The Australian Open has finished and the English cricketers are long gone, which means we’re just weeks away from the start of the NRL season in Las Vegas on March 1 (AEDT).

The kick-off times have been released, but before the Dragons, Bulldogs, Cowboys and Knights can start packing for Sin City, they must prepare for the trials that start on Saturday.

All four teams have burning questions hovering over them in 2026, with the coaches about to see whether weeks of hard work under the summer sun have paid off.

BULLDOGS

All eyes were on mid-season recruit Lachlan Galvin in 2025, but he’ll be locked away in the team hotel when he’s in Vegas given he won’t be old enough to enjoy what the glitter strip has to offer.

Coach Cameron Ciraldo has one simple question in the halves – who to pick alongside Galvin?

Matt Burton will get first crack, but Mitchell Woods is a young gun with plenty of promise who will likely feature in the NRL side this season.

It’s unlikely that he plays in the pre-season trials after club boss Phil Gould revealed on X on January 29 that Woods had picked up an injury that was “nothing major” but would set him back a couple of weeks.

That means the focus will be on the forwards over the next few weeks, with high-profile recruit Leo Thompson to add some grunt to a pack that has been missing an enforcer.

“He’s been great, he’s been really good,” prop Max King said.

“I feel like the biggest thing that’s surprised me is that we all know what Leo is like on the field, but it’s off the field where he’s a really deep thinker of the game, so he’s not your average front-rower.

“I feel like he’s added a lot of areas that we can work on as forwards, so it’s been awesome to have his experience in the pack. We’re expecting big things from him this year.”

COWBOYS

The Cowboys were one of the biggest disappointments in 2025, and there’s plenty of pressure on them to perform this season.

Only the Titans conceded more points than them last year, but the focus will be on who plays in the halves.

Rep star Tom Dearden has one starting spot locked up, with coach Todd Payten having to choose between Jake Clifford and Jaxon Purdue.

Purdue has been electric at left centre but struggled to make an impact at five-eighth, with the youngster a free agent who will attract plenty of interest from rivals.

“I have a feeling Tom Dearden will be somewhere there, but who partners him, I’m not too sure,” club legend Michael Morgan said last week.

“Obviously ‘Cliffo’ did a great job last year when he was in the side, and Jaxon Purdue has big raps on him, but he’s also done a great job in the centres for the club.”

DRAGONS

While the bulk of the focus has been on new recruit Daniel Atkinson adding an attacking spark, the Dragons could spring some shocks on the wings with emerging talents Setu Tu and David Fale in the mix to earn starting spots.

Fale got a crack for Penrith last year when they rested most of their stars and has impressed coach Shane Flanagan in his first pre-season with the club.

It will be interesting to see who starts on Saturday against the Knights, with Flanagan telling his players that they’ll get picked if they “train well, trial well, play well”.

“There are 22 player seats on the plane, and everyone wants to be on that,” Flanagan said during the club’s mini camp on the Central Coast last week.

“No one wants to get injured in the trials because they want to go to Vegas, but we’ve got to do the hard work, so it’s tricky with the way that we approach it, and we’ve got to keep our fingers crossed a little bit.

“I’m really excited about it. They’ve trained really well up to date, and bar Jacob Liddle (hamstring) there aren’t many boys in rehab which is a good sign.”

KNIGHTS

New coach Justin Holbrook said last week that he was “sick of looking at training vision” and he just wanted the games to start.

He’ll get his wish this weekend but will be without his international stars as well as the injured brigade headlined by Kalyn Ponga.

Holbrook is the perfect man to fix the league’s worst attack in 2025 given his influence at the Roosters, and he has a massive decision to make in the halves that could determine the Knights’ success this season.

Dylan Brown arrives on the richest deal in NRL history, but three-time premiership winner Luke Keary said last week that he wanted to see the Kiwis star play five-eighth where he does his best work.

Keary also wants Sandon Smith to control the team at halfback, with speedster Fletcher Sharpe – the other man vying for a halves spot – set to start alongside Smith on Saturday night.

“The guys who won’t play in the first trial are the international guys, so Phoenix (Crossland), Dylan Brown and Bradman Best won’t play,” Holbrook said.

“KP (Ponga) is not right. We all know he’s working his way back through injury, and so is Dom Young and Dylan Lucas who won’t play in that first trial. So probably six of our key guys from our 17 in round 1 won’t play next week.

“The middles will get some game time, so Jacob Saifiti, Tyson Frizell and Trey Mooney will all play.

“The key is probably in the halves where Sandon Smith and Fletcher Sharpe will start in the halves, and ‘Gags’ (Dane Gagai) will play (in the outside backs), so we’ve got a good mix of youth and experience for the trial against the Dragons.”