Munster, Brown, Keary, Wighton, Dearden, Luai: Who are the NRL's best 10 five-eighths for season 2023?

With the 2023 NRL season kick-off looming closer, The Roar is counting down until the footy starts with a ranking of each position on the field.

Not just who had a great 2022, but those that are the best in their role currently in the NRL. 

Next on the list, those guys in the middle trying to help steer the ship – Five-Eighths.

1.Cameron Munster (Storm)

This guy will go down as one of the greats.

Heading into his 10th season at the Storm, there aren’t too many like Muster.

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It’s no surprise he took out the Dally M Five-Eighth of the Year, as well as the Storm’s Cameron Smith Player of the Year award. He seems to pop up everywhere on the field and can be so damaging in the blink of an eye.

Munster led the way for the number sixes in his 22 games with 90 tackle breaks, 35 offloads as well 9 forced dropouts and averaged 127 running metres. He scored 11 tries with 16 assists, caused havoc with his kicking game, and drew players in like no one else.

He was huge for the Queenslanders in Game One, massive for the Kangaroos, and will no doubt lead the way in the NRL once again in 2023.

2.Dylan Brown (Eels)

Brown came out of the blocks strongly at the start of 2022 and never looked back.

Stepping out of Mitch Moses’ shadow and becoming a dominant half in his own right, Brown matured right before our eyes this season and helped lead the Eels to the Grand Final.

Playing a massive 28 games, Brown was huge with 18 line breaks, 81 tackle busts and averaged 119 running metres. He scored 11 tries and made nine forced dropouts like Munster but had a hand in an extra three tries with 19, and made the most tackles from any five-eighth this season with a whopping 626.

He was an integral part of the Kiwis World Cup campaign, and Eels fans breathed a huge sigh of relief once the club locked down Brown’s signature.

3.Tom Dearden (Cowboys)

Didn’t this kid seem to come out of nowhere?!

From being unwanted at the Broncos last season to stepping in beautifully for Munster to help guide the Maroons to a series victory, the sky is the limit for the talented 21-year-old.

He formed a beautiful halves combo with veteran Chad Townsend at the Cowboys and was a major part in the side skyrocketing up the ladder.

Tom Dearden (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

He scored nine tries with 15 assists, and his leadership and kicking game grew with confidence every time he stepped out on the field.

Bonus points for telling the doctor ‘If I’m going to miss a month, I want you to chop it off’ in fear of not playing finals footy after suffering from a ruptured testicle.

That’s the sort of dedication you want in your side.

4.Luke Keary (Roosters)

Despite not spending the entire season in the number six jersey, Keary is still one of the best five-eighths in the game. Spending most of 2021 on the sidelines with an ACL injury, Keary was back to his best in 2022.

This year marked the 30-year-old’s tenth season in the NRL, and he is heading into his seventh at Bondi.

He may have only scored 2 tries but had his hand in a whopping 25. Keary averaged 260 kicking metres, 70 running metres and forced 13 dropouts. He also led Ireland once again at the World Cup.

The Roosters always step up a level when Keary is on the field, and the combination with young Sam Walker will be one of the standouts in 2023.

Luke Keary (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

5.Jack Wighton (Raiders)

Oh Jackie Boy.

While 2022 wasn’t one of his best seasons thanks to injuries to him and teammates, no one can deny the type of player he is and what he can bring to a side.

All you had to do was listen to the outcry when Wighton was left out of the NSW Origin side for game three.

Heading into his twelfth season in the nation’s capital, the 2020 Dally M winner is close to unstoppable when footloose and injury free. When he hit his stride towards the back end of the year, he helped guide the Raiders to week two of the finals.

In his 19 games he scored four tries and made nine assists, 14-line breaks, 14 forced dropouts, 54 tackle breaks and averaged 98 run metres per game.

While at home in the centres, the Raiders excel when this man gets his hand on the ball. And he can do more of that when he is in the middle.

Wighton will be looking to lead the Raiders once again in 2023.

6.Jarome Luai (Panthers)

Talent and attitude overload!

The Penrith number six is obviously among the best in the comp, but didn’t have his best year thanks to injury and inconstancy. He went missing during the Blues Origin campaign, but definitely had a memorable finish thanks to back-to-back premierships and a first-time World Cup final appearance with Samoa.

Constantly referred to by anyone not based at the foot of the mountains as being nothing without Nathan Cleary, Luai stood his own while his general was suspended for five weeks towards the end of the season and kept the Panthers on track.

He scored seven tries and made 17 assists during his 20 games, along with 52 tackle busts, 21 offloads along with 53 kicks in play averaging 53 metres per game.

Discipline still proves to be an issue, giving away the second most penalties in the competition with 18.

(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

7.Cody Walker (Rabbitohs)

Someone that could easily be so much higher on this list always manages to get in his own way.

His attacking stats were great – 14 tries and 23 assists during his 27 games this season. 61 tackle busts, 179 kicks in play averaging 179m per game.

The 2021 Dally M Five-Eighth of the Year can be superb, but his discipline and attitude can also be costly. He gave made the most errors in the NRL this season with 43 and gave away 16 penalties, two behind worst offender Luai.

He was another who would go MIA when his team looked for someone to stand up and was lost without Latrell Mitchell around.  

He and the Souths faithful will be hoping for a better 2023, his eighth season at Redfern.

8.Matt Burton (Bulldogs)

He was great for Penrith in the centres, but he found his home at Belmore wearing the number six.

One of the buys of the year, the 22-year-old started off a bit slow in his new colours, but really stood up when teammates needed him, especially through the turmoil during the Trent Barrett saga.

As the season went on Burton just got better, taking on a real leadership role on the field. Six tries, 16 assists, 47 tackle busts and 16 offloads. He did well with the revolving door of halfbacks, and who knows how well he will go with a permanent number seven by his side.  

And don’t we all love a Burton Bomb! Well, not so much opposing wingers and fullbacks. He managed 320 kicks in play and averaged 430 kicking metres each game – get ready for more of where that came from in 2023.

9. Matt Moylan (Sharks)

Almost on the outer in 2021, the Sharks chose to stick by Moylan instead of Shaun Johnson. And he paid them back tenfold.

He may not have got as much of the spotlight as young gun halfback Nicho Hynes, but the 31-year-old was just as important for the Sharks during his tenth year in the NRL. Hynes fed off Moylan’s experience and guidance, and the pair were huge in the Sharks second-spot finish of the regular season.   

He finished his 24 games with five tries, 13 assists, 18 offloads, 6 forced dropouts and 39 tackle busts.

10. Kieran Foran (Titans)

Known as an extremely tough and fierce competitor during his 14 years at the top, Foran never leaves anything in the tank after a game.

After Tommy Turbo busted his wing, the 14-year veteran really stood up alongside Daly Cherry-Evans to try and steady the ship. He was one of the best in his side this season, even amongst the downfall after the Pride Jersey fiasco, and received the NRL Players’ Player award for 2022.

Foran will take his skill and experience to the Titans next season to try and help turn their fortunes around.