Rookie coach Craig Fitzbiggon oversaw a massive rejuvenation at the Cronulla Sharks in 2022.
His marquee signing Nicho Hynes repaid his coach's faith with a record tally en route to his Dally M medal win.
Siosifa Talakai's enforced move into the centres paid massive dividends also for both club and player. Ronaldo Mulitalo became one of the competition's best wingers.
Ultimately the Sharks failed to fire in the finals but few could argue their overall season was anything but a huge success.
Given that club has signed almost all of their off-contract talent, it's fair to say the belief is there's something building in the Shire.
Recruitment report
Ins: Daniel Atkinson (2023), Max Bradbury (2024), Oregon Kaufusi (Parramatta Eels, 2025), Sam Stonestreet (2023), Siteni Taukamo (2024)
Outs: Andrew Fifita (retired), Luke Metcalf (New Zealand Warriors), Lachlan Miller (Newcastle Knights), Franklin Pele (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Aiden Tolman (retired)
Recruitment impact
The Sharks managed to maintain almost the entirety of their 2022 squad. Only Lachlan Miller shapes as a loss with the other outs being squad players or retirements.
With such a settled squad comes a lack of need on the recruitment front. Their one major signing, Oregon Kaufusi settles a need they had in 2022, a monster prop forward from the bench.
Squad players Daniel Atkinson and Max Bradbury add depth to a squad that looks very well rounded. Aktinson is a like for like replacement for the outgoing Luke Metcalf. Bradbury replaces Pele.
Future star Sam Stonestreet's elevation from the Flegg side is a look to the future, although he may play some footy in 2023.
Key talking points
Was 2022 down to luck?
From the moment the 2022 season kicked off until full time in the final round of the competition, all Sharks fans heard was how easy they draw was.
I could argue all day at the absurdity of this but the fact remains the Sharks were bounced in straight sets from the Finals.
We've seen plenty of one off seasons from sides in the past. The Sharks need to prove they are different by doing it all over again in 2023.
Fitzgibbon re-signs and a settled squad
Craig Fitzgibbon's contract has recently been upgraded and extended. Simply put, the Sharks believe they have their man. Results and other factors fully support that line of thinking.
The Sharks faced the near laughable fact that each of their starting back five were off contract at the same time. Three have re-signed with Kennedy and Ramien being mere formalities.
Nicho Hynes is about to sign a long-term deal that could see him finish his career at the Sharks.
Kayal Iro, Briton Nikora, Niwhai Puru, Blayke Brailey, Kade Dykes and Jesse Colquhoun have all signed new deals. Only Teig Wilton and Sam Stonestreet remain unsigned.
There is no more settled squad in the NRL.
Player depth
The Sharks feeder club the Newtown Jets captured the minor premiership in 2022 before losing a host of stars to the stuttering Sharks and falling short of the Grand Final.
Kayal Iro won the NSW Cup player of the year while Kade Dykes was named in the halves in the NSW Cup team of the year.
Sam Stonestreet has three tries, four line breaks and eight tackle breaks in five NSW Cup games despite being Flegg eligible.
The fact that Trindall, Tracey, Hamlin-Uele, Williams, Kaufusi, Graham, Colquhoun, Hazelton and McInnes are battling for four bench spots proves how deep the squad is.
Star player: Nicho Hynes
Nicho Hynes had a nearly unbelievable season in 2022. Returning to his favoured position in the halves, Hynes put the club on his back, leading them to a second places finish.
21 try assists, 21 forced drop outs, a club high 117 running metres per game and almost 380 kicking metres per game absolutely rubbished any thoughts that he would struggle in the nunber seven.
Hynes has gone from a star utility to the posterboy of both club and arguably the NRL in one season. The Sharks need him to be every bit as good in 2023 if they're to go one better come Finals time.
Player under pressure: William Kennedy
I don't think it's unfair to suggest we didn't see the best of Will Kennedy at the back end of 2023. He returned from injury too soon and was a shadow on his 2021 self in the Finals.
With Lachlan Miller having been released and with backup Kade Dykes ruled out for the season via an ACL injury, Will Kennedy starts 2023 under tremendous pressure.
He had a flawless trial game, making the tackle of the pre-season. He is now fully fit and looking bigger and faster than ever. Sharks fans need to him re-find the form that saw him names Sharks player of the year in 2021.
Breakout star: Teig Wilton
I almost put NSW Cup standout Kayal Iro here but Teig Wilton is a name everyone will be talking about come Round 10.
Fitzgibbon has shown his hand by giving Wilton the start on the left edge in the club's full strength trial game. He scored two tries and was arguably best on field.
Wilton's partnership with Matt Moylan and Sifa Talakai was brilliant in 2022. With that left edge back rower position seemingly his, the sky is the limit in 2023.
2023 Draw impact
The Sharks start the season with games against the Bunnies and Eels which should tell us a lot about this side early on.
They do face trips to Auckland, Perth, Melbourne and Townsville so they've copped all of the longest trips possible.
On the positive side they do only have to play the Panthers, Storm and Roosters once each. A handful of long flights aside, there really are no excuses here.
Fixtures to watch
1. Round 1 vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
There are some mouthwatering fixtures in Round 1 but the standout for mine in the clash between the Sharks and the Bunnies.
Sharks fans still have nightmares about the way they were bounced out of the Finals by the Bunnies, while few will forget the Golden Point thriller earlier in 2022.
Much is expected of both sides again in 2023 and we've been blessed by not having to wait for this contest. Two expected heavyweights going at it in front of a sold out Pointsbet Stadium. In!
Round 7 vs Sydney Roosters
I can't believe this game is being played in the 6pm Friday time slot. Injustice aside, this is a game most Sharks fans cannot wait for.
The Roosters are expected to return to the Top Four in 2023 which should put them in direct competition with the Sharks come the business end of the season.
Last year the Chooks hammered the Sharks in their only loss at Shark Park in the Regular season. This year the boys from the Shire will want to reverse the result.
Round 9 vs North Queensland Cowboys
It's a stretch to call these two sides rivals but given their closely run contests in 2022, there's certainly some spice in this contest.
Val Holmes kicked a 42 metre field goal to send the Cowboys to a Prelim at the expense of his former side, and Sharks fans would be lying if they said that didn't bother them greatly.
These two forward packs will bash each other from the first hit up until the 80th-plus minute. This has Golden Point written all over it yet again.
Prediction
Dan Nichols
The Sharks were huge surprise packets of 2022 on the back of their Dally M medal halfback Nicho Hynes. They far exceeded expectations of even their biggest fans.
They fell short in the Finals but have held onto the large majority of their squad and should go at least a game further in 2023.
The one question hanging over the Sharks was size in the middle. The arrival of Oregon Kaufusi and the transformation of Tom Hazelton and Jesse Colquhoun shows their on the right path to correcting this.
Of course their season hinges on the form of Hynes but with Ramien, Mulitalo, Talakai and Katoa all in career-best form, there will be plenty of help.
4th.
Jack Blyth
Another team with a soft draw, Cronulla were good in 2022, really good, but were they really the NRL's second-best side?
Nicho Hynes showed the rugby league world how good he can be, but he didn't have many team-mates stealing points from him. The backline picks itself, and with a strong forward pack, they have potential.
Falling out of the finals in straight sets, they need more help from Matt Moylan and Will Kennedy in the creativity department, or it could be rinse and repeat this year.
3rd.
Scott Pryde
I'm not sure the Sharks will be quite as good as they were last year, where you get the feeling they overperformed. They are still reliant on Nicho Hynes, and an injury to him would leave them battling for a spot at the bottom of the top eight.
Despite that, we assume he is fit, and they will contest for the finals again. Should make the finals easy enough, but going further is hinging on others standing up.
5th.
Zero Tackle calculator: 3rd
