I can’t see the Maitland Pickers and Kurri Kurri Bulldogs missing the semi-finals this year.

Summer pursuits such as cricket, tennis, golf, athletics and lawn bowls may be ­dominating the sporting headlines at the moment, but it won’t be long until rugby league reappears on the menu.

It’s only next weekend that the Auckland Nines come around, followed by trials and the NRL season proper in March.

Closer to home, the 2015 Newcastle Rugby League competition kicks off after Easter and, if pre-season recruiting says anything, both the Pickers and Bulldogs are trying to make a go of it.

The Pickers have picked up a pair of Kiwis, New Zealand Warriors NSW Cup captain Steve Waetford and Zebastian Luisi, as well as Manly Sea Eagles NSW Cup prop Ron Alovili.

This gives 2010 premiership-winning coach Noel Dent options in the halves and size up front to sit alongside the likes of versatile utility Billy Towers, fullback Tyme Dow-Nikau and forward Howie Grant.

It is the core of a squad looking to improve upon a disappointing sixth-placed finish for a second straight season.

And out at Kurri Kurri, there has been some definite movement at the station. 

Bulldogs coach Phil Williams has been busy building a squad with depth after a raft of injuries cruelled any chances of consecutive grand final appearances.

The side will be shaped around Kurri ­junior Terence Seu Seu after the former NRL hooker decided to return home after short stints at Coalfields rivals Maitland and Cessnock.

Other fresh faces in the forwards include South Coast prop Brock Gilmour, Maitland front-rower Damon Bard and Greta Branxton second-rower Brady Hammond.

In the backs, Queensland Cup duo Theeran Pearson and Tommy McKenzie return to the Hunter, while former Penrith Panthers player Ryan Walker adds another attacking dimension. 

The likes of Luke Mercer, who returns to Kurri after a few years with East Maitland, adds another layer to the existing group, including skipper Daniel Abraham, Ben Wyborn and Mitch Cullen. 

With the player movements of other clubs relatively unknown, outside Lakes being bolstered by Chris Adams, Brad Murray and Jake Finn, one thing is for sure ... Maitland and Kurri will be pushing for the top five.