NRL 2016 is just around the corner and all sixteen clubs are now back into pre-season training after a well-earned Christmas break. For a few top stars, the new season can’t come quick enough after injury robbed them of their 2015 campaigns.

Tony Williams
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
11 games
At his best Tony Williams is one of the most destructive forces in the National Rugby League. At his worst, he’s an enigma who refuses to interject himself into a match. Big ‘T-Rex’ has a huge opportunity to remind the competition just how fearsome he can be after becoming an afterthought at Belmore and an injury-plagued 2015 season. Fellow forwards Josh Jackson, David Klemmer, Tim Browne and Shaun Lane passed him by but the former Australian and New South Wales enforcer will never need any more motivation to get back to his best. His future is on the line with only a year to run on his deal. It’s reported Williams is on around $600,000 a season and while he won’t get that on his next deal wherever he ends up, he could still pick up a nice payday with a return to form.

Matt Moylan
Penrith Panthers
11 games
Some had Matt Moylan in their early New South Wales teams to begin 2015 but he was then struck down with injury and the luckless Panthers injury crisis continued. By the end of 2015, many believed Wests Tigers’ James Tedesco had surpassed the Penrith junior as the next Blues custodian. The Panthers have recruited well for the new year and that will only help Moylan get back to his best. Moylan needs to stay on the field and he needs to go to another level to solidify his standing as one of the brightest young stars in the NRL.

Josh McGuire
Brisbane Broncos
13 games
Brisbane’s top front-rower went down with injury against Newcastle in June, snapping his Achilles tendon, just days after taking on the Blues at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The workaholic was then forced to watch as his Broncos teammates went on a rampage to the Grand Final only to go down to the Cowboys. “I will be at the club a long time so there is plenty of time to win premierships but I hope the boys get it this year,” McGuire said at the time. Brisbane just missed out but they’ll only get better with McGuire back in their pack in 2016.

Brenton Lawrence
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
1 game
At one stage Lawrence was being touted as a State of Origin prop. After two seasons with Gold Coast, the Mackay-born bookend really made a name for himself at the Sea Eagles. Unfortunately Lawrence only appeared in one game in 2015 and that was round one against Parramatta. Now he returns to strengthen an engine room that also includes Nate Myles, Martin Taupau, Darcy Lussick, Feleti Mateo and Jake Trbojevic.

Billy Slater
Melbourne Storm
7 games
Regarded as one of the greatest fullbacks to ever play the game, Slater was limited to seven matches for the Storm last season and played his last match in a losing effort for the Maroons against New South Wales at the MCG. Youngster Cameron Munster shifted to the back and didn’t miss a beat but you can be sure Storm Coach Craig Bellamy is happy to have his legendary number one back to full fitness. The Storm are clearly a better team with Slater back in the side and while time might finally be catching up to the iconic speedster, there are plenty of tricks left in the bag.

@woodward_curtis

Video Source: NRL Stats