While some stars begin to wind down their illustrious careers, others are only just kicking off.
Every year, new elite talents of our game are discovered, some rookies biding their time in lower grades, some are in their mid-20s just waiting for their big break.
Regardless of circumstance, every club has at least one teetering on the edge of their chair all pre-season, just waiting for February to come around so they can prove themselves in the trials.
Who will be your club's breakout star of 2023? Let's dive in and have a look.
Brisbane's next great hooker, Blake Mozer has been biding his time in the lower grades, however the departure of Jake Turpin moves Mozer up another wrung in the pecking order in Red Hill.
While he'll miss more NRL games than he'll play in 2023, expect to see Kevin Walters include him on the bench mid-season, and once he's in first-grade, he won't be going anywhere. Already drawing comparisons to Cameron Smith, Mozer will be in Brisbane's top 30 this season.
A hard-running front-rower, Mariota was named in the NSW Cup Team of the Year in 2022 and for good reason, this kid can play. The Raiders have some quality middles in Josh Papalii, Joseph Tapine, Corey Horsburgh, Emre Guler and Pasami Saulo, but there's certainly room for Mariota to sneak onto the bench.
Tapine is a chance of shifting to lock to cover for the departed Adam Elliott, opening the door for Horsburgh to start at prop, and open up a bench spot for the rookie. Definitely a name for the little black book.
If you had to make a call on the Dally M Rookie of the Year for the 2023 season, Paul Alamoti would be a short-priced favourite. The departure of Aaron Schoupp for the Gold Coast leaves a centre spot open, and it's Alamoti's to lose.
The centre is bulky, in the Will Penisni mould, and a damaging ball-runner. Like many rookies, his SG Ball highlights set the rugby league world alight, and 2023 is the season we finally see him in first-grade. Watch out.
An older member of the class, Jayden Berrell turns 28 in 2023 and is yet to taste first-grade, however the former Brisbane U20s star is just one injury away from an eventual NRL berth.
He caught eyes in the 2021 Queensland Cup Grand Final playing for the Wynnum-Manly Seagulls, yet he's stuck behind Blayke Brailey at Cronulla. A workhorse in defence and a quick running game, Berrell is certainly under the radar.
So highly rated is Isaiya Katoa that Kristian Woolf selected him for Tonga at the World Cup, despite knowing that the 18 year-old would have to do his HSC tests online during the English tour.
Leaving Penrith for the Dolphins isn't an easy task, but Wayne Bennett will nurture Katoa through 2023, and debut him when the time is right. Arguably the biggest future on this list.
Erin Clark
Erin Clark has been around since debuting for the Warriors in 2017, however this year will be the one that casual rugby league fans start learning his name. While he's predominantly been a hooker for the majority of his career, expect that to change in 2023.
The signatures of Sam Verrills and Chris Randall this year means Clark's dummy-half service is no longer required, freeing the Samoan international to move into lock, where he's suited in the modern game. Expect a small ball-playing middle like Clark to change the way the Titans play.
A name many mightn't be too familiar with, however Ben Condon was shaping as the Cowboys next big back-row prospect before injury cruelled his chances, and then the likes of Jeremiah Nanai and Heilum Luki came along.
Despite crossing for four tries in 11 NRL games in 2021 for the Townsville team, Condon wasn't sighted in first-grade in 2022 due to a mixture of form and injuries. Josh Schuster's move into the halves opens up the left-edge for Condon to stake his claim.
Another Melbourne half managed by Braith Anasta, Jonah Pezet finally made headlines in 2022 after a dominant display for the U19 New South Wales Blues side, producing four try-assists as he finally announced himself.
Formerly in the Newcastle system, Pezet has spent a few years in Victoria learning under Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes, and looks set to finally be their Origin and injury cover after Cooper Johns departed. One for the future.
While we've already seen a glimpse of Volkman in the top grade, there's still plenty more tricks up Ronald's sleeve. There's a reason the Roosters were filthy on letting this kid go.
He's in the mix alongside Shaun Johnson, Te Maire Martin and Luke Metcalf to nab a halves spot for 2023, with both the six and seven jersey wide open. While he's still raw, there's no doubt Volkman is the long-term solution to the Warriors creativity crisis.
While the casual fan knows him as 'the other guy on Kalyn Ponga and Connor Watson's podcast', Croker sneakily integrated himself into the Newcastle team last year, his ball-playing an underrated asset in his arsenal.
The loss of David Klemmer to the Wests Tigers opens up big minutes in their middle third, with Adam Elliott set to start at lock and Jack Hetherington shifting to an edge last season. A mainstay in 2023.
As so many Cowboys enjoyed career-best football and emerged from the shadows in 2022, Griffin Neame was lost amongst the pack. While the likes of Reuben Cotter, Jeremiah Nanai and Heilum Luki stole the spotlight, Neame kept toiling.
Crossing for four tries in 23 games, Neame missed just three games for the Cowboys, and the club lost two of them. A vital part of their pack, expect Neame to be mentored by James Tamou in 2023.
There's a lot of 'breakout' candidates for Parramatta in 2023 after their mass exodus of talent, however J'maine Hopgood is shaping up to be as good as any of them for the Eels this year. Having lost Isaiah Papalii to the Wests Tigers, there's a vacant spot in the Eels back-row.
Enter Hopgood.
The former Panther is expected to start at lock for the first three matches with Ryan Matterson suspended, however it's shaping up for Matterson to return on an edge, and leaving Hopgood in the middle. Originally touted as a future Maroon, this lock forward's career is only just starting.
While Sunia Turuva is the name on everyone's lips after the World Cup, Soni Luke is set for a lot more regular first-grade in 2023.
The 26 year-old hooker made his NRL debut early last season, running out for four appearances in first-grade, however that number could more than quadruple this year. Mitch Kenny will take the vacant No. 9 jersey after Apisai Koroisai's departure, opening the door for Luke on the bench.
He's more similar to Api than Kenny, expect his minutes to increase as the season goes on.
This kid is going to be something special. Usually a fullback in the lower grades, expect Terrell Kalo Kalo to burst onto the scene on the wing in first-grade this season.
Nimble and hard-running, Kalo Kalo has a name so nice you've got to say it twice, and looks a real chance of landing an extended run in the NRL. Taane Milne is suspended for the opening two rounds and Izaac Thompson is a 26 year-old rookie, there's every chance this kid starts on the right wing in Round 1.
An unknown prop hailing from the Northern Pride, this front-rower is going to be catching a few fans double-taking in 2023. Turning 27 midway through the season, Lui-Toso is a late bloomer, but it's better late than never.
The Red V has a really underwhelming front-row rotation this season, meaning it only takes a few bad games through the middle for Anthony Griffin to call-up the journeyman.
While there were whispers that Terrell would join brother Taylan at Penrith, the third May brother has remained at the Roosters and is chasing an extended first-grade opportunity after the departure of Siosiua Taukeiaho for the Super League.
His braided ratstail stands out a mile away, as does his hulking frame, and could shape as a bench weapon for the tricolours this season. Especially as Jared Warea-Hargreaves enters his final NRL season, a breakout season for May will set him up for even greater chances in 2024.
A similar mould to an Issac Luke or Brandon Smith, if the club hadn't signed Apisai Koroisau, Ngatikaura would be deep in the conversation to don the No. 9 jersey for the wooden spooners this season.
Featured for the Cook Islands at the World Cup, this 22 year-old is a red hot chance of snaring a bench utility role after the departure of Fa'amanu Brown to Canterbury. Similarly to Fa'asuamaleaui, get used to spelling the name, because it's going to be a frequently used one soon enough.