The outside backs have grown more and more important in recent years at both ends of the park.
Gone are the days where wingers in the NRL were simply there to finish plays, and long gone are the days when centres were seen as expendable.
Instead, wingers are required to run the ball, get sets off to a good start, break tackles and be able to pass while having incredible finishing ability.
Centres are also more important than ever, particularly in defence.
Here is every club’s centres and wingers ranked.
17. Gold Coast Titans
Wingers: Siale Faeamani and Jojo Fifita
Centres: Phillip Sami and Max Feagai
Other options: Jaylan De Groot, Tony Francis, Jensen Taumoepeau
The Titans backline could develop into something throughout the 2026 season, but right now, it’s hard to judge them anywhere other than the bottom of the list.
Siale Faeamani has all the potential in the world, but is yet to debut at NRL level and has knocked Jaylan De Groot out of his spot, who is now depth but had an indifferent 2025.
Phillip Sami is the most experienced of the quartet and brings plenty to the side, but Jojo Fifita has defensive issues, and Max Feagai has bounced around other clubs without a whole lot of success.
The depth isn’t plentiful, and Josh Hannay will have his work cut out for him throughout the 2026 campaign.
16. Newcastle Knights
Wingers: Greg Marzhew and Dominic Young
Centres: Bradman Best and Dane Gagai
Other options: Fletcher Sharpe, James Schiller, Wilson De Courcey, Fletcher Hunt, Asu Kepaoa
The Knights have some real questions around their backline in general heading into the year.
Fletcher Sharpe, who will start their first game at halfback, could well wind up on the wing if things don’t work out in the spine.
Regardless of which way that works out, the Knights have some struggles in their backs, particularly defensively.
Dane Gagai is well and truly heading towards the end of his career, while Bradman Best is rocks and diamonds at times. Greg Marzhew is a power packet, but struggles in defence, while Dominic Young has well documented defence and ball handling issues.
15. St George Illawarra Dragons
Wingers: Setu Tu and Christian Tuipulotu
Centres: Moses Suli and Valentine Holmes
Other options: David Fale, Tyrell Sloan, Mathew Feagai, Nathan Lawson, Nick Tsougranis
The Dragons are another club with big questions over their wing and centre combinations heading into the year.
The centres, Moses Suli and Valentine Holmes, are certainly better than this ranking if they were being viewed on their own, but there are still questions defensively and consistency wise for the duo.
The wing is where the Dragons will need large improvements.
Tyrell Sloan dropping out of favour means Setu Tu gets the first start of the year alongside Christian Tupulotu who had major injury issues in 2025.
The Dragons have enough talent in the backline, but it’s unclear if Shane Flanagan will be able to get it all together.
14. Wests Tigers
Wingers: Heamasi Makasini and Sunia Turuva
Centres: Taylan May and Starford To’a
Other options: Will Craig, Patrick Herbert, Jeral Skelton
The Tigers might be well and truly up this list by the end of the season, but at the start of it, it’s impossible to consider the joint-venture ready to go with the big guns.
Taylan May returned from a long lay off at the end of 2025 and impressed, while Heamasi Makasini is one of the best juniors in the game and, right now, seems the favourite for rookie of the year.
Sunia Turuva, experienced at winning from his time at Penrith, will again be a key part of the Tigers in 2026 and leads this quartet.
Starford To’a had a career-best year in 2025 too and could build on it, but has plenty of work to do to become elite.
13. North Queensland Cowboys
Wingers: Braidon Burns and Murray Taulagi
Centres: Jaxon Purdue and Zac Laybutt
Other options: Tom Chester, Jaxson Paulo, Viliami Vailea
The Cowboys head into the new season with injury questions and major depth issues in their outside backs, with Todd Payten needing to find the best out of the group as he works to salvage his job.
Murray Taulagi is an Origin level winger, but spent a lot of 2025 sidelined, while Jaxon Purdue is a rising star in the centres, but could well yet be called into the halves.
Zac Laybutt has had his fair share of injuries as well and could do well to hold his spot if he can’t find his best quickly.
Braidon Burns has plenty of experience, and had a career-best year in 2025, but he has always been something of a fringe NRL level talent – that changes in 2026 as he gains an opportunity to start on a full time basis.
12. Manly Sea Eagles
Wingers: Lehi Hopoate and Jason Saab
Centres: Reuben Garrick and Tolutau Koula
Other options: Clayton Faulalo, Aaron Schoupp, Blake Wilson
The Sea Eagles are a side who could rise up the rankings throughout the 2026 campaign.
With the confirmation of Tom Trbojevic playing at fullback, it means one of the game’s best young talents will kick off the year on the wing and likely stay there for its entirety.
As he builds on one side, the towering presence of Jason Saab will be on the other, with the Dragons junior needing to clean up the defensive and ball-handling elements of his game.
Reuben Garrick is a strong outside back in his final year with Manly, although the jury is still out on him as a centre, while Tolutau Koula is fast becoming one of the best players in the game.
11. Parramatta Eels
Wingers: Josh Addo-Carr and Bailey Simonsson
Centres: Will Penisini and Sean Russell
Other options: Brian Kelly, Richard Penisini, Jordan Samrani, Jake Tago
The Eels are close to breaking through to a much higher point of this list, although it just feels their overall quality isn’t quite up to the standards of some of the competition’s big guns.
Parramatta are a side many expect to climb this year though, and a large part of that is down to the consistency across the park in 2025 led around by a hopefully fit Mitchell Moses.
Will Penisini has become a crucial part of everything the blue and gold do in the centres, while Josh Addo-Carr has a brilliant 2025 season.
Bailey Simonsson, who can play either centre or wing, appears to have moved on from his spat with the club in what will be a major positive for the Western Sydney-based side, while Sean Russell also has plenty of talent and versatility.
10. Cronulla Sharks
Wingers: Sione Katoa and Sam Stonestreet
Centres: Jesse Ramien and KL Iro
Other options: Michael Gabrael, Chris Vea’ila, Mawene Hiroti
The Sharks will be without Ronaldo Mulitalo for much of 2025 after he sustained an ACL injury in what is, frankly, a devastating blow for the club.
It does mean Sam Stonestreet – a towering winger with a knack for finding the tryline – will get a fulltime opportunity in first-grade alongside Sione Katoa.
The duo could well be fighting for a single contract up for grabs.
In the centres, Jesse Ramien has been a little rocks and diamonds recently, but at his best, is a great option, while KL Iro continues to grow into his role and scores plenty of tries.
Watch for more improvement from this group in 2026.
9. New Zealand Warriors
Wingers: Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Alofiana Khan-Pereira
Centres: Ali Leiataua and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
Other options: Rocco Berry, Haizyn Mellars, Adam Pompey
The Warriors welcome Alofiana Khan-Pereira to the club in 2026 in a major addition to their backline and try-scoring ability.
The former Titan has a tremendous strike rate for adding four pointers to a side’s scoreline, and could be even better at the Warriors with the quality of player around him.
Defensively, there are issues that need to be addressed though, with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak – not a star by any means, but important to the Warriors – to line up on the other side of the park.
That ultimately pushes Roger Tuiasa-Sheck into the centres, with the star having an enormous 2025, while we are backing Ali Leiataua – another rising star – to take the vacant position.
8. Canterbury Bulldogs
Wingers: Marcelo Montoya and Jacob Kiraz
Centres: Stephen Crichton and Bronson Xerri
Other options: Enari Tuala, Jonathan Sua, Jethro Rinakama
The Bulldogs have some serious star power in their three-quarter line, but there are still issues.
Stephen Crichton is one of the best centres in the game, and knows how to do his job at both ends of the park.
If you were rating centre pairings alone, the Bulldogs would be close to the top, with Bronson Xerri also impressing since his return to the NRL.
Jacob Kiraz has been tremendous for the club in recent times and will again line up in 2026, while Marcelo Montoya has also been serviceable, but would like to find another level this year to hold off some of the younger threats for minutes around the club.
7. Canberra Raiders
Wingers: Savelio Tamale and Xavier Savage
Centres: Matthew Timoko and Sebastian Kris
Other options: Michael Asomua, Sione Finau, Simi Sasagi, Chevy Stewart, Jed Stuart
What the Raiders have is depth – and plenty of it. There are five players who won’t start in the centres and wing positions who couldn’t.
But it’s not just the depth for the Raiders.
They have an elite starting group. Savelio Tamale came on in leaps and bounds during 2025, and his absence was felt enormously when out injured.
Xavier Savage is a star in the making, and while he came into the game a fullback, he may well have found his best position on the wing in 2025.
Sebastian Kris and Matthew Timoko both do just about everything right and are among the NRL’s most underrated players.
6. The Dolphins
Wingers: Jack Bostock and Jamayne Isaako
Centres: Herbie Farnworth and Selwyn Cobbo
Other options: Jake Averillo, Tevita Naufahu, LJ Nonu
The Dolphins have one of the better outside back combinations in the competition – that has to be the truth if Jake Averillo is missing out.
Herbie Farnworth may be the game’s best centre, while the addition of Selwyn Cobbo, if he is at his best, will add plenty.
Jack Bostock, who misses the opening two months of the season, is a towering presence on the wing, and Jamayne Isaako has been the club’s most consistent player since he joined in their foundation season.
5. Melbourne Storm
Wingers: Xavier Coates and Will Warbrick
Centres: Jack Howarth and Nick Meaney
Other options: Moses Leo, Marion Seve, Trent Toelau, Manaia Waitere
The Storm just keep rolling, even with departures and injuries haunting them as we head into 2026.
One of those injuries is Xavier Coates, who when fit adds so much to the Storm’s backline and try-scoring threat.
Will Warbrick will be the other winger for Melbourne, with his barnstorming running game bringing them a point of difference over the last two or so years.
Jack Howarth, who could well wind up in the second-row by the end of the year, starts at centre, while Nick Meaney is the other and will continue to play a role off the kicking tee for Melbourne as he prepares for a move to Perth at the end of the season.
4. South Sydney Rabbitohs
Wingers: Campbell Graham and Alex Johnston
Centres: Latrell Mitchell and Jack Wighton
Other options: Euan Aitken, Moala Graham-Taufa, Edward Kosi, Max McCarthy, Tyrone Munro, Isaiah Tass
The Rabbtiohs have a very, very strong centre and wing combination. Any side needing to move Campbell Graham to the wing because it works best for team balance is in a very strong position.
Their depth too is fantastic, and, here at least, among the best in the NRL.
Campbell Graham’s move to the wing, as mentioned, brings South Sydney another element to their attack, while Alex Johnston will be the game’s all-time try-scoring record holder at some point this year.
Latrell Mitchell is an Origin level player in the centres, and his move there with Jye Gray taking over at fullback will be exciting, while Jack Wighton rounds the group out.
Injuries will, as they have been since the club moved their operations to Maroubra, be the biggest question for Wayne Bennett and his playing group this year.
3. Sydney Roosters
Wingers: Mark Nawaqanitawase and Daniel Tupou
Centres: Billy Smith and Robert Toia
Other options: Junior Pauga, Cody Ramsey, Tommy Talau, Junior Tupou
The Roosters come into the new year expecting their best five to be among the best in the NRL.
Mark Nawaqanitawase has a scarcely believable first season in the competition, taking out the Ken Irvine Medal. He will likely go to another level this year as he continues to learn the game.
Daniel Tupou is one of the best wingers of their generation. Alex Johnston will get the credit as the best, but it’s probably not quite right given how well rounded Tupou, who is heading into the final year of his contract and potentially career, is.
Billy Smith’s injury issues have cost him a chance to be a representative player to this stage of his career, but he has all the potential, while maybe the only question around Robert Toia is whether he can avoid second-year syndrome.
2. Brisbane Broncos
Wingers: Josiah Karapani and Deine Mariner
Centres: Gehamat Shibasaki and Kotoni Staggs
Other options: Grant Anderson, Jesse Arthars, Delouise Hoeter
The Broncos flip flopped back and forth on their best wingers and centres throughout 2025, but the combination Michael Maguire finished with will probably be the one to start the new year after their premiership win.
Gehamat Shibasaki, who is in the centres, was the breakout star of the year, going from a train and trial deal to an Origin jersey and a premiership, as well as a spot on the Kangaroos tour to England for the Ashes.
Kotoni Staggs, on the other side of the park, is arguably the best centre in the NRL, giving Brisbane elite strike on both sides of the park.
On the wings, Deine Mariner has found a real home after playing centre predominantly as a junior, while Josiah Karapani played well enough to keep Jesse Arthars out of the side.
Grant Anderson joins from the Storm this year and provides excellent depth.
1. Penrith Panthers
Wingers: Paul Alamoti and Brian To’o
Centres: Casey McLean and Izack Tago
Other options: Jack Cole, Sione Fonua, Thomas Jenkins
The Panthers are a little short on depth in the centres and wing positions, but that shouldn’t take away from their elite starting group.
Brian To’o has been the best – or among the best – winger in the competition for a number of years now. His running game and positioning, despite his smaller height, make sure of it.
Paul Alamoti turned himself into a big-game player at the back-end of 2025 on the wing, and will look to put another foot forward this year as he fends off Thomas Jenkins for minutes.
Casey McLean fast became one of the best outside backs in the game last year with his breakout campaign, while Izack Tago is experienced and has plenty to offer.
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