NRL 2023 club-by-club season preview & best bets – Part 3

In part three of our in-depth preview for the 2023 NRL season, we look at the four teams that finished in the top half of the bottom eight last year: the Broncos, Dragons, Sea Eagles and Bulldogs.

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Brisbane Broncos

The spotlight will be on the Brisbane Broncos, as it has been every year since they arrived in 1988, but even more so this year following a calamitous 2022 in which the club imploded and missed the NRL finals in an almost inexplicable fashion.

Brisbane’s collapse was almost as big as the Wall Street crash of 1929.

Sitting pretty entering the back half of the season, the Broncos were cruising in fourth place heading into round 19.

But with their fans preparing for finals action, they dropped five of their last six games, barely giving a yelp as they limped out of 2022 embarrassed and humiliated.

They enter season 2023 with a lot of issues and questions to overcome but as a club determined to restore pride and a winning culture at Red Hill, which was Brisbane’s calling card on the way to winning six premierships.

Between 1992 and 2009, the Broncos played finals football for 18 consecutive seasons.

But the club has not been sighted in a grand final since its epic golden-point loss to the Cowboys in 2015, and while it would be a brave man to tip them to do so this year, the Broncos certainly have the talent to at least make the top eight.

From there, it all comes down to hunger, desire, and a slice of luck.

Ex-Storm boss and new Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy has had 12 months to take stock of his team.

It’s been a bumpy ride so far for the sports journalist turned administrator, with several off-field misdemeanours to deal with as well as a few unhappy players wanting to be released from the club.

It comes with the territory.

But unlike when he was based in an AFL city such as Melbourne, when something goes wrong at the Broncos, all hell can break loose.

Donaghy has enlisted highly respected former Brisbane and Queensland player, and ex-TV host, Ben Ikin to help with strategies and other front-office roles, leaving Kevin Walters to coach the side.

He has impressed with his tough words and warnings when fronting the media so far – but then again, he has been getting a lot of practice.

Donaghy needs to make sure he just doesn’t talk tough but that he stands by and backs up his words in 2023.

It is essential – not just for Brisbane, but any club – the front office works together and smoothly and allows Walters to do what he is paid to do, and that is coach.

It is unlikely we’ll see a repeat of young Selwyn Cobbo’s foolish “not a good coach” sledge that clearly embarrassed Walters and the club.

This could well be Walters’ last chance to show he can coach in the NRL after the crash of 2022.

Whether he could have done much more to prevent what happened is debatable.

However, the way Brisbane limped towards the end of the season with a couple of 50-point floggings sure gave his critics plenty of ammunition to fire at him.

To be fair to Walters, the players’ attitude was on the nose.

They would play hard for 10 or 15 minutes and then turn it up, and teams ran through their defence like a hot knife through butter.

That mentality has got to change in 2023, and it will be the job of Walters and his coaching staff to instil some starch and steel into the defence, which really comes down to every player investing himself.

Let’s look at the Broncos.

So much appears to rest on halfback Adam Reynolds remaining injury-free, which is a pretty big ask given his age and the fact he missed plenty of games last season.

But, if he can get through the season, Walters has a lot of talent at his disposal, including exciting young guns Reece Walsh and Ezra Mam.

With Billy Walters to get first crack at the No.9 jumper, the Broncos have an interesting spine around an exciting forward pack that will be led by State of Origin stars Patrick Carrigan, Payne Haas, and Kurt Capewell.

Walters will also have the very experienced, tough, and damaging Martin Taupau to inject off the bench this season after he was let go by Manly.

Taupau made his intentions known on the first day of training when he levelled Haas during a drill, forcing his new teammate to leave the field.

It’s hard not to like Brisbane’s backline, which includes exciting youngster Walsh, veteran winger Corey Oates, blockbusting centre Kotoni Staggs, England World Cup star Herbie Farnworth, and the brilliant young winger Selwyn Cobbo, who will be all the better for last year’s experience.

At the time of writing, powerful forward TC Robart’s future at the club was under review for a string of off-field incidents.

Last season, Brisbane conceded 550 points and their record at Suncorp was 7-5, a far cry from the days when Lang Park was a fortress.

The Broncos must improve those two stats dramatically if they are to avoid the disappointment of missing out on another finals campaign.

Playing roster: Reece Walsh, Corey Oates, Kotoni Staggs, Herbie Farnworth, Selwyn Cobbo, Ezra Mam, Adam Reynolds, Tom Flegler, Billy Walters, Payne Haas, Kurt Capewell, Jordan Riki, Patrick Carrigan, Cory Paix, Martin Taupau, Keenan Palasia, Corey Jensen, Jock Madden, Brendan Piakura, Blake Mozer, Deine Mariner, TC Robati, Delouise Hoeter, Ethan Quai-Ward, Jesse Arthars, Jordan Pereira, Logan Bayliss, Xavier Willison, Kobe Hetherington. Development players: Tyson Smoothy, Josh Rogers.

This is my table

St George Illawarra Dragons

It’s hard to get too excited at the St George Illawarra Dragons in 2023, and again it looks like coach Anthony Griffin is going to have to lean heavily on his No.7, Ben Hunt, to lead the team around the paddock.

Nothing much has changed at the Dragons, and they have a lot of issues to get over when they do take the field in round two against the Gold Coast at home after being awarded a bye in the opening round because of the arrival of expansion club Dolphins.

Hunt was sensational last year and was rewarded with selection for Queensland in Origin and Australia at the Rugby League World Cup as he continued to establish himself as one of the game’s best playmakers.

The Dragons’ season went pear-shaped after last year’s Origin series.

They were eyeing a finals berth until they dropped five of their six games between rounds 17 and 22 to miss the top eight by four points.

Griffin has recruited Jacob Liddle from the Wests Tigers to help boost his hooking stocks and has picked up a couple of handy forwards in Zane Musgrave and Ben Murdoch-Masila as well as Queensland Cup front-rower of the year Nick Lui-Toso.

He has some handy local talent that he will no doubt call upon at times, as he is a coach with a proven track record of giving players a chance if they show potential.

Jack Bird, who will be a vital cog for the Dragons this season because of his ability to play almost anywhere on the field, is being hampered by a knee injury and may not make the start of the season, although he has an extra week because of the bye.

Another utility, Jayden Sullivan, is being treated for a grade-two hamstring strain suffered in mid-January with a recovery period of up to six weeks.

Hard-running forward Francis Molo will not be sighted until round three as he serves the final two weeks of a four-week suspension incurred late in 2022.

But the major loss will be flash young fullback Cody Ramsey, who is being treated for ulcerative colitis.

No date has been penciled in for his comeback.

The retirement of the ever-reliable Andrew McCullough has left Griffin with a decision to make on who plays dummy half as Liddle is the only recognised hooker in his squad, although Moses Mbye can slot into the role if needed.

Griffin has another dilemma at five-eighth with Tatatau Amone having been stood down by the NRL under its Mandatory Stand Down Policy after he was charged with an offense by NSW police in January.

All-in-all it’s not the ideal start for Griffin, who has a few positional headaches to solve before the season kicks off.

Playing roster: Tyrell Sloan Mat Feagai, Moses Suli, Zac Lomax, Mikaele Ravalawa, Jayden Sullivan, Ben Hunt, Zane Musgrove, Jacob Liddle, Blake Lawrie, Jack Bird, Jaydn Su’A, Jack de Belin, Moses Mbye, Tyrell Fuimaono, Ben Murdoch-Masila, Aaron Woods, Talatau Amone (stood down), Billy Burns, Max Feagai, Jaiyden Hunt, Nick Lui-Toso, Tautau Moga, Francis Molo, Michael Molo, Cody Ramsey, Josh Kerr.

This is my table

Manly Sea Eagles

Season 2022 was a forgettable one for Manly Sea Eagles fans, as the club was plagued by injury and controversy which eventually saw them miss the NRL finals and subsequently sack club favourite Des Hasler in the washup.

Some may say the Sea Eagles have jumped from the frying pan into the fire by turning to Anthony Seibold as their saviour.

Seibold has been out of a coaching job since being punted by the Brisbane Broncos after they picked up their first-ever wooden spoon under his guidance in season 2020 with just three wins all year.

Whether Seibold is the right man to get Manly back on the path to the finals, time will tell.

But one thing seems certain: he will need superstar fullback Tom Trbojevic on the field a lot more than he has been for the past few seasons.

Trbojevic underwent shoulder surgery in the off-season and then fell victim to hamstring issues which forced the club to send him to the USA for specialist treatment.

Manly must put the dramas of last year behind them and focus on the action on the football field, which will be one of Seibold’s toughest challenges.

They look a bit thin in key areas and will have to blood the talented Josh Schuster in the No.6 jumper following the departure of Kiwi international Kieran Foran, who was a rock for the club.

Schuster is a very talented ball-player and ball-runner, but he is untried in such a key position at this level.

In his favour, though, will be playing outside Queensland and Australia halfback Daly Cherry-Evans, one of the game’s best organisers, which will help him make the transition needed to be an impact player.

Seibold doesn’t have a lot of options in the halves, although ex-Storm halfback prospect Cooper Johns is at the club on a train-and-trial arrangement and could sneak into the club’s top-30 list.

Manly have a few players coming back from major off-season surgeries, including ACT victims Jason Saab and Karl Lawton, with prolific point-scorer Reuben Garrick and Ben Trbojevic both requiring shoulder ops during the off-season but likely to be available for round one.

Dylan Walker (Warriors) and Martin Taupau (Broncos) are two players who will be missed this season, but no doubt Seibold will have factored in their departures to his 2023 plans.

Manly look strong enough in the forwards with Josh Aloiai, Taniela Paseka, Kelma Tuilagi, and Jake Trbojevic, while there is a lot of interest in young forward prospect Haumole Olakau’atu.

Cherry-Evans once described the 196cm, 112kg Togan international as “the scariest man in rugby league” – a reputation the backrower intends to live up to this season if he gets his chance.

Manly need a lot of things to go right for them to play finals football in 2023, but they have the ability to make the top eight if they get it to click and Tom Trbojevic gets through a season without a serious injury.

Playing roster: Tom Trbojevic, Reuben Garrick, Tolu Koula, Brad Parker, Christian Tuipulotu, Josh Schuster, Daly Cherry-Evans, Josh Aloiai, Lachlan Croker, Taniela Paseka, Haumole Olakau’atu, Kelma Tuilagi, Jake Trbojevic, Ben Trbojevic, Sean Keppie, Toafofoa Sipley, Ethan Bullemor, Morgan Boyle, Ben Condon, Morgan Harper, Alec Tuitavake, Karl Lawton, Jason Saab, Kaeo Weekes, Ray Vaega, Viliame Fifita, Zac Fulton.

This is my table

Canterbury Bulldogs

After six rounds last season, the Canterbury Bulldogs were last on the ladder – a position they occupied until round 15, when they handed the baton to the Titans with their fourth win of the season.

They doubled their points total in the last 10 rounds and were unlucky not to win a few more close games.

Trent Barrett started the season as coach and was replaced mid-year by Mick Potter.

Since then, they have undergone some major changes on and off the field under general manager Gus Gould and new head coach Cameron Ciraldo, who has been busy shoring up his new-look kennel.

A Bulldogs outfit with former Penrith destroyer Viliame Kikau running off new dummy half Reed Mahoney and halfback Kyle Flanagan will be a frightening prospect for opposition sides but a joy for Canterbury fans to watch.

Ciraldo has done a great job in filling his 30-man roster including giving the last spot to 33-year-old Bulldogs favourite Josh Reynolds, who has spent the past two seasons playing for Hull FC in the English Super League.

Reynolds played 138 NRL games for Canterbury until joining the Wests Tigers in 2018 and then heading to the UK.

Ciraldo has taken a punt on the passionate Reynolds as a backup for Flanagan at half, but he also has the very exciting Karl Oloapu – a kid who looks to have everything and could be a future NRL star.

Oloapu was in the Broncos’ system but demanded a release, claiming the club had failed to keep its word, and vowed never to play for them.

Parramatta pickup Hayze Perham is tipped to beat Jake Averillo to the starting fullback jumper after impressing the coaching staff since his arrival at the club.

With Matt Burton in the No.6 jumper and the flying Josh Addo-Carr hungry to continue his rich try-scoring form after starring for the Kangaroos at the World Cup, things are looking pretty good at Belmore.

Ciraldo has some outstanding young talent that is still untapped including 18-year-old centre Paul Alamoti and Jeral Skelton, a schoolboy rugby sensation.

Given the player acquisitions Ciraldo has made, it’s fair to say the Bulldogs could push for a return to finals football sooner rather than later.

Playing roster: Hayze Perham, Jacob Kiraz, Jake Averillo, Paul Alamoti, Josh Addo-Carr, Matt Burton, Kyle Flanagan, Luke Thompson, Reed Mahoney, Ryan Sutton, Raymond Faitala-Mariner, Viliame Kikau, Max King, Fa’amanu Brown, Jackson Topine, Tevita Pangai Junior, Corey Waddell, Josh Reynolds, Braidon Burns, Andrew Davey, Bailey Biondi-Odo, Declan Casey, Brandon Clarke, Karl Oloapu, Samuel Hughes, Jayden Okunbor, Chris Patolo, Franklin Pele, Jacob Preston, Jeral Skelton, Iverson Matai. Development players: Isaac Matalavea-Booth, Joseph O’Neill, Jordan Samrani.

This is my table

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