Tip sheet: The NRL's major talking points in 2023

The NRL Telstra Premiership season has arrived after months of blood, sweat and tears for players slogging it out in the summer heat. 

From Penrith's three-peat chances to State of Origin, here are the 10 biggest talking points to keep an eye on in 2023.

Can anyone stop the Panthers from making it three in a row?

It's the simple, yet most valid question that might take another eight months to solve but is there another club capable of snatching the title from the back-to-back champions?

History says yes with a 40-year gap between the last club - Parramatta - who claimed three-straight trophies in 1983. 

The Eels, Sharks and Cowboys will believe they're capable of going a few games better after finishing in the top four last year while the Roosters and Rabbitohs are always thereabouts in the competition. 

History also suggests one or two clubs will surprise us, but can it mean the Panthers are knocked off their perch? Following their World Club Challenge defeat and with no Api Koroisau and Viliame Kikau around, it's a sure sign the salary cap is starting to bite the defending champions.

How many games will the Dolphins win?

Another question that has brought plenty of debate. 

With a roster that has built slowly and yet to be completed, the Dolphins could either surprise us all or sit where most predict in the bottom nine this year.

Their Pre-season Challenge form threw up a mixed bag, understandable for a new franchise starting out in their early days.

The last team to enter the NRL, Gold Coast Titans, won 10 games in each of their 2007 and 2008 seasons to struggle early when they entered the competition before semi-final and preliminary final exits the following two years. 

Which NRL coaches are most under pressure?

It's not the most enjoyable topic, but also one that can't be ignored. There are plenty of coaches that will feel the heat this year after lacklustre campaigns.

The likes of Anthony Griffin, Adam O'Brien and Justin Holbrook will want to get off to good starts with their sides after all three clubs finished outside the eight in 2022.

For other reasons, Kevin Walters has had two years in charge of the Broncos and whilst he's done a solid job, he will be hoping he can take them to the next level and reach the finals under his leadership.

Likewise, Cameron Ciraldo, Andrew Webster and Anthony Seibold will all feel the nerves in their first seasons.

Considering there were three coaches who failed to see out the 2022 season, followed by Des Hasler weeks after the competition ended, it's a never-ending part of the game for coaches and clubs.

Can Wests Tigers make the finals?

One coach left out of the above is Tim Sheens.

The long-term plan for Benji Marshall to take over as head coach of Wests Tigers has started but Sheens has a couple of years to help get the club on the right track and also prove there is a method to the thinking here.

The key signings of Api Koroisau, Isaiah Papali'i, David Klemmer, John Bateman and Charlie Staines is a strong start to their roster rebuild but will it be enough to finally propel them into the finals for the first time since 2011?

Their Pre-season Challenge win over the Raiders has left plenty of optimism with clashes against the Titans and Knights at Leichhardt Oval to start the year.

Which off-contract stars will stay or go at their NRL clubs?

The merry-go-round of player recruitment is showing no signs of slowing down with several off-contract in 2023 and already stealing the headlines.

While most clubs have wanted to tie down their star players before a ball was kicked, others haven't been afraid to hit the market.

Eels playmaker Mitchell Moses is one player nearing a decision on his future while David Fifita and Nelson Asofa-Solomona are also hot property. 

Five star players have already signed with future clubs for 2024.

• 2023 NRL signings tracker

Will luckless trio enjoy a change of fortune in 2023?

It was an unfortunate story of three classy fullbacks spending most of their time on the sidelines last year with Tom Trbojevic, Kalyn Ponga and Ryan Papenhuyzen nursing injuries that kept them out of the game for an extended period.

Trbojevic and Ponga are due back to the field in Round 1 and we can all agree the game is in better health when they're on the park helping their teams.

Papenhuyzen remains in a rehabilitation phase after a nasty knee injury and is slated to return in the middle of the year.

Both Trbojevic and Papenhuyzen will spend time in the United States in January in a bid to return to the field as soon as possible.

How close can AJ go?

He might not like to talk about it much but another 30 tries to Alex Johnston in 2023 will see the Rabbitohs winger get even closer to the great Ken Irvine as the all-time leading try-scorer in rugby league history.

Once a feat that most predicted would never be caught, Johnston sits at 166 with Irvine's 212 seriously under threat from the Bunnies finisher.

Turning just 28 in January, Johnston might not be done after that either with a possible 250 in reach by the end of his career after re-signing until the end of 2025.

Can NSW bounce back in Origin?

Interstate rivalry is the closest it's been for decades with both NSW and Queensland sharing the spoils with two series wins each in the past four years.

The Maroons pulled off a miracle against the Blues in 2022 in a decider to remember.

Recent history suggests it's now turn for NSW to return serve, although we're sure the Maroons will want to keep the shield comfortably held in Queensland.

Brad Fittler threw a few selection bombshell in 2022, including the omission of Josh Addo-Carr, who went on to star for the Kangaroos at the World Cup.

It will be interesting to see if the 'Foxx' is recalled as the Blues look to win back bragging rights.

Which veterans will join the 300-club?

Long-time NRL servants Ben Hunt, Daly Cherry-Evans, Jesse Bromwich, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Jarrod Croker and Wade Graham are all a chance to reach 300 games this year.

Bromwich is the closest with 295 ahead of his switch to the Dolphins this season.

Luckless Raiders captain Croker is next in line with 292 but faces a tough ask to crack into the Round 1 line-up, followed by Hunt (290), who is 10 games shy of the milestone.

Is this Craig Bellamy's final year as Storm coach?

He's taking a year-by-year approach before transitioning into a director of rugby league role at the Storm, so as the months go on so too will the speculation around Craig Bellamy's coaching future. 

Bellamy's biggest coaching challenge is likely to be in 2023 with a new-look squad that will rely heavily on the star spine of Cameron Munster, Jahrome Hughes and Harry Grant with Papenhuyzen missing for the first half of the year. 

The 63-year-old is one of the greatest NRL coaches ever seen in the game and his next steps will be among the storylines to watch for the year.