Five rounds into the 2026 NRL season and the ladder is already beginning to take shape.
The Penrith Panthers have returned to the top of the pedestal, while the Wests Tigers and Newcastle Knights have shocked everyone by sitting in the top four.
Surprisingly, last year's minor premiers and premiers, the Canberra Raiders and Brisbane Broncos respectively, both find themselves outside of the top eight.
Then languishing at the bottom are the winless St George Illawarra Dragons.
But what would happen if every club could hit the reset button on one position, just for this season?
No salary cap, no contract negotiation, no release clauses, just a free pass to draft in any rugby league player to their team.
Not necessarily the best in the game, but the right player for the right team.
So, here's who every NRL team would be stealing right now, if they could.
Newcastle Knights: Jacob Preston
The Newcastle Knights look great.
Even with Kalyn Ponga and Dylan Brown on the sidelines, they are playing an extraordinary brand of footy.
Generally, the only player that is lacking slightly is Jermaine McEwen, and he's hardly lacking to be honest.
But, similarly to the Storm, if the Knights brought in an origin-calibre second rower, they would be quite unstoppable.
A player like Jacob Preston would slot extremely well into the Knights team, he has quick hands and a strong running game.
We may only be five rounds in, but the Knights don't need much more than that.
When I saw the Broncos and our one I was crying. If this ever happened, Hughes is too old, and we CAN’T lose our skip.
Edit: Also the Knights one, if Presto doesn’t get re-signed I’ll cry for a week.