As is always the case in rugby league, injuries had a fair role to play in how things played out in the NRL last year, with some teams struggling to overcome the loss of key personnel.
Ahead of the new season kicking off most players will start with a (relatively) clean bill of health, with some major names set to return following long layoffs.
The NRL.com writers pick out which stars who suffered serious injuries last season will have the biggest impact in 2024.
Which player will have the biggest impact in their injury return?
Brad Walter: It doesn’t matter how many other stars Manly boast, statistics prove they need a fit Tom Trbojevic to be premiership contenders. The Sea Eagles won just four of 12 matches without their superstar fullback in 2023 and boast an alarmingly similar record since the start of the 2019 season – winning 22 of 66 games in which Trbojevic has missed. With him, Manly are an entirely different proposition and his return next season is expected to help lift the Sea Eagles from 12th spot to the NRL finals. After recovering from a pectoral muscle tear suffered in Origin II, Trbojevic has been able to enjoy a full pre-season with Manly and is ready for a season to rival 2021 when he won the Dally M Medal, Wally Lewis Medal and The Players’ Champion awards.
Tommy back with a bang
Colleen Edwards: Somehow still underrated despite being a Maroons representative, Dolphins forward Tom Gilbert showed just how important he is to the team when his season-ending shoulder injury sustained in the opening match of the Origin series coincided with the Dolphins sliding down the NRL ladder. An unrelenting competitor on the field and at training, Gilbert will be a massive in for Wayne Bennett's men in 2024.
Corey Rosser: I almost feel guilty writing this given his torrid run with injuries of late, but a healthy Ryan Papenhuyzen will light the NRL up again next season. He showed a couple of glimpses of it in his limited cameo in 2023, and with what will hopefully be a decent pre-season under his belt, pending recovery from his latest setback, he should be much better prepared this time around. Not only is he the best fullback the Storm have, but his return will likely mean Nick Meaney shifts to the wing or centres, where he will in turn strengthen the backline. They’ll be a much more dangerous prospect with Papenhuyzen on the field regularly.
All Papenhuyzen's touches in his NRL return
Dan Talintyre: Phoenix Crossland did a more-than-handy job at hooker last season but as the co-captain of the team alongside Kalyn Ponga, there’s no doubting that the number nine jersey is Jayden Brailey’s when he returns. Having endured two serious leg injuries already in his Newcastle career, Brailey was sorely missed throughout the 2023 campaign as the Knights surprised many to cement a finals berth – a feat which they’ll fancy their chances of repeating in 2024 with their talented rake back on deck. With a strong forward pack and classy playmakers around him, Brailey can have a huge impact in his return for Newcastle as they look to push on further up the ladder towards a top four spot.
Kelsey Hogan: When Adam Doueihi eventually returns from his knee injury in the middle part of the 2024 season, it stands to be a huge bonus for the Wests Tigers. The 25-year-old is one of the best attacking weapons coach Benji Marshall has at his disposal and he could feature in any number of positions for the club, bringing an undoubted value in all of them. If Latu Fainu and Jayden Sullivan get the nod in the halves, it's a very young spine for the joint venture when you add in second-year fullback Jahream Bula, so Doueihi's experience will be vital.
Gilbert strikes against old club
Martin Lenehan: The Dolphins’ forwards set the tone early in their debut season with Felise Kaufusi, Jesse Bromwich, Jarrod Wallace and Tom Gilbert putting rivals on notice as the new boys stunned the Roosters, Raiders, Knights and Cowboys inside the first six rounds. Gilbert was averaging 118 run metres and 37 tackles per game before a shoulder injury ended it all. With Kaufusi and Wallace missing three games apiece due to suspension in the second half of the year, the Dolphins fell away but if they can keep their big men on the paddock they can make a charge for the finals in 2024. Gilbert will be a key man in coach Wayne Bennett’s plans and he’ll be ready to rip in after a long spell on the sidelines.
