The NRL season is right on our doorstep and the competition has never been so open.
While the Penrith Panthers have gone back-to-back to become just the second team to achieve the feat in the NRL era, they have lost some key players including Api Koroisau and William Kikau.
The Sydney Roosters are in form and firing with new addition Brandon Smith in the engine room, while the Parramatta Eels will be hungry after falling painfully short in 2022.
Father and son duo Ivan and Nathan Cleary will be hard to stop again with the Panthers in 2023
The North Queensland Cowboys and Cronulla Sharks will be looking to take their 2022 seasons to another level.
And many teams in the chase have improved their squads for what promises to be a successful season which starts on Thursday night.
Daily Mail Australia took the time to ask some of the game’s biggest stars for their predictions on who will rise to the top – and who will sink – in the 2023 NRL season:
Billy Slater celebrates victory with his family after game three of the 2022 State of Origin series
Billy Slater
Queensland State of Origin Coach
323 NRL games for Melbourne Storm, 31 games for Queensland, 30 games for Australia
Premiership Winner:
“Let’s get Melbourne out of it because I have faith in Melbourne. I think there are two teams that can jump out of the group and that is the Roosters and the Cowboys. It’s the two teams that are going to be I’m going to be excited to see how they go because I think they can really raise their game and take it to the next level.’
Sea Eagles’ Haumole Olakau’atu is tackled during the NRL trial match between the Sydney Roosters and the Manly Sea Eagles at Central Coast Stadium
The biggest improver:
“I think Manly can improve, I really do. I think Manly can have a good year.’
Wooden spoon:
“I’m a glass half full person, there’s no wooden spoon for me.”
Dally M
“I really haven’t thought about it all that much. Off the top of my head I think [Cronulla Sharks half] Nicho Hynes can do it again, I just think he’s a player who’s always in the game, he’s in a very good team and I think they’ll play solid footy.
Maroons assistant coach Johnathan Thurston shouts at the Maroons players during a game from the 2022 State of Origin series
Jonathan Thurston
Queensland State of Origin Assistant Coach
323 NRL games for Canterbury Bulldogs and North Queensland Cowboys, 37 games for Queensland, 38 games for Australia
Premiership Winner:
“The Cowboys. Gotta see how the young guys bounce back from last year and will be on everyone’s radar. But if they can keep everyone fit then I think they can do the job. We saw the emergence of many of these young boys last year and they can rise to another level this year. They will certainly find out in the early rounds where they stand in the competition. I’m excited for them, it should be good.’
Assistant coach Benji Marshall looks on ahead of the NRL trial match between New Zealand Warriors and Wests Tigers
The biggest improver:
“The Titans with Keiran Foran there, they needed an experienced head to take their boys and be able to score from anywhere. They have a tough front pack. Wests Tigers too, if they can get all the players fit, they can climb the ladder. Also the Dolphins. If I have to say one, I’d probably say Wests Tigers. They’ve got Tiger’s DNA in there with Sheensy and Benji Marshall, Robbie (Farah) has been there for a while.”
Wooden spoon:
The warriors. They just haven’t really started, new coaching staff as well. I want them to do well, it’s a good game when the Warriors play well, but I think it’s going to be a tough year for them.”
Dally M:
Scott Drinkwater
Phil ‘Gus’ Gould at the launch of Channel Nine’s 2023 NRL coverage in Brisbane on Friday
Phil Gould
General Manager of Football for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
103 first grade games for Penrith Panthers, Newtown Jets, Canterbury Bulldogs and South Sydney. 287 as first grade coach at Canterbury, Penrith and Sydney City. 15 games as coach for New South Wales and nine games for New South Wales in State of Origin.
Premiership:
“I think this is well hidden. I think the Sharks and the Cowboys… and I think the Cowboys can win.
Titans’ David Fifita is tackled by the defense during the NRL trial match between the Brisbane Broncos and the Gold Coast Titans
The biggest improver:
“I’m interested to see how the Broncos go. I mean, the first half of their season was amazing last year and then for whatever reason they capitulated. If they can get off to a good start and gain some confidence, they have the playing talent to make the top eight. I’ll say the Broncos will play finals footy.’
Wooden spoon:
“I never make predictions about wooden spoons.”
Dally M:
“Nicho Hines. I think the Sharks are going to have a good year and if they do, he should. I think it gave him a lot of confidence to lead the team last year and he will do even better this year.’
Paul ‘Fatty’ Vautin believes the North Queensland Cowboys have what it takes to make it to 2023
Paul Vautin
Channel Nine Commentator
259 first grade games for Manly-Warringah, St Helens and Eastern Suburbs, 22 games for Queensland, 13 games for Australia. Nine games as Queensland Origin coach
Premiership:
“The Cowboys went wild last year and look, they might have troubled Penrith. I still think Penrith could have been really good but Penrith are missing a few players [in 2023] and the Cowboys look very strong. The coach is obviously doing very well. They had a turning point 18 months ago where either they weren’t listening to what he was saying or what he was doing was too demanding. They seem to have sorted it out and are right behind him now. So I think they have a great chance to win.
Cowboys’ Murray Taulagi dives for the line while being tackled by Broncos’ Deine Mariner
The biggest improver:
“I think it will be Wests Tigers. I actually spoke to someone who works as a trainer for the Tigers and he said that Benji has revolutionized what they do. Not the way they play, but everyone’s attitude. He is a winner and was great with old man Sheensy in the background. So Wests Tigers – and Canterbury, mainly because they have Gus. If he could run and play, it would be even better.’
Wooden spoon:
“Knights or Dragons.”
Dally M:
“It’s so hard to beat Nathan Cleary because he’s usually in the top two or three players every week. So I have to tell him again.”
Millie Boyle of the Knights runs the ball during the NRLW Grand Final match between the Newcastle Knights and the Parramatta Eels at Accor Stadium
Millie Boyle
co-captain of Newcastle Knights
20 NRLW games for Brisbane Broncos and Newcastle Knights. Three games for New South Wales and one game for Australia. Six games for Queensland Reds (rugby union)
Premiership:
“It’s hard to say, Penrith is the obvious one after watching a few players go to other teams and they weren’t very strong in pre-season, although pre-season doesn’t mean much at the end of the day. . It’s hard not to say Newcastle because Adam (Elliott) plays for me in Newcastle. Newcastle then.
Ponga will need to be fit and firing for the Knights if they are to be successful in 2023
The biggest improver:
I think the most improved will be Newcastle and probably Manly as well. I don’t think they played to their potential last year and with a new manager, we saw some good things from the pre-season challenge.
I think Newcastle have definitely got the players there, they’ve got some amazing players, backbone players, midfielders, they’ve got great finishers too. it’s about them really coming together and playing as many games as they can with their top 17. They have had many injuries in the past, including to key players. Kalyn Ponga captains Jayden Brailey have had changes in their team quite often. Now with a bit more complexity in the package with Adam and Jack Hetherington I think they will really add a lot to an already (package) with the Saifiti brothers. I hope they have an injury free year.
Wooden spoon:
Not the Newcastle Knights
Dally M:
I might go Jason Taumalolo