NRL 2023: The players under pressure at every club to stand up this season
The Roosters raised eyebrows when they released Daniel Suluka-Fifita to bitter rivals rivals South Sydney last season. Can he lead the Rabbitohs’ pack in 2023? Can these stars release the pressure gauge?
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It could be an established superstar, a free agent on the move, a squad member attempting to fill the place of a departed gun or a rising talent with all the potential in the world. Every NRL club has someone under pressure to take the next step in their career this year.
They’ve all gone into pre-season with something to prove and for these players, their performances this season could be the difference between a great year or a forgettable one.
RABBITOHS
Daniel Suluka-Fifita
While it’s been three years since Daniel Suluka-Fifita made his long-anticipated NRL debut armed with the reputation as a genuine hit man, he has yet to fully make his mark. Eyebrows were raised when the Roosters had no qualms sending him to bitter rivals South Sydney last season, where he played 12 games, mostly off the bench. His best work was done later in the year, when he cracked the 100-metre barrier three times in the space of a month, starting two games, and flashing the kind of all-round performances that show he’s ready to make the next step as a starting front-rower.
– Matt Encarnacion
BRONCOS
Ezra Mam
The Broncos five-eighth underlined why he is a special talent by being crowned Brisbane’s rookie of the year following an impressive 2022 campaign. Handed his debut at 19, Mam looked comfortable in the NRL from the outset, scoring six tries from 13 games. Not only does he possess lethal footwork, but he is defensively brave for a playmaker and not afraid to put his body on the line. The Indigenous ace will get first crack at the No.6 jumper and if he fires for the entire season, the Broncos will be well-placed to play finals football.
– Peter Badel
BULLDOGS
Jacob Kiraz
Canterbury’s 2022 Rookie of the Year is on a trajectory that should have every Dogs fan excited. In his rookie season, Kiraz scored six tries in 14 games on the wing after playing one game, in his debut, at centre.
The local junior finished the year with the invaluable experience of playing fullback for Lebanon in a quarter-final clash against Australia. The 20-year old has since made no secret that he wants to be wearing the Dogs No.1 in the future. Kiraz faces competition from 2022 fullback Jake Averillo and new recruit Hayze Perham for the jersey, but should the young talent continue to apply pressure through his performances, he could ultimately halt the Dogs powerbrokers from making a big-money play for a fullback.
Kiraz is contracted to the Dogs until 2024, but should he further his footy in 2023, watch for the Dogs to try and take him off the market and extend his future at Belmore.
– David Riccio
COWBOYS
Tom Dearden
Dearden has only scratched the surface of his talent. The 21-year-old endured two turbulent years at the Broncos but his move to North Queensland has helped Dearden rebuild his game and confidence. In 2022, Payten’s faith in Dearden was vindicated as the Broncos discard flourished as Chad Townsend’s halves partner and was rewarded with his Queensland Origin debut. Dearden brained the Blues to inspire the Maroons’ win in the Suncorp decider and will be a key man in the Cowboys’ premiership assault.
– Peter Badel
DOLPHINS
The entire squad
All eyes will be on the Dolphins next year for a number of reasons. Have their experienced signings like the Bromwich brothers and Felise Kaufusi still got more life left in them or have the Dolphins become a retirement home?
Can Anthony Milford rediscover his best form under old coach Wayne Bennett? Will the fringe first graders like Brenko Lee and Robert Jennings blossom into NRL regulars, or has the Dolphins’ strategy backfired? Which of the Dolphins’ boom youngsters will become an NRL rising star? There are plenty of potentials for the Dolphins and it’s up to Bennett to get the best out of his squad.
If the Dolphins don’t rise to the challenge and improve across the park, it could be a long year.
– Travis Meyn
DRAGONS
Tyrell Sloan
Let’s put it this way, if Tyrell Sloan doesn’t have a big 2023 then neither will the Dragons. Most of the good judges have been saying for some time Sloan is a superstar in the making, and now gets his chance to prove it following Cody Ramsey being ruled out for the entire season through an illness called ulcerative colitis, which causes inflammation and ulcers on the bowel and digestive tract that requires long-term treatment.
Complicating matters is revelations Ramsey spent weeks in hospital during pre-season training in late 2022 battling an illness called ulcerative colitis, which causes inflammation and ulcers on the bowel and digestive tract that may require surgery and long-term treatment.
The fact Wayne Bennett was doing all he could to get Sloan to the Dolphins tells you all you need to know about his potential.
But for some reason Sloan was left out in the cold for the majority of 2022, and in the end the only reason he didn’t follow Bennett to the Dolphins was because the club wouldn’t give him a release.
There’s no question he has some defensive deficiencies but you just can’t ignore Sloan looks to be one of those special players that you can build a club around if you keep him happy.
Whatever was going on between him and the coach this past season needs to be resolved otherwise Sloan will only end up chasing another release come November 1 when he officially becomes a free agent.
And don’t worry, that is already being spoken about.
– Paul Crawley
EELS
J’maine Hopgood
You could make a case for any number of Parramatta youngsters expected to go to the next level in 2023.
But perhaps the most anticipated storyline surrounds a former Panther J’maine Hopgood.
A young lock who was stuck behind Isaah Yeo at the foot of the mountains, Hopgood made the tough decision to move to his former club’s arch rivals in search of a regular NRL spot.
But what was really interesting was seeing how the Panthers players and even the coaching staff reacted to his exit.
There was absolutely no animosity, but rather teammates and Ivan Cleary could not have spoken more highly of Hopgood’s talents and character.
So far he has managed nine NRL appearances at the Panthers but expect the former Hervey Bay junior to become an NRL regular at the Eels in 2023.
Hopgood was man of the match in the State Cup grand final and then backed that up as best on ground in the State Championship win over Norths Devils on grand final day.
In that game he scored two tries while running for 168m with 44 tackles. Those are some pretty impressive numbers.
– Paul Crawley
KNIGHTS
Bradman Best
Best is a prodigious talent; a player with power and guile. But some at Newcastle don’t believe he has progressed as quickly as many thought. He is an exceptional player, no doubt, but there was a feeling he would be an Origin player by now. He has been forced to overcome several injuries which have hindered his progress.
With Kalyn Ponga’s move from fullback into the halves, the Knights’ backline comes with an air of the unpredictability about it. This is a big season for Best. He needs to take that next step into rugby league’s true elite class. He is certainly good enough, big enough and strong enough.
– Dean Ritchie
PANTHERS
Mitch Kenny
Hooker Api Koroisau’s departure leaves a huge dent in Penrith’s well-established spine. But his defection to Wests Tigers will allow Mitch Kenny, who has played a utility role, to finally make a permanent claim to the No.9 jumper.
Kenny’s move into the starting hooker spot has already been endorsed by Koroisau, who praised the 24-year-old’s toughness in the middle of the field.
But Kenny’s promotion into the No.9 jumper is not a foregone conclusion. Soni Luke is also an option. Kenny has NRL experience on his side but Luke has shades of Koroisau in his game – crafty and wily from dummy half. He’ll push Kenny in pre-season for a chance to start.
It’s likely a hooking combination will be similar to what Penrith used in the finals series: Kenny starting the game to do the heavy lifting and help soften opponents and then Luke injected into play when the game opens up.
– Fatima Kdouh
RAIDERS
Xavier Savage
The Raiders have shown a commitment to Xavier Savage, who has given glimpses of how dynamic he can be with the football. Savage has the potential to be a consistent game breaker. It is about finding that regularly. If he does he could turn the Raiders into a genuine premiership threat.
He started last season on the wing behind Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, but his form proved too strong to deny.
The Raiders let go fan favourite Nicoll-Klokstad to bank on Savage being the club’s long-term fullback. He scored three tries in his final four games as started to look more comfortable in the role.
He topped 200 running metres in three consecutive occasions when he started for the first time at fullback between rounds 12-14, but would only break the 200m barrier just twice for the rest of the year.
At times the rigours of week in week out NRL looked to take its toll. Another good off-season will put him in good stead to find that consistency.
– Michael Carayannis
ROOSTERS
Sam Walker
Walker is the player the Roosters really need to go to the next level in 2023 if they are going to be a genuine threat to win the comp. You look at teams like grand finalists Penrith and Parramatta and it is the No.7s Nathan Cleary and Mitchell Moses who own the show every week.
Regardless of whether it is Luke Keary or Joey Manu who ends up wearing the No 6 jumper at the Roosters, the club has made it clear Walker will be wearing the No.7 jumper for as long as he wants it.
Even though he is still only 20, Walker now has 47 NRL games behind him which makes him a rookie no more. The responsibility of playing halfback at any club comes with immense expectation. But at a club like the Roosters it is even more so, especially when you arrive with the raps Walker did.
– Paul Crawley
SEA EAGLES
Josh Schuster
No doubt it is five-eighth Josh Schuster. A player with rare and high-level skills, Schuster has not quite come along as quickly as many thought but is ready for a breakout season.
He was selected in the back-row under coach Des Hasler but with Kieran Foran now at Gold Coast, new coach Anthony Seibold will give Schuster first crack at five-eighth.
Bulked up significantly in recent but has trimmed down significantly during the off-season under Seibold. The key question is whether Seibold will tame and temper Schuster’s flamboyant style?
– Dean Ritchie
SHARKS
Kade Dykes
The young fullback/five-eighth/centre earned a taste of NRL in 2022 with two appearances, including his first NRL try. He’ll benefit greatly from another NRL pre-season and providing he stays healthy, he’ll be putting pressure on fullback Will Kennedy each week.
Jesse Colquhoun
The Wollongong forward is making waves with his elite-level workrate and willingness to get down and dirty.
Good judges in the Shire have described him as a similar player to Roosters mainstay Nat Butcher. Colquhoun played three games off the bench in 2022, but without Andrew Fifita and Aiden Tolman in his path, expect the 20-year-old to feature heavily in 2023.
– David Riccio
STORM
Cameron Munster
The departures of Kaufusi and Jesse Bromwich not only leave a hole in terms of experience but a leadership vacuum. Very quickly Munster becomes the most senior and experienced player in an outfit that is going through a state of flux both on and off the field.
Munster has shown he is willing to do what it takes to get his life back on track, after swearing off the booze to stay on the straight and narrow. That’s the kind of commitment, and sacrifice, that sets an example for the rest of the team to follow.Munster will have to tap into those qualities, and other leadership qualities more than ever now, starting in 2023.
– Fatima Kdouh
TIGERS
Tommy Talau
Fully fit, the 22-year-old has a round one starting spot in his sights. Ken Maumalo is in our best 17 but his defensive efforts and reads, particularly in the back end of the season, were not up to standard putting his place in jeopardy. It’s a chance for Talau to force a shake-up in the outside backs. Talau was supposed to be the antidote to the crushing blow of losing fullback James Tedesco, according to Benji Marshall. The early signs were good, skilful and capable of finding the tryline, he scored 19 tries in 35 games. But an ACL injury meant he didn’t play a single game in 2022.
Daine Laurie
Laurie has to find another gear if he is going to ward off new recruit Charlie Staines, who is also gunning for the no.1 jumper. For Laurie, it’s the difference between starting every week at fullback or fighting for a spot on the bench as a utility. He’s a natural footballer and has played at five-eighth but Adam Doueihi is the better option there. Though, the Tigers are skinny in the halves and Laurie will inevitably provide cover there over the season. It’s less of a do or die scenario for Staines, who will take up his place on the edge if he doesn’t win the race to the fullback spot in round one.
– Fatima Kdouh
TITANS
AJ Brimson/Jayden Campbell/Toby Sexton
Next year is going to be a crucial season for a number of Titans players and will determine whether they can be NRL superstars or just average first graders.
After an explosive start to his NRL career, AJ Brimson has stagnated and must decide whether he wants to dominate the game or be an also-ran. Brimson has all the tools to be one of the NRL’s most dangerous players but has lacked consistency.
Fullback Jayden Campbell burst on to the scene in 2021 but fell away badly last season. Campbell’s lack of size and strength was exposed by opposition defences in an average second season. He has the talent to be an NRL force but needs to become more threatening.
Halfback Toby Sexton had a second season to forget as he crumbled under the pressure and expectation placed on him. Sexton is a talented player that needs to be better managed, which Foran could help with.
The Titans have a lot of promising players, but have lacked the culture and attitude to dominate the NRL. It’s now or never for many of them and the club in general.
– Travis Meyn
WARRIORS
Luke Metcalf
Big things are expected of Luke Metcalf, who was thought of so highly by the Warriors that they offered him a two-year deal over a year before joining the club. The 23-year-old playmaker is supremely gifted in attack, racking up 14 tries, 30 goals, six try assists and 10 line break assists in just 13 games for Newtown in the NSW Cup last season. His 14 tries took his overall tally to an impressive 77 in 102 games, making him the ideal cornerstone player to take over from Shaun Johnson as the future of the club.
– Matt Encarnacion
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