The 2026 NRL season is set to kick-off on Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas, with 16 teams out to chase the Brisbane Broncos in the new campaign.
Every club will see key reasons why they can and can't perform in 2026, and Zero Tackle have pulled the key one on each side of the coin.
Cronulla Sharks
Why they can: Stability
The Sharks enter the new year essentially with an untouched roster from last season. The main departure came in the form of Daniel Atkinson, who failed to lock down a starting spot.
With a fairly unchanged roster, the Sharks' only focus is on how to reach that next level and establish themselves as premiership heavyweights.
The last two seasons have seen them bow out in the preliminary finals. They have the forward pack to compete, they have the experience in the halves, and they also have an international star-studded backline. The key for them is to try to piece it all together and build on the shortcomings of years gone by.
Why they can't: Big game shakes
Many have labelled the Sharks' demise in recent years to untimely injuries and inexperience in the halves during big games.
Injuries to their on-field leaders in Cameron McInnes for the pack and Ronaldo Mulitalo for the backline may cause them to struggle with leadership in the first half of the year until they return.
Many critics have come for Nicho Hynes for not stepping up during the big moments; however, with more time spent in the finals games, he will gain valuable experience to get him where he needs to.
Objective: To say in one article what everyone else says, and to say what everyone else does _not_ say.
Who said that ? Was it Nietzsche ?
Well, whoever it was, he’d be proud to have written this one, Scott.