10 burning questions heading into Round 1

The wait is nearly over, with Round 1 just around the corner and with it the start of the NRL Fantasy season for 2023.

Amid the injury news, selection jigsaws and Pre-season Challenge revelations, here are the biggest Fantasy questions facing owners ahead of the opening round of the season.

10 burning Fantasy questions heading into Round 1 

Who will be the Raiders fullback for the next two months?

Recovery from a broken jaw means Xavier Savage isn't expected to be seen until Round 8 this season, leaving the Raiders in need of a new medium term No.1.

Albert Hopoate is one option, while Jordan Rapana is another, with a history of being a competent fill-in there in the past.

If Rapana does get the nod and move from the wing, history tells us he becomes significantly more relevant in Fantasy, with his games at fullback in 2021 seeing him average 63.6 points per game, which included monster scores of 102 and 95. His two stints at No.1 last year were less fruitful, bringing scores of 26 and 30.

Has Tanah Boyd locked up a halves spot?

For the first half of 2022 Tanah Boyd couldn't get a look in as a half at the Titans, instead having to bide his time as a bench utility, or out of the NRL side altogether, with Toby Sexton the preferred option.

But a promising finish to last year, which included nailing a match-winning field goal in golden point against the Warriors in the Gold Coast's final game, coupled with a strong Pre-season Challenge showing, means Boyd is the frontrunner to partner Kieran Foran in Round 1. 

He's listed as both a HOK and HLF in Fantasy, so is a handy pick up in that regard, but questions remain about how many points Foran will take from him given he'll be the main playmaker. 

What does this injury mean for Josh Schuster's role?

An untimely calf injury means Josh Schuster will miss at least Round 1, opening the door for Cooper Johns – who headed to the club on a train and trial deal at the end of last year – to get a shot in the No.6 jersey.

Manly have the bye in Round 2, which helps limit the game time Schuster might miss, but if Johns has a blinder alongside Daly Cherry-Evans against the Bulldogs first up, coach Anthony Seibold will have a tough decision on his hands.

Schuster will be part of the 17 when fit, but if it isn't at five-eighth there's a good chance it'll be off the bench, with Manly looking stacked in the back row this year with Haumole Olakau'atu and Kelma Tuilagi.

Can Teig Wilton take his game to the next level?

The Cronulla back-rower was a Fantasy star through the opening rounds of last season, opening the year with a score of 68 before going on to hit some big numbers through the opening nine rounds off the back of an 80-minute starting role. 

But his minutes dropped off through the second part of the year – playing a full match just once after Round 12 – with Wade Graham the preferred starter, and his scores fell from elite to mediocre, finishing with a season average of 37.5. 

With that in mind, Wilton's Fantasy prospects in 2023 depend almost entirely on how many minutes he gets, and odds are they increase significantly on last year's average of 58.9, given he's the likely full-time starter alongside Briton Nikora.

Which rookie winger is the safer bet?

Melbourne's Will Warbrick and Titans flyer Alofiana Khan-Pereira had very good Pre-season Challenge outings this month, and both are almost certain to start for their club in Round 1. But if you're weighing up which one to bring in, the answer is Warbrick any day of the week.

His job security is much better, with the man he's filling in for, Nick Meaney, likely to be needed at fullback until at least Round 6. Khan-Pereira on the other hand could be out of the side by Round 3 when Brian Kelly returns and likely triggers a backline reshuffle.

Warbrick's physical build and style of play mean he's likely to accumulate more base stats from metres gained and tackle breaks, while Khan-Pereira will rely more on dynamic plays and he would struggle if the Titans favoured the right edge where David Fifita lives. 

Is Cam Murray an essential?

It's looking that way, after the Rabbitohs' lock picked up where he left off at the end of 2022 with a 58 in the second round of the Pre-season Challenge.

Murray finished last year as the third-best player in Fantasy by average points (63.2), but at $904k is much cheaper than Damien Cook, Nathan Cleary and Nicho Hynes. 

In 23 appearances last year Murray had six try assists and 10 line-break assists, and if his first outing of 2023 is anything to go by, he's more in-sync than ever with Cook and set to dominate the middle in attack once again. 

What do Manly do with Weekes?

Kaeo Weekes was really impressive in Manly's second Pre-season Challenge match, setting up three of his side's five tries and busting through five tackles at fullback.

In another team he might well be a starting player in Round 1, but given the backs coach Anthony Seibold has at his disposal, it looks more likely Weekes' best chance to play will be off the interchange.

With his athletic ability and energy, Weekes could provide a useful spark for Manly if he does get the nod at No.14, but it'd likely be across limited minutes, making him a Fantasy stay away for now (unless he is named to start). 

As a Fantasy buy, how good is Hopgood?

After making just nine NRL appearances across two seasons at the Panthers, J'maine Hopgood is almost certain to feature each week for the Eels in 2023, and he probably commands a starting spot more often than not too. 

With Ryan Matterson suspended for the first three games, and Shaun Lane set to miss at least the first month with a fractured jaw, Hopgood's short-term job security gets a big tick. 

Hopgood was outstanding in his two pre-season outings, hitting 74 Fantasy points in his game for the Indigenous All Stars before scoring 63 the next week for the Eels against the Knights, and at $453k looks a steal. 

Can a case be made to have the whole Knights spine? 

The signing of Jackson Hastings and Lachlan Miller, coupled with the move of Kalyn Ponga into the halves, means the Knights have a strong Fantasy quartet in the spine, with hooker Jayden Brailey a traditional gun as well. 

In four games at fullback last year Miller averaged 49.7 points, making him good value at $426k given he will be the first-choice No.1, while Brailey should play close to 80 minutes every week and Hastings proved a good Fantasy player at the Wests Tigers last season. 

Of that group it's Ponga (532k) who is the biggest risk. He scored 14 in the Pre-season Challenge match against the Eels, and while the move to five-eighth should see him get involved more often, it also exposes him in defence which could lead to increased demerits. 

Will John Bateman play Round 1 and what impact could he have? 

Bateman arrived in Australia on Friday and will have had just under a week and a half in the country by the time the Wests Tigers season-opener against the Titans rolls around, and coach Tim Sheens has insisted he won't be in a rush to play him. 

But there remains a good chance Bateman is part of the game day 17, probably off the bench, which will likely mean limited minutes and a low chance of him hitting his break even of 56.

Unless you're obsessed with having him in your team from day one, he's a stay away for the time being, with a good chance he comes at a discount rate a few rounds in.