Christmas has come and gone, the Boxing Day sales saw the shops as busy as they are all year, and the New Year is just around the corner.
That also means the return of rugby league is closing in.
In just six weeks, the first pre-season trials will be underway, and not too long after that, it will be off to Las Vegas to open another campaign.
A handful of big names have switched clubs for 2026, and are, of course, hogging most of the pre-season bandwidth, but there are plenty of signings who will add value to their teams without breaking the bank.
Here are the top ten.
1. David Fifita (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
The signing of Fifita could realistically go either way at the Rabbitohs.
The second-rower, at his best, should be the most damaging player in the game. Hitting his best has been something hard to achieve over the last couple of seasons, though, and moving on from the Gold Coast Titans was ultimately in the best interests of all parties involved.
The chance for Fifita to link up with master mentor Wayne Bennett could also be a move that salvages his career, too.
Bennett has a track record for getting the best out of players, and has resurrected many a career over the years.
For Souths to get him at a figure which is reported to be around half of what he was earning at the Titans, who will chip in the rest, is a major play for South Sydney, and takes a lot of the risk involved in the signing.
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