The longest, and most hyped Round 1 in history is finally complete. It brought many upsets, the likes we haven't seen before.
We saw the wooden spoon favourites run riot, the three-time Premiers humbled and the monster of all upsets across the Tasman.
With Vegas firmly in the rearview mirror, we look at 20 thoughts from the second stanza of Round 1.
1. I don't say this often but Wayne Bennett made a massive error in Round 1. Leaving out Jake Averillo, Jarrod Wallace and Euan Aitken were three curious decisions to say the least. The Dolphins were plastered off the field and simply cannot proceed with that same team against the Dragons.
2. I try to avoid negativity here but there are some very ordinary halves combinations in the competition right now. I won't single anyone out but there are four or five teams who are just treading water at this point.
3. Every year I think I've seen the worst officiating decision of all time and every year the Bunker officials conspire to outdo themselves. In no world was there a penalty try in the Cowboys-Dolphins game yet the officials found one. It didn't matter due to the nature of the score, but if it had I guarantee it would be all we are talking about today.
4. Did the Dragons send a message on Saturday evening? Many of us, myself included, had them nailed on as wooden spoon favourites. They came out and lit the Titans up in a big way. Perhaps we underestimated the Red V!?
5. I dare say Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow may be running extra laps this morning at training. The Hammer, rather than jumping on the ball and copping a big hit, decided to kick the ball and allow Heilum Luki one of the easiest tries you'll see this season.
6. I'm not a huge fan of the Dally M voting system, that's no secret. Nicho Hynes wasn't in the top three players for the Sharks vs Warriors game while Jeremiah Nanai is very lucky to be have been awarded six points. There's no foolproof system but this current one just isn't it.
7. Izack Tago is fast becoming one of the game's elite centres. He is worth every cent of his reported monster contract extension. The Panthers risked losing yet another asset and with this deal, they've ensured their prize is tied down for many years to come. Good business.
8. As counterproductive as this is going to sound, the Tigers need to move on from Bryden's Lawyers as soon as possible. They need a complete separation from the old guard at any expense. A new sponsor will come along.
9. The Bulldogs could have the best centre pairing in the game. If results don't change in the next month, I dare say we'll see that very centre pairing. Watch this space.
10. Again I must insist, anyone who doesn't watch the NSW Cup coverage is missing out. The game between the Eels and Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon was every bit as entertaining as any NRL game this weekend. The Warriors beating the Jets on the bell was also brilliant, for those of us who weren't left heartbroken by the result.
11. The Storm put in one of the all-time great defensive efforts on Friday night. The Panthers threw everything at an exhausted Storm outfit to literally zero success. My guess is you won't see that again this season.
12. There will never, ever, be a streak like the Storm's 22-win streak in Round 1. To think they didn't have one single off day in over two decades is downright impossible.
13. Can we take a moment to consider the results of Round 1? Eight games, six underdogs won. Those teams who lost to the favourites were the Bulldogs and Dolphins. The Warriors losing was almost impossible to imagine. Newcastle losing in front of a sold out crowd? No chance. The Dragons ran riot away from home. Round one is usually topsy-turvy but this was next level!
14. That new ruling on players trying to knock the ball backward in a contested highball was the most confusing of the weekend. Players can no longer "swat" at the ball to put the fullback off and must genuinely contest the ball. That one slipped under the radar behind the short re-start and downtown crackdowns.
15. I didn't mind the split Round 1 fixtures. Perhaps it was having no break from the trials that sways me but if Vegas is going to be a regular fixture, I'm on board.
16. Those American numbers re the Vegas games, they weren't great. Anyone who expected otherwise though is being naive. Why would Americans have any reason to care? If we continue to repeat the goings-on though they will. A one-off was never going to garner much attention. A repeated Vegas round though and it will become a habit.
17. I have no explanation for Cameron Ciraldo's comments that he "couldn't be happier with some of the things I saw out there". Those don't help anyone. No fan wants to hear about false positives on the back of a hiding from local rivals. I hope there's a method behind the madness.
18. Bryce Cartwright has never been the most consistent of players but when he is on there are few more entertaining players in the game. The Carty Party started with a bang on Saturday evening. Long may it continue.
19. Wayde Egan may be the most unlucky player in the game. The Warriors were a far more dangerous side with him on the field on Friday night but another injury looks as though it will rob him of playing time.
20. It will be hard not to name Roger Tuivasa-Sheck at fullback this weekend for the Warriors. I hope they do. Selfishly I cannot wait to see RTS involved more. He'll be a fantastic centre but the situation dictates he must run out at number one this weekend.