The South Sydney Rabbitohs have been something of a disaster in recent seasons.
After making the grand final in 2021, they barely snuck into the finals the following year, and have then missed two finals series in a row.
Unsurprisingly, the club ran out of patience with former coach Jason Demetriou and axed him, with Wayne Bennett set to return for a second stint at Maroubra in 2025.
He hasn't been able to do a great deal with his roster for his first season in charge, but that's all about to change.
The Rabbitohs, at this stage, don't have a full 17 of signed players heading into 2026, and more importantly, the salary cap looks a lot lighter than it currently does with the players signed, led off with Damien Cook's release to the St George Illawarra Dragons for 2025.
We will run the rule over all 17 clubs on Zero Tackle as the 2026 recruitment period gets underway to determine who their top targets are. Today, the Rabbitohs…
Current 2026 South Sydney Rabbitohs squad
Euan Aitken, Jai Arrow, Lewis Dodd, Campbell Graham, Jye Gray, Jamie Humphreys, Sean Keppie, Keaon Koloamatangi, Peter Mamouzelos, Latrell Mitchell, Cameron Murray, Isaiah Tass, Tevita Tatola, Jack Wighton, Gerome Burns, Lachlan Hubner, Max McCathy
Off-contract at end of 2025
Siliva Havili, Jacob Host, Lachlan Ilias, Alex Johnston, Ben Lovett, Haizyn Mellars, Shaquai Mitchell, Davvy Moale, Tyrone Munro, Fletcher Myers, Josh Schuster, Cody Walker
Current best 17 for 2026
1. Latrell Mitchell
2. No player signed
3. Campbell Graham
4. Jack Wighton
5. Isaiah Tass
6. Gerome Burns
7. Lewis Dodd
8. Sean Keppie
9. Peter Mamouzelos
10. Tevita Tatola
11. Jai Arrow
12. Keaon Koloamatangi
13. Cameron Murray
Interchange
14. Jamie Humphreys
15. Jye Gray
16. Euan Aitken
17. Lachlan Hubner
It's going to be a case of wingers and props, props and wingers as the most pressing need for the Rabbitohs once the clock strikes November 1.
The salary cap, for the first time in years at the Rabbitohs, looks to be under control. Cook's release to the Dragons is joined by Cody Walker being out of contract at the end of 2025. There is absolutely no guarantee South Sydney will elect to re-sign him as he approaches the end of his career.
Lachlan Ilias is another half unlikely to be kept around, while the jury is out on a number of the other players off-contract, with big seasons needed from the likes of Davvy Moale, Jacob Host and Tyrone Munro.
The elephant in the room is Josh Schuster, with the former Manly Sea Eagles second-rower and five-eighth handed a chance at the Rabbitohs to salvage his career in 2025. If he lives up to his potential, he will be one of the best at the club, well under what would have been paid for him two years ago.
If he doesn't, then his will be just another roster spot South Sydney need to fill heading into 2026.
Wingers and props might look the priority right now, but there are certainly other issues for South Sydney, with questions over their halves and hooker, as well as whether Latrell Mitchell is the right option at fullback long-term.
The Rabbitohs need middle forwards. Unfortunately for Wayne Bennett and his recruitment staff, the market for them is quite skinny as November 1 approaches.
That means they are going to need to act fast, and one player who has all but confirmed he will head to the open market is Leo Thompson.
The fast-rising Knights' middle forward will only get better with each passing season, and is the sort of player at his age that a club can build around heading into the future.
Already a New Zealand representative, Thompson has 64 games under his belt and is primed for a big pay increase in this free agency window. It's one the Rabbitohs could handle looking at their current setup too.
The Cronulla Sharks must be quaking in their boots over the fact Thomas Hazelton is not yet signed for 2026 and beyond.
One of the best young forwards in the game, he brings height, agility, a raw amount of ability and an attitude that is simply not coachable.
Put simply, he is the sort of player who could go up the gears under Wayne Bennett and fast become one of the best forwards in the competition.
The Rabbitohs have a spot for him too - and he is the sort of player they need as they look to refresh their side and contend once again to play finals rugby league.
The Rabbitohs, almost certainly, won't be the only club chasing the young gun.
In the backline, the Rabbitohs do have a question to answer around Alex Johnston, however, it's not likely his current Achilles injury is going to help him back to his best.
While he will be likely re-signed, there are other questions over South Sydney's back five, including where Latrell Mitchell will play long-term. He certainly hasn't disgraced himself at fullback, but there is more than a small train of thought in rugby league circles that maybe the centres are a better spot for his abilities.
Signing a player like Savage would give coach Bennett the ability to trial things in the coming seasons, with the young Queenslander able to play both wing and fullback.
He came through the grades in the custodian role before shifting onto the flank at the Raiders, where he found a permanent NRL home in 2024.
Prodigiously talented, the Raiders letting him go from November 1 should be sounding alarm bells for every Green Machine fan.
Sharks players have popped up again and again in this series, and Mulitalo is another who should be on South Sydney's wishlist for 2026 and beyond.
He will be a little more expensive than Savage, so potentially not as realistic, but Bennett has a knack of signing players for well under what they could fetch on the open market.
Mulitalo could be one of them.
Under pressure for his spot at Cronulla as Sam Stonestreet pushes through the grades, Mulitalo has a freakish ability that is consistently let down by mind numbing inconsistency, with defensive mistakes and ball handling errors unfortunately far too regular.
Bennett is the type of coach who could get that out of his game, and an offer from South Sydney could speak to the winger.
The Rabbitohs letting Damien Cook head to the Dragons for the 2025 campaign was hardly a surprise.
He is on the wrong side of 30, and his form hasn't been getting better with age.
But that doesn't mean Peter Mamouzelos is ready to be the only dummy half at the club. Jamie Humphreys can certainly play the number nine role and is an excellent pick up from Manly, but there is more yet that South Sydney likely need to do in future proofing the position.
Signing a dummy half not hell bent on starting or being the only hooker in the side would be a good way to go about it, and the best of those on the market is Penrith back up Soni Luke.
He brings spark and flare off the bench for Penrith regularly, and seems to be a good option for South Sydney as they head to free agency.