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.
3. Daniel Atkinson (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Atkinson breaks out of the shadows in 2026, going from a fringe utility at the Cronulla Sharks, to the halfback at the St George Illawarra Dragons.
Of all the players on the list, there may well be no one under more pressure than Atkinson, though.
He needs to take a Dragons team who don't know how to win, and struggles to score points, and turn them into a side that can do both of those things.
The thing is, he hasn't broken the bank, and good judges have had him as a player of enormous potential for many years, although likely not at halfback.
The jury is out, but if he can find his best, this could be an excellent pick up for the Red V as they look to turn their fortunes around.
