Footy is back!
Words that warm the heart and bring a huge smile to one's ugly face.
With the competition proper just around the corner, it's time to predict what we are about to see.
We are now at the very business end of these predictions.
I lobbed some softballs earlier but the following ten are putting it all on the line.
Premiers, award winners, Origin and much more.
Below are the final 10 of our 50 fearless predictions:
10. NSW move on from Tedesco and Cook
Previously I mentioned that there is a new era for the NSW Blues under Michael Michael Maguire. One that will require some tough decisions.
2024 is the year where NSW finally move on from two regulars and legends in James Tedesco and Damien Cook.
Dylan Edwards, Scott Drinkwater and Tom Trbojevic will be vying for the fullback spot. I think it's time to finally reward the brilliant form of Edwards.
Reece Robson has emerged as the number one option at hooker for the Blues. Cook will make way following an often brilliant NSW career.
The winds of change are blowing in and it will be a positive for the Blues.
9. Broncos take minor premiership
If not for a strange decision by Kevin Walters to rest the majority of his squad in the final round last year, the Broncos would be Minor Premiers right now.
I'm predicting them to go one better on the back of monster seasons from Reece Walsh, Katoni Staggs, Payne Haas and Ezra Mam.
The Broncos have the squad to return to the big dance in 2024. It all comes down to how they react to last year's heartbreaking loss.
Again I'm tipping they use it as motivation to go one further, at least in the regular season.
The Panthers are the smart bet to finish top yet again but that's no fun. Broncos for mine.
8. Jasmin Strange top NRLW try scorer
The Roosters have poached Newcastle's 21 year-old star in waiting, Jasmin Strange.
Jasmin, daughter of current Roosters NRLW coach John, will join one of the competition's most potent backlines and will absolute reap the rewards.
Strange was amazing last year for the back to back Premiers and will lift her game, and try scoring tally, to new heights upon her return to Bondi.
She actually debuted at the tri-colours before moving to the Knights, snagging a premiership in playing each game, and now returns to the club.
We'll lock in ten games and 14 tries.
7. Dominic Young top try scorer
It's a Roosters double in terms of competition top scoring as I'm leaning on the Roosters giant to cross for an absolute bag of four pointers this year.
Dom Young was absolutely electric last year for the Knights. He scored two of the greatest tries you'll ever see, in the same game.
There simply isn't a world, injury aside, where Young doesn't go to even yet another level for the Chooks in 2024.
Keary and Walker would have spent all season kicking to his wing which will present him with a plethora of high flying chances.
Look for the Britt to top his impressive tally of 23 from last season. Watch out!
6. QLD Win Women's Origin
The woman's Origin series, thankfully, expands yet again this season to a three game series.
Given the introduction of new teams, and new players, combined with record ratings for the NRLW, this is set to be the best Origin series yet.
Unfortunately for us fans south of the Tweed, I think the Origin shield stays where it resides currently, in QLD.
Tamika Upton is the game's premier player while Gosford girl Tarryn Aiken, who I'm tipping to have a tearaway 2024, also wears maroon.
Either way, it'll be 2-1. There is very little between the two squads.
5. NSW Win Men's Origin
In better news for those wearing sky blue, the men's team will regain the shield after almost forgetting what it looked like over the past few years.
Brad Fittler hindered the state's chances last year with some eyebrow raising selections and a clear lack of a game plan.
Michael Maguire should fix that up and bring the series all square.
This is the year Nathan Cleary finally stamps his authority on the rep game and leads the Blues to a 2-1 series win.
The Blues will open with a home game, as much a must win as the first game has ever been. Win that and the series is theirs.
4. Tarryn Aiken wins NRLW Dally M medal
If Tarryn Aiken stood here today with the NRLW Dally M medal around her neck, a few pockets of Knights fans aside, no one would be complaining.
Aiken was breathtaking last year for the Roosters and was, at worst, the second best player in the competition last year.
This year I believe it will be the Roosters pivot's year.
She has one of the game's best forwards in Millie Boyle laying a platform and has the two best centres in the game as attacking weapons.
Aiken will go one better this year and collect the best and fairest award for 2024.
3. Reece Walsh wins Dally M
This could be a coin flip between the Broncos ace and Nathan Cleary but 2024 just feels like the year of Reece Walsh.
Walsh was brilliant for club and state in 2023 and is set to go to another level on the back of a huge off-season.
He will learn a lot from the experience of a Grand Final and will make that arena his own, just like he did for the Maroons in the Origin series.
Haas, Mam, Reynolds and Cobbo will all take points off him throughout the year but there will be enough man of the match awards to see him home.
With a certain head geared fullback returning to the rep arena in 2024, Walsh will need to be even better than in previous years to hold his spot. For mine he will be.
2. Roosters win NRLW
It's a clean sweep for the Roosters ladies at the aforementioned Aiken and Strange combine to lead the Roosters back to the NRLW promise land.
There is just too much talent in this side to deny.
Newcastle again shape as the Chooks biggest rivals but have lost Strange and Tiana Davison to Bondi.
The Broncos, Titans, Sharks and Raiders will all provide plenty of resistance but player for player there is no better roster in the game than at the Roosters.
I'm not really sure how the Roosters didn't play in the decider last year but they'll right the wrong and celebrate in 2024.
1. Panthers don't win fourth straight NRL title
I never thought my number one fearless prediction would be a team not winning a fourth straight NRL title but here we are.
Penrith have been historically great for three seasons, and all bar 50 minutes of a Grand Final in a fourth, but is this a year too far?
I'm going with the odds here in that Brisbane, the Roosters or the Warriors might get them in 2024.
To win one title everything has to go right. The balance of probabilities says that shouldn't happen four years in a row.
I wouldn't be shocked if this is proven wrong, given the ridiculous depth at the club, but surely they can't win a fourth straight. Surely!