Players off-contract at the end of 2022 have been able to negotiate for three months as we hit the end of January, and already plenty of big names have re-signed or moved clubs.
The Dolphins have thrown a new air of intrigue over this yearโs off-contract player list, with the expansion club adding six players to their top 30 roster for 2023, including five with first-grade experience.
The Melbourne Storm have been hit hard, losing Jesse Bromwich and Felise Kaufusi to the new club, while Brandon Smith was the most publicised signature of the off-season so far before agreeing to join with the Sydney Roosters for 2023.
Itโs been a revolving door at dummy half, with Reed Mahoney going from the Eels to the Bulldogs, Josh Hodgson from the Raiders to the Eels, and Apisai Koroisau from the Panthers to the Tigers.
Junior Paulo and Clinton Gutherson agreed to remain with the Eels after plenty of speculation, but as it stands, there are still over 100 players without a home locked away for 2023.
Today, we build a 17-man team of those players, noting that we have only considered each player for one position.
FULL OFF-CONTRACT LIST FOR 2023 TEAM-BY-TEAM
6. Hooker
Players still off-contract: Jayden Berrell, Aaron Booth, Manase Fainu, Temple Kalepo, Freddy Lussick, Ben Marschke, Mitch Rein, Tom Starling, Jake Turpin
Ordinarily, Manase Fainu would be the most chased name on this list, but with his court case and no-fault stand-down rule still in effect, he simply can't be at this stage.
Mitch Rein brings the most experience out of all the off-contract hookers, but is unlikely to be the most heavily chased.
The Roosters will need to work out who they keep as back up to Brandon Smith, with Freddy Lussick and Ben Marschke both pushed down the queue unless Sam Verrills leaves the club.
Jayden Berrell will be an intriguing prospect to follow as he transitions from a long stint in the Queensland Cup to the NRL with the Cronulla Sharks, but this is a question of two.
Either Tom Starling or Jake Turpin.
Turpin brings with him one of the game's best defensive techniques but lacks a little in attack. Starling carries all of that in attack and more, however, his own off-field issues are currently standing in the way.
Taking that they get sorted before Round 1 though, he could get some serious offers on the table, although, with the Raiders losing Josh Hodgson for 2023, they are unlikely to let Starling go without a fight.
