2022 is shaping up to be a ripper of a season. The Penrith Panthers will be looking to defend their crown, while at the opposite end of the table the Canterbury Bulldogs enter the season completely transformed.
A host of big-name players have switched clubs, new coaches will take the reins. To say I'm excited is an understatement.
Some players though will start the season under immediate pressure.
Whether it be pressure to hit the ground running at their new club, pressure to take them that one step further in 2022 or other factors, the pressure is on.
We look at ten players who face pressure from Round 1 in 2022.
10. Kalyn Ponga
With the increasingly likely exit from the club of Mitchell Pearce, the world of pressure continues to build on young Ponga's shoulders.
Already seen by fans as the club's main man, Ponga will now be expected to either move back into the halves or be the lead playmaker from fullback.
Ponga is already one of the game's most criticised players, either rightly or wrongly. He's only 23 years of age yet has had promo videos based around his game for years.
With a severe lack of talent available in terms of halfback options, Ponga is looking likely to be forced back into the number six role.
Last time that experiment was conducted, it didn't end well.
