NRL 2026 Season Review: Every Team Graded From F to A+

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The 2026 NRL season delivered one of the most unpredictable finals series in recent memory.

The Sydney Roosters ultimately lifted the premiership after edging the Newcastle Knights 19-18 in a dramatic Grand Final, but the story of the season went far beyond the premiers.

Newcastle went from wooden spooners in 2025 to Grand Finalists, the Panthers once again dominated the regular season, the Warriors emerged as genuine contenders and the Dolphins continued their rapid rise.

At the other end of the table, Brisbane endured one of the biggest collapses of the season, while the Dragons finished with the wooden spoon.

Here is my full 2026 NRL season review, ranking every club from worst to first.

17. St George Illawarra Dragons — F

Regular-season finish: 17th

Record: 5-19

Best player: Hamish Stewart/Toby Couchman

Biggest disappointment: Wooden spoon

2027 priority: A complete rebuild

The Dragons' season was summed up by their position at the bottom of the ladder and a competition-worst points differential of -325.

There were some encouraging individual performances, particularly from their emerging young forward pack, but St George Illawarra never looked like a genuine finals contender.

The Dragons won just five games and conceded 717 points across the regular season, by far the most in the competition.

The big plus is next season they have a top 8 contender-worthy squad, and have re-signed several key young players, making their future look very promising despite an awful season.

16. Brisbane Broncos — F

Regular-season finish: 14th

Record: 8-16

Best player: Xavier Willison

Biggest disappointment: Falling from champions to 14th

2027 priority: Rebuild the forward pack and defence

Few clubs endured a more disappointing season than Brisbane.

A team that entered the year with genuine premiership expectations finished 14th with just eight wins. Their -206 points differential tells the story of a side that struggled badly at both ends of the field.

It doesn't get much worse than going from the champions to missing finals football.

15. Wests Tigers — D

Regular-season finish: 15th

Record: 8-16

Best player: Terrell May

Biggest disappointment: Defensive problems

2027 priority: Develop the young core, get the culture right

There were reasons for optimism at the Tigers, but ultimately 2026 was another season spent near the bottom of the ladder.

They finished 15th with eight wins and conceded 699 points, second only to the Dragons.

The started well but the wheels quickly fell off for Benji Marshall's side, their off-field issues seem to impact them heavily.

14. Gold Coast Titans — D

Regular-season finish: 16th

Record: 6-18

Best player: Jayden Campbell/Oliver Pascoe

Biggest disappointment: Just six wins

2027 priority: Establish an identity

The Titans again found themselves near the bottom of the competition.

Six wins from 24 games was not enough to seriously threaten the finals, while their 0-5 finish over their last five matches summed up how the season ended.

The Titans vastly improved in the second half of the season, and with emerging talent like Cooper Bai, Arama Hau, Jojo Fifita, Zane Harrison, and Oliver Pascoe, the Titans have a decent foundation again.

13. Parramatta Eels — C-

Regular-season finish: 13th

Record: 9-15

Best player: Ronald Volkman

Biggest disappointment: Another season outside the finals

2027 priority: Build around the next generation, add big names to roster

Parramatta improved from the absolute depths of recent seasons but still finished well short of where a club of their resources expects to be.

Nine wins left them 13th, with a -181 points differential. Injuries destroyed any chance of success, so adding better depth is crucial if the Eels want a finals return in 2027.

12. Canterbury Bulldogs — C

Regular-season finish: 12th

Record: 11-13

Best player: Sitili Tupouniua

Biggest disappointment: Failing to build on 2025

The Bulldogs' 2026 season was particularly frustrating because expectations were significantly higher.

After their breakthrough campaign, Canterbury slipped back to 12th with an 11-13 record. Their attack was a major concern, with only 476 points, totalling the second-lowest total in the competition.

They also messed around way to much with their starting side, not knowing what positions their best players should play. That cost them a finals spot.

11. Canberra Raiders — D

Regular-season finish: 11th

Record: 11-13

Best player: Simi Sasagi

Biggest disappointment: Inconsistency

2027 priority: Improve the attack

Canberra remained competitive without ever looking convincing enough to become a serious finals team.

The Raiders finished 11th at 11-13 and had a -45 points differential. Last season they stunned the league by winning the minor premiership, so there was a changed expectation at Canberra.

However, their inconsistency they have shown in recent years returned, but Canberra have a good side and should feel confident for a finals return next season.

10. Melbourne Storm — D

Regular-season finish: 10th

Record: 11-13

Best player: Sua Fa'alogo

Biggest disappointment: Missing the finals

For a club that has made the finals with extraordinary consistency, 2026 was a major disappointment.

Melbourne finished 10th with an 11-13 record, ending a season in which injuries and inconsistency severely disrupted their campaign.

For a club as automatic in September, no finals was a wake up call for this stacked roster, they should've made finals with their team.

9. Manly Sea Eagles — C+

Regular-season finish: 9th

Record: 11-13

Best player: Haumole Olakau'atu

Biggest disappointment: Missing the top eight

Manly were close enough to the finals to make their season frustrating, but never quite consistent enough to qualify.

They finished ninth with 11 wins and a positive points differential of +99 — evidence that they were better than their ladder position suggested in some respects.

Fozball propelled the Sea Eagles into the top 8, but then it all started to go wrong. Missing the finals by one place will hurt.

8. North Queensland Cowboys — B-

Regular-season finish: 8th

Record: 13-11

Finals result: Second week of finals

Best player: Heilum Luki

Biggest disappointment: -84 points differential

North Queensland made the finals but never looked completely convincing.

Their 13-11 record was enough for eighth, but their -84 points differential was a major warning sign.

Inconsistency yet again for the Cowboys meant they never looked like worrying any of the top sides.

7. Cronulla Sharks — B

Regular-season finish: 5th

Record: 14-10

Finals result: Second week of finals

Best player: Braydon Trindall

Biggest disappointment: Falling short of a genuine premiership challenge again

Cronulla had another solid season but were left wanting when the pressure increased.

They finished fifth with a 14-10 record and a healthy +149 points differential. Braydon Trindall also emerged as one of the competition's standout halves, finishing second in the Dally M Medal voting behind Nathan Cleary.

More inconsistency though killed Cronulla. At their best they can beat anyone, for example their 66-0 win over the Dolphins. But when they are bad; they are really bad. If they want a Grand Final appearance they need to fix their inconsistencies.

6. South Sydney Rabbitohs — B+

Regular-season finish: 6th

Record: 14-10

Finals result: Second week of finals

Best player: Tallis Duncan

Biggest disappointment: Not progressing further

South Sydney had a strong season and deserved their place in the top eight.

The Rabbitohs finished sixth with 14 wins and a +113 points differential.

With the number of injuries they suffered, it was a solid campaign without being spectacular. With Payne Haas on the books in 2027, it could be a great season.

5. Dolphins — A

Regular-season finish: 3rd

Record: 17-7

Finals result: Preliminary finalists

Best player: Herbie Farnworth

Biggest disappointment: Falling short of the Grand Final

The Dolphins continued their extraordinary rise.

They won 17 games, finished third and entered the finals as a genuine premiership threat. Their +156 points differential showed they were not simply scraping into the top four.

For a new NRL side this was a great season for their club, now managing their salary cap and trying to keep the core of their side is key to continue what looks like a genuine premiership window.

4. New Zealand Warriors — A-

Regular-season finish: 2nd

Record: 18-6

Finals result: Second week of finals

Best player: James Fisher-Harris/Jackson Ford/Erin Clark/Wayde Egan

Biggest disappointment: Falling short of the Grand Final

The Warriors were one of the best teams in the competition throughout 2026.

They finished second with an 18-6 record and a huge +310 points differential. Only the Panthers matched their 18 wins.

Andrew Webster's side also produced multiple Dally M award winners and had one of the competition's most complete regular-season campaigns.

Their finals campaign let them down badly. What could have been for the Wahs...

3. Penrith Panthers — A

Regular-season finish: 1st

Record: 18-6

Finals result: Preliminary finalists

Best player: Nathan Cleary

Biggest disappointment: Losing against 12 men to the Knights

The Panthers once again finished on top of the NRL ladder, winning 18 games and posting the competition's best points differential at +336.

Nathan Cleary capped another extraordinary individual campaign by winning his first Dally M Medal with 67 points.

The only real stain on their season was their shock loss to the 12-man Knights. All their seasons hard work undone in 80 minutes.

2. Newcastle Knights — A+

Regular-season finish: 7th

Record: 14-10

Finals result: Grand Finalists

Best player: Kalyn Ponga

Biggest disappointment: Falling one point short of the premiership

The Knights were arguably the story of the entire 2026 season.

After finishing with the wooden spoon in 2025, Newcastle climbed all the way to the Grand Final in 12 months. They finished seventh with a 14-10 record before producing a remarkable finals run.

They eventually led the Roosters 12-0 in the Grand Final before losing 19-18 in one of the closest deciders imaginable.

A truely great season, a change in culture, a change in tactics, a change in results.

1. Sydney Roosters — A+

Regular-season finish: 4th

Record: 16-8

Finals result: Premiers

Best player: Sam Walker/Naufahu Whyte/Mark Nawaqanitawase

Biggest disappointment: Inconsistent regular season

2027 priority: Defend the premiership

The Sydney Roosters are the 2026 NRL premiers and deservedly finish at the top of my season review.

The Roosters finished fourth during the regular season with a 16-8 record before producing when it mattered most. They defeated the Newcastle Knights 19-18 in the Grand Final after coming from 12-0 down.

James Tedesco produced a performance for the ages, running for 385 metres with 14 tackle breaks and winning the Clive Churchill Medal. Daly Cherry-Evans also delivered the decisive moment, kicking the field goal in the 70th minute.

The Roosters were the ultimate winners, but the Knights were the biggest story.

Going from the 2025 wooden spoon to a Grand Final in one season is an extraordinary turnaround, even though Newcastle ultimately fell 19-18 to the Roosters.

The Panthers, Warriors and Dolphins showed they belong among the competition's elite, while the Rabbitohs and Sharks produced strong seasons without quite making the leap into genuine premiership contention.

At the other end, Brisbane's collapse was arguably the biggest disappointment of the year, while the Dragons face the biggest rebuild after finishing 17th.