NRL trials talking points: Las Vegas teams at sixes and sevens as Dolphins stars fight for backline spots

It's the first full weekend of NRL trial fixtures and there are plenty of question marks surrounding all 16 clubs who will take the field.

Reigning premiers Brisbane have flown overseas for the World Club Challenge, but what happens back home in Australia could be far more interesting heading into round one.

The four teams slated to kick off the season in Las Vegas still have some figuring out to do, while the Dolphins and Eels are both seen as potential big improvers in 2026.

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Wide World of Sports takes at the biggest talking points ahead of the first full round of the pre-season challenge.

Dolphins spoiled for choice in the back five

Kristian Woolf's side will be missing some key players for their first trial match on Thursday night, but there are a couple of interesting selections.

With both Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Trai Fuller unavailable for the clash with the Titans, it will be Jake Averillo wearing the No.1 jersey.

Averillo is an incredibly versatile and valuable member of the Dolphins squad who can cover anywhere in the backline, but he spent the majority of time in the centres last season and most would expect him to play there again in 2026.

Herbie Farnworth has one centre spot locked down and Jamayne Isaako will be one of the wingers, which means that a couple of spots are up for grabs.

Selwyn Cobbo will get first crack at impressing coach Woolf in the centres, while Tevita Naufahu will play on the wing with Jack Bostock still recovering from an ACL injury.

Woolf is spoilt for choice in the back five and there's merit to playing Fuller at fullback and Tabuai-Fidow in the centres, which would further limit the opportunities.

Averillo, Cobbo, Naufahu and Bostock when he returns are battling for two spots and this weekend's trial will be the first chance to make a statement for three of them.

Vegas teams at sixes and sevens

For the majority of NRL clubs, this weekend will be just their first of two trial games - but it's a different story for the four teams heading to Las Vegas.

With just over a fortnight until the season kicks off with the Knights vs Cowboys and Bulldogs vs Dragons fixtures in Sin City, coaches of all four teams will be hoping to get a better understanding of who will and won't be making the trip overseas.

While they will all have plenty of selection calls to make, the biggest talking point for each of these four sides centres around the halves pairing.

Canterbury are perhaps the most set in stone when it comes to their playmakers, with Matt Burton and Lachlan Galvin guaranteed first crack in the halves, especially with teen prodigy Mitch Woods unavailable to start the season due to a hamstring injury.

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The jury is still out over whether Burton and Galvin can combine well enough to lead the Bulldogs towards a premiership this season, but they will get a golden opportunity to show the work they've put in together in recent months in the trials.

North Queensland's halves pairing has also been a hot topic and this week's team list perhaps gives the best indication yet for round one, with Jake Clifford named to partner Tom Dearden, pushing young gun Jaxon Purdue back into the centres.

St George Illawarra are expected to start the season with Daniel Atkinson and Kyle Flanagan in the halves, but the performance in the club's first trial from teenager Kade Reed has raised some question marks around how long that combination will last.

Reed, as well as Lyhkan King-Togia, will get an opportunity at some stage during the Charity Shield, but all eyes will be on the Flanagan-Atkinson pairing.

And finally it's the Knights, who splashed the cash on Dylan Brown as their marquee man and he looks set to partner up with Sandon Smith in the halves to start the year.

The dilemma now is what coach Justin Holbrook decides to do with speedster Fletcher Sharpe, who will play fullback on Saturday night with Kalyn Ponga unavailable, but won't be wearing the No.1 jersey in Vegas and could find himself on the bench.

Battle for spots in Roosters engine room

While the majority of Trent Robinson's big guns have been placed on ice for their first trial game this weekend, there are plenty of first grade hopefuls named in the forwards.

Nat Butcher will captain the side in the back-row after missing most of 2025 with injury, while younger brother Egan lines up in the front-row alongside Taylor Losalu.

Siua Wong has been named at lock and Salesi Foketi is on the edge, while towering young prop De La Salle Va'a is on the bench as he fights for an NRL spot.

There is no sign of Lindsay Collins, Naufahu Whyte, Spencer Leniu or Angus Crichton this week and it's safe to assume all four will play in round one, but there is an extra spot available in the team early in the year with Victor Radley out due to suspension.

The older of the Butcher brothers has been a favourite of coach Robinson for many years and it's likely he will feature somewhere in the side, as should Wong.

This weekend's clash with the Wests Tigers acts as a great audition for the likes of Foketi, Losalu, Va'a and the younger Butcher, Egan, to keep their names front of mind.

Roosters fans will get a great glimpse into the future as well, with halfback Toby Rodwell and fullback Rex Bassingthwaighte both named to play.

Fresh faces in the mix for Storm

The changes at Melbourne in this off-season have been well documented, with the loss of Ryan Papenhuzyen and Nelson Asofa-Solomona a major talking point.

Add to that the fact that Eliesa Katoa will be unavailable for the whole season after a brain injury suffered during the Pacific Championships and, all of a sudden, there are spots up for grabs heading into 2026 for last year's grand finalists.

While coach Craig Bellamy has opted to rest his high-profile stars for the first trial, it does present a golden opportunity for some new recruits and young guns to shine.

Jack Hetherington and Davvy Moale have both joined the club in recent months and will start this weekend's trial in the front-row, pushing for a bench spot in round one.

Ativalu Lisati has the inside running to start on the edge this year in Katoa's absence and has been named there with highly-touted youngster Cooper Clarke.

And while it's going to be Sua Faalogo who starts the year in the No.1 jersey for the Storm, keep an eye on the exciting Hugo Peel at the back on Friday night.

Tightly-run No.9 battle continues for Eels

Parramatta will be one of the most exciting teams to watch this season and many smart judges believe the side can be one of the real improvers.

While there have been plenty of moving parts as Jason Ryles begins his second year in charge as head coach, there's also some clarity around key positions in 2026.

Jonah Pezet will make his club debut on the weekend and while Mitchell Moses has been rested for an extra week, those two men will be the Eels halves pairing.

Isaiah Iongi, fresh off a stellar rookie season, has been named at fullback for the first trial while the battle to replace Zac Lomax out wide continues to heat up.

Experienced forwards Junior Paulo, Jack de Belin and Dylan Walker won't play this weekend, giving the likes of Sam Tuivati and Kitione Kautoga a chance to impress.

But perhaps the biggest question mark for Ryles is which way he leans with the one-two punch at hooker, with both Ryley Smith and Tallyn Da Silva named to play.

Smith likely has the edge over Da Silva for the starting No.9 role heading into round one, but if the former Tigers gun can stand out in the trials, who could take it late.

It's certainly one to watch for the Eels in what should be an improved campaign.