The huge NRL positional switches that will define the 2026 season
From a potential Latrell Mitchell five-eighth switch to Stephen Crichton's possible move to fullback, the 2026 season could see some unprecedented positional experiments, writes DAVID RICCIO.
From Latrell Mitchell's move to five-eighth, to Stephen Crichton's potential switch to fullback, the upcoming season defies conventional wisdom with unprecedented positional experiments.
David Riccio reveals the seven biggest selection gambles that could change the 2026 season.
1. DCE AND SAM
Every Roosters supporter should be unwrapping nausea tablets on Christmas morning in readiness for the unpredictable style of attack that will unfold in 2026 from Sam Walker and Daly Cherry-Evans combining in the halves. The knock from Manly on Cherry-Evans in his last few seasons was that he played too much freelance footy without the diligence to stick to the game plan. He’d skip down a short side when his teammates were setting up for the next play. Walker too, is a player who thrives in doing what other playmakers wouldn’t dare, including kicking from his own half. As gifted as they are, the duo can’t afford to lose their teammates in the process. Another thing, what price Daniel Tupou to score more tries from kicks than any other winger in the game? Walker and Cherry-Evans produced 19 tries combined from kicks last season.
2. LATRELL TO SIX
Check this spine and tell me it’s not a top-eight team. At hooker Peter Mamouzelos, at halfback Cody Walker, at five-eighth Latrell Mitchell and at fullback Jye Gray. It is almost the perfect blend of youthful energy, experience, kicking game, power and x-factor.
Of course, it all comes down to the health and fitness of Walker and Mitchell, with the latter managing just 11 games consecutively across the past two seasons. Moving Mitchell from fullback to five-eighth is multi-faceted.
One, the freakish talent and huge frame is a constant threat up in the front line of attack. Two, he has a booming kick that needs to be used more, having averaged 417 metres with his kicks in 2025; a bigger kick than quality kickers Cherry-Evans, Adam Reynolds and Braydon Trindall.
Three, his star power serves as a magnet for the opposition, allowing him to use his power to dish, pass or serve his teammates due to the obsession on him by the opposition.
Lastly, and most importantly, Gray is too lethal to be left out of the team or sitting on the bench.
3. CRITTA TO FULLBACK
What? Move the world’s best centre out of position? Go find a beach and a Bintang, Riccio.
Those who watch the game closely understand this isn’t some type of click-bait take, but rather a way to develop the Bulldogs into an even more dangerous proposition. It’s not as though it’s out of the ordinary. The Dogs were using Crichton as an attacking fullback once they reached the opposition 20-metres last season anyway, the design being to provide the awesome ball-runner more space than his corridor of room on the right-hand side. This move just makes it more permanent with the addition of Crichton powering the footy back on kick-returns. Ridiculous with his level of training and at 25, Crichton is at the peak of his athletic powers, so the physical aspect of the move wouldn’t phase him.
Moving Crichton also prompts the potential move of Matt Burton to the centres and for the promotion of rising playmaker Mitchell Woods.
4. TURBO AT FULLBACK OR CENTRE
Tom Trbojevic will start the season at fullback.
Undeniably, Manly are a better side when he’s flying at fullback, but how long does the new captain stay there?
We saw Manly coach Anthony Seibold shift Trbojevic to the centres late last season, a decision that the champion No.1 found disappointing, but accepted for the sake of the team. Seibold had his reasons for going with Lehi Hopoate at fullback, which also made sense, in wanting to give Trbojevic more room to use his elite running game, and also to protect him from the leg injuries that have plagued his career.
Statistically, Hopoate (158) ran for more metres on average in 2025 than Trbojevic (144). In the centres next season for Manly are Tolu Koula and Reuben Garrick, the latter being on the verge of signing with the Roosters.
5. KNIGHTS SPINAL TAP
This is almost impossible to believe that the 2025 wooden spooners have three exciting spine players trying to slot into two positions.
How does new Knights coach Justin Holbrook get Fletcher Sharpe, Sandon Smith and Dylan Brown into the five-eighth and halfback positions?
On the surface, the answer seems easy enough with the freakish talent of Sharpe and the club’s 10-year investment in Brown being the frontrunners to play six and seven.
However, Smith has already gone public with his aspirations to be in the starting halves of the Knights, hence his decision to leave the back-up role he was playing at the Roosters for the chance to help pilot Newcastle.
Sharpe could easily play fullback if Kalyn Ponga didn’t have a mortgage on the position, and with his rising salary based on him playing in the halves, it doesn’t make sense to use him at centre.
Smith may have to bid his time from the bench again.
6. FREAKISH FA’ALOGO
The shock departure of Storm star and long-time fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen at the end of the 2025 season opens the door for 22-year-old Sua Fa’alogo who has moves like Mick Jagger.
The Storm have spent three years cultivating his craft in the lower grades, using the 85kg fullback with the sharpest of footwork sporadically during those three years with 22 NRL-games to his name.
Such was the original hope in Fa’alogo from the Storm they locked him down until 2028, and that was back in 2024.
However, like it or not, there’s been a murmur or two (perhaps sparked by rival clubs) over the past 12 months that Melbourne weren’t entirely sold on Fa’alogo being their direct answer for Papenhuyzen.
We’re about to find out.
7. JUST DOUEIHI IT
For the Wests Tigers to be any hope of playing finals football for the first time in 15 years, Adam Doueihi must be the chief organiser and orchestrator of the side’s attack.
Go back and watch the Tigers best wins of 2025 and the common denominator was that Doueihi took control and Jarome Luai thrived off his halves partner’s direction.
Dramatic wins over the Titans, Bulldogs and Sea Eagles were due to Doueihi playing with a calm head to ultimately take the pressure off Luai’s lethal running and passing game.
Young Latu Fainu is a genuine talent, but with naturally much more to learn when it comes to the tempo of the game. He’ll be a better player for learning from the experienced Doueihi.
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Originally published as The huge NRL positional switches that will define the 2026 season
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