As another year closes on Newcastle Rugby League (NEWRL), the off-season brings no silence — just storylines.

Contracts, coaching changes, club identity and the women’s landscape are all in motion.

2026 isn’t about predictions yet; it’s about curiosity.

As the clatter of barbells in the gym and the shrill bark of strength and conditioning coaches take centre stage, there are plenty of questions to ponder.

Here are 13 of the biggest queries hanging over the NEWRL as the countdown to next year begins.

ARE WESTS ABSOLUTE MORALS IN 2026?

Adam Bettridge has taken charge at the Rosellas and they’re odds-on favourites to take the title in 2026. A large portion of his former Central Newcastle players — who reached a grand final in 2024 — now join him at Harker Oval in what may be the stronge

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