The NRL has long been under the rule of the salary cap - a concept designed to “keep the competition fair.”
Unfortunately, at the very high level, it has often struggled to fulfil it's intended purpose.
There are always going to be stronger clubs than others, whether that be through coaching, recruitment or club culture - just ask the Melbourne Storm about that.
But in the last six years, only three clubs have won premierships, being the Penrith Panthers, Sydney Roosters and Storm themselves, with all three clubs striking twice.
It was more equitable than that previously, with no club going back-to-back before the Roosters in 2018 and 2019 during the NRL era. That said, the Manly Sea Eagles won twice in a four-year period, and the Storm three times in a six-year period, although two of those have since been stripped.
The Brisbane Broncos won it in 1998 and 2000 before breaking through again in 2006.
At the other end of the table, the Wests Tigers haven't made finals in a decade, while other clubs like the Dragons, Knights, Warriors and Bulldogs have spent long periods struggling in recent years.
It'll never happen in real life of course, but Zero Tackle are going to draft the entire competition.
The first round will see each club retain five players from their current Top 30 roster - after that, it's open slather. Every player remaining is up for grabs, with selections to go in snake order - starting from the Dolphins and working up the table to last year's minor premiers, then moving back down the ladder in the following round and so on.
The draft will run until 20 rounds are completed, with the 17 NRL clubs broken up across our team as follows:
Jack Blyth: Manly Sea Eagles, Melbourne Storm, New Zealand Warriors, South Sydney Rabbitohs
Matt Clements: Parramatta Eels
Dan Nichols: Canterbury Bulldogs, Cronulla Sharks, Sydney Roosters, Wests Tigers
David Piepers: Canberra Raiders, Gold Coast Titans, Newcastle Knights, Penrith Panthers
Scott Pryde: Brisbane Broncos, North Queensland Cowboys, St George Illawarra Dragons, The Dolphins
So, without further ado, here are the five players every NRL club will be keeping ahead of the Zero Tackle draft.
Retention 1: Patrick Carrigan
Retention 2: Payne Haas
Retention 3: Kotoni Staggs
Retention 4: Selwyn Cobbo
Retention 5: Reece Walsh
Retention 1: Joseph Tapine
Retention 2: Jack Wighton
Retention 3: Hudson Young
Retention 4: Josh Papalii
Retention 5: Sebastian Kris
Retention 1: Matt Burton
Retention 2: Josh Addo-Carr
Retention 3: Viliame Kikau
Retention 4: Reed Mahoney
Retention 5: Tevita Pangai Junior
Retention 1: Nicho Hynes
Retention 2: Jesse Ramien
Retention 3: Siosifa Talakai
Retention 4: Ronaldo Mulitalo
Retention 5: Cameron McInnes
Retention 1: Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
Retention 2: David Fifita
Retention 3: Beau Fermor
Retention 4: Sam Verrills
Retention 5: Jayden Campbell
Retention 1: Daly Cherry-Evans
Retention 2: Reuben Garrick
Retention 3: Haumole Olakau'atu
Retention 4: Jake Trbojevic
Retention 5: Tom Trbojevic
Retention 1: Harry Grant
Retention 2: Jahrome Hughes
Retention 3: Cameron Munster
Retention 4: Ryan Papenhuyzen
Retention 5: Christian Welch
Retention 1: Kalyn Ponga
Retention 2: Jackson Hastings
Retention 3: Dominic Young
Retention 4: Adam Elliott
Retention 5: Tyson Frizell
Retention 1: Addin Fonua-Blake
Retention 2: Tohu Harris
Retention 3: Josh Curran
Retention 4: Dylan Walker
Retention 5: Te Maire Martin
Retention 1: Reece Robson
Retention 2: Scott Drinkwater
Retention 3: Jeremiah Nanai
Retention 4: Reuben Cotter
Retention 5: Jason Taumalolo
Retention 1: Mitchell Moses
Retention 2: Dylan Brown
Retention 3: Clint Gutherson
Retention 4: Reagan Campbell-Gillard
Retention 5: Junior Paulo
Retention 1: Nathan Cleary
Retention 2: Isaah Yeo
Retention 3: James Fisher-Harris
Retention 4: Dylan Edwards
Retention 5: Brian To'o
Retention 1: Ben Hunt
Retention 2: Moses Suli
Retention 3: Jack Bird
Retention 4: Zac Lomax
Retention 5: Jaydn Su'A
Retention 1: Damien Cook
Retention 2: Cameron Murray
Retention 3: Alex Johnston
Retention 4: Latrell Mitchell
Retention 5: Keaon Koloamtangi
Retention 1: James Tedesco
Retention 2: Joseph Manu
Retention 3: Sam Walker
Retention 4: Luke Keary
Retention 5: Angus Crichton
Retention 1: Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
Retention 2: Kenneath Bromwich
Retention 3: Euan Aitken
Retention 4: Tom Gilbert
Retention 5: Felise Kaufusi
Retention 1: Isaiah Papali'i
Retention 2: Apisai Koroisau
Retention 3: David Klemmer
Retention 4: Joe Ofahengaue
Retention 5: Adam Doueihi
Every player not selected above will be available in the selection rounds, which we will start here on Zero Tackle tomorrow.