The Wait is Over
The start to another season of football is now upon us, with teams locked in, ready to take their starting positions on the field. With the NRL returning in less than 4 hours, every pre-season trade will be out on display with new halving combinations, fullback positions and player's experience being put to the test.
The current premiers, the Cronulla Sharks, are the first club to get a taste of the new season coming up against Wayne Bennett's Broncos. While both clubs are coming off losses during the World Club series, Brisbane recruited strongly during the off-season replacing retired players Corey Parker and Jack Reed with Korbin Sims and David Mead, respectively. On the other hand, the Sharks lost their star but troubled fullback Ben Barba, after drug charges were handed down following the 2016 grand final, and experienced hooker Michael Ennis retired following their record breaking win. There are positives for both teams heading into the 2017 season, with both halving combinations finding significant form during last season and forward packs unlike any other team, the real test will be how new combinations in the back line shape up. It'll be a tough first hit out as both teams look to start their 2017 campaign strongly, however I see the Bronco's being too strong, especially under the newly appointed captain Darius Boyd.
While it would be easy for me to go through and review each game for round one, the off season provided some unexpected trades, with little controversy off the field, so let's look into how each team appears to be shaping up for the new season.
Leaving aside the Sharks and Broncos, the Titans are one team who have been quietly building an army, biding their time for the right moment to strike. The mid-year recruits during the 2016 season, Konrad Hurrell, Nathan Peats and Jarred Hayne, have all fallen comfortably into life on the coast, with the added bonus of signing experienced forwards Kevin Proctor and Jarred Wallace. The Titans look set for a strong year as the clubs prominante work horse Ryan James steps into the captaincy role, an almost definite chance of appearing in September.
Out west, the Penrith Panthers have given more thought to the future than to the present, opting to stick with their gun young team over signing a mass of experienced players. Ex-Cowboy,t James Tamou joins Blues team mate Trent Merrin up front, lending experience to the Panthers exciting emerging players Bryce Cartwright and Reagan Campbell-Gillard. As for their halves, Nathan Cleary (one of the youngest week in - week out NRL players) finally has the opportunity to partner with Te Maire Martin, who together will lead an exciting team around the paddock, especially when injured winger Josh Mansour returns.
The 'old faithfuls', the Cowboys, Storm, Raiders and Bulldogs, all look set for another year of classy, frenetic football, a true feast for spectators eyes. While I feel confident that more than one of these teams will still be playing come September, there will be stiff competition from the current Auckland 9 champions the Sydney Roosters and the always strong Rabbitohs, with their new recruit Robbie Farrah.
One thing that is for sure, the Knights look certain to keep hold of the wooden spoon, the Dragons are a troubled cause with the potential to do well this season but seem more likely to fail at the last hurdle and the Tigers, despite having a strong spine in Tedesco, Moses and Brooks, are missing one component that will take them to a certain top eight team. With Daley Cherry-Evans as captain down in Manly, the Sea Eagles seem set for another year in rugby league's 'great unknown' (where fans are continually left wondering "what is happening to them"), while the Eels appear to have finally come out from under the cloud of controversy and look ready to take 2017 to a new level, particularly with the help of fullback Bevan French. As for the Warriors, they remain footballs biggest question mark, having the players needed to make the eight but lacking the ability to overcome the final hurdle.
With that being said, footy is back and ready for another electrifying season full of remarkable tries, perfectly timed kicks and the possibility 'nobodies' becoming 'somebodies' through a split second of brilliance.
As they say, let the games begin!