The NRL is almost back and there’s been plenty to talk about this summer ahead of the season opener on March 2.
The Dolphins finally enter the competition after a turbulent 16-month recruitment drive that didn’t see coach Wayne Bennett land a single million-dollar man.
Canterbury’s rebuild is well and truly underway, while prodigal sons Tim Sheens and Benji Marshall have returned to the Wests Tigers.
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Round 1
WILL THE DOLPHINS MAKE A SPLASH? The Dolphins unveiled the legendary Wayne Bennett as their coach in October 2021 to plenty of fanfare – but things haven’t exactly gone to plan. Time and again over the past 16 months Bennett has been strung along by star players only for them to re-sign at the current club. The biggest blow came when playmaker Cameron Munster turned down an extra $1.6 million over four years to stay in Melbourne. Bennett still poached several Storm stars, including the Bromwich brothers and Felise Kaufusi, but missed his big fish. “It’s going to be a long year for the Dolphins,” Parker said. Niu opens up on Dolphins move | 01:33 “I look at the Dolphins and yeah they’ve got a decent forward pack. Not too bad, they’ve got some experience there but the guys that have experience it would be fair to say their best football is behind them. “I’m talking about Jesse Bromwich, who is terrific, Kenny Bromwich and Felise Kaufusi are also in that mould. Their leadership will certainly be needed, particularly with such a young group, but there’s no doubt his best footy is behind them. “Then (Jeremy) Marshall-King, take nothing away from Marshall King at No. 9, who was terrific last year (for the Bulldogs), a bit of a breakout season for himself. But is Marshall-King in the top hookers in the game? Probably not. MORE NRL NEWS ‘MASSIVE DEFICIENCY’: Broncos great who saw 2022 collapse coming issues warning ‘HE WAS SHOCKED’: Wayne meeting and special bond behind Dolphins’ big swoop HE’S BACK: Sea Eagles hit back at ‘Turbo’ claims as star fullback eyes Round 1 return TRANSFER CENTRE: Knights confirm Ponga’s No.1 replacement; Eels re-sign Penisini “So you start going through it like that. You go to their spine and (Anthony) Milford’s No. 6 and (Sean) O’Sullivan’s No. 7 and then Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow at fullback. “So just purely based on that it’s a hard argument to say that they’re going to rival many teams now. No one expects them to rival any top teams but I really think it’s going to be a long year for the Dolphins.” Parker believes it’s going to be extremely difficult for Bennett’s Dolphins to avoid the wooden spoon. Klemmer looking to lead Tigers revival | 02:30 “In 2021, the Bulldogs got a wooden spoon and they won three games. In 2022, the Tigers got the wooden spoon and they won four games, so you’d think whoever’s going to avoid get the wooden spoon in 2023 would have to win at least five games and probably six or seven. “If that’s the case, who do the Dolphins beat to get their seven wins? Taking nothing away from them, I’m just looking at X’s and O’s there. “I’ve got a huge amount of respect for Wayne. He obviously gave me an opportunity and coached me for a decade. So I know Wayne very well but the one thing I also know if you haven’t got the best roster or depth in your roster, it makes it very, very difficult.” CAN SHEENS AND BENJI WIND BACK THE CLOCK? The Wests Tigers were completely rudderless after sacking Michael Maguire halfway through last year in what proved a sorry saga for all involved. They threw the kitchen sink at Cameron Ciraldo, only for the then-Panthers assistant to politely knock back their lucrative five-year offer. Just when all looked lost for the club, they turned to the man that oversaw their last finals campaign in 2011 – Tim Sheens. Sheens had returned to the club six months earlier in a management position and then out of nowhere the Tigers appointed him coach. The walk down memory lane didn’t stop there, with the board determined to get the band back together they named Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah his assistant. MORE NRL NEWS OFF-SEASON CENTRAL: Broncos respond after star’s injury prank EELS BLOW: Matterson to miss three games after failed bid to overturn ban ‘OUT OF THE GAME FOREVER’: The brutal truth behind stars’ stand against NRL ‘200 PASSES EVERY DAY’: Inside the Tigers’ ‘attacking’ revolution… and Benji factor ‘SERIOUS QUESTIONS’: Issues over Dragons’ top 30 arise as Griffin takes a stand There’s excitement building around Concord that Marshall will be able to resurrect halfback Luke Brooks whose form has dipped in recent years. They also recruited England superstar John Bateman for his second stint in the NRL and legendary hooker Farah will work in tandem with star signing Api Koroisau. “They’ve got Api Korisau – super talented – arguably the best hooker in the competition alongside Harry Grant, he’ll make a huge difference,” Parker said. “Now the other big difference I like is (Isaiah) Papali’i, now he’s a no frills, trains hard, has a tremendous attitude to his craft and that will rub off on these younger players. Brooks hoping to reunite with Moses | 02:36 “Bateman is another one of those guys who takes no shit, he’ll pull guys up at training for not doing the one percenters. “They’ll be a better team just by Korisau being there, the pressure that he’ll take off Brooks. “Brooks has been there 10 years and has never ever tasted finals and he’s getting paid an enormous amount of money, so Korisau is a huge acquisition for that club. “On the back of that, there’s young talent coming through, so there will be plenty of eyeballs on the Tigers, particularly with Benji and Sheensy and Robbie Farah being back.” WILL ANOTHER PRODIGAL SON RETURN TO TIGER TOWN? James Tedesco, Mitchell Moses and Luke Brooks all made their NRL debuts at the Tigers between 2012 and 2014. Tedesco is now the captain of the Roosters, Blues and Kangaroos, while Moses played for the Eels in the grand final last October. Brooks on the hand is the most experienced player in the NRL without a finals appearance to his name. The Tigers won’t ever have all three playing together again but as Meatloaf said – “two out of three ain’t bad”. Tedesco ain’t going anywhere but Moses is a free agent and Brooks confirmed last week he’s actively recruiting his mate to return next season. Sheens slams Brooks criticism | 01:11 “I can see it happening,” Parker said. “He’s a premier halfback, no two ways about that, now you put Mitch Moses next to Api Korisau and they start to look a bit different and then you add Luke Brooks to that. “Personally, I think they’re down a No. 1, I don’t think Dane Laurie is that player for them and I’m sure they’re looking around. “The Bulldogs have pulled out of the race for Mitch… You never forget where you first started and he loves the club so you’d think if there was an opportunity to go back I think they’d be in the box seat.” MORE NRL NEWS ‘LINE NRL CHESS’: The ‘wild’ 2022 failure driving Robbo’s Roosters ‘SIMPLY NOT TRUE’: NRL boss claps back in escalating player CBA war ‘WHAT WE NEED AROUND HERE’ Madge’s immediate impact in Canberra ‘ME BEING A BIT IMMATURE’: Manly star reveals Origin plan amid eligibility debate ARE THE BULLDOGS BACK IN BUSINESS? Phil Gould immediately went to work rebuilding Canterbury when he was appointed their general manager halfway through 2021. Gould, who played for and coached the Bulldogs in the 1980s, went after some of the biggest stars in the game, but his biggest signing was rookie coach Cameron Ciraldo. NRL sides have been trying to lure Ciraldo away from Penrith for years but knocked back club after club stating he was waiting for the right opportunity. Gould somehow convinced Ciraldo that Belmore was that opportunity – less than 12 months after the Bulldogs claimed the wooden spoon. The Dogs have signed Reed Mahoney (Eels) and Viliame Kikau (Panthers), with Stephen Crichton joining next year. Old Eel chosen to lead new look Dogs | 00:31 “They’ve got a crafty No. 9 (Mahoney), backrowers who can really turn a game and a No. 6 (Matt Burton) who has got his best football in front of him,” Parker said. “The challenge for Ciraldo will be, despite all the excitement of who’s coming and who might be coming, it’s what he can do with what he has right now. “From my dealings with Ciraldo he’s a terrific guy, but defensively is where they have to focus and I’ve got no doubt he’ll implement that. “There’s a difference between singing everyone and singing quality. They’ve got Crichton coming next year, they’ve got Kikau now, Pangai Junior, Reed Mahoney. “How’d they get Reed Mahoney from the Eels, that’s incredible, particularly in a position that’s so hard at the moment. “I spoke about the talent the Dolphins lack, well the Bulldogs have certainly picked up a bit.” WILL PONGA TO THE HALVES RESCUE NEWCASTLE? Newcastle were chasing their third straight finals berth for the first time since the Johns’ era, but 2022 proved a season to forget. They lacked playmaking direction from the get-go after abruptly losing their halfback Mitchell Pearce to the Super League last summer. Their best player, Kalyn Ponga, played just 14 games due to an injury-plagued campaign as the Knights limped to a 14th placed finish. Under-pressure coach Adam O’Brien has moved the star fullback into the halves for 2023 and Parker warned he must pick and stick. “First and foremost Ponga needs to stay on the park and O’Brien just needs to stick solid with what they want to do,” Parker said. Ponga poised for position change in 2023 | 01:12 “I get it, they were trying to chase wins and alleviate pressure etc but they need to stick with their plan and that means leaving Ponga in the halves all year. “There’s no two ways about it, Ponga can play, but the biggest challenge for any half is defence. “Ponga is going to be in the front line, he’s going to have big strong, bustling edge backrowers trying to run over him every game and we’ve seen some of the results of Ponga in heavy contact. “Can it be the difference? Absolutely. Will it be? Wel time will tell.” WILL SEIBOLD MAKE THE MOST OF HIS SECOND CHANCE? Anthony Seibold stunned the rugby league world by making an improbable return to the NRL head coaching ranks in November. Siebold had been sacked by the Broncos just 15 months earlier in one of the messiest coach exits this century. The 48-year-old landed a job in rugby union under then-England coach Eddie Jones with no NRL return in sight. But after the pride jersey saga eventually saw Des Hasler sacked at Manly, Seibold rose from the ashes in one of the most unlikely returns. Parker was an assistant under Seibold at the Broncos and threw his unequivocal behind the Sea Eagles new coach. “Everyone has an opinion on Anthony Seibold but I have one first-hand because I worked alongside him, he’s a tremendous coach,” Seibold said. “An astute, smart, individual of the game. Can he be a good coach again? Absolutely. No two ways about that. “The timing and some of the dealings that went on in Brisbane probably wasn’t right at the time. Maori All-Stars ready to dominate in NZ | 01:04 “But there’s no question at all in regards to Anthony Seibold in terms of what he can do from a coaching perspective. “He’s well groomed, let’s not forget he won coach of the year at the Rabbitohs in his inaugural season, took them to a prelim final. “Yes it didn’t work in Brisbane, he’s been coaching alongside Eddie Jones in rugby, he’s got plenty of experience in all different areas right around the world. He’ll be fine.” Manly stuttered in the back end of the season after the pride jersey saga and missed finals, but Parker backed Seibold to guide them back to the playoffs. “Like everyone their depth is going to be tested but they’ve got a style of football Manly that works,” he said. “Defensively, and I know Seibs is big on defence, they’ll be thereabouts, they’ve got enough quality in their team to win enough games to play finals.” HAVE THE PANTHERS LOST TOO MUCH FIREPOWER FOR A THREEPEAT? No team has won three straight titles in the NRL era and the last team to do it was Parramatta in 1983. Peter Stirling guided the Eels through that dynasty and there’s an argument that Nathan Cleary has just as much influence, if not more, on the Panthers. Penrith will start this 2023 the premiership favourites after contesting the past three grand finals and winning back-to-back premierships. They’ve lost star hooker Api Koroisau (Tigers) and second-rower Viliame Kikau (Bulldogs), but their conveyor belt of talent remains unrivalled in the NRL. “I was going through their team the other day and to be honest, what have they really lost?” Parker said. Crichton to arrive at the kennel in 2024 | 00:36 “Kikau is a huge loss, don’t get me wrong, but they replace him with a pretty experienced (Scott) Sorensen, Korisau is a big loss but Mitch Kenny started the grand final so he’s no slouch, he knows what to do. “(Hooker) Soni Luke will come into that area too, they’ve got huge wraps on Soni Luke and watching him through the World Cup I understand why. “They’re going to be there abouts again, they just are. I don’t know if it’s theirs to lose but they’re certainly going to be right there. They’ve been in the last three grand finals and won back-to-back, why can’t they do it again?” Get all the latest NRL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!
