NRL Fantasy: What's new in 2023?

NRL Fantasy is open for business in 2023, with eager owners now able to check out player prices and positions for both the Classic and Draft games on the Fantasy website.

While much remains the same from last season, a handful of changes have been introduced in line with the Telstra Premiership moving from 16 to 17 teams.

Classic teams can now begin to be built, while live drafting will open on Thursday, February 2. 

Trades

For those of us who burned through the 36 trades we were allocated last year, the good news is there will be an additional eight to play with in 2023, with the total number available to owners rising to 44. 

In saying that, you're going to need them, with the introduction of the Dolphins meaning there will now be a team sitting out on a bye every week, which will require careful management and trade action. 

Of those 44 trades, 36 will be available to use through the opening 19 rounds, before the remaining eight are unlocked in round 20.

A maximum of two trades per week can be used up until round 6, with three trades per week available to owners between rounds 7-12. From round 12 onwards the trade rage can really begin, with up to four trades per week able to be used from then until the end of the year, or until you run out. 

Fantasy bye rounds 

A key rule tweak will change the way owners approach the notoriously tricky Fantasy bye rounds, which in 2023 will occur in rounds 13, 16 and 19 when just five games instead of the normal eight will take place across the round.

During these rounds only your starting 13 will score points in Classic (rather than the usual 17), taking away the at times impossible task of trying to squeeze together 17 green dots at a time when so many teams and Fantasy big guns are on the sidelines. 

The rule change should also help reduce the need to trade out Origin stars during this period and ultimately help owners save vital trades for the run home. The usual auto-substitution rules will apply for all bench players, as will normal in-round substitution and trading.

Any player on your bench who plays and scores, but is not selected in your starting 13, will also move in price as normal when the round ends.

Draft scoring will not be adjusted during the Fantasy bye rounds.

Salary Cap 

The Fantasy salary cap has been lifted from $9.4 million last season to $10 million in 2023. 

Scoring

There are no changes to scoring for 2023, with all of the metrics and scores from last year applying again.

As a reminder, some of the main changes brought in last year to keep in mind included:

• Six-again infringements added (-1)
• Tackle busts reduced by one (from 3 to 2)
• Offloads to hand increased by two points (from 2 to 4)

Prizes

In 2023 all eligible entrants into the Classic game will automatically be in the running to win some excellent prizes, including a VIP trip for two to the 2024 Magic Round and vouchers for NRL Shop and KFC.