NRL season launch player poll: Storm, Broncos emerge as biggest threat to Penrith Panthers dynasty

The NRL’s biggest stars have revealed their biggest threat to the premiership in 2025, while the four Las Vegas-bound representatives selected the teammate most likely to go missing in Sin City. WATCH THE VIDEO.

Can anyone stop Penrith? Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Melbourne and Brisbane loom as the biggest threats to Penrith’s chase for a remarkable fifth straight premiership, their NRL rivals have declared.

Stars from all 17 clubs turned out in force for the 2025 NRL season launch on Monday in Sydney, less than three weeks out from the Las Vegas double header.

While several players declared Penrith still the team to beat, Craig Bellamy’s Storm have been anointed the team most likely to halt the Panthers’ juggernaut.

The Michael Maguire factor and instilling some “tough love” has rivals predicting a Brisbane Broncos bounce back this season.

Cronulla are also primed to take the next step on the back of marquee prop Addin Fonua-Blake’s arrival, while North Queensland, Manly and South Sydney were tipped to improve.

Even Penrith’s own Liam Martin is wary of last year’s beaten grand finalists, Melbourne, after adding 24-year-old State of Origin prop Stefano Utoikamanu in the off-season.

“Storm will be strong again,” Martin said.

“They have gained Stefano (Utoikamanu), he will be massive. Having camps with him in Origin, he was really impressive for his age. Being down there, he’ll be incredible this year.”

Gold Coast captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui said last year’s 14-6 grand final loss to Penrith would fuel Melbourne’s 2025 campaign.

“The Storm have to be up there again. I played at that club and Craig Bellamy always drives the highest standards, especially after they went so close to winning it last year,” Fa’asuamaleaui said.

And the bookmakers agree.

The TAB has Melbourne as $3.75 premiership favourites, ahead of Penrith ($4.50), Brisbane ($8) and Cronulla ($15).

Do the Storm deserve premiership favouritism? Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

The Storm ramp up preparations for their 2025 campaign in Saturday’s Pre-Season Challenge match against the Las Vegas-bound New Zealand Warriors in Hamilton.

Warriors utility Dylan Walker played under Maguire at South Sydney and believes he’s the coach the Broncos need to get back on track, having gone from within minutes of being crowned 2023 premiers to finals failures last season.

“I like Brisbane, they’ve got a good side, young,” Walker said.

“And they’ve got Michael Maguire, a bit of tough love. It’s probably what a club like that needed. But they’ve got a lot of talent everywhere so they’re a club I’ll definitely be looking out for.”

Brisbane will face the Gold Coast at Toowomba on Sunday in their first Pre-Season Challenge hit out, after a largely second-string squad beat Burleigh 22-0 in a trial last weekend.

South Sydney captain Cameron Murray said picking Penrith as the danger side was “self explanatory”.

“They’ve won four in a row. They turn up every year with fresh faces, even after they lose key guys, and yet they always deliver,” Murray said.

“They have an incredible track record, there are obviously pretty good values through that place.”

Cronulla forward Cameron McInnes agreed, declaring the Panthers “have earned that and they are so consistent. I don’t see that changing so until someone else steps up and takes it from them, it’s theirs.”

The Panthers will also board a plane for the Las Vegas next Thursday where they will take on Cronulla, meaning their big guns like Martin, Nathan Cleary, Dylan Edwards, Brian To’o and Isaah Yeo won’t take part in the Pre-Season Challenge against Manly a day later.

Instead, Penrith have planned a low-key scrimmage against NSW Cup side North Sydney this weekend.

Originally published as NRL season launch player poll: Storm, Broncos emerge as biggest threat to Penrith Panthers dynasty