It might not be the most enjoyable thing to talk about, but coaching changes in the NRL are commonplace and there are certainly some bosses feeling the heat heading into the season.
After some disappointing results last year, four clubs will go into 2023 with a new coach, with the likes of Anthony Seibold and Tim Sheens returning to the fray.
But while plenty of clubs made the necessary changes, there are others who will be going into the year with plenty of uncertainty and question marks over their jobs.
The Sporting News has ranked which coaches are under the most pressure heading into the new season.
1. Justin Holbrook - Gold Coast Titans
If there was one coach who would be feeling the heat prior to 2023 kicking off, it's undoubtedly Justin Holbrook. After a solid first year in charge, Gold Coast went backwards last year and finished in the bottom-four. Holbrook's dilemma in the spine has been somewhat rectified by the additions of Kieran Foran and Sam Verrills, but there isn't a great deal to be excited about in regards to the Titans returning to the top-eight. Reports were circling towards the end of 2022 that Holbrook was on the outer and facing the sack, but he has survived another pre-season and will be given another opportunity. Gold Coast's draw to start the year is rather soft - two clashes with the Dragons, one with the Tigers and a bye round - and considering Holbrook needs results quickly, wins are absolutely paramount to save his job. Some good performances in the trials may help Holbrook's cause, but there is still plenty of heat on him early in the year.
PRESSURE RATING: 9/10
2. Adam O'Brien - Newcastle Knights
Fans and experts alike were surprised to see Adam O'Brien survive the axe following a diabolical 2022 campaign for the Knights. With injuries to the likes of Kalyn Ponga, off-field indiscretions and on-field trainer blowups, it was a disastrous season for Newcastle and there isn't a great deal of excitement about their fortunes this year. Jackson Hastings will take the reins at halfback, but besides that their recruitment has been solid at best and O'Brien will likel only have a couple of months to save his job. Given the fact he took over the Knights job towards the end of a rebuild under Nathan Brown and the club are now in a worse place than they were three years ago, O'Brien is on thin ice in the Hunter region.
PRESSURE RATING: 8.5/10
3. Anthony Griffin - St George Illawarra Dragons
The talk surrounding the future of Anthony Griffin has heated up once again heading into the 2023 campaign. After earning a new one-year extension prior to last season kicking off, Griffin was seemingly safe and had the Red V primed for a finals berth until the wheels fell off in the final six weeks of the year. With his contract up at the end of this season and many smart judges tipping the Dragons to miss the finals once again, the pressure is well and truly on Griffin to turn things around. If the side aren't in the top-eight after the first two months of this year with a relatively easy schedule in the early rounds, it might be time to move on.
PRESSURE RATING: 8/10
4. Kevin Walters - Brisbane Broncos
This is a tough one - Kevin Walters is a Broncos great and has a fantastic roster that are capable of competing for a premiership, but has divided the playing group due to his old-school mentality. Selwyn Cobbo and Tyson Gamble have both publicly criticised Walters and his coaching style, while the inconsistency on the field in 2022 was a major issue for Brisbane. Walters is off-contract at the end of the year, immediately placing the spotlight on him, and he will be hoping their star-studded roster can produce results in order to earn him an extension.
PRESSURE RATING: 6/10
5. Anthony Seibold - Manly Sea Eagles
After a horror tenure in charge of the Broncos and a messy exit, Anthony Seibold will return to the coaching ranks this season and will immediately be tasked with turning Manly around. Following the drama relating to the pride jersey and Des Hasler's controversial departure, Seibold will now have to pick up the pieces and clean up the mess that was left for him. There are always question marks and concerns over Tom Trbojevic and his fitness, and given how important he is to the Sea Eagles, Seibold will be praying that the superstar fullback can play more than 20 games. His coaching credentials and methods have also been questioned and if he can't turn Manly around quickly, the blowtorch will be applied on Seibold.
PRESSURE RATING: 6/10
6. Tim Sheens - Wests Tigers
What's old is new again in 2023, with the Tigers bringing back legendary mentor Tim Sheens and club favourite Benji Marshall in a new long-term coaching partnership. Sheens has added some fantastic talent to the Tigers' playing roster, with the likes of David Klemmer, Isaiah Papali'i and Api Koroisau all making up a star-studded forward pack. With the mass changes to the coaching staff and the squad, Sheens is under massive pressure to turn things around immediately and turn the Tigers into a finals side for the first time in over a decade.
PRESSURE RATING: 5.5/10
7. Andrew Webster - New Zealand Warriors
It's hard to place too much pressure on a rookie coach in his first year with a struggling club - but the Warriors are desperate for some success and it might not come right away. A three-year deal gives Webster some level of job security, but given the side finished in the bottom-four last year and haven't greatly improved their roster, the pressure may arrive by the end of 2022.
PRESSURE RATING: 5/10
8. Ricky Stuart - Canberra Raiders
One of the most experienced coaches in the competition, Ricky Stuart was under the pump midway through last season as the Raiders were languishing outside the top-eight. Their late-season surge into the finals and a shock upset over Melbourne kept the heat off the club legend for a while, but the club will be hoping the Green Machine can further improve in 2023. Stuart is contracted for the next three seasons, which gives him security, but his lengthy tenure at the club hasn't delivered a premiership yet.
PRESSURE RATING: 5/10
9. Craig Fitzgibbon - Cronulla Sharks
After a great first year as an NRL head coach, Craig Fitzgibbon will be hoping to keep Cronulla in the premiership race again in 2023. Despite bowing out in straight-sets at the hands of the Cowboys and Rabbitohs in the finals series, there shouldn't be a great deal of pressure on Fitzgibbon and he looks like the best long-term option as coach. There are some difficult decisions facing the Roosters legend this season, especially in the backline, but the Sharks have a balanced squad and should be there or thereabouts once again.
PRESSURE RATING: 4.5/10
10. Brad Arthur - Parramatta Eels
It's hard to imagine Brad Arthur being under too much pressure, considering he took the Eels to the grand final last season and the side have been a consistent fixture in the finals for many years. That being said, the departures of some key players may force Parramatta to change their style of play and could see them drop down towards the frige of the top-eight. Arthur's coaching future and contract always seems to come up in discussions when the Eels aren't winning games, so the pressure could arrive if they do fall out of the top-eight. Overall though, it's tough to see him being given the boot so soon after a grand final appearance.
PRESSURE RATING: 4.5/10
11. Jason Demetriou - South Sydney Rabbitohs
After finally earning a head coaching role last year, Jason Demetriou did a very solid job with the Rabbitohs and took them to yet another prelim final. The rookie mentor had his challenges - losing plenty of key players and dealing with Latrell Mitchell's injury woes - but was able to time South Sydney's run into the playoffs. Demetriou is expected to lead the Bunnies long-term, but the club need to be wary of becoming content with losing prelim finals and should be striving for premiership glory in the coming years.
PRESSURE RATING: 3.5/10
12. Cameron Ciraldo - Canterbury Bulldogs
While there is certainly a level of pressure that comes with being a rookie NRL head coach, Cameron Ciraldo won't be feeling like his job is under any real threat after signing a five-year deal with Canterbury. That being said, the Bulldogs have missed the finals for the past six seasons and the club's fans are crying out for some success. There are plenty of expectations on Ciraldo's shoulders to turn things around, especially with a talented foundation and some key off-season recruits.
PRESSURE RATING: 3.5/10
13. Todd Payten - North Queensland Cowboys
It took some time, but Todd Payten has proven that he is the right man to lead the Cowboys long-term. After setting some high standards and causing some controversy with his comments early in his tenure, Payten took his side to within a whisker of a grand final appearance in 2022 and it's clear that North Queensland are clearly a club on an upwards trajectory.
PRESSURE RATING: 3/10
14. Trent Robinson - Sydney Roosters
There is no real danger of Trent Robinson ever losing the Roosters top job, especially after signing a long-term extension that will see him remain in charge until 2028. However, the Tricolours have had a lean couple of years for their standards and the club will want to see Robinson rectify that this season.
PRESSURE RATING: 2/10
15. Craig Bellamy - Melbourne Storm
One of the greatest coaches of the modern era, Craig Bellamy has a star-studded roster at Melbourne and a stellar record that can't be called into question. The only issue for the 63-year-old is his future, with Bellamy's contract running on a year-by-year basis. If this is going to be his last year, he will want to go out on a high.
PRESSURE RATING: 1/10
15. Ivan Cleary - Penrith Panthers
There is absolutely no pressure on Ivan Cleary, nor should there be. Two premierships in a row and a squad that has the potential to challenge for the next decade.
PRESSURE RATING: 0/10
