The NRL season is right at our doorstep and the competition has never been as wide 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 Viliame Kikau.
The Sydney Roosters are fit and firing with new addition Brandon Smith in the engine room while the Parramatta Eels will be hungry after falling agonisingly short in 2022.
Father and son duo Ivan and Nathan Cleary will be hard to stop with the Panthers again in 2023
The North Queensland Cowboys and Cronulla Sharks will be wanting to take their breakout 2022 seasons to another level.
And plenty of teams in the chasing pack have improved their squads for what promises to be a blockbuster season that kicks off on Thursday night.
Daily Mail Australia took the time to ask some of the biggest stars in the game for their predictions on who is going to rise to the top – and who is going to sink – in the 2023 NRL season:
Billy Slater celebrates victory with his family after game three of the State of Origin series in 2022
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 take Melbourne out of it because I’ve got a loyalty to Melbourne. I think there’s two teams that can jump out of the pack and that’s the Roosters and the Cowboys. They are the two teams that will be I will be excited to see how they can go, because I think they can really elevate their game and take it to the next level.’
Haumole Olakau’atu of the Sea Eagles is tackled during the NRL Trial Match between the Sydney Roosters and the Manly Sea Eagles at Central Coast Stadium
Biggest improver:
‘I think Manly can improve, I really do. I think Manly can have a good year.’
Wooden spoon:
‘I am a glass half full person, no wooden spoon for me.’
Dally M
‘I haven’t really thought about this a whole heap. Off the top of my head I think [Cronulla Sharks half] Nicho Hynes can do it again, I just think he is a player that is always in the game, he’s in a really good team and I think they will play some consistent footy.
Maroons assistant coach Johnathan Thurston shouts to Maroons players during game one of the 2022 State of Origin series
Johnathan 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. I need to see how the young boys back up from last year and they will be on everyone’s radar. But if they can keep everyone fit then I think they can get the job done. We’ve seen the emergence of a lot of those young boys last year and they can go up to another level this year. They will certainly find out in the first few 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
Biggest improver:
‘The Titans with Keiran Foran there, they needed an experienced head getting their boys around and they can score tries from anywhere. They have a tough forward pack. The Wests Tigers as well, if they can get all their players fit they can climb up the ladder. Also the Dolphins. If I have to say one I would probably say the Wests Tigers. They’ve got the Tiger DNA there with Sheensy and Benji Marshall, Robbie (Farah) has been there a while.’
Wooden spoon:
‘The Warriors. They just haven’t really kicked on, new coaching staff there as well. I want them to go well, it’s a good competition when the Warriors are playing well, but I think it will 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 that is well hidden. I am thinking the Sharks and the Cowboys … and I think the Cowboys can win.
David Fifita of the Titans is wrapped up by the defence during the NRL Trial Match between the Brisbane Broncos and Gold Coast Titans
Biggest improver:
‘I am interested to see how the Broncos go. I mean, the first half of their season was terrific last year and then for whatever reason they sort of capitulated. If they can get off to a good start and get a bit of confidence, they’ve got the playing talent to make the eight. I’ll say the Broncos to play finals footy.’
Wooden spoon:
‘I never make wooden spoon predictions.’
Dally M:
‘Nicho Hynes. I think the Sharks are going to have a good year and if they do, he’s going to have to do it. I think it gave him a lot of confidence running the team last year and he’ll go even better this year.’
Paul ‘Fatty’ Vautin believes the North Queensland Cowboys have what it takes to go all the way in 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 got dudded last year and look, they might have troubled Penrith. I still think Penrith might have been too good, but Penrith are missing a few players [in 2023] and the Cowboys look very strong. The coach obviously goes very good. They had a watershed moment 18 months ago where they either weren’t listening to what he was saying, or what he was doing was too demanding. They seem to have sorted it out and they are right behind him now. So I think they are a great chance to win.
Murray Taulagi of the Cowboys dives for the line while being tackled by Deine Mariner of the Broncos
Biggest improver:
‘I think it will be the Wests Tigers. I have actually spoken to someone who works as a trainer at the Tigers and he said Benji has revolutionised what they are doing. Not the way they are playing, but just everyone’s attitude. He is a winner and he has been great with the old bloke Sheensy in the background. So Wests Tigers – and Canterbury, mainly because they’ve got Gus. If he could run on and play, they would be even better.’
Wooden spoon:
‘Knights or Dragons.’
Dally M:
‘It’s so hard to go past Nathan Cleary because he’s normally in the top two or three players every week. So I’ve got to say him again.’
Millie Boyle of the Knights runs the ball during the NRLW Grand Final match between Newcastle Knights and Parramatta Eels at Accor Stadium
Millie Boyle
Newcastle Knights co-captain
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 too strong in the pre-season, although the pre-season doesn’t mean too much at the end of the day. It’s hard to not say Newcastle because my Adam (Elliot) plays for Newcastle. Newcastle then.
Ponga will need to be fit and firing for the Knights if they are going to be successful in 2023
Biggest improver:
I think most improved will be Newcastle and probably Manly actually as well. I don’t think they played to their potential last year and under a new coach, we’ve seen some good things from the pre-season challenge.
I think Newcastle has definitely got the players there, they have got some amazing players, spine players, middle players, they’ve got great finishers as well. it is about really coming together and playing as many games with their top 17 as they can. They have had a lot of injuries in the past including key players. Their captains Kalyn Ponga, Jayden Brailey, they have had changes in their team quite often. Now with a bit more mongrel in the pack with Adam and Jack Hetherington I think they will really add a lot to an already (pack) with the Saifiti brothers. I am hoping they have an injury-free year.
Wooden spoon:
Not the Newcastle Knights
Dally M:
I might go Jason Taumalolo
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