The NRL market has been in full swing for 2023 with several stars switching clubs ahead of the new season.
NRL.com takes a look at the major transfers and how your club will benefit from a star arrival.
Kenny Bromwich (Dolphins)
- Age: 31
- Position they’ll fill: second row
- Contracted until: 2024
What Bromwich will bring
One of the earlier signings for the Dolphins, Bromwich will be a senior member of their forward pack when the team runs out for their first match in Round 1, bringing with him plenty of experience as well as versatility.
Debuting for the Storm in 2013, Bromwich won two premiership titles with Melbourne in 2017 and 2020 and was also a one-time captain of the club as well.
Last year, Bromwich made 700 tackles to be the 39th top tackler in the league, but it is his versatility in attack which is highly regarded. While he has featured mostly in the second row, during his career he has also pitched in as needed at lock, hooker and once, at centre.
Accompanied at the Dolphins this coming season by his older brother Jesse Bromwich – who like Kenny is also a New Zealand Kiwi and past Māori All Stars representative player – there’s no doubt about his playing credentials.
Why it will work
While Bromwich is a leading backrower, his added utility value makes him an even better acquisition for the Dolphins who will be working out their best combinations as they go in their inaugural season.
Despite some comments about the overall age of the forwards Wayne Bennett has assembled at the Dolphins – including Bromwich who turns 32 in September this year – there are some impressive representative resumes within the pack. Throw in some highly regarded younger players like Tom Gilbert and Ray Stone and the new side do have the talent to take on opposition sides up front.
Speaking about his fellow forwards, Bromwich said he had been impressed by what he saw during their first training camp together to kick off their 2023 preseason training.
"When I looked around the squad and the pack that we had there, everyone was everyone was giving it their all, no one gave in and that was something I really admired about the group," Bromwich said.
"I know we've got a good team on the field, but we’ve got a bunch of tough fellows here that I can rely on to get their job done."
When announcing Bromwich's signing with the club, Dolphins CEO Terry Reader highlighted reliability and experience as key attributes. Bromwich's long playing history with fellow Storm forward signings in his brother and Felise Kaufusi; and the fact he has previously played with Kiwi representatives Jamayne Isaako and Kodi Nikorima will also go a long way to help build connections and combinations in the team in their inaugural season.