RLPA: No Longer the Surprise

RLPA don’t sneak up on anyone anymore.

That’s the trade-off when you get it right.

In 2024, they arrived thick with nostalgia and muscle. Big names. Big bodies. Very little margin. Winless, bruised, and reminded why backing up footy is crueler than it looks from the bar.

In 2025, they came back leaner, sharper, and organised. And they caught the competition asleep.

This version of RLPA was different. Fit. Structured. Professional. A squad built almost entirely from players who had lived inside professional systems and knew exactly how to prepare for a two-day grind. Tyrone Peachey and Matt Moylan gave them control. Others filled roles. Everyone understood the job.

That access is their biggest weapon.

RLPA sit in a unique position. Recently retired. Recently delisted. Players who still feel like football owes them one more good weekend. When it clicks, the level of professionalism across the park is unmatched. Warm-ups are sharp. Rotations are planned. Games are managed, not chased.

That’s why they’re dangerous.

But last year’s success came with an expiration date.

They surprised teams early. They dictated tempo on Day One. By Sunday, things got tighter. And this time, there will be no ambush.

Everyone expects RLPA to be good now.

That changes things.

Preparation goes up. Physical targeting goes up. The shortcuts disappear. The Nines doesn’t care what you did twelve months ago, only whether you can replicate it when the league has adjusted.

There’s also the reality of success. Strong RLPA performances made their list vulnerable. Other teams noticed. Recruitment pressure followed. Peachey has already been named by United SC. Others will move. Continuity, never guaranteed, becomes harder to hold.

RLPA won’t arrive underestimated. They won’t arrive unknown.

They’ll arrive respected.

And the question now isn’t whether they can catch teams off guard.

It’s whether they can stay ahead once everyone’s ready.