There has been a flurry of new recruits switching NRL teams in the off-season but who will be the pick of the bunch in 2022?

Some high-profile players have joined new teams like Broncos duo Adam Reynolds and Kurt Capewell, Bulldogs signings Josh Addo-Carr, Tevita Pangai jnr and Matt Burton, and veteran Kiwi international Shaun Johnson heading back to the Warriors.

And there has also been a range of under-the-radar moves which could make a massive difference as the season goes on.

Each week, The Roar will put a burning issue to our experts to get their opinions on the main topics for the Greatest Game of All.

And you can also have your say on who will be the best recruit of 2022 in the comments section below.

Last week we asked the readers to rank each team’s finals chances out of 10 and after thousands of votes, there was plenty of support for the Roosters to challenge Penrith and Melbourne for the title while the Rabbitohs were tipped to slide after making last year’s grand final. The Bulldogs were likely to get the wooden spoon again with voters on average rating their finals chances a lowly 2.3 out of 10.

1. Panthers 9.0
2. Storm 8.9
3. Roosters 8.8
4. Eels 7.93
5. Sea Eagles 7.91
6. Rabbitohs 7.8
7. Sharks 6.5
8. Titans 5.9
9. Raiders 5.3
10. Dragons 5.2
11. Knights 4.8
12. Warriors 4.3
13. Broncos 3.6
14. Tigers 3.2
15. Cowboys 3.1
16. Bulldogs 2.9

Experts Roar: Who will be best recruit of 2022?

Michael Hagan (premiership-winning player and coach)

Kurt Capewell: He’s an experienced player who brings toughness to the Broncos pack as an edge back-rower. Capewell has shown his class at Origin level and in helping Penrith win the competition last year. His leadership will be crucial for Brisbane this season.

Kurt Capewell and Adam Reynolds (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Paul Suttor (Roar expert)

Adam Reynolds: Whoever at Souths mismanaged their salary cap to the extent that they could only offer Reynolds a one-year deal should be sitting in the corner with a dunce’s hat on. Smart clubs do long-term planning to ensure chief playmakers who kick goals at historic levels that are also your captain with 200-plus games at their junior club are retained. He’s just what Brisbane needed and his recruitment will accelerate their rise from the cellar.

Danielle Smith (Roar expert)

Dane Gagai : Everyone has been talking about how much Adam Reynolds will be missed at the Bunnies – Souths not having Gagai is just as detrimental. His leadership, experience and guidance of the younger players around him was a huge factor in the Knights victory over the Roosters on Saturday. It’s wonderful to have him back in the red and blue, and he will prove to be one of the most valuable buys of the season.   

Joe Frost (Roar expert)

Nick Meaney: He had a quiet start to the year playing at five-eighth for the Storm but the fact he was given the task of filling Cam Munster’s boots is significant in itself, showing the faith his new club already has in him. Meaney came into first grade at Newcastle behind Kalyn Ponga and then moved for better opportunities at a Bulldogs side that has struggled.

But the 24-year-old showed enough during these first 65 games that Craig Bellamy came calling, looking for someone to replace Nicho Hynes, and in the right system Meaney will flourish.

Mary Konstantopoulos (Ladies Who League)

Matt Burton: Not only is he extremely talented but he is the sort of player that the Bulldogs can build their roster around for the next decade.  He has new opportunity at the Bulldogs and I expect him to make a big impact this year.

Tim Gore (Roar expert)

Nicho Hynes: Last Friday evening Hynes weaved his magic against the Raiders and he nearly got them home. Not only did he guide the Sharks around the field extremely well, he was a constant danger running with ball in hand and his goal-kicking is an added bonus. In the second half the Raiders were lifting and had the Sharks pinned down their own end. Hynes kicked them out of trouble and it almost won the game. If there is a better purchase they’d want to be very good.

Mike Meehall Wood (Roar expert)

Nick Meaney: Melbourne have made an art form of taking guys that nobody else wanted and making them into superstars, which is exactly what they’re going to do with Meaney. What the Storm lost in Nicho Hynes was a guy they could play off the bench and cover a lot of positions, as well as kicking goals: in Meaney, they get a fullback, half, wing and centre that will likely feature in every game this year – probably split four ways into different roles in the team. He’s not on much money but Craig Bellamy will work wonders with him. 

AJ Mithen (Roar expert)

Josh Addo-Carr: When the Foxx left the Storm I thought he’d be living a lonely life out of the wing at Canterbury, but he brings so much more than speed and tries. Anyone who saw how he reacted on the weekend when he caught his teammates dawdling around at a restart understands he has brought a winner’s mentality with him and that’s just what the Dogs needed. He won’t necessarily be responsible for Canterbury performing miracles, but he’s definitely a shot in the arm for their club culture.

Stuart Thomas (Roar expert)

Moses Suli: Now at his third NRL club, Suli will be one of the most influential Dragons in 2022 and potentially the best recruit of the season. His powerhouse running was on clear display in Round 1 and after a patchy time at the Sea Eagles where he managed 64 games, but suffered with injury and poor discipline, the 23-year-old will be looking to grab this new opportunity with both hands. There is nothing subtle about the way he plays and should Anthony Griffin unlock the keys to channelling his talent into more polished and refined performances, Suli could well become one of the most dominant centres in the game.

Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett has defended the incoming NRL club’s recruitment strategy, saying the roster “could be finished tomorrow” if they were to settle for second best.

Bennett will lead the Redcliffe side in their debut from 2023 and was decked out in new club attire atop Brisbane’s Mt Coot-tha as the club’s website crashed on Wednesday when membership sales officially began.

Rookie Penrith playmaker Isaiya Katao, Storm trio Felise Kaufusi, Jesse and Kenny Bromwich, South Sydney prop Mark Nicholls, Brisbane fullback Jamayne Isaako and Eels utility Ray Stone have all signed with the new franchise.

They’re yet to lure an out-and-out superstar though, with Bennett on Wednesday insisting Newcastle’s Kalyn Ponga and North Queensland’s Jason Taumalolo were both players of interest.

But the master coach said he felt no pressure to stack up the signings yet.

“If we want to go and sign the second and third best players in the game we won’t have a problem filling a roster tomorrow,” he said.

“But we’re looking for the best players and those clubs who have them are doing all they can do hang on to them.

“That’s why we’ve got to remain patient and calm and just make sure we don’t spend our money on guys who can’t get the job done for us.

“I’m sure if we find ourselves in the market for him (Ponga) we’ll be able to afford it.”

Jack Bird has declared he wants to stay at St George Illawarra despite confirming he spoke with NRL rivals after the club pulled out of a deal at the end of 2021.

Bird remains off contract at season’s end and is the Dragons last big name to renegotiate a new deal after all but conceding they will cut Tariq Sims free for next year.

The centre-turned-back-rower was offered a two-year deal at the end of last year, but opted not to sign when given a deadline to decide his future.

That prompted meetings with Bennett about the Dolphins and Eels coach Brad Arthur over the summer.

However, the 26-year-old said he had let talks with the Eels run cold, while also making clear to Bennett that he does not want to move back to Queensland for the Dolphins.

Instead, he said he was hopeful a resolution would be reached to stay at the Red V, with talks well advanced.

“The talks are back in action now and I have made it clear I want to stay here and be here in the long run,” Bird said.

Jack Bird (right) is keen to stay at the Dragons. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

“I have always made it clear I want to stay at the Dragons. I am back home with my family and friends. Hopefully we can come to a decision in the next few weeks.”

Bird’s future has been a point of constant headlines in recent months, with Bennett declaring his interest this week and the Eels’ inquiries becoming public.

The former NSW State of Origin player said that those conversations had largely revolved around being an Isaiah Papali’i replacement for Parramatta, after accepting he will play his career out in the forwards.

But he denied there was any aspect of greed in speaking to other clubs before returning to talk with the Dragons to shore up his future. 

“(Reports) have made me look selfish and greedy, but it wasn’t about money,” Bird said. “I have only spoken to (Brad Arthur) once, but like every other player they talk to different clubs. “I keep in contact with Wayne every now and then but nothing to do with Dolphins.

“It’s just part of the game. You have to try and get the best deal you can get. I am getting older now and have obviously had some bad injuries.”

Bird’s comments come as Dragons captain Ben Hunt urged the club to keep the Steelers junior.

“You need a few players in your side every week who can play any number of positions,” Hunt said. 

“Jack is one of those. So I think it would be pretty smart from the club to look after him and keep him around.”

The Dragons will pay tribute to the late Norm Provan before Friday’s clash with Penrith, with the main grandstand at Kogarah to be renamed in the Immortal’s honour.

WINNIPEG — Captain Blake Wheeler may not have liked the way some Winnipeg Jets fans cheered the team Tuesday, but the end result was motivation in a 7-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Jets didn’t get a shot on goal until 12:26 of the first period. Defenceman Dylan DeMelo’s shot was gloved by Vegas goalie Laurent Brossoit and drew cheers from some in the crowd at Canada Life Centre. Vegas had six shots on net at the time.

Winnipeg then peppered Brossoit with six straight shots in the next three minutes. Wheeler scored at 18:08, followed 33 seconds later by Kyle Connor’s 38th goal of the season that made it 2-0.

Wheeler said during a TV interview at intermission that the “Bronx” cheers ticked off the players.

After the game, he told reporters fans pay good money to watch the team and can express their feelings with boos or cheers.

“I think we’ve been a really good home team and fed off of our crowd over the years,” Wheeler said. “When you hear a little jeer from the crowd when you get first shot, I mean, you know what it’s for. And, like I said, it’s their prerogative. You don’t have to love it.

“But I think tonight they sparked us and got us going. We scored two goals right after that. Hopefully it doesn’t happen often, but tonight it worked.”

Wheeler also picked up an assist and extended his point streak to five games with two goals and five assists.

Connor is on a five-game goal-scoring streak. He also had a pair of assists. Mark Scheifele, Logan Stanley and Josh Morrissey each had a goal and an assist. Nikolaj Ehlers and Adam Lowry also scored.

“It’s amazing what happens when you have a shooter’s mindset, and you have a skillset that Connor has,” Jets interim coach Dave Lowry said. “He doesn’t pass up opportunities to put the puck at the net. When I say that, he also has an innate ability to make plays.”

Connor Hellebuyck made 35 saves for Winnipeg (28-23-10), which is 6-2-1 in its last nine games.

The Jets entered the game four points behind Vegas for the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference, with the Golden Knights holding a game in hand on Winnipeg.

The loss took Vegas’s losing skid to a season-high five games.

Nicolas Roy, Alex Pietrangelo and Michael Amadio scored for Vegas (32-26-4), which ended a five-game road trip without any points.

The seven goals was the most the injury-riddled Golden Knights have given up this season.

“We’ve had winnable games,” Vegas coach Pete DeBoer said. “It feels like we’ve got to play a perfect game right now. Our goalies have to be dead on, our special teams have to be dead on, our five-on-five has to be dead on for us to win. That’s a big ask for a group. I thought most nights on this trip, we’ve had most of those things going but just not enough to win.”

Brossoit started in net for Vegas in place of injured Robyn Lehner. The former Jets netminder was replaced by Logan Thompson midway through the second period after letting in four goals on 13 shots. Thompson stopped seven of the 10 shots he faced.

Winnipeg led 2-0 after the first period and 5-1 following the second.

Vegas got on the board at 6:49 of the second period after Roy capitalized on a quick passing play.

A pair of unassisted goals upped Winnipeg’s lead to 4-1. Ehlers scored his 16 at 9:04, and big defenceman Stanley recorded his first of the season at 11:09 when his sharp-angled shot whizzed behind Brossoit, who was then pulled in favour of Thompson.

“Just didn’t get in front of enough pucks,” DeBoer said of the switch. “It’s pretty simple. I’m not a goaltending expert, but you’ve got to get in front of a couple.”

Thompson stood tall during the game’s first power play, but eight seconds after it was over Scheifele notched his 23rd goal at 18:25 to make it 5-1.

Pietrangelo used his team’s first power play of the game to beat Hellebuyck at 4:34 of the third, and Amadio squeezed the score 5-3 five minutes later.

Winnipeg responded with Morrissey’s goal at 10:33. Lowry scored shorthanded three minutes later.

“I’m proud that we didn’t just quit playing,” Vegas forward William Karlsson said. “We gave it a try. We managed to score two goals and make it a little bit of a game.”

Vegas hosts the Florida Panthers on Thursday. The Jets are home to the Boston Bruins on Friday.

More from Sportsnet

In wake of important win, Jets primarily concerned with Andrew Copp’s health

How Jets’ Cheveldayoff navigates trade deadline will have serious ramifications

MONTREAL — He thought he was just “OK.”

When we asked Cole Caufield, after his Montreal Canadiens lost 6-3 to the Arizona Coyotes, to assess his game on Tuesday — he scored two goals in eight seconds to tie Maurice “the Rocket” Richard in third place for the two fastest goals in Canadiens history and his team controlled 71.4 per cent of the shot attempts over his 11:39 at 5-on-5 — that’s what he said.

“I thought I was OK.”

It was one of Caufield’s most mature moments in his short NHL career. The 21-year-old burst onto the NHL scene with a Hobey Baker Award practically in hand, with a well-justified confidence that bordered on cockiness and a knack for scoring big goals on big occasions. He rose above the hype with the performance he authored to help the Canadiens reach the 2021 Stanley Cup Final — posting four goals and 12 points in 20 games and establishing himself as a star in the making.

Then this year began with Caufield putting up just one goal and eight points over his first 30 games of the season. He was humbled.

But even if the five-foot-seven Wisconsin native didn’t get taller from that experience, he still grew.

The goals he scored against the Coyotes were his ninth and 10th — and the 18th and 19th points — he’s registered in 15 games since Martin St. Louis took over as head coach, and those goals and points are samples of his growth.

But another sample is Caufield saying after the loss to the Coyotes: “Obviously, you can get better every game.”

The truth is Caufield was accurate in his assessment.

He wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t quite at the same level we saw him at over his previous 14 games. He made an ill-advised pass to Alex Romanov, which led to a Lawson Crouse breakaway goal that proved to be the game winner with 11 seconds left in the first period, and he got rinsed in his own end on a couple of shifts that he probably won’t need to review on video to remind himself of what happened.

There’s a lot to like about Caufield holding himself accountable for that after the game. And doing that — even when you’re the main reason your team had a chance to come back in a game that appeared out of reach — is one of the best things a young player can do to accelerate his own development.

“He’s a competitor, he sees more than just the goals,” said Paul Byron. “A lot of players — it’s easy to focus on points and think you’re just doing a good job, but there’s a lot of areas of the game that you can continue to work on. I think it shows his commitment, his drive and his passion to get better every day.

“And to have that kind of self-awareness to critique his game like that is only going to make him better each day. It’s good to see a good kid who maybe would score a couple of goals and feel good about himself and not care too much — that’s not Cole. He really cares about the details, winning games and making sure he’s good for 60 minutes. As he gets older, if he keeps that mindset, there’s no doubt in my mind he’s going to be that player for us.”

We agree.

32 Thoughts: The Podcast

Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what they think about it.

Listen and Subscribe for free

Marek on Twitter

Friedman on Twitter

Not that we’re suggesting Caufield needs to tone down his confidence to continue being the player everyone expected he’d be after he burned up Auston Matthews’ goal-scoring record with the United States National Development Team, got himself drafted 15th overall in 2019, ripped it up with the Wisconsin Badgers and made his impressive NHL debut.

We know that confidence is at the heart of what makes Caufield special.

So does Brendan Gallagher, who emphasized that after this game.

“I think he’s been able to learn what makes him a successful player — he has to have that little bit of swagger,” said Gallagher. “I think it’s hard to describe — he’s dancing around the locker room, he’s having fun, and we love to see that. He’s being himself. He has to come to the rink with that swagger he’s had his entire life.

“I think when he was struggling, he probably didn’t feel that way. He probably felt like he probably couldn’t do anything right. Now he feels like he’s a player we rely on, and that’s important throughout his career to remember when you go through those tough times. And it’ll happen again, he’s going to play in this league for a long time and you go through droughts, and you go through slumps. It’s important to be able to look back at what you’re doing when you’re playing well and not forget about it. For him, we rely on him incredibly. He’s a huge player for us, and he understands that, and he brings it every night.”

But it’s a big step for Caufield to be able to recognize when he hasn’t brought it for the whole night, and it’s a sign of progress that he’s already doing it.

Alex Romanov taking on a bigger role

Regarding the growth of Montreal’s key young players, the 22-year-old Romanov is making more strides.

In Tuesday’s game, he took the fifth-most strides he has in an NHL game — skating 23:58 in 22 shifts. No Canadien played more against Arizona.

How did Romanov handle it? He had three shots on net, eight attempts, one hit and four blocked shots. In his 20:43 at 5-on-5, the Canadiens had 31 shot attempts to Arizona’s eight.

Of course, Romanov was put in that position to begin with because his regular partner, Ben Chiarot was held out of Tuesday’s game by management because he’ll be traded between now and the March 21 NHL trade deadline. And he also took on as much because Joel Edmundson was playing just his second game after battling a season-long back injury.

Romanov’s role is going to increase from here to the end of the season, and that should only help him become the player the Canadiens need him to be as early as next season.

“I think the more he gets used to it the better he’ll continue to play,” said St. Louis. “When you take a key guy like that out of the lineup like that in Benny, it gives other guys opportunity. And that’s the thing about this game — whether it’s injuries or circumstances that we’re in — is other guys are getting opportunities. And that’s what Romy’s getting right now.”

It’s coming at the right time, as the Canadiens blue line takes on a different complexion over the coming months and Romanov is expected to reach the next phase of his development in short order.

More from Sportsnet

Canadiens’ Ben Chiarot to be scratched vs. Coyotes ahead of trade deadline

Edmundson provides ‘presence’ Canadiens missed in long-anticipated return

New Jersey Devils forward Pavel Zacha is doubtful to play Wednesday in Calgary against the Flames after suffering an upper-body injury Tuesday versus the Vancouver Canucks, according to head coach Lindy Ruff.

Zacha fell into the boards during the first period in Vancouver, left the ice with the help of a trainer and did not return.

The interest Zacha has garnered from several teams ahead of Monday’s trade deadline could now be in jeopardy depending on the severity of the injury.

On the Fan 590’s Jeff Marek Show, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said the Montreal Canadiens were “one of the teams” in on Zacha. Marek has previously reported the Canucks had interest. Zacha is a restricted free agent at the end of this season.

The Devils selected the 24-year-old sixth overall in a star-studded 2015 NHL Draft. He has 13 goals and 15 assists in 56 games so far in 2021-22.

More from Sportsnet

Flames GM Treliving ahead of trade deadline: ‘We’re certainly looking to add to our roster’

Källgren’s shutout hints that he may be Maple Leafs’ solution: ‘We needed that’