THE PRESSURE BEGINS
With a host of NRL squads already into pre-season training, Fox Sports’ JOHN DEAN takes a look at the talking points and question marks lingering over the competition’s clubs ahead of 2019
BRISBANE The coaching situation
THIS one will continue to linger right up until a coach swap, which seems inevitable.
With Wayne Bennett signing with South Sydney for 2020 and Anthony Seibold signing with Brisbane from the same season, it would seem common sense for both to just switch clubs now.
Both coaches have publicly reaffirmed their commitment to the end of their deals, but have also left the door open.
The coaching carousel hasn’t halted just yet.
CANBERRA The halves
BLAKE Austin is on a plane to Warrington, which leaves Aidan Sezer and Sam Williams as the likely first-choice halves pairing next year.
The Raiders were criticised in 2018 for failing to close out games, so the pressure will be on their halves to ensure that trend doesn’t continue.
One player who could be a play-making smoky is Paul Roache, who has already started his pre-season on a positive note by finishing right behind Sezer and Williams in the beep test.
Meanwhile, there will plenty of interest in the outcome of Jack Wighton’s court case when he is sentenced on November 14 following assault charges.
CANTERBURY David Klemmer
ANOTHER inevitable move in the pre-season appears to be David Klemmer’s exit from Canterbury, following the big prop’s request for a release.
Newcastle is his likely destination, but his possible departure from the Bulldogs will leave a gigantic hole.
Whether the Bulldogs look to chase a prop of the same calibre as Klemmer remains to be seen, but if they fail to plug the hole it could be another long year for the team.
CRONULLA The back row
CRONULLA have big shoes to fill after Luke Lewis’s retirement.
The veteran forward was one of the best line runners in the game. He’ll be sorely missed out on the right edge.
Jayson Bukuya and Kurt Capewell would be considered frontrunners for the vacant spot but the club also has a host of young forwards coming through the ranks including Jack Williams, Billy Magoulias, Briton Nikora and Cruz Topai-Aveai.
GOLD COAST The spine
THE Titans’ key positions are in line for a shake-up heading into next season.
Tyrone Peachey is on his way to the club and likely to play five-eighth alongside Ash Taylor.
But Tyrone Roberts is also returning and is another option in the halves, which could move Peachey to the forwards.
Young gun AJ Brimson burst onto the scene this year and looms as a real contender for the fullback spot – a position he played plenty of times in the junior grades.
MANLY Dessie’s return
ALL eyes will be on returning Manly coach Des Hasler in season 2019 as he looks to revive his career as well as the Sea Eagles’ hopes.
Hasler’s well-publicised sacking from Canterbury after the 2016 season came after he was criticised for an attacking game plan that yielded poor results.
He’s going to have to reinvent himself to guide the Sea Eagles back into finals contention after a year to forget.
MELBOURNE Brodie Croft
THE Storm will be hoping Brodie Croft continues to develop into an elite player in 2019.
The talented youngster had a roller-coaster year in 2018, winning the race to the No.7 jumper for the opening games before being dropped after round five.
He got a crack later in the year and was halfback in the grand final but he’ll need to step up again next season with Jahrome Hughes tipped to play fullback and Ryley Jacks gone to Gold Coast.
NEWCASTLE Ponga’s position
NEWCASTLE coach Nathan Brown has hinted superstar fullback Kalyn Ponga could be in line for a positional switch in 2019.
Ponga lit up the competition in his first full NRL season and spent all of the year in the No.1 jersey apart from one game at five-eighth.
He could find himself in that position, with Connor Watson a chance to move to fullback.
NORTH QUEENSLAND No Johnathan Thurston
WHAT will life be like post JT?
North Queensland have begun pre-season training following Johnathan Thurston’s retirement and there will be pressure on the team’s key players to ensure they can get back into the finals.
Michael Morgan will return from a biceps rupture and assume the dominant playmaking duties, likely alongside rising star Jake Clifford.
At the back, Ben Barba will look to again set the NRL alight following a brief stint in Super League after a drugs ban.
PARRAMATTA Brad Arthur
PARRAMATTA struggled in both attack and defence for much of the 2018 so there’s plenty for the coach to work on.
With the Eels having undertaken a club review following another wooden spoon, the hierarchy will be hoping things turn around quickly.
A good start to 2019 will be crucial for off-contract coach Brad Arthur.
PANTHERS Gus Gould and Ivan Cleary
CAN Gus and Ivan’s second marriage work?
This is no doubt one of the fascinating spin-offs, if you like, of the coaching carousel.
Penrith has finally got its man in coach Ivan Cleary, the same man the club sacked at the end of the 2015 season for looking “tired”, according to Phil Gould.
Now Cleary is back on a five-year deal and the pressure’s on him to take them all the way after the team’s multiple stumbles in the finals. It’ll be interesting to see how things play out, particularly if results don’t come.
SOUTH SYDNEY The coaching situation
SEE the previously mentioned Broncos!
Anthony Seibold has claimed he’ll be coaching at the club in 2019 despite signing for Brisbane in 2020.
But he’s left the door open for an immediate move, saying he’ll coach “until I’m told otherwise”.
ST GEORGE Ben Hunt
THERE was plenty of pressure on St George Illawarra’s marquee man in 2018 after he signed a rich, long-term deal with the club.
Hunt admitted he struggled at times on and off the field, but overall he managed to get a solid first-up season under his belt at the Red V.
Perhaps the spotlight won’t shine as bright on him in 2019, which could help him go to the next level.
Time will tell.
SYDNEY ROOSTERS Premiership hangover
HOW do they shake it?
This is the big question that every reigning premier faces.
The Roosters have lost a couple of players, including Blake Ferguson, following their title win but they’ve also recruited smartly in bringing in Angus Crichton and Brett Morris.
As well, they’ve got experienced senior players such as Cooper Cronk to keep them on track, not to mention a smart mentor in Trent Robinson.
WARRIORS Shaun Johnson
THE playmaker’s future is going to be a talking point beyond just the pre-season.
After the Warriors told Johnson he was free to explore other options when his contract ran out at the end of 2019, the speculation began.
The longer the issue lingers, the more it could affect not just Johnson but the rest of the side.
Should the club and player cut ties immediately?
WESTS TIGERS Josh Reynolds
IT’LL be interesting to see how new Tigers coach Michael Maguire approaches his halves in 2019.
Luke Brooks will be the halfback, but will Benji Marshall or Josh Reynolds be alongside him?
It’ll likely be Marshall’s swansong season, and Reynolds struggled to get on the field in 2018 due to injury.