A new year has arrived, and NRL clubs will be back from their Christmas breaks to ramp up pre-season training in the next week.
The final run to the season often brings with it heightened intensity and discussion as fans ready themselves for the new campaign.
This year could on another level altogether with the season opening in Las Vegas a week ahead of schedule.
Expectations are a funny thing though. Every year, there are teams who will go well beyond what they were expected to do, and others who fall a long way short of where they were supposed to be.
But what exactly are those expectations for all 17 NRL teams in 2024?
Here is what your team needs to do to earn a pass in 2024.
13. Titans: In top eight fight
The Titans are a club where it's difficult to know exactly what to expect in 2024 as Des Hasler takes over head coaching duties.
The veteran coach will be able to do just that as well - coach. The Titans are in the position of having most of their roster locked in long-term, which on one foot may allow Hasler to perform a longer term build on the Gold Coast as he moulds the team to his style.
But Hasler generally isn't about waiting for results, and the club have plenty of talent available.
The forwards alone - with Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, Moeaki Fotuaika, David Fifita and the returning Beau Fermor who was on the verge of an Origin call up in 2022 - will rival any pack in the game.
There are still questions over the backline and halves in particular, while Hasler has one of the competiton's biggest calls to make in selecting his fullback, but the potential negatives don't outweigh the positives.
The Titans should improve from 2023. They will internally believe finals are a must, but fighting for the top eight will be enough to earn a pass in Hasler's first season.
