Recruitment and Retention for 2026

[George Sancti]

Your guess is as good as mine, I guess. My guess is - intense competition, salary cap constraints, and the need for veteran leadership have forced changes in the roster composition for the 2025 and 2026 seasons. I think Brisbane still have Patrick Carrigan, Ezra Mam, Kotoni Staggs, Jordan Riki, Xavier Willison, Brendan Piakura, and Deine Mariner as ex juniors.
While the 2023 finals side was heavily reliant on juniors (14 out of 17), the 2025-2026 squads have seen a shift toward a mix of retained elite local talent (Haas, Carrigan) and key external signings (Hunt, Reynolds, others) to build a premiership-contending team.

They had a formidable roster in 2020 but in that year they were wooden spooners - their first wooden spoon.

Several talented Broncos juniors have moved to rival clubs, including the Dolphins, Titans, and Sydney-based teams, due to better opportunities.

The other thing that stands out to me, Dave, is that among all the clubs with large junior nurseries and a high number of juniors in their top‑30 squads, the only one that has genuinely capitalised on those advantages is Penrith. It would be interesting to see a companion table showing how many ex‑juniors from each club are currently playing elsewhere in the NRL.

If the NRL isn’t prepared to introduce a draft system that compensates the club that developed a player, then at the very least it should be rewarding the development clubs that supply the talent the entire competition relies on.

 

[George Sancti]

With KK, we are fine for middle forwards for a number of years. Now we need outside backs!

I’d say DA is already on the job, GCRV. The real issue is that if he can’t lock in Jahream Bula for 2027, our next genuine shot at a top‑line signing probably shifts to 2028.

 

[Frank Facer]

I’d say DA is already on the job, GCRV. The real issue is that if he can’t lock in Jahream Bula for 2027, our next genuine shot at a top‑line signing probably shifts to 2028.

I don't think Bula is top line.

 

[Mug Fan]

Monday before round 1 has past.
28 players needed in the top 30.
26 listed on our site plus Nick T and Hayden make 28.

 

[TheRev]

Setu Tu and Buchanan into the 30.. positive is it frees up 2 dev spots.. but man not the guns I was hoping for.. still 2 slots left though maybe we can get something.. we must have some cap space to burn also.

 

[TheRev]

could the val move to right be to fit buchanan in at left even.. not in vegas but maybe down the track.... still need to see Val in action tbh, he's been passing and stepping left all his life, ill be impressed if he can switch like that.. some players can and some players rly cant.. but those bat ons for example.. they are a fine touch... noting that this is a thin field.. so maybe its just 1 week.. maybe.

 

[GCRV]

Setu Tu and Buchanan into the 30.. positive is it frees up 2 dev spots.. but man not the guns I was hoping for.. still 2 slots left though maybe we can get something.. we must have some cap space to burn also.

Heidke!

 

[RufusRex]

either that or look around the NRL at players on a T/T deal at other clubs who may be close and give them a dev deal ... there are obvious gaps in our roster esp relating to speed out wide.

Plus we have 2 x Top30 spots still open .. FFS please get someone useful into those spots.
There have to be players not in their teams top 19 who would easily be in ours.