The Manly Sea Eagles endured a difficult first season under Anthony Seibold, but will hit the ground running for 2024 with the sky the limit.
A club with a rich junior talent pool, improving youngsters on the fringes of first-grade and some of the biggest stars in the game at their disposal, anything less than the finals for a second year in a row simply won't be good enough.
Manly made the big call at the end of 2022 to move Des Hasler on from his role, instead controversially handing the head coaching chair to Seibold.
If he can't make it work this year though, his head may well be on the chopping block, and some critical questions will determine exactly how the Sea Eagles perform throughout the 2024 campaign.
Here are the five biggest.
5. Is Reuben Garrick really a centre?
Reuben Garrick has become a permanent fixture at the Sea Eagles during the course of his career to date, and in doing so, has worn many different hats.
Winger. Prolific try-scorer. Excellent goal-kicker. Fill-in bordering on almost permanent fullback.
But 2024 will present a new, and difficult challenge for Garrick, with all talk suggesting he is going to run out in the centres come Round 1.
In what will be a permanent move, Garrick is tipped to take the centre spot previously occupied by Brad Parker, partnering Tolutau Koula, while leaving Jason Saab, Christian Tuipulotu and other fringe players to fight for the wing spots.
But is moving one of the NRL's best wingers to the centres really the best idea for the Sea Eagles heading into 2024?
Tall and lanky, there is little doubt Garrick has the ability to make it in the centres, but it has quickly become one of the NRL's trickiest positions to play, particularly defensively.
The last thing Manly needs is to compromise their edge defence in trying to slot players in around Garrick, particularly given the influence he has had on the wing.
