The pre-season is in full swing and hot takes are being prepared all around the country as we get closer to the start of the new NRL campaign.

Players have trained the house down like never before, new recruits simply want to put their best foot forward, and coaches are urging their stars to stick to the process.

The cliches are fine, but all 17 clubs would secretly love something special to help them in 2026. Here’s what all their Christmas wish lists look like.

Raiders

It’s rare for both sides of politics to come together in Canberra, but the Raiders really need their centre-right defence to fall into line. The Green Machine played the sort of footy that left a lot of good pre-season judges looking silly on their way to the minor premiership. But as good as their attack was, the defensive reads of Matt Timoko and Jamal Fogarty cost them dearly. Fogarty is now gone which means there’ll be a new combination. Ricky Stuart hopes it will come together like Christmas ham and potato salad.

Storm

They’ve made back-to-back grand finals, but Melbourne’s wish list is longer than most given their brutal off-season. Bringing Tino Fa’asuamaleuai back to Melbourne is their number one priority, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg. They must lobby to have the grand final moved to the afternoon given their outstanding record when the sun is shining. They would also love to know what veteran coach Craig Bellamy has planned for 2027 when they hope to have Eli Katoa back.

Bulldogs

Forget about names on the back of jerseys, the Bulldogs need Lachlan Galvin to make the No. 7 his own for the blue and whites to take the next step in their premiership journey. The intense media scrutiny on the young playmaker flooded the news cycle in 2025, but imagine what it will look like it he leads them to glory. Galvin may have received the present he needs most with Leo Thompson potentially the missing piece of the puzzle upfront.

Broncos

It’s always hard shopping for the person who has everything, but even the Broncos are set to leave out some extra cookies and milk for Santa to ensure they keep their own big man. The two-year delay for R360 has worked perfectly for the premiers who can now offer the world to keep Payne Haas on a long-term deal. Players like him are unicorns in the middle of the field and are worth whatever they can get. Re-signing Haas could be the difference between one title and a lengthy dynasty where he and his handy helper Reece Walsh can slay their opposition.

Sharks

Some money to upgrade Ocean Protect Stadium would be nice, especially if it means us poor battlers in the media box stay dry when it rains. They’d also love to see one of the TV networks bring back the X-Factor show so they can find the one guy they need to take them one step further. The Sharks have all the ingredients to be a champion team but need to make a big move to make it happen after going so close in recent years.

Warriors

Luke Skywalker was often told to use the force. But for the Warriors, they need Luke Metcalf to stay healthy for them to be a force. Metcalf played 15 games last season – the most of his career – before a serious knee injury ended his campaign when he was in the box seat to win the Dally M Award. His speed was too much for defenders to handle, with the Warriors’ attack lacking any punch once he was out. A fit Metcalf and a more experienced Leka Halasima could see them light up the comp like a proper Christmas tree.

Panthers

Some virtual reality glasses for their players to make them feel like they’re in Penrith when they host games at CommBank Stadium. The move to Parramatta due to the refurbishment of their stadium took away all of their home ground advantage and stripped them of thousands of fans who didn’t want to make the lengthy trip east. It would also be a huge help if Dylan Edwards returns to his best. He has been one of the best players in the world for the past five years but his form dipped going into the finals as their premiership streak was snapped.

Roosters

That horrendous six, seven craze should finally be over by the time the new season starts, just in time for the debate over the Roosters six and seven to start. Daly Cherry-Evans has been a wonderful halfback for 15 years, but it’s time to let Sam Walker lead this team for the next decade. Daly can be the cherry on top for his new team if he lets Walker be the main man. It would also be nice if they went a year without losing a superstar to rugby, although that might not happen if Angus Crichton decides to leave.

Dolphins

You’ve heard of Christmas in July, but the Dolphins would happily settle for some wins in August to help them qualify for the finals for the first time. They’ve lost 10 of their 14 matches in the final month of winter over the years to always fall short of the top eight. It would help them immensely if they could go a year without a stack of injuries to their biggest stars, with the Dolphins showing in 2025 that scoring points will never be a problem.

Sea Eagles

There are plenty of plots swirling at the Sea Eagles, and they need them to come together like a reboot of Love Actually. Things can get quite messy on the northern beaches, but some stability in head office and a fast start will ease pressure on Anthony Seibold. Winning the comp would be a Christmas miracle, with Seibold needing Tom Trbojevic and his star forwards to stay on the park. A lot will come down to how Jamal Fogarty performs, with plenty of pressure on halves partner Luke Brooks to perform with Daly Cherry-Evans leaving after 15 years in control.

Eels

There have been plenty of silent nights during the finals for Eels fans, but they should return to the Promised Land if Mitch Moses stays healthy. The leading man played just 21 games across the past two seasons and now gets the chance to link up with Jonah Pezet for 2026. And with Zac Lomax gone, they have the money to buy themselves plenty of shiny new toys.

Cowboys

North Queensland officials are hoping Jaxon Purdue doesn’t tell them to ‘Beat it’ with several clubs fighting for his services. Purdue is coming off a cracking season where he scored 14 tries and was a constant threat on the left edge, although coach Todd Payten recently revealed he’s spent 80 per cent of pre-season training at halfback. He’s the sort of the guy they can build around for the next decade, especially if the luckless Heilum Luki can stay on the park. And during the 12 days of Christmas, it’d be nice if Santa could provide some starch in defence given they conceded 30 or more points 11 times last season.

Wests Tigers

Santa Claus is coming to town in a couple of days, but Tigers fans hope they don’t have to hear about clauses ever again. For a club that encourages people to put their claws out, it’s high time they ditch the clauses that have caused unwanted instability for years. Jarome Luai and Jahream Bula must commit to ensure Benji Marshall has the players he needs to succeed. And for that to happen, a little bit of off-field stability would be nice.

Rabbitohs

This could be Santa’s toughest job, with the great man needing to lift the club’s Heffron Park curse that has seen superstars like Cam Murray, Latrell Mitchell and many others suffer long-term injuries. The men in red and green have the talent to match it with the top teams, but they need everyone to be healthy in 2026. They would also love someone to dominate at halfback to give Cody Walker the support he needs, while key recruit David Fifita needs to remember he’s one of the most destructive runners of the ball and has to touch it whenever possible.

Dragons

Forget about Kris Kringle – the Dragons simply need to sign Keaon Koloamatangi after missing out on so many big fish. The rep forward has the size, power and motor to elevate their forward pack to new heights where he could come in as the top dog and lead their local stars. An attacking spark would also be lovely for a team that showed it can score points but just didn’t do it consistently. All eyes will be on their halves, with fans hoping the Red V can fix their woes on the road after they won a league-low two away games in 2025.

Titans

There’s a saying that the best gifts can often come badly wrapped. The Titans will be hoping that rings true after years of underperforming. Josh Hannay has arrived and could be the man to save the club, with the new coach facing several major calls. He needs to convince Tino Fa’asuamaleaui to stay, he must sort out their edge defence, and he has to make a definitive call on who should play fullback. He has plenty of good options, but the only correct call is Keano Kini.

Knights

Some points would be nice – both competition and from tries scored. The Knights are coming off a dreadful year where they scored just 338 points and claimed the wooden spoon. The arrival of Dylan Brown on a record-breaking deal should help solve some of their problems following his heroics for New Zealand. But he needs Kalyn Ponga to stay on the park, with new coach Justin Holbrook the perfect man to fix their attack.