Premierships are built on tough forward packs and skillfull halves, but they are nothing without the finishers to ice the points out wide.

From positional switches to players shifting clubs, there are a number of unknowns hanging over some of the outside back contingents heading into the 2020 Telstra premiership race.

We’ve rated every teams’ predicted back five for the 2020 season.

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Round 19

ROOSTERS

Angus Crichton could fill Latrell Mitchell’s place at centre. Source: AAP

Predicted back five: 1 James Tedesco 2 Daniel Tupou 3 Brett Morris/Angus Crichton 4 Joseph Manu 5 Brett Morris/Matt Ikuvalu

Experience: 634 NRL games

Rating: A-

Strength: James Tedesco is still the most complete and dangerous footballer in the NRL. His ability to break open opposition defences, score tries and stop them at the other end puts the Roosters well ahead of their rivals. Daniel Tupou is a consistent try-scoring threat with his height and Latrell Mitchell rated Joey Manu as a better footballer than himself, while he was the club. The New Zealand international has the potential to be a superstar now that he is the go-to-man on the edge for the Roosters.

Weakness: They have lost the brilliance and point-scoring capacity of Latrell Mitchell and that will be hard to replace. Mitchell was a vital component in the Roosters’ charge to back-to-back premierships and led the NRL with 248 points in 2018 and 273 in 2019. Mitchell also scored over 16 tries in each of the last three seasons at the club, so those tries will need to come from someone else in 2020. With Billy Smith out for the year, Brett Morris may have to play out of position in the centres, which means Matt Ikuvalu will have to step up and be a consistent threat on the flank. However reports suggest Angus Crichton may be a shock choice to partner Manu in the centres. And if Josh Morris joins the club that would push the Roosters back five into the A+ category.

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RABBITOHS

Latrell Mitchell is set for a switch to fullback at his new club. Source: News Corp Australia

Predicted back five: 1 Latrell Mitchell 2 Dane Gagai 3 James Roberts 4 Braidon Burns

5 Campbell Graham

Experience: 495 NRL games

Rating: A-

Strength: Origin trio Latrell Mitchell, Dane Gagai and James Roberts at their best are three of the most damaging attacking threats in the game. They are also good friends off the field, which history shows often makes players perform better on the park. Mitchell’s point-scoring ability will be massive, particularly given Adam Reynolds’ injury history and he is a consistent try-scorer, which the Rabbitohs have lacked in recent seasons. Campbell Graham is a future representative finisher, who will only get better with experience.

Weakness: The unknown of the Latrell Mitchell fullback switch. The club’s star signing has one two premierships and played for his state and country at centre, but it remains to be seen if he can adapt to the most physically demanding position on the field. Andrew Johns says he is an out and out centre, but Mitchell remains convinced he can impact the game at the back in the way that Greg Inglis did. Braidon Burns’ injury history is another worry for the club and their depth at centre and fullback could be tested if injury strikes.

RAIDERS

Curtis Scott will fill Joey Leilua’s big shoes at the Raiders. Source: Instagram

Predicted back five: 1 Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2 Nick Cotric 3 Jarrod Croker 4 Curtis Scott 5 Bailey Simonsson

Experience: 429 NRL games

Rating: A-

Strength: The Raiders have a well-balanced back five with attacking threats across the park. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad was up there with James Tedesco and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck as one of the most consistent fullbacks last season. Jarrod Croker is a point scoring machine and a respected leader that demands the best from his teammates. Nick Cotric made his debut for both the Blues and Australia last season and looks set for a long career in representative footy.

Weakness: The Raiders don’t have a strike centre after Joey Leilua’s departure and there are fears that Croker and Scott are too similar in what they bring to the table. The partnership of Leilua and Jordan Rapana was the hallmark of the Raiders’ attack in recent seasons, so Ricky Stuart will need to change the way his side plays with ball in hand. Bailey Simonsson is an exciting prospect, but it remains to be seen if he can be the consistent try-scoring threat that Rapana was for the green machine.

SHARKS

Josh Morris wants to finish his career with twin brother Brett at the Roosters. Source: News Corp Australia

Predicted back five: 1 Matt Moylan 2 Josh Morris/Ronaldo Mulitalo 3 Jesse Ramien 4 Bronson Xerri 5 Josh Dugan

Experience: 661 NRL games

Rating: A-

Strength: Star power. On paper the Sharks boast arguably the most formidable back five in the NRL. Matt Moylan, Josh Morris and Josh Dugan have all starred for NSW in Origin footy, while Jesse Ramien and Bronson Xerri are considered future Blues prospects.

Weakness: Too many options at centre. While the Sharks have plenty of depth at centre fitting everyone on the park when they are fit will be difficult. Jesse Ramien and Bronson Xerri are the future of the club and will start in the centres, which means Morris and Dugan will have to play out of position on the wing. However uncertainty over the fitness of Moylan and Dugan means that Morris may be called upon to play out of position at fullback. Morris’ desire to finish his career with brother Brett at the Roosters could see him leave the club altogether. They have plenty of pieces the Sharks, but fitting them all in the back five puzzle is another matter entirely.

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STORM

Ryan Papenhuyzen is just 22 games into his first grade career. Source: Getty Images

Predicted back five: 1 Ryan Papenhuyzen 2 Josh Addo-Carr 3 Marion Seve 4 Justin Olam 5 Suliasi Vunivalu

Experience: 229 NRL games

Rating: B+

Strength: Speed to burn. You can’t coach speed and Craig Bellamy’s back three have it in spades. Ryan Papenhuyzen started last season as the Storm’s third string fullback, but finished it as one of the game’s most exciting prospects at No.1. Josh Addo-Carr is arguably the fastest man in rugby league and he and Suliasi Vunivalu have won a competition and played in five grand finals between them.

Weakness: Inexperience. The departure of club great Will Chambers and Curtis Scott has left a gaping hole in the Storm’s centre stocks. Marion Seve and Justin Olam are exciting prospects and physically imposing players, but they boast just 26 NRL games between them. Add in Papenhuyzen’s 22 games and the Storm’s back five is suddenly not looking as formidable as it has in the club’s run to three straight grand finals from 2016 to 2018.

COWBOYS

Valentine Holmes returns to the NRL from the NFL. Source: News Corp Australia

Predicted back five: 1 Valentine Holmes 2 Kyle Feldt 3 Esan Marsters 4 Tom Opacic 5 Justin O’Neill

Experience: 485 NRL games

Rating: B+

Strength: The injection of two strike players in the off-season. The Cowboys have struggled to score points consistently since their charge to the 2017 Grand Final and the signing of Valentine Holmes and Esan Marsters will go a long way towards fixing that glaring issue. Both Holmes and Marsters are noted try-scorers and goal-kickers, so the Cowboys will be looking to ice the close games in 2020, with these two in their side.

Weakness: Lack of speed on the flanks has been a problem for the Cowboys and while Kyle Feldt and Justin O’Neill are solid players, they won’t be keeping opposition defences up at night. The club’s two biggest speedsters in Holmes and Scott Drinkwater are expected to play fullback and five-eighth respectively. Boom rookie Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow starred at the Nines and while he is still in the early stages of his development, the Cowboys may need to call on his lighting speed sooner rather than later.

SEA EAGLES

Tom Trbojevic’s fitness is crucial to Manly’s chances in 2020. Source: News Corp Australia

Predicted back five: 1 Tom Trbojevic 2 Jorge Taufua 3 Moses Suli 4 Brad Parker 5 Reuben Garrick

Experience: 361 NRL games

Rating: B-

Strength: Strike power across the park. Tom Trbojevic is arguably the second best attacking threat in the game behind James Tedesco. Moses Suli looks to have put his discipline issues behind him and is maturing into a formidable and reliable threat on the edge for the Sea Eagles. Jorge Taufua is a try-scoring threat, but makes an even bigger impact with his bone-crunching defence and hard yards out of dummyhalf. Reuben Garrick scored the most tries for Manly in his rookie season with 16 and finished with 194 points for Des Hasler’s side.

Weakness: The Sea Eagles rely so heavily on Tom Trbojevic to ignite their side in attack and his injury history is a concern. Manly were able to cover for his absence more successfully last year, but they clearly missed him in the pressure-cooker of finals footy. The Sea Eagles need the younger Trbojevic to stay on the field if they are to have any hope of lifting the Telstra Premiership trophy in 2020.

BRONCOS

Darius Boyd will shift to the centres in 2020. Source: News Corp Australia

Predicted back five: 1 Jack Bird 2 Corey Oates 3 Darius Boyd 4 Kotoni Staggs 5 Jamayne Isaako

Experience: 623 NRL games

Rating: B-

Strength: A good blend of youth and experience. In Corey Oates, Darius Boyd and Jack Bird the Broncos have proven try-scorers and grand finalists, who have all played in the cauldron of Origin football. Kotoni Staggs was Brisbane’s best performed back last season, while Jamayne Isaako is a point-scoring machine, who has the potential to take his game to greater heights in 2020.

Weakness: Positional uncertainty. Darius Boyd is a fullback, who spent last season playing five-eighth and his early career on the wing, but he will line-up in the centres for the first time in 2020. Jamayne Isaako was brought to the club as a fullback and will get a crack there at some stage this season, but he has played mostly wing in his career to date. Jack Bird is a premiership winning centre, who has designs on a role in the halves, but will likely start the season at fullback where he has limited experience. Are you dizzy yet? The Broncos’ success depends on how quickly the members of their back five can adopt to their new roles.

WARRIORS

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is the key to the Warriors’ success. Source: Getty Images

Predicted back five: 1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 2 David Fusitu’a 3 Patrick Herbert 4 Peta Hiku 5 Ken Maumalo

Experience: 476 NRL games

Rating: B-

Strength: Strike power in the back three. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is arguably the best fullback in the game after winning the Dally M Medal in 2018 and the Golden Boot in 2019. Wing duo David Fusitu’a and Ken Maumalo have been the club’s two most consistent try-scoring threats over the last few seasons. If these three can put their best seasons together as a trio in 2020 then the Warriors will cause a lot of headaches for opposition defences.

Weakness: The Warriors’ centre pairing need to improve at creating opportunities for their speed men out wide. Peta Hiku and Patrick Herbert are damaging ball-runners, but if they can improve their passing and offloading skills it would open up the wider channels for the Warriors’ speed demons on the flanks even more.

EELS

Maika Sivo scored 22 tries in his debut season. Source: Getty Images

Predicted back five: 1 Clint Gutherson 2 Blake Ferguson 3 Waqa Blake 4 Michael Jennings 5 Maika Sivo

Experience: 703 NRL games

Rating: C+

Strength: Arguably the best wing combination in the game. Blake Ferguson returned to the NSW Blues team in his first year at the Eels and has been one of the most damaging metre-eaters over the last three NRL seasons. Maika Sivo burst onto the rugby league scene with an NRL best 22 tries in just 25 games in his rookie season. Throw in Michael Jennings’ 147 tries in 278 games and the Eels have the strike power to cause a lot of opposition sides some headaches for the second year in a row.

Weakness: Clint Gutherson is one of the Eels’ most consistent performers and a captain that players want to play for, so it is unfair to call him a weakness. However the fullback position dictates just how successful sides are in the modern game, especially in finals football where the Eels were smashed by the Storm to end their 2019 campaign. It remains to be seen if Gutherson can take his game to the next level and create opportunities consistently for his teammates, especially in the championship minutes with the game on the line. Waqa Blake is a solid first grader with 97 games to his name, but it remains to be seen if he can take his game to greater heights and become a strike centre in the NRL.

TIGERS

Adam Doueihi joins the Tigers from the Rabbitohs. Source: News Corp Australia

Predicted back five: 1 Adam Doueihi 2 Corey Thompson 3 Joey Leilua 4 Moses Mbye 5 David Nofoaluma

Experience: 431 NRL games

Rating: C-

Strength: Joey Leilua is a strike centre, who creates opportunities off the back of his runs and offloading ability, which makes him the ideal replacement for Esan Marsters. Adam Doueihi is an astute signing with a big future and a high ceiling as a first grade fullback. Corey Thompson prefers to play fullback, but his try-scoring exploits make him a better option on the wing for the Tigers.

Weakness: Moses Mbye’s positional uncertainty relates to the Tigers’ lack of a hooker since Robbie Farah’s retirement and Jacob Liddle’s injury struggles. If Harry Grant’s swap deal with the Tigers doesn’t go through then Mbye will likely start the season at hooker and Paul Momirovski at centre. If the swap happens then Mbye will likely be at centre, with Grant starting at hooker and Mbye filling in at times throughout the game. However this uncertainty over positions is not good for building cohesion and combinations in Michael Maguire’s side.

DRAGONS

Zac Lomax is untested as a first grade fullback. Source: Getty Images

Predicted back five: 1 Zac Lomax 2 Jordan Pereira 3 Euan Aitken 4 Tim Lafai 5 Jason Saab

Experience: 307 NRL games

Rating: C-

Strength: Stability in the centres. Euan Aitken and Tim Lafai are entering their fifth year as a partnership for the Dragons, which provides a combination to build around. Aitken was being mentioned as a NSW Blues bolter two seasons ago and his defence will be key to plugging the holes that saw the Dragons leak an alarming number of tries last season.

Weakness: Inexperience in the back three. Zac Lomax has been promised first crack at the fullback jersey, but he only has 17 games of first grade experience and most of them on the wing. Jordan Pereira has just 20 games in the top grade, while Jason Saab has just three to his name. How these three combine at the back will go a long way towards deciding how far the Dragons can climb from a disappointing 15th place finish last season.

PANTHERS

Brent Naden was a revelation in 2019 for the Panthers. Source: AAP

Predicted back five: 1 Dylan Edwards 2 Josh Mansour 3 Brent Naden 4 Dean Whare 5 Brian To’o

Experience: 355 NRL games

Rating: C-

Strength: Strike power out wide. Brent Naden scored eight tries in 12 games in his rookie season, while Brian To’o finished with nine in 15 games in 2020. The pair are lighting quick and have the physical attributes to consistently challenge opposition defences. Josh Mansour admitted 2019 was his worst year in first grade, but with 62 tries in 136 games, he provides experience in a young Panthers’ backline.

Weakness: Dylan Edwards has shown promise since his first year for the Panthers in 2016, but he has failed to establish himself as a consistent performer in the top grade. Injuries haven’t helped his cause, but if the Panthers are to make an impact then Edwards needs to take some of the playmaking responsibility off Nathan Cleary’s shoulders because replacing James Maloney will be no easy task. Dean Whare could only manage one try in 18 games last season and will need to make more of an impact running off Cleary and the other Panthers’ playmakers in 2020.

KNIGHTS

Kalyn Ponga will drive Newcastle’s success from fullback in a new look backline. Source: Getty Images

Predicted back five: 1 Kalyn Ponga 2 Edrick Lee 3 Bradman Best 4 Tautau Moga 5 Hymel Hunt

Experience: 297 NRL games

Rating: C-

Strength: Kalyn Ponga. He is not the Knights only strength in the back five, but he is by far their most important. The Maroons fullback is the focal point of Newcastle’s attack and so much of their penetration comes from his silky passing skills and footwork on the edge. If the Knights are going to end their finals drought then Ponga needs to be fit and firing all season.

Weakness: Combinations will take time to jell in this new Knights backline. Bradman Best is a star in the making, but has just three games of first grade experience. Tautau Moga at his best is a formidable talent, but his injury struggles have hampered his ability to make a consistent impact at the Knights. Hymel Hunt is more of a centre than a winger and despite making strides in the position last season, he still needs time to become a consistent finisher.

BULLDOGS

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak reinvigorated the Bulldogs’ attack last season. Source: AAP

Predicted back five: 1 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 2 Nick Meaney 3 Will Hopoate 4 Reimis Smith 5 Jayden Okunbor

Experience: 335 NRL games

Rating: D+

Strength: Dallin Watene-Zelezniak was the mid-season buy of last season and added attacking strike to the Bulldogs’ back three. DWZ’s arrival also gave Will Hopoate the chance to shift to his best position at centre.

Weakness: Inexperience out wide. While they are exciting prospects, Nick Meaney and Jayden Okunbor have yet to establish themselves as regular first grade wingers. Meaney has played most of his career at fullback, while Okunbor has just 10 starts to his name. Reimis Smith is also an unknown at centre after playing most of his career to date on the wing. The onus will be on these three players taking their games to the next level in 2020.

TITANS

AJ Brimson will get first crack at fullback for the Titans. Source: News Corp Australia

Predicted back five: 1 AJ Brimson 2 Anthony Don 3 Brian Kelly 4 Kallum Watkins 5 Phillip Sami

Experience: 281 NRL games

Rating: D+

Strength: AJ Brimson has been touted by Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga as a future Origin player for Queensland. He has floated between the halves and fullback, but with Michael Gordon’s retirement he looks set to get an extended run at the back for the Titans. Anthony Don might be getting on in years, but at 32 Gold Coast’s all-time leading try-scorer is still their most consistent player at getting over the try-line.

Weakness: The Titans will take time to develop combinations under new coach Justin Holbrook as they learn the way he wants his side to play. Kallum Watkins has a long career in the Super League behind him, but just six games of NRL experience to his name. Brian Kelly and Philip Sami are experienced first graders now and need to take their games to greater heights in 2020.