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<\/p>\nThe Pre-Season Challenge is officially in the books and the focus now shifts to the 2026 season, but it\u2019s worth noting some unheralded players around the league who have made a strong impression on teammates over the past two to three months.<\/p>\n
For each team, we\u2019ve named a player (or two) who is either inexperienced, a young gun or perhaps has flown under the radar during his career, accompanied by quotes from a teammate. <\/p>\n
Read on for foxsports.com.au\u2019s unheralded pre-season training stars!<\/p>\n
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Watch all three games of Rugby League in Las Vegas live and ad-break free during play is Fox League, available on Kayo | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1<\/a>.<\/p>\n BRONCOS \u2013 AUBLIX TAWHA<\/p>\n Tawha has hit the ground running since arriving from the Dolphins and won a spot on the plane to the UK for the World Club Challenge. After a unique journey to get to the NRL<\/a>, Tawha debuted in Round 16 of last year and played out the rest of the season before landing at the Broncos. <\/p>\n Broncos hooker Billy Walters: \u201cHe\u2019s been ripping in. He\u2019s been back very early (first week of November) because he came from the Dolphins but his training hasn\u2019t dropped at all. He\u2019s been ripping in the whole off-season and pre-season. The other boys tell me he\u2019s M.A.D. mad on the field so I can\u2019t wait to watch him rip in on the field. I\u2019ve been making sure I\u2019m not too cheeky to him because I know he can probably manhandle me but yeah the boys have been telling me that he\u2019s been ripping in a lot and they are exciting to see him on the field.\u201d<\/p>\n BULLDOGS \u2013 MITCHELL WOODS<\/p>\n A teenage prodigy, Woods is regarded as the best rookie prospect that has yet to play in the NRL. One of the most talked about rookies in quite some time, the halfback has been earmarked as a key piece of the club\u2019s future and has slowly been making a name for himself through the ranks, such as the NSW Cup and Under-21s Jersey Flegg Cup competitions. <\/p>\n Bulldogs captain Stephen Crichton: \u201cI probably can\u2019t single out one of them, but he is a star of the future.\u201d<\/p>\n Teams gearing up for Vegas NRL opening | 04:44<\/p>\n COWBOYS \u2013 LIAM SUTTON\/WIREMU GREIG<\/p>\n Sutton is a little-known halfback with utility value who joined the Cowboys on a development deal this pre-season after spending time with the Knights. Sutton played under former Newcastle assistant Blake Green and Green is now up in Townsville working under Todd Payten. Sutton started at centre in the club\u2019s first trial against the Dogs, making 20 tackles (no misses) and running for 40m from six carries. He was solid in limited action against Penrith last week.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Greig played sparingly at the top level for the Eels since debuting in 2021. He was let go at the end of the season and signed with QLD Cup team Townsville Blackhawks. Greig quickly impressed the right people up north though, earning a developmental contract with the Cowboys. He might be on the outside looking in to start the season, but he did impress in the club\u2019s opening trial game, running for 138 metres.<\/p>\n Cowboys back rower Jeremiah Nanai: \u201cLiam Sutton has been going well for us. He\u2019s been training hard with us in pre-season and I\u2019m keen to see what he can do. He\u2019s a big halfback but he\u2019s been playing everywhere in different positions.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe (Greig) has come from the Eels and has been a much-needed big body. He\u2019s a big powerful forward. He had a great game the other night (trial match against the Bulldogs) so I\u2019m really excited to see what he can do this year.\u201d<\/p>\n DOLPHINS \u2013 TEVITA NAUFAHU<\/p>\n The 20-year-old burst onto the scene last season with six tries in his first seven NRL games, collecting the Dolphins\u2019 Rookie of the Year Award. The speedy winger is currently on the outside looking in of the club\u2019s predicted 19 for Round 1, behind Jamayne Isaako and Selwyn Cobbo, but according to his skipper, he\u2019s constantly giving coach Kristian Woolf something to consider. <\/p>\n Dolphins captain Tom Gilbert: \u201cI\u2019ve been really impressed with Tevita Naufahu. He only got nine games last year but what was impressive was how he came back to pre-season training. He\u2019s been behind some really classy players but that didn\u2019t faze him as he wanted to get fit and wanted to get better. He\u2019s found a way to compete for a spot, for Round 1 even. He\u2019s done a really good job to come back and not only be the player he was last season but being even better and that\u2019s a hard thing to do as you can fall in the trap of falling in love with yourself but he\u2019s definitely not one of those people.\u201d<\/p>\n Tevita Naufahu in action against the Raiders last season.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n DRAGONS \u2013 DYLAN EGAN<\/p>\n Debuting last season with the Dragons in Round 4, Egan showed that he is set to play a major role in the club\u2019s forward pack over the next decade. However, his season was cut short after just eight matches having ruptured his ACL against the Brisbane Broncos in Round 10. Returning to training, the 21-year-old has been one of the more impressive squad members as he attempts to cement a regular spot in the line-up.<\/p>\n Dragons co-captain Damien Cook: \u201cWe\u2019ve got some younger players that sort of debuted last year and I\u2019m looking forward to them having a full season. The likes of Dylan Egan. I see how hard he works at training and obviously the injury last year wasn\u2019t the best timing. He was playing some good footy and for such a young kid last year he was a big loss for us. He deserves a really good year of footy and I\u2019m looking forward to seeing his game grow.\u201d<\/p>\n EELS \u2013 MATT DOOREY<\/p>\n One of the more experienced players on this list, Matt Doorey, has returned to pre-season training with authority. The 25-year-old has spent six seasons in the NRL \u2013 three with the Eels \u2013 but has continually been plagued by injuries throughout the course of his playing career. Recently extending with the side on a long-term contract, he will look to become a mainstay of Jason Ryles\u2019 forward rotation this season and notch up more matches under his belt.<\/p>\n Eels captain Mitch Moses: \u201cMatt Doorey\u2019s been unreal for us. He\u2019s been on the fringe of first grade and played a fair bit of first grade but in and out of the team. He\u2019s come straight in and he\u2019s been really good. He\u2019s come back in great nick and hopefully he\u2019s in for a big year for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Matt Doorey is set for a breakout season according to Eels skipper Mitch Moses.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n KNIGHTS \u2013 CODY HOPWOOD<\/p>\n After making his NRL debut last season in Round 27, Cody Hopwood has been tipped for a bright future in Newcastle and is still only 19 years of age. A two-time Under-19s NSW Blues representative, Australian Schoolboy and 2024 Player of the Tournament at the ASSRL National Championships, his ceiling has made him one of the brightest young forwards in rugby league and he will only get better as time progresses.<\/p>\n Knights coach Justin Holbrook:\u201cHis couple of weeks leading into the first trial were enormous, he was training so well.\u201d<\/p>\n PANTHERS \u2013 BILLY PHILLIPS<\/p>\n Compared to Isaah Yeo, due to his stature and upbringing from Lithgow, Phillips has been earmarked as the potential successor of the Penrith Panthers skipper once he eventually hangs up the boots on his playing career. An Under-19s Queensland Maroons representative, he made his debut at the end of last season and will look to become a regular at the foot of the mountains during this year\u2019s campaign.<\/p>\n Panthers captain Isaah Yeo: \u201cHe has been knocking on the door for probably two years now and he\u2019s had another wonderful pre-season. He is fit as a fiddle at the moment, strong and he\u2019s only going to get better. He is still growing into his frame but he has been really impressive.\u201d<\/p>\n RABBITOHS \u2013 SALESI ATAATA<\/p>\n The 23-year-old prop has yet to make his debut but it appears that\u2019ll be a case of when not if this season, especially with Davvy Moale leaving for Melbourne. Ataata was on the extended bench a handful of times last season so is knocking on the door of a NRL debut. <\/p>\n Rabbitohs insider:\u201cHe made his mark in reserve-grade last season so don\u2019t be surprised for him to continue his form heading into this season. He\u2019s massive and been really impressive. I think he\u2019s about 120kg but such a workhorse.\u201d<\/p>\n Barnett set to part ways with Warriors | 00:59<\/p>\n RAIDERS \u2013 MATTY NICHOLSON AND NOAH MARTIN<\/p>\n The young Englishman\u2019s form to start last season was a pleasant surprise for Canberra fans. The club have had raging success luring UK talent in the past and while Nicholson came over to Australia well regarded, many wouldn\u2019t have envisaged him scoring five tries in his first 11 games for the Green Machine. Unfortunately, injury ended his season prematurely but it appears he\u2019s come back even better and looks set for a huge year if he can stay healthy. <\/p>\n Meanwhile, another promising forward prospect is Noah Martin, who like Nicholson debuted last year, playing in six games for the Raiders. With Canberra letting a couple of first grade forwards walk in free agency, Martin is being asked to step up in 2026 with the 20-year-old a strong contender to be in Canberra\u2019s squad of 19 for their season opener against Manly. Both Martin and Nicholson will start in the back row for this weekend\u2019s trial clash with Cronulla.<\/p>\n Raiders back rower Hudson Young: \u201cObviously we\u2019ve seen what Matty Nicholson at the start of last year. He\u2019s still only 22 years old. I think he\u2019s a great player but Noah Martin as well. We\u2019ve seen a little bit of Noah Martin already but he\u2019s started the pre-season really well but I think you\u2019ll see a lot more of them two.\u201d<\/p>\n ROOSTERS \u2013 REX BASSINGTHWAIGHTE<\/p>\n Earmarked as James Tedesco\u2019s successor at the Roosters, Bassingthwaighte showed plenty of promise during the two trial matches and is already contracted until the end of the 2028 season \u2013 he was promoted to the Top 30 roster for this season. A standout in the lower grades, he was equally impressive in the 15-man code, which saw him represent the Under-18s Australian Wallabies and lead SHORE School to the GPS Championship in 2024.<\/p>\n Roosters captain James Tedesco told News Corp: \u201cI love passing my experience and knowledge onto some of these young guns, especially Rexy. He\u2019s a very raw talent, fast, agile, with a bit of hands. He\u2019s gonna be a special talent in the next coming years.\u201d<\/p>\n SEA EAGLES \u2013 JOEY WALSH<\/p>\n Earmarked as the long-term halfback of the Sea Eagles, Walsh has already amassed a highlight reel in the lower grades and will look to add on to his one NRL appearance, which he made in the final round of the 2025 season. A former captain of the Under-18s Australian Wallabies side, the youngster was highly sought after from the 15-man code before deciding to switch all his attention to rugby league. He impressed mightily in both trial games and could be putting some early pressure on Luke Brooks to start the season.<\/p>\n Manly captain Tom Trbojevic: \u201cHe\u2019s been training really well. We\u2019ll definitely see him at some stage this year.\u201d<\/p>\n MORE NRL NEWS<\/p>\n LANDING SPOTS: One clear favourite… but FIVE other clubs could make play for star<\/a><\/p>\n IONGI: Eels, NRL investigate images of star fullback exposed on social media<\/a><\/p>\n