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Will the Cowboys achieve the unthinkable and become the first team to win consecutive titles in the NRL era? Which prestigious try-scoring landmark is under threat following Robbie Farah’s resurrection? And which family could become the first with a trio of try-scoring centurions?
These are just some of the records going under the hammer in 2016.
And in this list of who’s next, there’s something for most fans to cheer regardless of their team’s performance.
Points
Cameron Smith (1799) and Johnathan Thurston (1794) are on target to become the fifth and sixth members of the 2000-point club.
Smith’s 823 goals accumulated for the Storm over 14 seasons is only 119 shy of Jason Taylor’s premiership record. But at a strike rate of 73 per cent, the maligned Tigers coach is almost guaranteed of holding the title for at least another season.
Tries
Ken Irvine’s 43-year-old premiership record (212 tries) continues to defy generations. Nevertheless, Billy Slater (172) and Brett Stewart (162) are on target for second best – or in another world, Steve ‘Beaver’ Menzies’ perfectly pegged 180.
Last year Stewart broke Menzies’ tally for most tries in Manly colours at Brookvale Oval. The Beaver still holds the ground record (88) including his Northern Eagles handful, but Stewart will assume the mantle with another three.
The Mullins clan of Bill, Russell, Terry and Brett combined for a whopping 281 first-grade tries, but no family has produced a more slippery bunch of try sneaks than the Morris household.
Canterbury’s Josh is just one try short of joining brother Brett and father Steve as the only three from one family in the exclusive 100-club. Their combined haul remains uncapped at a remarkable 341.
Panthers Churchill Medal winner Luke Priddis’ try-scoring record looked safe until the Robbie Farah saga took one final twist. Four more tries will draw Farah level on 63, the most by a hooker in premiership history.
Coaches
Wayne Bennett will increase his record as the longest serving coach at one club to 23 seasons, while Craig Bellamy will pass Manly’s Bob Fulton into second place with a 14th vein-popping season.
Club records and milestones
Canberra grand final legend David Furner retired in 2000 as the highest point-scoring forward in premiership history. Now Jarrod Croker (1128 points) is within months of kicking past his Raiders record of 1218 points.
Stacey Jones’ 674 points is the most by a Warrior but only 90 in front of try-machine Manu Vatuvei. Shaun Johnson is 132 points adrift and should take the crown if he remains New Zealand’s preferred goal-kicker.
But don’t expect ‘The Beast’ to go unnoticed. Seven more tries will not only extend his Warriors record but propel him above Harold Horder (152) into the top ten try scorers of all time.
Back in 2006, Wests Tigers’ Chris Lawrence sizzled along the Suncorp touchline scoring on debut. Now only five short of Benji Marshall’s club record (76), the former winger will have to earn his stripes down a far more punishing route.
With an apparent one-for-one correlation of tries to neck tweaks it’s no surprise Steve Matai (89 tries) is set to crack the ton, with he and St George Illawarra flyer Jason Nightingale (86 tries) to become the fourth to complete the feat at their respective clubs.
Having forged his own identity post the Andrew Johns era, Jarrod Mullen will be hoping his two-year injury hoodoo is over, at just three caps short of joining seven other Knights with 200.
Surprisingly, only five Rabbitohs have topped 200 appearances since the club’s first season in 1908. John Sutton will be the first to play 250 games with another four outings.
Similarly, Shaun Kenny-Dowall (196) and Mitch Aubusson (192) are within reach of joining only five other Roosters – and Mitchell Pearce – to have played 200 games for the foundation club.
The Titans’ Luke Douglas needs seven more games to become the 20th player to reach the 100-game milestone at two clubs, the unbreakable prop having shifted north after 146 consecutive appearances for the Sharks.
And Gold Coast fans will be firing corks after their third win this season. Now in their tenth year, the Titans will wash away a wretched off-season when they celebrate the club’s 100th victory.
State of Origin records
Smith will surpass Darren Lockyer (36) as the most capped Origin player of all time when he next leads out the Maroons.
And if Johnathan Thurston isn’t the most influential Origin player of all time then he’s certainly the most resilient. Hit after hit, year after year, the Cowboy hasn’t missed a contest since debuting in Game 1, 2005.
All going to plan, his 33 consecutive appearances will extend into a 12th year. It’s a record that may never be topped and one the Blues could have done without.
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