Hope springs eternal ahead of the start of a new NRL season, no matter how bad 2024 might have been for your side.
The pan66.com writers are here to deliver their take on which NRL Telstra Premiership club will make the biggest leap up the ladder this coming season.
Which club will take the biggest leap in 2025?
Brad Walter: Wayne Bennett is back at the Rabbitohs and so is the belief that the team will again play finals. Souths had a horror 2024, culminating in the sacking of coach Jason Demetriou before the team eventually finished 16th, but the return of Bennett to the club he took to the 2021 grand final is expected to spark a rapid turnaround. In Cameron Murray, Latrell Mitchell, Cody Walker, Campbell Graham, Jack Wighton and Keaon Koloamatangi Souths have too many good players to remain at the bottom of the ladder under a Hall of Fame coach. St Helens halfback Lewis Dodd, Sea Eagles pair Josh Schuster and Jamie Humphreys and ex-Dragons and Dolphins centre/second-rower Euan Aitken - a Bennett favourite - are the new faces signed so far but the Rabbitohs haven't finished recruiting. At their best the Rabbitohs are capable of anything but how far they climb is likely to be determined by injuries and how quickly Bennett can settle on a halves partner for Walker.
Cameron Mee: The Broncos endured a stunning fall from grace in 2024 but expect it to simply be a blip in the radar for the 2023 grand finalists. New coach Michael Maguire has a knack of producing instant results and has shown he's capable of turning a talented roster into premiership contenders. The arrival of Ben Hunt will only enhance their chances, with the veteran set to step into the halves and hooker roles. It won't be all smooth sailing for Brisbane, with Adam Reynolds struggling with injuries in recent seasons and Ezra Mam facing a stint on the sidelines for an off-field indiscretion but Maguire has shown he's capable of managing distractions to keep his team on track. Anything less than a top-eight finish will be a major disappointment for a side boasting Reece Walsh, Pat Carrigan, Payne Haas and a host of other big names, and expect the Broncos to challenge for the top four.
Haas: Everyone is hungry and driven
Colleen Edwards: With a fully-fit roster, the Dolphins, Titans and Broncos have no excuse but to improve and are likely to feature in finals this year, however the biggest move up the ladder is likely to come from Wests Tigers. After their third-straight wooden spoon, the only way is up for Benji Marshall's team, with a number of new recruits set to help turn the tide on their recent results if they can fire early. In Jarome Luai, they have a proven winner who is also out to prove a point and show he can lead a time to victory. His rookie halves partner Lachlan Galvin was a shining light in 2024 and comes into the new year off the back of a confidence-boosting international appearance with the Australian Prime Minister's XIII side and another full pre-season under his belt.
May: It feels like home
Corey Rosser: The Titans showed on a number of occasions last season that they could play with the best of them; only problem was there were far too many instances in which they also played like the worst of them. I expect that to change in year two under coach Des Hasler and for the Gold Coast to have a more settled look after last year's musical chairs style approach to the spine, with AJ Brimson, Jayden Campbell and Keano Kini all moving around. The big one is getting back captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui after he missed most of 2024 through injury, and with him firing this should be a team good enough to cement a spot in the back end of the top eight.
Martin Lenehan: The Rabbitohs and Broncos will definitely make progress under new coaches in 2025 but the biggest move will come from Wayne Bennett's former team. The Dolphins have all the ingredients in place to make the finals for the first time and they'll do it in style by finishing in the top four. Isaiyah Katoa came of age during the Pac Champs and that experience will serve him well as he provides the slick service for Herbie Farnworth, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Jake Averillo and Jack Bostock to cash in. The return of enforcer Tom Flegler adds menace to a pack that has been bolstered by the signings of young gun Kulikefu Finefeuiaki and the vastly experienced Daniel Saifiti.
