After months of predictions, precognitions and takes as hot as the Simpson desert, the NRL is finally back.
Well, pretty much. Manly and Penrith have already crossed the threshold where all the pre-season talk must become action.
The Panthers strode into the new year with the composure and certainty of a reigning champion, while questions still remain over the Sea Eagles' ability to match it with the best teams in the competition.
By the end of the weekend, 14 other teams will know a little bit more about where they stand in the 2022 premiership race. Every team has nothing to lose and plenty to prove and stars will rise and fall as they do every season.
In the inaugural edition of Campo's Corner, which will come every Friday from now until the end of season or the end of time, whichever comes first, here's the player from every club with the most to gain in season 2022.
Penrith Panthers – Izack Tago
Playing left centre for Penrith over the past two years has been an easy way to score a lot of tries. Stephen Crichton crossed for 17 in 2020 and Matt Burton matched that number last year as they stamped themselves as two of the best young players in the competition. By the time 2022 wraps up, don't be surprised if Izack Tago is on that list.
Tago is someone the Panthers have been excited about for a while and he did well in limited chances in first grade last year. But against Manly, in his run-on debut, he played a blinder. Not only did he charge over for the first try of the season, he was consistently involved and brought a strong physicality on both sides of the ball. His hard shot on Tom Trbojevic to force an error in the second half was one of the plays of the night and his commitment to effort areas, like chasing kicks and putting pressure on the Manly back three, was first class.
Burton was close to the best centre in the league last year — his background as a half gave him a tremendous understanding of running angles. Tago is a more classical centre, but with Viliame Kikau and Jarome Luai's ball-playing that will suit Penrith just fine.
If Tago hadn't played six matches last year (one over the threshold of what constitutes a rookie season) he'd be a certain to be in Rookie of the Year conversations at season's end.
Manly Sea Eagles – Ethan Bullemor
It was a mixed Manly debut for Bullemor, who had a devil of a time defending on the edge. All his football for Brisbane was in the middle, and prop and second row are nowhere near as similar positions as they used to be. Penrith went after Bullemor and they went after him hard.
But Manly's finest moment of the night also gave a glimpse of Bullemor's future role in the team. He scored their lone try, backing up Trbojevic and showing good speed to make it to the line. Once Josh Schuster returns from injury, Bullemor will revert to the middle and that's just what Manly need.
Manly looked cumbersome through the middle compared to Penrith's James Fisher-Harris, Isaah Yeo and Moses Leota, with Scott Sorenson also making the Sea Eagles look sluggish when he came on. They need a middle with Bullemor's straight-line speed and footwork to match it with the best packs in the competition or there will be more results like Thursday night, where there were blood and feathers scattered all over the Panthers Stadium turf at full-time.
Brisbane Broncos – Cory Paix
Good service from dummy half is the kind of thing everybody takes for granted until they don't have it. A good, flat, wide pass from hooker sets the tone for everything that comes after, and as many hookers are fond of pointing out, they touch the ball more than anybody else. Jake Turpin will start the season as Brisbane's hooker and Tyrone Roberts has come from nowhere to be their bench rake, but Cory Paix has the best pass of the Broncos' dummy halves. He's out this week due to COVID protocols but don't be surprised if he wins the job and holds it for the rest of the season.
Canterbury Bulldogs – Tevita Pangai Jr
Tevita Pangai Jr's stock is low after his brain snap in the trial against Cronulla but the former Bronco and Panther has the kind of talent that will always make people buy in.
His brief stint at Penrith, where he gave them some sorely needed strength in the middle and helped spring their epic preliminary final upset over Melbourne, is proof there is still a top class forward in there somewhere.
Out on the edge, Pangai Jr can be an attacking weapon while avoiding the physical battles of the middle that, while he wins most of them, can also bring out his angrier instincts.
Talent has never been Pangai Jr's problem, but he can't be a wild horse forever. The new judiciary laws give him a clean slate and have given him a once-in-a-career chance to start again without the baggage of the past. If he's ever going to grow up a bit, it must be now.
Canberra Raiders – Jack Wighton
How is that Jack Wighton has been in first grade for ten years, played almost 200 games, won a Clive Churchill Medal and a Dally M and it still feels like we're yet to see the best of him?
The Canberra star had one of the toughest seasons of his career in 2021 – there were constant changes at halfback and hooker, which didn't help things, but for a player of his ability we've come to expect much more.
If trial form is any indication, Wighton will be popping up all over the field in 2022 and with Jamal Fogarty missing for much of the season it's time for Wighton to take charge of things. He is the dominant playmaker on the team, the showstopper, the biggest name who plays in the biggest games, and he needs to play accordingly.
Wighton doesn't need to play like a halfback, he just needs to play like Ricky Stuart knows he can. He's been very good, but he's at a point in his career where it's time to go next level. If Wighton, who has played great football in the past, can become a great footballer now is the time.
Cronulla Sharks – Ronaldo Mulitalo
It's a shame Mulitalo will never play for Queensland because the big Cronulla outside back is well-suited to the Origin arena.
Quick and powerful and possessing a mean edge and intensity that fuels his continued involvement in matches and makes him willing and able to use his athleticisim to great effect against his opponents.
With Connor Tracey injured, Mulitalo will start the season in the centres for the Sharks – which was his position as a junior, he never played wing until he was in first grade – but don't be surprised if we end 2022 with Mulitalo as one of the elite outside backs in the competition.
It's a high bar, but he can clear it.
Gold Coast Titans – Beau Fermor
March is far too early to be making Origin predictions but the start of the season is all about being more excited than sensible so here's one for the little black book – Beau Fermor will play for Queensland this year.
The Titans backrower has just 25 NRL appearances to his credit but has won the starting spot over veteran Kevin Proctor and with the Maroons short of backrow depth outside of Kurt Capewell, David Fifita and Felise Kaufusi, a good start to the season could put Fermor in the frame.
Fermor is very quick for a forward and has a knack for breaking tackles and while Fifita commands the spotlight on the Coast, Fermor is no easy customer.
Melbourne Storm – Xavier Coates
Think of all the project players Melbourne turned into stars over the years. Before Josh Addo-Carr was "The Fox" he was a skinny winger who had been through a series of clubs in a very short stretch of time. Before Ryan Papenhuyzen was Ryan Papenhuyzen he was a Tigers cast-off. Before Jahrome Hughes was a premiership-winning halfback he was a fullback who wandered through the Queensland Cup. The Storm don't find diamonds in the rough, they pick up stones and polish them until they shine.
In Xavier Coates, they have something that already glitters and given Melbourne went hard to get him, something they usually avoid with established stars (their last incumbent Origin player they signed was Michael Crocker in 2006) it's a measure of what they think Craig Bellamy can do with him.
Coates is yet to scratch the surface of his incredible potential but he's already played for Queensland and has a highlight reel that shows why he was so highly rated as a junior. Slotting in on the Storm's left edge, Coates is odds on to end the season as top tryscorer.
Newcastle Knights – Jake Clifford
Somebody who can kick a football like Jake Clifford will always have a place on an NRL roster. When he puts them up they come down with snow on them. They threaten to knock satellites out of the sky. One day, if there's a particular kind of breeze, he might put one up that never comes back down again.
Clifford' progression into first grade was rocky, with North Queensland never quite going all in on him, but Newcastle have and will bet the farm on the Tully man. With Mitchell Pearce and Adam Clune in, Clifford has become the leading man in the halves for the Knights and given the tough and gritty forward pack he's playing behind and the backline at his disposal, the Knights will go as far as Clifford and Kalyn Ponga can take them in 2022.
Ponga is a proven performer at the game's highest level and rep honours are not beyond Clifford by any means, but it has to start with week-to-week consistency in the Hunter. Clifford was good in patches last year once he joined the Knights but if he's capable of dominating it has to start now.
New Zealand Warriors – Rocco Berry
The Warriors had a tough time of it last year – God, when don't the Warriors have a tough time of things? – but they've got a live one in Rocco Berry.
In eight games at centre last year Berry looked just like the Warriors have missed in recent years, namely a strike outside back who can feed off the work of his inside men. If Berry lines up on the same side as Shaun Johnson, he can expect tries and plenty of them.
Any edge with Johnson on it in recent years has scored plenty of points, and Berry has the skills and nous to finish a chance.
North Queensland Cowboys – Tom Dearden
Tom Dearden will play in his fourth NRL season in 2022 and is still only 20 years old. He's already been through a lot, from being hailed as the latest successor to Allan Langer at Brisbane to being shifted up to North Queensland midway through last year.
Plenty of other players have followed the same path in the Broncos years in the wilderness, but none of them had it happen as quickly as Dearden.
Given he's still extremely young, Dearden has done well to win the job of Chad Townsend's halves partner ahead of Scott Drinkwater and should steadily get better as the year goes on.
Parramatta Eels – Bailey Simonsson
Brad Arthur has several strengths as an NRL coach but one of his greatest is the ability to get the best out of players who have stagnated at other clubs.
Think about how well Isaiah Papali'i or Bryce Cartwright did last year, or how accomplished Reagan Campbell-Gillard has become since joining the Eels. Simonsson, who comes from Canberra, could be another classic Arthur project.
Simonsson was not without his good days at the Raiders and is clearly a player of talent, but his progression had slowed somewhat since his debut in 2019.
A change of scenery, a guaranteed wing spot and a fresh approach make the Eels a good fit for him and he is well-placed to be one of this seasons big improvers.
St George Illawarra Dragons – Zac Lomax
How many times have you watched the footage of Zac Lomax stepping Alex Johnston out of his boots in the Charity Shield? Let's do it one more time, just for fun.
After coming close to playing Origin in 2020, Lomax had a frustrating season in 2021 that never really got started but his moment of magic in Mudgee showed why he's close to the total package when it comes to an NRL centre. Lomax has the size and strength to run over someone, the footwork to beat them cold and the skills to set up his winger.
It's no coincidence that Mikaele Ravalawa has become one of the competition's most underrated wingers when he's been able to settle next to Lomax. Tom Trbojevic and Latrell Mitchell have a stranglehold on the Blues centre spots, but Lomax has been teasing that he could be the best week-to-week centre in the NRL. It's time for everything to come together.
Sydney Roosters – Billy Smith
Billy Smith just hasn't had a chance to get started. The rugged Roosters centre has only played five games since his debut in 2019 through terrible injury luck but has managed to win a place for the Tricolours season opener against the Knights.
Coach Trent Robinson is a big fan and when Smith has played it's easy to see why – Smith is a robust, powerful runner who offers the size the Roosters are looking for in their back five.
Originally earmarked as Latrell Mitchell's replacement when he defected to Souths, Smith's luck is sure to turn at some stage and he's now got the chance to fulfill his considerable potential.
Wests Tigers – James Roberts
What James Roberts does this season comes down to one question – can he still fly? Can James Roberts, after his injuries troubles and off-field issues of recent years, still put the foot down and move faster than seems possible? Can he still be 'the Jet'?
Roberts has been around longer than you think – this will be his 11th season in first grade, and he's had a lot of highs and lows in those 11 years.
He managed to win another deal after a strong offseason on a train and trial contract, but now he has to prove it all again. The Tigers badly need some strike out wide and, in theory, Roberts can provide it – if he can still fly.
