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.
11. Storm: Grand final
The Storm have been a picture of consistency and success for over a decade in the NRL.
That has been under threat more than ever in recent seasons though.
Despite never looking the full picture in 2023 though, the Storm still found themselves in the top four and qualifying for a preliminary final before being hammered by the Panthers.
That isn't to say a preliminary final was a pass last year though, and it's not to say it would be a pass this coming year.
Bellamy settles for nothing but the best, and while Melbourne have something of a lack of experience in their forward pack following a number of key departures ahead of 2023, the time for those excuses has now come to a terminus.
It's grand final or fail in 2024 for the Storm in what could - and likely will - be Bellamy's final season in charge.
