Of the four conference systems in the league, the NRL West shapes up to be the most fiercely contested of them all. 

The future of the NRL West is looking very bright indeed. That was not the case several seasons ago, but in 2015 there is a lot of optimism coming out of the conference, and a lot of reasons why this is not simply wishful thinking.

One of the key reasons why this is so is the rise of the Penrith Panthers. Their conference title in 2014 surprised many, and while they won the NRL West only four years before, the lows the club experienced in between hinted at a long-term rebuilding phase in the pipeline. It’s already reaping rewards. The Panthers’ squad looks even stronger this year, and should put up a very strong defence of their conference title.

One of the two teams in the NRL West in the midst of rebuilding phases are the Parramatta Eels. For the Eels, the loss of Jarryd Hayne to American football will be an intriguing one. Hayne was such a vital cog in the Eels’ plans to rise from consecutive wooden spoons in 2012 and 2013. Instead, it will fall to an exciting group of developing young players to carry a little more responsibility upon their shoulders. The main question that remains to be answered is whether they can improve upon their promising 2014 season without the talismanic Hayne at fullback.

The other team in rebuilding mode are the Wests Tigers. Similar to the Eels, there is a lot of excitement surrounding the young talent they are developing, particularly in the fullback, five-eighth and halfback positions. They showed glimpses of the talent within the squad during an impressive start to the 2014 season, but not only did they fall off the pace quickly as the season progressed, but they fell very heavily. They will considerably improve in 2015 as their young crop of players gain more valuable game experience and continue developing their combinations, but to storm home and win the NRL West might be too much to ask of them this season.

One team in the NRL West not rebuilding, and hot on the heels of Penrith, are the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, 2014 grand finalists and vanquishers of the Panthers in the preliminary final. Since the arrival of coach Des Hasler in 2012, the Bulldogs have become a consistent force in the NRL West, winning consecutive conference titles in 2012 and 2013 and appearing in both the 2012 and 2014 grand finals. Their forwards are still the cornerstone of the Bulldogs’ game strategy, and even though they have welcomed Brett Morris into the fold at fullback, don’t expect them to change the formula too much in 2015.

Will it be enough for the Bulldogs to win the NRL West back from the Panthers? There is every chance this question will not be answered until the very end of the regular season – which means the NRL West is going to be an interesting conference to follow indeed.