With the off-season comes the usual troupes.
Talk of expansion, the divisions talk, player movements and of course post-season rankings.
Today we're here to focus on the rankings. More specifically, the NRL five-eighth rankings from 2023.
Please keep in mind that these rankings are based only on 2023. Both NRL and Origin performances will be taken into account. Not specifically who is the best five-eighth outright.
Before we start, I'm going to take a moment to answer some of the usual questions to appear in the comments to any sort of rankings.
Do I even watch football? Yes, every game.
Are my eyes painted on? No. That would be funny though.
Who am I? Just a fan.
This was by far the more difficult to rank, thus far. It's also the list I'm expecting to cop more grief for in the comments. That's ultimately what it's about though, right?
With that said, below are the top 10 NRL five-eighths based purely and totally on 2023:
Honourable mentions: Jack Wighton
To further endear myself to the Canterbury faithful, I don't think Burton had a great season in 2023. He was just better than some slim pickings.
Four tries, 16 try assists, 13 line break assists, 350 kicking metres per game and 82 run metres per game put him above Jack Wighton, who he edged out for 10th.
Burton was far too one dimensional in 2023 but to be completely frank, he was forced to play a lone hand far too often.
The one thing you can never accuse Burton of is phoning it in. The bloke bleeds for the Bulldogs and if he ever receives the assistance he deserves, can rocket up the rankings.
The Cowboys number six largely played second fiddle to Scott Drinkwater in 2023 but that's not to say he wasn't also very good.
Seven tries, 10 try assists, five forced drop outs, almost 100 run metres and just under 85% tackling won't win any individual awards but he was more than solid.
For the record, I don't think Dearden was the issue in the halves for the Cowboys this year.
Dearden is about to become one of the most in demand players in the market, and for good reason. I think he'd be looking for a better out put in 2024 though.
Straight up, I thought Kodi Nikorima had a fantastic season. He played across multiple positions for the Phins but mainly as the number six so he lands here.
Across 21 games in 2023 Nikorima set up 18 tries, had 27 line-break assists, scored four tries, ran for over 90 metres per game and 11 offloads.
Those stats put him well above the Origin players previously listed here.
Nikorima was a real shining light in the Dolphins first season in the NRL.
I re-ranked Keary three times before settling at seven.
At times this season he was breathtaking and looked every bit the Roosters main man. At other times he was ... average, to say the least.
His stats are good. Five tries, 19 try assists, 20 line-break assists, nine forced dropouts and tackling at almost 90%.
I know the number on his back is just that, a number, but Keary plays much better as a foil. A heads up player if you will. A full season beside Sam Walker will provide big dividends next year.
On field, in 2023, Dylan Brown was very good for the Eels. He was routinely one of the club's best.
16 try assists, 13 line break assists, five forced drop outs and 143 metres run per game were highlights, as was his 92.5% tackling completion.
Brown, despite being just 23, will bring up 100 NRL games in Round One 2024. He is now a huge part of the Eels title hopes moving forward.
It's not going to be popular, but if Brown played more games, the Eels play Finals footy in 2023. Brown has to own that.
This is an entry where stats are hard to prove the ranking, but truthfully the eye test confirms Foran was a top five number six in 2023.
The way he lead and inspired the Titans kept the club in the Finals race for many weeks more than they otherwise deserved.
Foran made 20 appearances for the Gold Coast in 2023, scoring six tries, setting up five, assisting 11 line breaks and tackling at over 86%.
If other Titans players played with the heart of their 33 year-old five-eighth, they'd have walked into the Finals this year.
Full disclosure, this was "the clear top four and the rest" From here, it's all pretty close so I'd be happy with the next two or three in any order.
Cody Walker, at times in 2023, was on another planet. From round six to Round 14, I thought Walker was going to win the Dally M medal.
Much like Souths though, Walker's form fell off drastically at the back end of the season. That said, overall Walker can be pretty happy with his efforts.
Across 22 games Walker chimed in with nine tries, 24 try assists, 32 line break assists, 11 forced drop outs, almost 200 kick metres per game, 80 run metres and just on 85% tackling efficiency. Good shift!
The Panthers superstar may be the most divisive player in the competition. He will likely be the most divisive player on the list also.
His raw stats don't match that of Cody Walker, but this guy ensured the Panthers didn't lose anything during Nathan Cleary's long absense.
Three tries, 13 try assists, 14 line break assists 80 run metres per game and a tackling efficiency of just under 90% don't really do his season justice.
Luai cops a lot of heat, I absolutely get it, but he was tremendous yet again in 2023 for the Panthers.
There was a fair bit of online criticism when Cam Munster was overlooked for the Dally M five-eighth of the year. I see the argument but I'm very happy placing him second here.
Munster is another player whose involvements are far more important than the measurable stats will show.
Eight tries, 15 try assists, six line break assists 236 kick metres per game, 28 offloads and 125 run metres per game show he was super involved in everything.
Munster was brilliant again for club, state and country. It's hard to be shocked by that by the great Melbourne number six.
Earlier I said the top four stood out from the rest. The proceeding three were all very close but one stood above even those stars. Brisbane's Ezra Mam!
Mam was nothing short of magnificent in 2023. It's scary to think that he's still only 20 year's of age.
Across 25 games for the Broncs he crossed for a huge 18 tries, set up a further nine, made 10 line break assists and ran for almost 100 metres per game.
I still maintain he was a matter of minutes away from a Clive Churchill medal. He could not have done more on the biggest stage of them all.