It was among the finest NRL seasons in current reminiscence with a bumper finals sequence nonetheless to play out.
In the season evaluate of the Matty Johns podcast, Johns and Cooper Cronk broke down the highlights and lowlights of the 2023 season, in addition to groups to look at in 2024.
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BEST STORY OF THE SEASON
Newcastle Knights
Cooper – Nine weeks in the past, (the Knights) have been in 14th spot. They’ve put 9 wins collectively, locked down fifth and they will play a house remaining on Sunday afternoon. That’s going to be one of the best ticket on the town. They turned it round. Whether it’s Adam O’Brien doubling down on what he was good at they usually lastly clicked into gear or did they shift one thing to get a response however you can’t deny that Kalyn Ponga, Dom Young, Greg Marzhew, Tyson Frizell, Tyson Gamble are all enjoying career-best footy in the intervening time. Even on the weekend with Ponga and some others out, they nonetheless performed with that vitality, that enthusiasm, that DNA even with out the expertise. Hell of a turnaround.
New Zealand Warriors
Matty – The Warriors are greatest story for me. I do know it’s an apparent one. It’s the type of soccer they’re enjoying in addition to the Shaun Johnson story. Just usually, the sport in New Zealand and the place it sits in the intervening time – it’s booming over there. Every residence recreation is like an occasion. From what I imagine there are large TV scores, large curiosity and extremely, it’s placing plenty of stress on rugby union.
Cooper – ‘Up The Wahs’ is taking on the world. At the beginning of the yr it was ‘Phins Up’, now its ‘Up The Wahs’ so yeah I like what they’ve accomplished.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS
South Sydney Rabbitohs, Parramatta Eels, North Queensland Cowboys
Matty – I’m a South Sydney fan, I really like the type of soccer that they play. To look halfway by the season and to see them on prime in Round 11, they will win this competitors. When somebody requested me who was going to win and I mentioned Souths, however they’ve dipped they usually simply by no means rebounded.
Cooper – Three of the 4 prelim remaining groups from final yr, Souths, Eels and Cowboys, have missed the eight. I sit right here with out figuring out the ins-and-outs
TEAM WHO DIDN’T MAKE EIGHT WHO WILL IMPROVE NEXT YEAR
Gold Coast Titans
Cooper – I believe the arrival of Des to the Titans will change issues. Will it’s sufficient to get them within the eight? I’m undecided. Des will change plenty of issues however he’s nonetheless going to have the problem of what their backbone is, I believe that has been the issue for the Titans for a very long time. When you get your determination makers to make good selections, are you able to win sufficient video games to make finals? Jayden Campbell, AJ Brimson, Kieran Foran, Tanah Boyd, Tom Weaver – what does that every one appear to be for Des Hasler’s males subsequent yr? But I count on an increase of their performances.
The Dolphins
Matty – I believe they’ll make the eight subsequent season. Tom Flegler arrives, Herbie Farnworth is a gigantic signing.
IT’S A BIG SEASON FOR WHO IN 2024?
The 4 Queensland groups
Matty – For me, as a collective, I see it as a giant season for the 4 Queensland sides. The Broncos are coming into a interval of domination. The Dolphins for the explanation I’ve simply spoken about, likewise the Titans with what you mentioned about Des arriving. I additionally count on the Cowboys to come back again. They’ll be taught quite a bit from the earlier low season the place it was a World Cup yr, most of their stars got here again late and phrase is that they didn’t work as exhausting, so I believe they’ll return to that philophy of that pre-season. One factor they do want to search out and what they lacked this season was a little bit of real pace, the Hammer was a giant loss in hindsight.
Cooper – I believe the Cowboys have sufficient expertise and elements there, I simply don’t assume the people delivered. I believed they began poorly, chased their tail and fired each shot to attempt to get again (into rivalry).
So are you suggesting that subsequent yr, all 4 Queensland groups will make the eight?
Matty – Yes probably. I believe it may very well be an excellent yr for the Queensland sides.
Graham UNLOADS on Davey’s feedback | 01:31
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South Sydney Rabbitohs
Cooper – It’s an enormous yr for Souths. I don’t like doing this however South Sydney missed the finals. If they don’t get off to an honest begin subsequent yr, the stress kicks in. You’ve received one of many Rabbitohs’ favorite sons (Sam Burgess) heading over to Warrington to educate his personal crew for the primary time and if he even reveals a glimmer that he can coach, nicely I don’t assume we’ve to work out what the headlines might be. If that group can work out occurred on the again finish of this yr, they need to be in rivalry in 2024 but when they don’t, I believe the identical stress is coming.
Cameron Ciraldo
Matty – Individually it’s a giant yr for Ciraldo. It’s humorous, when he received the job he and everybody principally acknowledged that there was nonetheless a little bit of ache to come back however when the ache got here, there have been nonetheless rumblings occurring. A very necessary one for Cameron Ciraldo is that the massive title signings should ship. The huge title signings in 2023… most of them allowed their requirements to drop.
Cooper – I half imagine Ciraldo is doing the fitting factor with redirecting the tradition into exhausting work as a result of the tales of gamers leaving or no matter, I did that below Craig Bellamy for 16 years, that entire work ethic of prepare till you may’t prepare anymore and whenever you assume you may’t do it we’ll do it once more tomorrow. No one from the Melbourne Storm walked off the sphere, all of us shook Craig’s hand and mentioned thanks as a result of with out that work ethic, we don’t do what we did for a protracted time period. I half imagine Cameron Ciraldo is aware of what he’s doing however its taken a hell of plenty of effort to redirect that as a result of they haven’t had successful tradition there for a protracted time period… I did that wrestling drill twice every week for 10 years… It’s what occurs at Penrith, it’s the the explanation why groups are on the prime and a few are down the underside.
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
