Kalyn Ponga, Jarrod Croker and the Warriors: Why 2023 was a year for the NRL highlight reel

How quickly the script can change in the rugby league soap opera.

Because at the end of the 2023 season, Ponga stands before us with a Dally M Medal as the NRL's player of the year, Croker rides into retirement after reaching the 300-game milestone nobody expected, and a cry of "Up the Wahs" has taken the game by storm.

Who had all of that on their rugby league bingo card a few months ago?

Concussed for the fourth time in 10 months, Newcastle Knights fullback Ponga flew to Canada to undergo advanced neurological assessments on his brain. Retirement had crossed his mind - but so too had the idea it was, in his words, time to stop letting people down and start making them proud.

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He did just that, collecting 50 of a possible 72 votes from his final 12 games of the regular season to surge home and claim the Dally M medal while steering the Knights to a home elimination final in front of full house after full house.

If Andrew Johns says the vibe is Newcastle during that run was unlike anything he had ever witnessed, who are we to argue with the eighth Immortal?

"This was probably the worst year and the best year all in one," Ponga said.

"It is actually pretty crazy. The conversations I had with my parents were quite real. Once I knew I was fine, I felt like I let a lot of people down.

"I wasn't playing my part, and I wasn't doing my job. I knew I had a lot more in me. I felt pretty guilty. It was a build-up of the year before and not playing because of a concussion.

"I just wanted to come back and make people proud and do my job and be the player I know I can be."

Just like Croker did.

The Canberra Raiders captain seemed destined to miss out on the 300-game milestone. He spent his weekends playing NSW Cup games at Kippax Oval, seemingly far removed from his days at the top level.

Until a playing group in dire need of some experience knocked on Ricky Stuart's door. Then came the tap on the shoulder. The pride of Goulburn was back - and soon became the second to reach the 300 game milestone for Canberra.

"I'll never forget this week - ever. So grateful to be a Raider ... I'll never forget this week, it's been very special," Croker said on an emotional night at Canberra Stadium.

The only thing that hadn't gone to plan was the result.

Because the Warriors had rolled into town, led by a rookie coach and a veteran halfback enjoying the greatest second coming since Jesus Christ came back to play fullback for Jerusalem.

The Warriors had all but been locked out of their home since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. But when they came back, a nation - and an average of 22,368 fans - dared to dream.

Under coach Andrew Webster and resurgent playmaker Shaun Johnson, the Warriors reached a preliminary final and, for the first time since 2011, gave people a reason to truly believe in their team.

Sure, the run stopped in the preliminary final - but this season has always been hurtling towards a predictable end with the Panthers chasing a three-peat against the electric Broncos in Sunday night's grand final. You might have even picked it in round one, when Brisbane pipped Penrith thanks to an Adam Reynolds field goal.

Brisbane would soon declare they still own Lang Park after Kotoni Staggs scored at the death to beat the Dolphins in front of 51,047 fans. Kevin Walters' Broncos were on the front and back pages of Brisbane newspapers all week.

Adding another team in Queensland was a masterstroke - as if there was ever any doubt. So too the expansion of the NRLW competition to pave the way for more talent.

Penrith had their moments too, like when Nathan Cleary broke Newcastle's hearts in golden point. Most had chalked that up as a win before kick-off - but virtually nobody could have predicted what happened a fortnight later when they lost to the Wests Tigers in the upset of the season.

You could have played that game 116 times - just as many games as Alex Twal had played before scoring his first NRL try in June - and few would have seen it coming.

But that's the rugby league soap opera, baby.

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