Can you smell that? That, my friends, is the beautiful scent of rugby league in the air!
The NRL pre-season is now in full swing with a plethora of games to come. The real stuff is also now drawing ever close and the excitement is building.
With new seasons comes new opportunities.
Opportunities to right the wrongs of last season. Opportunities for new stars to emerge. Opportunities to make a host of predictions for 2024.
It's now my chance to put it all on the line with 50 "fearless" predictions.
Some will be fearless, others will be made to pad my stats as this very much could go either way.
50. Everyone will bag on the Vegas games until they actually happen
I am happy to admit I am 100 per cent guilty of this.
I see no real value in taking two games to America. I understand the reasoning. Gambling revenue and spreading the game.
For mine the play was taking games to a market where they don't refer to the greatest game of all as "that rugby game".
That said, the literal second the game kicks off in a months time, it is all that will matter.
We sat and happily watched games played in front of literal cardboard cut outs, so I don't really see an issue with a half empty American super stadium.
Make no mistake, the jokes will continue over this being a Peter V'Landys vanity tour to meet celebrities, but the games will be enjoyable and they will be a spectacle.
49. The pre-season challenge won't matter ... except to fans of the winning team
One of my favourite moments of each NRL season happens before the season even starts.
Any fan of a team who loses a trial game will rush to social media to say that "trials don't matter" and that results aren't important.
Meanwhile, just as quickly, fans of teams who win games will fall over themselves to post about how "this is our year".
The Pre-Season challenge is great fun. A brilliant move from all involved. Big prize money is also on the line.
Except no one cared last year, other than Manly fans. Rightly so.
The Sharks were a few offloads away from taking the $100,000 but Craig Fitzgibbon didn't send a message out to throw the ball around for a cash grab.
It meant plenty to Manly fans and nothing to fans of every other side. Must have been a coincidence.
48. Penrith win the World Club Challenge
We've all heard the talk that Penrith players treated last year's World Club Challenge as a pre-season game and nothing more.
I don't care to either confirm nor deny those talks as it simply does not matter.
I guarantee you though, either way, Penrith are a whole lot more serious about bringing home the trophy in 2024.
Fuelled by having lost last year, combined with the extra motivation that comes with travelling across the world to play the game, there's no way Penrith aren't all in this time around.
Full disclosure I am a Wigan fan. Have been for as long as I can remember. I hope they put Penrith in their place and keep the trophy in England.
If I had to pick a winner though, Penrith by 20.
47. Luke Brooks and the Tigers both win the "divorce"
I've been almost pleading with the Tigers to release Luke Brooks for three seasons now.
It was clear to all and sundry that both he and the club needed a fresh start but for some reason the Tigers refused to make the move.
I believe this will benefit both sides of "divorce" with Brooks finding a new lease on his footballing life while the Tigers will improve without him.
Manly will surely also improve with a genuine half lining up beside Dally Cherry-Evans also. So all three stakeholders come out in front.
Better late than never.
46. Raiders are 2024s big sliders
Sorry Raiders fans but I'm fairly confident in predicting a down season for the Green Machine.
Canberra have lost Jack Wighton and haven't really replaced him. Their stars are another year older also, with both Rapana and Whitehead set to retire at the end of the season.
Matt Timoko is going to be one of the game's premier centres while Chevy Stewart oozes talent. Outside of that though, 2024 shapes as a real slog.
I'm always happy to be proven wrong, and maybe jokingly outside local rivals the Dragons, I wish no ill toward any sude.
That said, I can't see a way that Canberra can lose their main man, fail to replace him, and still hold onto a spot in the eight.
45. Dolphins big improvers but still no finals finish
A two for one entry here!
The Dolphins have recruited exceptionally well in adding Herbie Farnworth, Tom Flegler and Jake Averillo.
Their centres instantly become top level while Flegler improves their middle rotation considerably.
That said, I just can't see them topping the likes of the Knights and Eels, who I expect to battle it out for those six through tenth spots.
The Phins will enjoy an improved season but won't lock in their first Finals appereance just yet.
One more season.
44. Dragons land a big name recruit
To be totally honest, those in the Red V are due a big recruitment win.
With the greatest of respects to Kyle Flanagan, Raymond Faitala-Mariner and Christian Tuipulotu, they aren't earth shattering signings.
All will improve the current Dragons roster but I'm not expecting them to drastically shift the fortunes of the Dragons.
I'm willing to go on record as saying they'll sign a big name player before 2025.
After missing out on a host of superstars, they need a win and I expect Shane Flanagan to go all in to find the big piece of the rebuild puzzle.
43. Cameron Smith named Bellamy's successor
The feeling was that either Billy Slater or Cameron Smith would take over from Craig Bellamy at the end of the supercoach's career.
The reason I'm leaning toward Smith is one stepped down from his Origin coaching role recently while the others looks set to build a dynasty.
Bellamy is entering his final year of coaching, supposedly (and we've heard that previously) but I wouldn't be shocked if Smith is named assistant before being elevated post Bellamy.
Bellamy is likely to move in a coaching director role while I expect Slater to join the ranks in a part-time capacity.
Don't expect a big fall off in the Melbourne capital even when Bellamy finally steps down.
42. Indigenous Allstars and Maori All Stars split the series (again)
I hate to be boring but I'm predicting an exact replay of last year's All Stars results.
The Maori women win their game while the Indigenous men square the ledger in the men's clash later that evening.
Both games will be full of pride and emotion and there is sure to be points flowing in both. I just think the Maori girls have too much strike power.
Nicho Hynes will lead his side to a second straight win via a second straight best on ground performance.
41. Souths return to the eight
I was a lot more confident about this when I drafted this list originally than I am now.
Campbell Graham will miss up to six months via a sternum issue while Tyson Munro looks set to miss eight weeks. Cody Walker is racing the clock for round one.
That said, the addition of Jack Wighton and the simple fact such a talented side simply can't play that badly again combine to see them return to a comfortable top eight finish.
I can't see this side troubling the Panthers or Broncos at the very top but another finish outside of Finals footy would be devestating.
Anything less than a top eight finish will see Jason Demetriou looking elsewhere for employment in 2025.
