry-Evans (Sydney Roosters)
Daly Cherry-Evans is undoubtedly aging like fine wine, only getting better with the ball in his hands.
His signing at the Sydney Roosters was met with heavy criticism at the back end of last season, with the Roosters seemingly doing well with Hugo Savala and Sandon Smith in the halves.
With DCE joining the Sydney-based side this year, it saw Sandon Smith signing with the Newcastle Knights, and Hugo Savala voicing his discontent at the club, believing he would be overlooked with the veteran coming into the halves.
Despite all the fuss regarding the halves situation, Cherry-Evans slotted perfectly into the side, partnering up with Sam Walker and finishing the regular season in the top four.
Cherry-Evans has since stood up and shown his veteran class with Sam Walker injured and the Roosters still very much a chance at the premiership. Can DCE complete a fairy-tale finish to his NRL career before heading over to Hull FC next year?
Selwyn Cobbo (Dolphins)
The number one recruit of the year goes to Dolphins winger Selwyn Cobbo. An Origin representative and top try scorer, he was the biggest pick-up in 2026.
Leaving the Brisbane Broncos in 2025, Cobbo became the Dolphins second highest try-scorer behind fellow winger Jamayne Isaako.
Known for his solid frame and freakish finishing abilities, the Dolphins made no mistake in signing the Queensland representative and extending him until the end of the 2031 season.
It would be a hard pill to swallow for Broncos supporters, considering their failure to make finals the following year after their premiership; however, it can be said that Cobbo was not in the same form last year as he is this year at Redcliffe.
What makes this signing so special is that it seems Cobbo needed the Dolphins just as much as the Dolphins needed him; a mutual symbiotic relationship, both sides benefit.
