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 fullbacks 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 fullback 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.
With that said, below are the top 10 NRL fullbacks based purely and totally on 2023:
The South Sydney number one only managed 16 appearances in 2023, but they were in impactful 16. He edges William Kennedy out here by the slightest of margins.
Nine tries, 12 try assists, 94 tackle breaks and 127 metres run per game illustrate his importance to this Bunnies outfit.
It's no coincidence that Souths struggled rounds 12 and 22, where Mitchell was out injured. By the time he returned, the damage was done. Latrell also couldn't re-find that early season mega form.
If Trell plays a full season, the Bunnies make Finals. The Blues sure could have use him out wide also. I'm glad he is skipping the end of seasons tests to be fully fit for 2024.
The Dolphins marquee signing lived up to expectations in a big way in 2023. He played a huge part in the brilliant start enjoyed by the NRL's new boys.
In his 20 games, including 17 officially at fullback, the Hammer crossed for 15 tries, assisted four, made 11 line breaks and run for almost 150 metres per game. He also broke 89 tackles.
His brilliant form saw him rewarded with an Origin spot. One he has well and truly now made his own. He was also outstanding on debut for the Kangaroos recently.
A late season form drop off, coinciding with his teams struggles, stops him from placing higher on the list. The Hammer was one of the undoubted byes of the season.
Simply put, Nick Meaney was magnificent in the fullback role this season for the Melbourne Storm.
He won't get the plaudits of the bigger name fullbacks but he instrumental in helping the Storm to yet another top four finish.
He played every one of his 25 games at fullback, crossing for 10 tries, landing 91 goals, making nine line-breaks, breaking 91 tackles, laying on 11 try assists and running for 147 metres per game.
The Storm couldn't have asked for more from their custodian. His talents were the only thing that eased the pain of missing Ryan Papenhuyzen for almost the entire season.
Clint Gutherson is the most underrated fullback in the competition. I feel as though I am doing the King dirty by placing him seventh here.
His 23 appearances in 2023 produced 19 tries, 14 try assists, 15 line breaks and overy 160 metres run per game.
I wish they kept stats for "try saving tackles" as I believe Gutherson would lead the competition in this stat.
Gutherson was a rare shining light in an otherwise down season for the Eels. They should parade their captain round as he routinely set the standard.
It says everything about James Tedesco, and his standing in the game, that he can have a "down season" yet still perform at the level he did in 2023.
Across his 22 games for the Roosters this year, he crossed for 11 tries, set up 11, made 15 line breaks, ran for 185 metres per game and broke a staggering 126 tackles.
Tedesco managed to hold off some emerging megastar fullbacks to retain both his NSW and Kangaroos jumpers.
The Rooster skipper pretty much dragged them to a Finals finish. I can't remember ranking Tedesco as low as sixth previously but he is still among the competition's very elite number ones.
CNK entered the season with question marks over his role at the Warriors only to end the season as one of the top five fullbacks from 2023.
He was absolutely magnificent in every aspect and played a huge part in the Warriors unlikely yet magnificent rise.
He ran out 23 times in 2023, four games of which were ended early, and recorded 188 run metres per game while crossing for seven tries and assisting eight. He may have gone over 200 run metres per game if not for the early exits.
Nicoll-Klokstad's performances this season were at such a level that the returning Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will do so via the centres in '24.
I'm calling it right now, if Scott Drinkwater doesn't get suspended, he wins the Dally M. Of course that's silly to say but his form warranted it, under the current system.
Drinkwater was the shining light for the Cowboys in 2023. He deserved to propel them to a Finals finish. He more often than not played a lone hand.
21 games this season for Drinkwater saw him score 11 tries, record a remarkable 25 try assists, made 14 line breaks, break 96 tackles and run for 134 metres per game.
Drinkwater is the forgotten fullback in the NSW Origin talks but his form this season would not have seen him out of place in sky blue.
I'm not sure I have the authority but I'm officially lifting the "underrated" tag from the great Dylan Edwards. He is very much legit, and everyone knows it.
His stats don't, in any way, accurately portray how important he is to Penrith's back-to-back-to-back Premierships, but they're still impressive.
He made 26 appearances for the Panthers in 2023, crossing for 12 tries, assisting six, breaking a mammoth 155 tackles, making 12 line breaks and of course running for well over 200 metres per game.
It is a matter of when, not if, Edwards makes his debut for the NSW Blues. His brilliant 2023 was rewarded with a debut for the Kangaroos where he was, as expected, brilliant despite being named out of position.
Kalyn Ponga, under the current points system, was a very deserving winner of the Dally M medal. I just think there was one player slightly better across 2023.
That said, Ponga's late season form was unprecedented. I'm on record as saying he was the form player of the competition, if not the very best overall.
20 games in 2023 saw him produce nine tries, 19 line breaks, 21 try assists, 96 tackle breaks and 145 run metres per game.
Let's not forget that Ponga started the season as five-eighth, suffering a head knock that threatened to end his career.
For everyone's sake, I'm glad he was able to return to his very best form. He was utterly magnificent for the Knights in 2023.
A suspension ruled Walsh out of Dally M honours, while his supporting cast certainly took points away from him, but in my view Reece Walsh was the best fullback across 2023.
Quickly pivoting to his Origin form, Walsh was magnificent on debut. He played a huge part in Queensland retaining the shield. His rep future is monstrous.
For the Broncos, Walsh was the key in many regards. He ran out 22 times, crossing for nine tries, making 21 line breaks, and running for over 150 metres per game.
The 21 year-old also laid on 26 try assists and broke an eye watering 127 tackles.
He was literally two minutes away from a near perfect season, across club and rep footy. It is scary to think he is in only his second full season as a NRL first grader.