Recruitment and retention can literally make or break a season.
We've seen the Bulldogs evolve from competition also-rans into a Finals force thanks to aggressive recruitment drives.
We've seen the Sharks routinely play Finals footy under Craig Fitzgibbon based mainly on a retention strategy.
Today, we look at five teams that have signed or re-signed extremely well for next year. Please note that re-signings only include players who re-signed for the 2025 season.
For instance, Briton Nikora and Braydon Trindall have re-signed at Cronulla but as both were contracted for the 2025 season anyway, they won't be taken into account.
Below are the top five recruitment and retention drives for the 2025 season:
Honourable Mention: New Zealand Warriors: Ultimately they lost too much to land on the top five list but the James Fisher-Harris pick up was marquee business. Erin Clark is supremely underrated and young Samuel Healey looks a future star in the number nine.
Ins: Zac Lomax, Josh Addo-Carr, Jack Williams, Isaiah Iongi, Dean Hawkins, Joash Papalii, Jordan Samrani
Outs: Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Clinton Gutherson, Blaize Talagi, Matt Arthur, Daejarn Asi, Lorenzo Mulitalo, Maika Sivo, Ethan Sanders, Zac Cini
Re-Signings: J'maine Hopgood, Charlie Guymer, Bailey Simonsson, Brendan Hands, Jake Tago, Matt Doorey, Dan Keir
There will be pushback in the comments here instead of saying that the Tigers have recruited better. I'll hear an argument, but for me, the Eels have overseen the best drive for 2025.
Starting with the re-signings, J'maine Hopgood is a QLD Origin rep with all the skills in the world.
Charlie Guymer gets me excited as a football fan. He is going to cause some chaos! Bailey Simonsson looks a quality footballer.
As for the losses, yes they did lose the heart and soul of the club in King Gutho, but they've chosen to go with a youthful option and spend the money elsewhere.
Blaize Talagi is a monster loss, there is no covering over that one.
Although Reagan Campbell-Gillard was brilliant in 2024, they have priorities elsewhere so I am happy enough to write that move off.
In terms of gain, though, they've seen two superstars, one future star of the game and one of the game's most underrated players, arrive.
Isaiah Iongi shapes as the long-term option at number one. He has shown some freakish abilities in the Panthers system.
Jack Williams is a machine. Ok he has a bad drop in him but his good outweighs those errors in nine out of ten games. Great pick up.
Josh Addo-Carr, for his horror decisions made last year, is still a rep quality footballer with speed to burn.
Zac Lomax could end up being one of the signings of the season, if not the signing of signings!
He played a huge part in winning an Origin series for the Blues, was almost flawless for the Kangaroos and walked into the Dally M team of the Year despite playing for the Dragons.
If he can continue his run, albeit in the centres, he could transform the Eels back into a serious Finals threat.
I would have had Panthers and Sharks as my “top two” because, as you say, they have recruited quality rather than quantity.
Good luck to Parra trying to integrate seven new faces, or Wests trying to fit in six. With that many, no-one knows what the others are going to do.
Anyway, I’d be interested to read a follow-up article, saying who you think are the five _worst_ recruiters for 2025