NRL best buys of 2023: Who has been the greatest signing this year?

A reborn Dolphin, a surprise Bulldogs rookie and a host of superstar signings headline the candidates for the NRL’s buy of the year. But who has been the best? VOTE IN OUR POLL.

The NRL's best buys for 2023.

A “reborn” Jamayne Isaako has credited Wayne Bennett and abandoning the pressures of fullback for resurrecting his NRL career.

Isaako will celebrate his 100th NRL appearance in career-best form when the Dolphins host the Dragons at Kayo Stadium on Thursday night.

After being dumped to reserve grade by the Broncos and Titans last year, Isaako has rekindled his magic touch under Bennett at Redcliffe.

Nicknamed ‘The Ice Man’ for his clutch goalkicking, Isaako was crowned the NRL’s Dally M rookie-of-the-year in 2018 after scoring 11 tries in 25 games.

But he hit some turbulent times during the dramatic crash of the Broncos from 2019-21 and was eventually shown the door by Brisbane coach Kevin Walters last year.

Jamayne Isaako is thriving under Wayne Bennett’s coaching. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

A mid-season shift to the Titans failed to ignite Isaako, but he has burst back to life at Redcliffe to be one of the NRL’s top recruits for 2023.

Bennett praised Isaako’s career comeback and said he had been one of the expansion club’s top players this season after netting 10 tries in 11 games along with 40 goals from 51 attempts.

“It’s a bit hard to say who’s actually been our best, but he’s in our top three players every week,” Bennett said.

“I’m more proud of the way he’s come back. He was in a pretty bad place the last couple of years. The Jamayne we saw at 19 years’ of age, we haven’t seen for quite a long time.

“He was one of the first players I recruited when I came here because I knew that if we put him in the right environment he’d flourish in it and that’s what he’s done.

“He’s got the confidence back. He’s in a happy place and enjoying what he’s doing. We make it too hard sometimes for them and they don’t enjoy it and don’t play well.”

Isaako, 26, made his NRL debut on the wing for the Broncos before flirting with fullback, which was an unnatural position for the rugby convert.

Bennett resisted shifting Isaako to fullback to replace Queensland Origin selection Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, with Kodi Nikorima to wear the No. 1 against the Dragons.

“He’s been through the mincing machine and he wants to be a winger,” Bennett said.

“I generally ask players what’s their preferred position. I don’t want to put someone in a position they don’t want to play. That doesn’t work him or me.

“He said ‘coach, I want to play on the wing’ so that’s why I didn’t put him at fullback this week. He’s doing a great job for us.

“He just knows what he wants and where he can play his bet football. He knows where he’s happy.

“We put all those together and we see a reborn Jamayne Isaako.”

Isaako played five Tests for the Kiwis in 2018-19 and has recaptured that form in the Dolphins’ solid 6-5 start to the season.

He was critical of the coaching he received at the Broncos during his form slump and said he was a happier player at the Dolphins.

“The last time I was playing good football like this was 2018 when I was being coached by Wayne and now I’m being coached by him again,” Isaako said.

Isaako is one of the buys of the year. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

“I am playing decent football again and Wayne is a massive factor in that. Wayne put us through a tough pre-season and he holds you accountable. I hate letting Wayne down and I don’t like making errors because of what he drives.

“To be honest, a lot of the coaching at the time at the Broncos had an effect on how I was playing. I didn’t get too much confidence from some of the coaches I had there, but at the same time I’m the guy who goes out on the field and I wasn’t playing to the best of my ability.

“A lot of that had a flow-on effect from the way I was being coached. I didn’t want to leave the Broncos, but I knew I had to make a move to have a fresh start.

“Going to the Titans probably wasn’t the best move, but I’m really glad Wayne showed interest in me and that has enabled me to get my belief and confidence back.

“I had an honest chat with Wayne and I said ‘I’m not a fullback’. At the back, there is a lot of thinking and a lot of pressure to steer the team around.

“On the wing, it’s free flowing, I just have to catch high balls and score tries and that pressure release for myself helped.”

The Dolphins were slow out of the blocks in last week’s 24-16 loss to Melbourne and will be without the suspended Felise Kaufusi and Origin representatives Tom Gilbert and Tabuai-Fidow.

Bennett was recalled cult hero Valynce Te Whare to the Dolphins’ interchange in what will be his first NRL match since his two-try Magic Round debut.

BUY OF THE YEAR CONTENDERS

Reece Walsh (Broncos)

Seamlessly slipped into the Broncos’ system, claiming the fullback spot ahead of Selwyn Cobbo and Herbie Farnworth, before setting the competition alight and earning an Origin spot.

Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Dolphins)

Thrived in his switch to fullback since joining from North Queensland, earning an Origin call-up and helping the Dolphins to a strong start.

Jamayne Isaako (Dolphins)

Playing to his potential in a big way. Isaako is the competition’s leading pointscorer (120) who has 10 tries in 11 games, is a strong ball runner and enjoying a breakout season.

Reece Walsh is on fire for the Broncos.

Jeremy Marshall-King (Dolphins)

Has developed into one of the NRL’s elite hookers, averaging more than 40 tackles per game and proving a spark in attack. Refused to let the Bulldogs prioritising Reed Mahoney affect him.

Kieran Foran (Titans)

Veteran five-eighth who has added direction and class to the Titans, helping the likes of David Fifita reach their potential. Just look at Manly’s struggles without him.

Brandon Smith (Roosters)

Has shown some glimpses of his class but has been underwhelming since his move from Melbourne. Now out with a broken thumb.

Josh Hodgson (Eels)

Reed Mahoney’s replacement has had an inconsistent start to life as an Eel. He is starting to work into form following his recovery from a knee injury, building combinations with Mitchell Moses, Dylan Brown and Clint Gutherson.

Eels’ offloading machine, J'maine Hopgood.

J’maine Hopgood (Eels)

Couldn’t crack a start behind Isaah Yeo at Penrith, but has cemented himself as Parramatta’s first-choice lock, impressing with his offloading and work rate in a pack ravaged by injury.

Jacob Preston (Bulldogs)

Viliame Kikau was meant to be the star back-row signing. This former Roosters reserve grader has stormed onto the scene, earning a five-year deal and been earmarked as a future Canterbury captain.

Reed Mahoney (Bulldogs)

Has been a revelation since switching from Parramatta, taking his game to another level as he revels in the responsibility of leading the Bulldogs’ revival.

Apisai Koroisau (Tigers)

Slowly out of the blocks didn’t help the Tigers’ 0-7 start to the season, but he has really hit form the past few weeks as the Tigers have secured impressive wins and he beat Damien Cook to the Blues’ hooking spot.

John Bateman has been a Tigers revelation.

John Bateman (Tigers)

Playing like he never left Australia. A tackling machine who is also a danger on the Tigers’ edge with his hard-running style and offloads.

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (Warriors)

A great replacement for Reece Walsh. Consistently topping the Warriors’ run metres tally with his dangerous play from the back field.

Jackson Hastings (Knights)

Why did the Tigers let him go? Hastings continues to show out as a game manager, leading the Knights in Kalyn Ponga’s absence. Knights will be hoping to keep that combination on the paddock.

Eliesa Katoa (Storm)

The back-rower the potentially to do a repeat of when Isaiah Papali’i left the Warriors for Parramatta and has, so far, excelled. He’s been more than a solid replacement for the likes of Kenny Bromwich and Felise Kaufusi on the Storm’s edge.

Originally published as NRL best buys of 2023: Who has been the greatest signing this year?