Tournaments like Super Rugby AUS offer enjoyment in more ways than one, beyond the context of another game of rugby and another tournament to enjoy.
Not only does it provide valuable game time for those players not selected for the Wallabies, but it also gives the chance for players in clubland and the pathways to try their best in a professional environment - and frequently, they thrive.
Watch every second of Super Rugby AUS live and on-demand via Stan Sport.
In that regard, the competition becomes the ideal introduction to the Wallabies of the future, the chance to see a player develop in real time, and the chance to get swept up in their story - and Super Rugby AUS saw several club stars and academy players leave the competition with their stocks firmly raised.
They may not all have made the team of the tournament, but they are players who left an impression. It’s not a case of if they will go higher, but when.
Rugby.com.au gives our picks of the ten players we think who are departing Super Rugby AUS with their stocks raised, and with over 40 debutants across the four teams, there are plenty of options available.
Nicknamed ‘Vice’, the Brothers loose forward was unlucky not to be included in the team of the tournament - and while the loose forward position is a competitive one, Latu showed himself as one of the most damaging players in the tournament.
An U19s alumni, Latu scored three tries across the season, made 29 carries and, incredibly, didn’t miss a single tackle from 29 made across his three games.
He looms as a dangerous all-rounder in the Australian rugby set up, and a great option for the Reds.
Making the Super Rugby AUS team of the tournament, Sid Harvey might become one of the quickest to rise up the ranks of Super Rugby players - all because of his phenomenal boot.
While scoring a try and proving a valuable attacking option on the wing, kicking just shy of 90% percent of his conversions and penalties is a valuable option for the Waratahs and Wallabies - something the former U20 star excels at.
The Brumbies may have come last, but the side did unearth a lot of exciting talent in their ranks, from Shane Wilcox and Kye Oates in the backs to Tevita Alatini in the front row.
However, one of their quieter achievers was Toby MacPherson, an exciting loose forward who was overshadowed by the likes of Luke Reimer, but whose workhorse efforts were reflected in him playing every minute of every game for the ACT side.
Capping it off with a try against the Force, MacPherson’s approach was simple, direct and reliable - which often are handy traits to have in rugby.
Speaking of players who didn’t make the highlight reel, Mitch Watts was in esteemed Super Rugby company in the team of the tournament set piece.
It bodes well for the young gun, with a motor that can see him put in the hard yards against opponents.
While Watts has confirmed he'll be departing the Force, he bodes well as a great option for a club in need of a promising second row player.
The young winger got a chance to impress twice this competition, coming off the bench against the Brumbies and starting against the Force. Both times, he impressed.
Beating three defenders inside ten minutes at Ballymore, Rubens took it to a whole other level at Tompkins Park, scoring two tries, beating three defenders, making two line breaks and making 12 tackles.
His hunger for work made him stand out, and given the talented back three options at the Reds, he likely has done a lot to impress Les Kiss and earn a start with running mate Tim Ryan.
Building his way into the starting side, the Super Rugby AUS tournament is designed for players like Clem Halaholo to show what they can do, and the utility forward did just that, earning a spot in the team of the tournament.
Working as both a loose forward and a lock, Halaholo didn’t put a foot wrong from the moment he came off the bench against the Reds, scoring two tries in the next two games, becoming one of the most dangerous carriers - and capping it off with a barnstorming performance in the Grand Final.
Originally brought over to the Force as a short-term signing, the Western Force might have to consider an extension to Viliami Fine’s contract, the former Moana Pasifika and Tongan international proving pivotal in both the WA side’s wins.
Beating six defenders, making four linebreaks and scoring a try across his two performances, Fine also showed great maturity in defence.
With the Force having the look of an imposing back three stocks next year, having Fine as an option would only add to Simon Cron’s push for a maiden finals berth.
The Brumbies’ sole inclusion in the team of the tournament, a strong Super Rugby AUS is a perfect end to a breakout year for Jarrah McLeod.
Coming to fame thanks to a noteworthy professional Rugby debut for the First Nations Pasifika XV, the former Australian U20 star earned a contract with the Brumbies and showed he is more than capable of stepping into the centre role, being the player on park for the hosts against the Waratahs.
There will be a lot of pressure for the centre to deliver next year in Canberra, but judging by what has been seen so far, the tougher the clash, the more he thrives.
When it came to looking at the competition at large and the breakout performers, two names stuck out above the rest, and fullback James Hendren was one of them.
Sitting at the top of an impressive class of emerging back three options, the Waratah fullback played every minute of NSW’s successful campaign - his performance in Narribri the best individual performance of the tournament.
Earning selection in the team of the tournament, Hendren looms as a formidable weapon, and bodes well to be in Daceyville alongside the likes of Andrew Kellaway and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.
The player of the tournament, the Force have backed Max Burey to deliver them some results for a long time. In the 2025 Super Rugby AUS season, he showed just what he is capable of.
Scoring two of the best tries of the season against the Brumbies, Burey proved an effective director of the Force backline, locking in the side for the Grand Final and shifting seamlessly to fullback when Ben Donaldson was released to the squad.
When fans are calling for you to be added to the Wallabies squad for the Autumn Nations Series, you know you’ve made an impression. No player leaves the inaugural season of Super Rugby AUS with their stocks raised higher than Burey.
