Predicting an NRL premiership winner or unlocking Da Vinci code. Take your pick.
The past decade has highlighted the ever-growing openness of the NRL competition, with consecutive premierships still yet to be achieved by any club in the NRL era.
In this time, we’ve witnessed some of the great unforeseen rises and collapses in the premiership race, which have completely unwritten pre-season predictions.
So who could it be this year?
Whilst a finals push could be a lot to ask of the Eels, given their poor depth, those tipping the side to pick up another wooden spoon could be in for a shock.
Arguably they still possess a strong list with a good mix of youth, x-factor and experience. Adding to that, they have recruited some key pieces to their puzzle.
The signing of Blake Ferguson is crucial for the club. The representative winger highlighted his class in a huge season last year, and his ability to lift a side and pull off the big-game plays will be crucial.
Junior Paulo, if he is able to find the form he showed in his first season with Canberra, will help form a damaging and aggressive front row rotation with Daniel Alvaro and Tim Mannah. And a fresh Clint Gutherson will act like a new signing, after the dynamic fullback was sidelined for most of 2018.
With the excitement of returning to their new home in Parramatta, it could be a more positive year for Eels fans than first thought.
One of the sides frequently mentioned in the top eight conversation this pre-season, Penrith could certainly be one of the teams that drift.
After reeking havoc on the NRL coaching setup last year in pursuit of Ivan Cleary, the Penrith Panthers will attract significant attention this season from both media and fans.
A slow start to their campaign will certainly trigger enormous debate around whether Cleary is the answer, and from there you can just see a spiral unfolding.
No doubt the Panther’s leadership will be tested, and with some of the club’s player movements in the off-season, they have arguably left themselves a bit slim on experience, having lost players like Trent Merrin, Corey Harawira-Naera, Tyrone Peachey and captain Peter Wallace.
Add to this the recent sex tape scandal that has rocked the club and the pressure of the spotlight on Penrith could prove to be all too much.
With a roster littered with representative talent, the Dragons are expected to be pushing for a top eight finish, at a minimum.
However, a number of factors are pointing towards them having a tough 2019.
The alterations to their spine, due to the signing of Corey Norman, could derail their season if they’re unable to adapt quickly. With Gareth Widdop moving to fullback, the side boost their playmaking stocks, yes, however forgo plenty of speed due to the omission of Matt Dufty from the starting side.
Combine that with the loss of Nene Macdonald, who was exceptional at picking up big metres through his kick returns, and the Red V have lost a fair chunk of power in their backline.
Jack de Belin is a devastating loss to the club, with his defence arguably the best in the league. His standing down has caused Tyson Frizell to be shifted from their right-side attack, which may impact the teams edge defense.
There is also the weight of expectation, given their strong roster, which will make things challenging for the club this year, particularly after their late season fade outs in recent years.
Given the turmoil the Sea Eagles were dragged through off the field last year, it is the belief of many that the club will battle through this season.
However, with the return of Des Hasler, the club has their identity back, something they more than lacked last season.
The club have brought in Kane Elgey, who will be driven to have his best season yet after a disappointing slump over the past two seasons, and if he’s able to form a strong partnership with Daly Cherry-Evans the side could cause some damage.
Beyond a new halves pairing, the biggest factor for the Sea Eagles to make a shock run to the finals will be its injury management. If they’re able to keep their big names on the field for the majority of the season, they’re definitely capable of winning games.