One down, 24 to go.

The first eight games of the 2021 NRL season didn't just provide us with our initial set of winners and losers, it raised another series of questions.

With each of the league's 16 teams set to do battle again this weekend, we attempted to answer the major issues facing their playing lists and coaches alike.

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South Sydney Rabbitohs

Can they end the fight early?

As has been mentioned ad nauseum throughout this piece, Melbourne Storm start big games well.

South Sydney found this out, after they left their cardinal and myrtle corner for the first-round content to touch gloves and feel their way through the opening stanzas, whilst the fighters from the purple corner landed headshots early to effectively win the judges early.

Although cynical Souths fans will have thrown the baby out with the bath water, their side remained upstanding throughout the fight and even managed a few good shots of their own.

Despite finishing with less than 40% of possession and repetitively shooting themselves in the paws, the Rabbit's left edge looked dangerous, as they targeted the inexperience pairing of Reimis Smith and George Jennings.

Facing a far softer opponent in Manly this week, the wily Wayne Bennett will have his prize fighters ready to square their ledger, so there is no need to touch gloves and tickle, they should be looking to emulate the Storm and end the fight early.

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