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📻 IMPORTANT AUCKLAND UPDATE 📻
The votes are in: Predicting the top 8 for the 2026 NRL season
SEN •  January 9th, 2026 5:11 pm
Which NRL teams will make the top eight in 2026?
SEN asked NRL fans for their 2026 predictions heading into the new season, and the results are in!
With the competition never closer, all 17 teams are vying for a coveted finals spot.
But while competition is tight, the answer to our question has never been clearer according to the fans.
100% of fans believe the Brisbane Broncos will return to finals as they hunt for back-to-back premierships, having broken a 19-year drought in 2025.
Fans expect to see the two most dominant teams of this decade in finals again, with the Panthers (97%) and Storm (94.7%) overwhelming favourites to make it.
The Roosters (89.4%), Bulldogs (81.1%), Raiders (77.3%) and Sharks (62.1%) are all expected to feature in September again, but the Warriors are the team expected to slide with only 37.9% of fans predicting they will play finals.
In their place, NRL fans expect to see The Dolphins (62.1%) qualify for their maiden finals appearance.
See the full breakdown below:
- Brisbane Broncos (100%)
- Penrith Panthers (97%)
- Melbourne Storm (94.7%)
- Sydney Roosters (89.4%)
- Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (81.1%)
- Canberra Raiders (77.3%)
- Cronulla Sharks (62.1%)
- Dolphins (62.1%)
- Parramatta Eels (40.9%)
- New Zealand Warriors (37.9%)
- South Sydney Rabbitohs (25%)
- Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (8.3%)
- Newcastle Knights (5.3%)
- North Queensland Cowboys (5.3%)
- Wests Tigers (5.3%)
- Gold Coast Titans (3%)
- St George Illawarra Dragons (2.3%)
