It's been a long, long four months but finally, the NRL returns to our screens on Thursday night as the pre-season challenge gets the season underway.
While there's $100,000 on the line for the victor of the 18 clubs competing, the key focus for head coaches lies on the budding combinations and individual form within his side, and easing the selection of their Round 1 team.
All 17 NRL clubs will be participating in the challenge, as well as St Helens from the Super League, who'll play the Dragons in the first week before facing Penrith in the second, which doubles as the World Club Challenge.
While the majority of Round 1 sides are all but selected in a coaches mind already, trials always throw spanners in the works as injuries lurk their ugly head while young guns and fringe first-graders put their hand up for a spot in the 17.
While we'll likely see close to 400 players feature across the pre-season challenge, some deserve more attention than others, specifically these ten youngsters.
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4. Jacob Preston (Canterbury Bulldogs)
Amidst all the Penrith Panthers they've been recruiting, a local 21 year-old back-rower has been plying his trade by the name of Jacob Preston, and looks set for an NRL debut sooner rather than later.
The edge forward stands at an intimating 189cm and 100kgs of force behind him, and could sneak onto the NRL bench despite the signature of Viliame Kikau.
The departure of Matt Doorey and Joe Stimson leaves their second-row a tad thin, Kikau and Raymond Fatalia-Mariner sewing up the starting role. He'll face Canberra and Cronulla in the pre-season, his last stakes at snaring a Round 1 spot.
