Alright, folks.

You should all know the drill by now.

There are 16 teams playing in eight games this weekend, and because nothing in this life is either perfect or complete, we here at Zero Tackleย still believe each of these aforesaid combatants come with a question marks.

So, before the third month of the regular season kicks off on Thursday night, we have sought to answer the most pressing queries ahead of Round 9.

SEE ALSO: Blythy's Round 9 Rev Up

6. What is Saturday night's all Queensland clash likely to tell us?

With just five wins from 16 starts between the two franchises this season, and the pair of dance partners still shuffling around the foot of the table, calling this northern derby an 'off Broadway' show is putting it mildly.

Still, for a pair of sides that have played out some contemporary classics at the back end of recent seasons, Saturday night's rodeo between the Cowboys and Broncos will be based around one theme - pride.

Although Kevin Walters' stable were able to stampede the Titans last week and create some distance between themselves and the Dogs in the cellar, their slow climb to the floor of the living will only have validity if they can back it up in Townsville.

For Todd Payten's saunter, they may have proven adept at beating the competition's tired, poor and huddled masses across the past month, but if a continuation of kudos rather the resumption of condemnation is what is sought, then they will need to have their lassoes in hand from the word go.

Even though the result will have absolutely no bearing on how the ladder's upper rungs will be decided, it is always nice to be the family on the block that has their house in order - even if the price of real estate in your suburb is far from unobtainable.