Every NRL team's biggest weakness for 2023

2023 is shaping up as one of the most exciting in recent memory. A host of huge name recruits shifting clubs has ensured a more open competition than ever. Every side enters the new season with a series of positives and weaknesses. Today we're going to focus in on those weaknesses. It goes without saying that this was far easier with some clubs than others. That said, here is every team's weakness as we prepare for Round 1, 2023: Penrith Panthers Lost Stars It's hard to find a real weakness in this all-conquering Panthers outfit, but any team that loses Apisai Koroisau and Viliame Kikau are going to be weaker for it. Mitch Kenny and Luke Garner are pretty handy players but fans will have to be patient as they establish themselves in the side. Koroisau turned the semi final when he came on while Kikau is a wide-running second-rower that few sides can match. It's going to be tough to replace that kind of impact. Parramatta Eels Less Than '22 I can't shake the feeling that the Eels title chances ended at the full time whistle of the 2022 decider. They played at their very best yet fell just short. The 2023 Eels outfit will be missing the names Isaiah Papali'i and Reed Mahoney. That immediately tells me they start behind their 2020 selves. Mitch Moses will spend every single day under the microscope until he has signed a contract for 2024 and beyond. For the sake of the Eels, he needs to decide his future ASAP to avoid that distraction. North Queensland Cowboys Expectation The Cowboys were almost flawless in 2022. They spent the entire season proving everyone wrong, myself included as they finished third and hosted a preliminary final. With that incredible series of results comes expectations. Expectations they played freely without in recent seasons. Fans and pundits now expect the Cowboys to, at very least equal their 2022 efforts. Opposition coaches will spend many hours in the video room in an effort to shut this side down. South Sydney Rabbitohs Inconsistent stars Cody Walker and Latrell Mitchell are two of the game's biggest stars. Latrell makes any side in the NRL and Walker makes more than he misses out on. That said, both players have a recent reputation of being inconsistent. Walker can be either the best player on the field or can almost go missing. Latrell has all the talents to be the best player in the game but just hasn't matched the likes of Tedesco or Cleary just yet. Other players will need to step up on those nights their megastars aren't "on". Sydney Roosters Ill-discipline Hand on heart, it would be near on impossible to name two weaknesses here. Hand on heart, it was incredibly easy to name one. The Roosters' best 17 is arguably top two in the competition. Their ability to keep that best 17 on the park (and bench) has proved difficult in the past. If the tri-colours can cut out the rubbish on and off the field, it's hard to see too many sides beating them this year. Big if though. Cronulla Sharks Lack of creativity Nicho Hynes had a magical 2022 season. He set the competition alight en route to a record Dally M medal points tally. Unfortunately, he often played a lone hand. I'm probably Matt Moylan's biggest fan, while Will Kennedy and Blayke Brailey have all the potential in the world. That said, they all need to step up in a big way in 2023. The Sharks were routed in their final game of 2022 against the Bunnies where outside of Hynes, they offered very little. That needs to change or a comfortable finals finish remains their ceiling. Wests Tigers The backline The Wests Tigers, as a club, have worked incredibly hard to ensure a much different side takes the park in 2023. A far superior side at that. They've absolutely bailed the forward pack with the additions of names like Klemmer, Papali'i, Bateman, Koroisau and potentially Brown. The backline though ... I just can't see where the points come from. Tigers fans better hope that David Nofoaluma brings his Storm form back with him. The Dolphins Zero squad depth I'm on record as saying the Dolphins recruited pretty well for 2023. They added some rep-quality veterans and signed some of the game's most promising talent. With the greatest of respects to those on the roster, the side looks as though it has been padded out after the club missed out on a series of huge name signings. Outside of the top 17 though, there is very little depth. An injury to a starter will see the Dolphins relying on untested youngsters. Newcastle Knights : Way too many questions Newcastle enters 2023 as the side with the most difficult to predict 17 for Round 1. They're relying on the Sharks to release a player just to round out their starting side. Where will Kalyn Ponga play? Can he survive in the halves, if he does make the move? Can Jackson Hastings captain the ship? Can Bradman Best finally reach his potential? Will Dom Young be content with a spot on the wing? Will Lachlan Miller sign for the club? Way too many questions. Brisbane Broncos Over-reliance on aging halfback Brisbane should have played finals footy in 2022. They produced one of the all-time great chokes in the final rounds and still only just missed out. That said, once Adam Reynolds struggled to find full fitness, the Broncos looked a shell of their best selves. It's not unusual to rely on a halfback, but Reynolds recent injury history suggests that may be trouble. If Reynolds stays fit and plays every game in 2023 the Broncs play Final's Footy. The chances of that happening are very, very long odds. They need a Plan B. Gold Coast Titans All on Foran The Titans had a side very capable of a finals finish in 2022. Instead they were reduced to a scrap to avoid the wooden spoon. The quick fix? A 32 year-old coming off a below average 2022, being asked to play out of position and guide a new side. Foran has been recruited to lead the side, finally unlock AJ Brimson in the halves, reboot David Fifita's career and guide the Titans back to the eight. Tough ask. Canberra Raiders Temperament Canberra's forward pack is arguably the best in the game. Their fullback in a future superstar. Their five-eighth is a World Cup-winning, former Dally M winner. Unfortunately the Green Machine can find a penalty, a sin-bin and a brain snap like few others. Meanwhile their coach called an opposition player a "weak-gutted dog" in a press conference last season. The club are yet to overcome their "Faider" tag after losing games they had parceled up yet again in 2022. I'm not sure they have the temperament, or leader, or go deep into Finals. Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs All on Burton and the Foxx The Bulldogs enter 2023 with their best side in many seasons. Matt Burton is on his way to becoming one of the game's best while Josh Addo-Carr is a speed machine capable of anything. Outside of those two players though, the Dogs backline fails to flatter. Despite a brilliant back-end to '22 I'm not completely sold on Jake Averillo at fullback. The Dogs spent big parts of last year trying to replace Kyle Flanagan. If the Dogs are going to make the eight they need to provide far more assistance to Burton and the Foxx than they did last year. Melbourne Storm Forward pack rebuild Name a side that can overcome the loss off their entire second row, a starting prop and the game's best bench utility. Ok it's probably the Storm, but in '23 even they may struggle. The Storm's spine is still the best in the game but there are questions over Papenhuyzen given he missed huge parts of the past two seasons. Can Craig Bellamy get the best out of Tariq Sims, Trent Loiero and the like? Probably. Happy to eat this entry come Final's time, but right now it looks like the Storm pack rebuild is on. New Zealand Warriors Lack of points The excuses stop here for the Warriors after a series of disrupted seasons. They're back home now, have the squad they want and a brand new coach. That said, I just can't see where the points come from. Luke Metcalf is yet to establish himself in the top grade while Shaun Johnson had a way below-par 2022. Te Maire Martin and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad are brilliant recruits but neither have the playmaking skill of the departing Reece Walsh. Hopefully for the Warriors sake Metcalf can realise his potential quickly. <>St George-Illawarra Dragons Hunt and not much else The Dragons 2022 season was kept alive on the back of their superstar halfback. Outside of Ben Hunt, it's tough to name too many consistent performers. Talatau Amone is at long odds to take his place in the starting line-up for Round One, which takes away yet another helping hand for Ben Hunt. Sloan, Liddle and Sullivan doesn't scream Final's Footy supporting cast. They'll need another near Dally M medal winning, or better, season to be relevant in 2023. Manly Sea Eagles 2022s issues remain Manly's fall from grace in 2022 was almost unbelievable. They went from title challengers to laughing stocks in the space of one season. Entering 2023 the Sea Eagles squad is still fractured, they still rely way too heavily on a player who struggles to stay fit, and they still lack leadership off field. One of the club's level-headed, experienced stars in Foran has left the club while Anthony Seibold's recent record is not good. I can't see much changing.