The 2023 season now seems like it ended many, many months ago.
With a large number of players returning to pre-season training, attention has quickly and firmly turned to the 2024 campaign.
With a new season comes new hope, new opportunities and most importantly of all, new recruits!
Today I'm going to rank the ins, outs and re-signings of each of the clubs who played Finals footy in 2023.
Of course some of the top sides don't need to undertake a big recruitment spree, focusing instead on retention, while others need a few changes to take that next step.
Not every player will be mentioned, just the ones I see making an impact.
Major ins: Morgan Smithies, Simi Sasagi
Major outs: Jack Wighton
Re-signed: Corey Horsburgh, Emre Guler, Hudson Young, Sebastian Kris
The Raiders managed to re-sign four pieces of their future puzzle, and with a minimum amount of fuss too I may add.
This was brilliant business.
Their recruitment though, to put it bluntly, was utterly terrible.
Morgan Smithies is a clever pick up and Simi Sasagi comes with big potential with a look to the future, but they undoubtedly are weaker overall.
Losing marquee man Jack Wighton will hurt both on and off the field. I can't believe they didn't do everything, and then some, to retain their star half.
Perhaps a change of scenery was required but the Raiders were given ample time to find a replacement and largely failed.
The re-signings keep this from being an F but there's no way Ricky Stuart can possibly believe his side, which limped into the eight, is a title threat next season.
Grade: D
Major ins: Spencer Leniu, Dominic Young
Major outs: Fletcher Baker, Drew Hutchison
Re-signed: Egan Butcher, Victor Radley, James Tedesco, Daniel Tupou, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Sam Walker, Connor Watson
The Roosters enter 2024 off the back of a rare down season. They're taken two massive steps toward quickly correcting the missteps by adding two massive players.
Spencer Leniu is a monster in the middle and was being chased by a huge number of clubs. He is a huge in for the Roosters, who struggled in the middle during 2023.
In Dominic Young they may have signed the game's most exciting winger.
He is a try scoring freak who lit up the back end of 2023 with some finishes that needed to be seen to be believed.
Losing Fletcher Baker and Drew Hutchison might not look great on paper but they'll enjoy far more coming in than they saw going out.
A host of re-signings, including two members of their spine, ensure the Roosters are ready to bounce back in a big way in 2024.
They didn't need to go out and re-invent the wheel. They didn't panic. Instead they signed two big name players to correct two spots of weakness.
Scary for those of us who enjoyed the early and mid-season struggles from the tri-colours.
Grade: A-
Major ins: None
Major outs: Wade Graham, Matt Moylan
Re-signed: Kade Dykes, Nicho Hynes, William Kennedy, Sam Stonestreet, Siosifa Talakai, Braydon Trindall, Teig Wilton
The Sharks recruitment heading into 2024 is both easy yet difficult to mark. They didn't really... Do anything.
No names of note join a club who regressed in a big way from 2022 to 2023. I'm sure Craig Fitzgibbon knows he needs to strengthen in the forwards yet has taken no steps toward doing so.
In losing Wade Graham the Sharks lose a leader and a club legend. That said, his time was coming to an end and I was happy to see him go out on his terms.
The club moved quickly to upgrade and extend marquee man Nicho Hynes. William Kennedy was also quickly extended.
They've also nailed down three members of their long-term future in Teig Wilton, Kade Dykes and the massively talented Sam Stonestreet.
Truthfully if I had put this together a week ago, the Sharks were being slapped with the dreaded "F" grade.
Moving on Matt Moylan, with Conor Tracey also joining him, shows the Sharks know there are issues and are making moves to correct them.
The Sharks re-signings were strong and have ensured plenty of options moving forward. That said, if they enter 2024 without a big middle man, then fans can't expect any different to last season.
Grade: D+
Major ins: Jack Cogger, Tom Jenkins, Kai Pearce-Paul
Major outs: Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Dominic Young
Re-signed: Tyson Frizell, Greg Marzhew
The Knights enter 2024 on the back of a shockingly brilliant finish to 2023. I think even the biggest Knights fan will admit that they overachieved.
Adding Kai Pearce-Paul and Tom Jenkings allows them some speedy, try-scoring options in the backline. Both great moves.
In signing Jack Cogger they have a star in the making. He looks likely to take a spot in the halves in 2024, although faces plenty of competition.
Re-signing wise, the Knights acted quickly to sign Greg Marzhew long-term. He had a brilliant 2023 season and looks set for a huge 2024. Tyson Frizell will end his career with the club.
Unfortunately they did lose Dominic Young, who will be missed in a big way. He was breathtaking in 2023 and shapes as the one that got away.
Lachlan Fitzgibbon had a career best season in 2023 and will also need to be replaced.
Overall they probably drew even in terms of ins/outs. I'll them the slightest of edges based on Jack Cogger's arrival. He looks like a real get!
Grade: C+
Major ins: Chanel Harris-Tavita, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
Major outs: Josh Curran
Re-signed: Wayde Egan, Shaun Johnson, Marcelo Montoya
The Warriors shocked the entire rugby league by finishing in the top four for 2023.
Heading into 2024, the Warriors will no longer be able to flow under the radar. They'll have been closely watched and will need to go to the next level to repeat their 2023 heroics next year.
First of all the Warriors were able to maintain the large majority of their successful '23 squad. Only Tom Curran was allowed to leave, ending up with the Dogs.
They also managed to re-sign megastar Shaun Johnson as well as 2023's most improved player Wayde Egan. Marcelo Montoya can play anywhere so his signing is a brilliant one.
In terms of arrivals, the club will welcome back club legend and arguably the biggest name recruit for 2024 in Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.
We all know what RTS can do. He's come back with the right attitude also, having stated he will need to earn his spot and has shown he is more than willing to forgo playing fullback.
His signing was one of the all time Rugby League stories and I am so glad he ended up back with the Warriors following in a stint in the Rah Rah.
Chanel Harris-Tavita also returned to the club providing them another option in the playmaking positions.
It's hard to find fault here, at all. In fact it's a straight A for the Warriors.
Grade: A
Major ins: None
Major outs: None
Re-signed: Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Tui Kamikamica, Eliesa Katoa, Josh King, Nick Meaney, Will Warbrick
The Storm, much like the aforementioned Sharks, really didn't do much in terms of recruitment. They almost literally did nothing.
Instead the Storm focused on a major retention haul, including 2023 breakout stars Will Warbrick, Eliesa Katoa and Josh King.
Nick Meaney was magnificent at fullback and earned his extended role with the club. He's a mainstay even when Ryan Papenhuyzen returns.
There were no major ins, or outs to speak of.
Given they finished in the top four, I can understand. Given the gulf between them and the top two sides though, Storm fans will feel that their club may have missed a trick.
Grade: D
Major ins: Fletcher Baker
Major outs: Thomas Flegler, Herbie Farnworth, Keenan Palasia
Re-signed: Patrick Carrigan, Payne Haas
I'm going to be blunt here. The Broncos have lost two stars and only, somewhat, replaced one.
In Fletcher Baker the club has largely offset the loss of Tom Flegler. I'd argue they're not yet like for like but Baker shows tremendous upside.
That said, there is no replacing Herbie Farnworth. He is the best centre in the game right now. Top two at the very least.
His move ever so slightly north to the Dolphins is an absolute dagger.
That said, the club was able to retain two of their marquee men in Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan, both of whom will own the rep scene for the next decade.
The Broncos didn't need to recruit. They should be Premiers right now.
That said, losing Farnworth shapes as the biggest loss across the entire competition.
Grade: C-
Major is: Daine Laurie
Major outs: Jack Cogger, Stephen Crichton, Spencer Leniu
Re-signed: Dylan Edwards, Moses Leota, Soni Luke Liam Martin, Lindsay Smith, Scott Sorensen, Brian To'o, Isaah Yeo
Let's be honest here. The Panthers had little to no need to recruit.
For two seasons in a row now they've lost stars only to replace them and continue winning.
Stephen Crichton is a monster loss, and will surely be felt early on, but they'll replace him.
Spencer Leniu is a big star. His impact off the bench ensured the Panthers lost nothing when their two starting big men came off for a rest. He'll be replaced.
Jack Cogger played a magnificent role in 2023 but the incoming Daine Laurie will replace him.
Penrith managed to hold off a host of sides to retain the likes of Edwards, Leota, Smith, Sorenson, To'o and Yeo.
Some Panthers fans will be unhappy with the grade. On the genuine balance, they didn't come anywhere near replacing what they lost, but since when has that mattered for this Panthers outfit?
They'll be more than fine, no matter who they lose in the future.
Grade: C