2026 Team (Fill the Gaps)

[Stewbojevic]

With the rumours of Fogarty signing… what’s everyone’s 2026 team look like? I still think we have a few gaps but this is where I’m sitting.

1. Turbo
2. Saab
3. Koula
4. Garrick
5. Hopoate
6. Brooks
7. Fogarty
8. Paseka
9. Croker/Simpkin
10. NEW PLAYER
11. Haumole
12. NEW PLAYER
13. Jurbo
14. Zaidas/Tevaga
15. Bullemor
16. Navale
17. NEW PLAYER

 

[Chunkytuna]

With the rumours of Fogarty signing… what’s everyone’s 2026 team look like? I still think we have a few gaps but this is where I’m sitting.

1. Turbo
2. Saab
3. Koula
4. Garrick
5. Hopoate
6. Brooks
7. Fogarty
8. Paseka
9. Croker/Simpkin
10. NEW PLAYER
11. Haumole
12. NEW PLAYER
13. Jurbo
14. Zaidas/Tevaga
15. Bullemor
16. Navale
17. NEW PLAYER

I’d still have Simpkin in there. I reckon he’s a better dummy half than Tevaga. On the bench.

 

[The Who]

With the rumours of Fogarty signing… what’s everyone’s 2026 team look like? I still think we have a few gaps but this is where I’m sitting.

1. Turbo
2. Saab
3. Koula
4. Garrick
5. Hopoate
6. Brooks
7. Fogarty
8. Paseka
9. Croker/Simpkin
10. NEW PLAYER
11. Haumole
12. NEW PLAYER
13. Jurbo
14. Zaidas/Tevaga
15. Bullemor
16. Navale
17. NEW PLAYER

TT2 and Clayton are both worthy of consideration in the top 17.

 

[DieHardManlyFan]

1. Lehi
2. Saab
3. Koula
4. Talau
5. Garrick
6. Brooks
7. Fogarty
8. Taukeiaho
9. New player
10. Paseka
11. Haumole
12. Bully
13. New player

14. Turbo
15. Jurbo
16. Jazz
17. N. Brown/Lodge (don’t know how he will go)

18. Burbo
19. Navale

 

[Thewestisbest]

TT2 and Clayton are both worthy of consideration in the top 17.

Clayton should not be anything but depth. If he makes our best 17 then we are in big trouble.

 

[JakeyB789]

Of those in our top 30, off contract for next year:

Bullemor - keep and re-sign ASAP
Talau - keep, but only if price is right
Arthur - keep, but only if he puts on some size and moves into forwards. Don't want him in the way of Large and Walsh who should both be close to playing Cup by next year
Faulalo - keep as depth
Vaega/Schoupp - keep one or the other, don't need more outside backs
GCKT - needs to prove himself and will get his chance in the coming weeks, if not release
DCE - see ya
James - release, reserve grader
Matterson - release, reserve grader
Sipley - release, too big and slow
Taukeaiho - release, too big and slow but like his efforts
Tevaga - release, past it

That frees up at least 7 spots for next year. Aloiai, Brown, Croker, Burbo & Waddell are all on for at least another year but we should look to move them on sooner too. Obviously hard to see Burbo going anywhere but that's up to 10 spots we could have freed up. Add Fogarty, promote Navale, Muagututia, Laiafi & Large to the 30 and look to the player market to fill out the rest.

From a quick look at the ever-reliable Zero Tackle here's a few off-contract players we could target:

Hookers: Tom Starling, Cory Paix, Jayden Berrell
Forwards: Kai Pearce-Paul, Kurtis Morrin, Corey Jensen, Davvy Moale, Josiah Pahulu, Finau Latu, Mat Croker

We finally have a chance to get with the times and make our roster younger, fitter and faster, let's hope with DCE's contract finally off the books we no longer have to scrape the bottom of the barrel for new signings. I think the year after when the Trbojevic contracts are reduced will be the main one for us though.

 

[Phobia]

I genuinely think Croker will medically retire. Zaidas Muagututia has gone from S.G. Ball to starting NSW Cup Hooker in something like two months. I think he'll debut later this year. He's a good defender from what I've heard.

1. Turbo
2. Saab
3. Koula
4. Garrick
5. Hopoate
6. Brooks
7. Fogarty
8. Paseka
9. Simpkin (until Muagututia is fit enough)
10. Lodge (Someone will become available at the end of the year though)
11. Olakau'atu
12. Whoever is available
13. Jake
14. Muagututia
15. Bullemor
16. Navale
17. Aloiai

Might even give Taukeiaho an extra year to help out Paseka. Apparently he's having a big positive influence on the playing group. Unfortunately DCE is counteracting that at the moment.

 

[Ohgeez]

Of those in our top 30, off contract for next year:

Bullemor - keep and re-sign ASAP
Talau - keep, but only if price is right
Arthur - keep, but only if he puts on some size and moves into forwards. Don't want him in the way of Large and Walsh who should both be close to playing Cup by next year
Faulalo - keep as depth
Vaega/Schoupp - keep one or the other, don't need more outside backs
GCKT - needs to prove himself and will get his chance in the coming weeks, if not release
DCE - see ya
James - release, reserve grader
Matterson - release, reserve grader
Sipley - release, too big and slow
Taukeaiho - release, too big and slow but like his efforts
Tevaga - release, past it

That frees up at least 7 spots for next year. Aloiai, Brown, Croker, Burbo & Waddell are all on for at least another year but we should look to move them on sooner too. Obviously hard to see Burbo going anywhere but that's up to 10 spots we could have freed up. Add Fogarty, promote Navale, Muagututia, Laiafi & Large to the 30 and look to the player market to fill out the rest.

From a quick look at the ever-reliable Zero Tackle here's a few off-contract players we could target:

Hookers: Tom Starling, Cory Paix, Jayden Berrell
Forwards: Kai Pearce-Paul, Kurtis Morrin, Corey Jensen, Davvy Moale, Josiah Pahulu, Finau Latu, Mat Croker

We finally have a chance to get with the times and make our roster younger, fitter and faster, let's hope with DCE's contract finally off the books we no longer have to scrape the bottom of the barrel for new signings. I think the year after when the Trbojevic contracts are reduced will be the main one for us though.

Really hoping we have enough for either Pahulu or Moale

 

[Barry Hogan]

I’d still have Simpkin in there. I reckon he’s a better dummy half than Tevaga. On the bench.

Simkin is a park footballer. As is all the players that could potentially play number 9. I don’t mind jazz off the bench but that is it. If we don’t find a number 9 we will never compete for a premiership.

 

[Ohgeez]

Simkin is a park footballer. As is all the players that could potentially play number 9. I don’t mind jazz off the bench but that is it. If we don’t find a number 9 we will never compete for a premiership.

Lucky we have a couple guns coming through then

 

[madmax]

Trbo
Saab
Garrick
Koula
Lehi
Brooks
Fogarty
Paseka
Simpkin
Aloiai
Olakau’atu
Bully
Talau
Res: Zaidas, Jrbo, Lodge, Pauv’ase

 

[bob dylan]

A bit off topic but I just heard the Roosters are paying Dom Young $450K per season, cant be true.

I'd hate to think anyone in our 3/4 line is on a cent for than $350k.

 

[Sheikheagle]

A bit off topic but I just heard the Roosters are paying Dom Young $450K per season, cant be true.

I'd hate to think anyone in our 3/4 line is on a cent for than $350k.

& to top it off the bloke is a deadset flog.

 

[Phobia]

A bit off topic but I just heard the Roosters are paying Dom Young $450K per season, cant be true.

I'd hate to think anyone in our 3/4 line is on a cent for than $350k.

I believe Talau is on $220k, and Saab is on something in the range of 250-350k. We are paying Koula an (unknown) salary based purely upon potential, and Garrick another unknown salary, that was put in place to keep him away from the Knights.

 

[Ohgeez]

Garrick was reportedly on $450-500k I’m fairly sure, paid overs because Newcastle were going to apparently offer him the fullback spot

 

[mickqld]

Cannot continue to have Jake at #13. He needs to move up to prop. We need to find another prop, hooker, 2nd rower and lock. Money would've been better spent finding those than paying $700K for a halfback.

 

[HoldenV8]

Hmmmm I'll give it a YART. This will likely differ from anything Seibold comes up with, if he's still the coach which is most likely.

FB - Tom Trbojevic (vc)
WG - Jason Saab
CE - Tolu Koula
CE - Reuben Garrick
WG - Lehi Hopoate
FE - Luke Brooks
HB - Jamal Fogarty
PR - Taniela Paseka
HK - Lachlan Croker
PR - Jake Trbojevic (c)
SR - Haumole Olakau'atu (vc)
SR - Ethan Bullemor
LK - Ben Trbojevic

Bench (from) - Josh Aloiai, Toff Sipley, Jake Simpkin, Corey Waddell, Jazz Tevaga, Matt Lodge, Tommy Talau, Siua Taukei'aho, Nathan Brown, Caleb Navale

 

[HoldenV8]

A bit off topic but I just heard the Roosters are paying Dom Young $450K per season, cant be true.

I'd hate to think anyone in our 3/4 line is on a cent for than $350k.

He's gone backwards at the Chooks. When at the Knights he was hot property as a winger. 6'7", as fast at top pace as Saab (both recorded 38.0 km/h on the old Telstra Tracker) and was scoring tries like no one's business for Newcastle, and England in the World Cup.

Now he's not as fast (Penrith had no one who could catch him last week with his runaway no-try, but Penrith isn't exactly blessed with speedsters. He's definitely slowed down a yard or so), and his defence this year has made Saab and Garrick look like Beaver and Igor.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

SR - Ethan Bullemor

Don't think Bull can pass, an ability a 2nd row needs. Bit like Brenton Lawrence, bloody fast but runs so fast he doesn't have time to think about passing.

 

[Rocky]

1. Turbo
2. Garrick
3. Hopoate
4. Koula
5. Saab
6. Brooks
7. Fogarty
13. Bullemor
12. Talau
11. Haumole
10. Taukeiaho
9. Simpkin
8. Jake

Reserves

14. Aloiai
15. Paseka
16. Tevaga
17. Burbo

That's assuming no new blood other than Fogarty.
I strongly believe Paseka should come off the bench for impact.
Back row is mobile, and if there is an injury in the backline, Talau can go back there with Burbo to the second row.
Tevaga gives us versatility off the bench to cover hooker and middle rotation.