It’s that time of the year when most clubs are putting the finishing touches on their recruitment, perhaps even snaring a bargain from a rival.

As the season creeps closer so is the March 1 deadline for clubs to name 29 players on their roster. Clubs will need to fill the 30th spot by June 30.

A handful of clubs have already met the requirements while the likes of the Sharks and Roosters are among those who have some recruiting to do.

Foxsports.com.au looks at how each club’s roster is shaped for the 2020 season, how many spots they have left to fill in their squad and where they need to strengthen.

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Broncos

Brisbane has gone one better than the March deadline by finalising its entire top 30 already.

Playmaker Brodie Croft was the player to round out the squad but before he was signed the Broncos already had 30 players. They were able to offload Gehamat Shibasaki to the Knights to make room for Croft.

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Raiders

Sitting at 28 players, the Raiders have room to play with but their squad is already stacked with big talent and plenty of depth.

They’ve welcomed star centre Curtis Scott and upgraded young-gun Harley Smith-Shields from a development contract so are well covered in the outside backs.

It would probably be worth upgrading halfback Matt Frawley from a development contract should injuries hit hard in the halves, especially during the Origin period – assuming Jack Wighton is selected again.

Bulldogs

The Bulldogs have filled 29 spots.

The have stacked their second row with the signing of Dean Britt and Joe Stimson as well as some depth in the hooker role with Sione Katoa joining the club to fill Michael Lichaa’s departure.

Sharks

It seems to be a common trend that the clubs with the most spaces to fill are the clubs with the already well-rounded squads.

The Sharks have 26 players confirmed in their top 30 but the $350,000 salary cap penalty will come into play here keeping their options limited.

With not much wriggle room the Sharks’ only option is to upgrade some of their development players, most likely: Kyle Patterson; Daniel Vasquez and Jackson Ferris.

Titans

Having recently upgraded development players Erin Clark and Greg Leleisiuao to the Top 30, the Titans now have one more spot to fill before March 1.

They have plenty of young talent in the outside backs but need to add some experience.

Alex Johnston comes to mind. With Latrell Mitchell’s arrival to the Rabbitohs, it’s looking like Johnston will lose his spot in their 17.

The 25-year-old is a premiership-winning winger that would prefer playing fullback and brings over 120 NRL games of experience.

He’s a consistent performer and is too good to be stuck in reserve grade.

Alex Johnston of the Rabbitohs walks from the field Source: Getty Images

Sea Eagles

The Sea Eagles have filled 29 spots.

There’s only two new faces in the squad – handy centre Brayden Musgrove who’s joined the club from the Knights and halfback Luke Metcalf who was upgraded from a development contract.

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Storm

With 28 spots filled, the Storm have just one more spot to fill before the March 1 deadline.

Their squad is already packed out with big names – even the players that won’t make the 17 are good enough to play in the NRL tomorrow.

That’s not a bad situation to be in, until it comes time to fill that final spot with limited cash.

Melbourne look to be well-covered in the outside backs for now but after announcing that star winger Josh Addo-Carr will be granted a release on compassionate grounds at the end of 2020, an outside back or two would be a handy pick up.

Roosters’ Matt Ikuvalu is a player that fits the bill.

He can play on the wing or in the centres but he’s stuck behind the likes of Brett Morris, Daniel Tupou and Joseph Manu.

Of course since Latrell Mitchell signed with the Rabbitohs a spot in the centres has opened up but it’s expected the Roosters will go on the hunt for a replacement or will give 20-year-old Billy Smith a shot.

This leaves Ikuvalu lingering in Canterbury Cup with the proven ability to be in first grade.

He’s a powerful runner, a hard worker and most importantly cheap. A good buy.

Alternatively, there’s huge raps on development player Dean Ieremia. The 19-year-old plays fullback but could also play on the wing and would be a good upgrade as Sandor Earl ages.

If Melbourne want to aim higher, Raiders centre Joey Leilua is their man.

The Samoan international is battling it out with Curtis Scott for a starting centre spot and if Scott gets the nod ahead of him, Leilua’s value at the club could dry up quickly.

Knights

With 28 spots already filled and plenty of depth within that squad, the Knights are sitting pretty.

What they could benefit from though is a solid lock that’s still young enough to build a team around for the future. Someone like Nat Butcher.

The 22-year-old is a proven workhorse and although he’s secured a spot in the Roosters’ 17 he’s stuck behind Victor Radley if he wants that starting spot.

Nat Butcher could be a decent buy for the Knights Source: AAP

Cowboys

The Cowboys have filled 29 spots.

The biggest pick-up for the Cowboys for 2020 is Valentine Holmes which bolsters their squad significantly.

Former Wests Tigers centre Esan Marsters is another great signing for the club, as is sought after hooker Reece Robson who’s tipped to beat out Jake Granville as starting hooker.

Eels

The Eels have filled 27 of their 29 spots so far but that squad only has the one hooker – Reed Mahoney.

The club has a couple of hookers in the lower grades that could step up to the plate if given a contract but if coach Brad Arthur isn’t willing to take a risk on them he’ll need to find a back-up hooker.

Last year, the Eels opted for cheap and experience by bringing in Matt McIlwrick but he’s since retired. If they want to follow that path again Kurt Baptiste hasn’t been re-signed by the Cowboys and could fill that void for Parramatta.

In December the club announced the signing of halfback Brock Lamb on a development contract for 2020 and an NRL contract for 2021.

The most logical way to fill that final spot is to upgrade Lamb to an NRL contract for this year also.

Brock Lamb during his time with the Knights Source: AAP

Panthers

The Panthers have filled 29 spots.

The signing of hooker Apisai Koroisau is a huge get for the club after losing Sione Katoa to the Bulldogs and Wayde Egan to the Warriors.

Penrith have also done well to add Kurt Capewell and Zane Tetevano to their books for 2020.

Tetevano will particularly come in handy given Reagan Campbell-Gillard’s departure to the Eels.

Rabbitohs

The Rabbitohs have filled 29 spots.

The signing of superstar centre Latrell Mitchell has rounded out the Rabbitohs’ squad for the March 1 deadline, but things will likely still change.

Adam Doueihi has been told he can leave the club if he finds a deal elsewhere. It’s reported he is earning about $500,000 this year at South Sydney.

The Bunnies are also still hopeful of luring Jai Arrow to Sydney before Round 1, and if that happened would probably need to trade a player to the Titans.

Dragons

The Dragons have filled 27 of their 29 spots for this year.

The club promoted half Adam Clune to a development contract this year but the 24-year-old is worth of another promotion to the top squad.

They haven’t got a great deal of depth in the halves and Clune had a brilliant 2019 earning himself a spot in the Canterbury Cup Team of the Year.

The Dragons could also benefit from another winger on their books. If they need to go cheap, Rabbitohs winger Mawene Hiroti hasn’t been re-signed and he also landed a spot in the Canterbury Cup Team of the Year in 2019.

Roosters

Despite losing their premiership-winning centre Latrell Mitchell, the Roosters are in a desirable position.

They’ve got money to spend after Mitchell’s departure – and Cooper Cronk’s retirement – and have two more spots to fill before March 1.

The Tri-colours look to have around the $1 million mark to spend thanks to Mitchell and Cronk’s salaries. Contract upgrades for some players takes away from the amount but they’ve got plenty of cash to splash.

There’s plenty of speculation surrounding Sharks’ young gun Bronson Xerri and now that Mitchell has officially left the club the prospect of Xerri joining the Roosters is looking likely.

That still leaves one more spot.

Bronson Xerri of the Sharks makes a break Source: AAP

The Roosters could spend the leftover money on one really decent signing and then include a cheapie in their final Top 30.

Josh Addo-Carr springs to mind here. As mentioned earlier, he’ll be released by the Storm at the end of the season but if any club has the power to make that happen earlier it’s the Roosters.

If they opt to hang onto the cash, you can never have enough forwards and a big body with NRL experience could be an option.

Former Sea Eagle Lloyd Perrett is on a train and trial deal with the Broncos but is yet to sign a Top 30 deal. After losing size in Zane Tetevano, Perrett can at least bring that stature.

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Warriors

The Warriors have filled 29 spots.

The biggest loss for 2020 is Issac Luke but they’ve picked up former Panther Wayde Egan to fill that void, while also having Karl Lawton and Nathaniel Roache on their books.

Wests Tigers

The Tigers are in an interesting position.

They have three more spots to fill and after Latrell Mitchell knocked back their million-dollar offer, plenty of money to spend too.

Outside backs seem the obvious target for the Tigers. They lost Mitchell before they got him and Esan Marsters joined the Cowboys.

There’s also the chance that Moses Mbye could end up filling in at hooker – if Josh Reynolds’ body doesn’t hold up – while Jacob Liddle recovers from an ACL injury.

Although he’s been suggested for a couple of other clubs, Josh Addo-Carr could slot right in at the Tigers too.

And now Adam Doueihi has been told by South Sydney he’s free to look elsewhere.

Doueihi has previously spoken of his bond with Michael Maguire - who now coaches the Tigers - but is set to earn about $500,000 at South Sydney this season if he stays.

The Tigers could buy him as a full-time fullback.