Less than 12 hours away until the season kicks off.
I have to say it has that air of being a kid and being allowed to open one of your Christmas presents early. The problem is, it's a PS1 and you need a Memory Card to enjoy the system! We have two games, you beauty, but instead of being able to put your feet up to take the weekend in, it's right at the end and you better have a good side-step/fend because those commitments are coming at you like a freight train.
It's all to say that it's a little different, but hopefully when the whistle blows we can put that behind us and just enjoy a quality game of football.
Souths/Manly start us off, two teams that failed to make the eight last season with a point to prove and I'm tipping that upset with Manly. With Wighton, Graham out of the mix and Cody Walker coming in under an injury cloud, I don't expect to see South Sydney's A-game here and I'm beginning to sense a team getting on in years just struggling to make that transition.
Manly themselves have a lot of question marks surrounding them but they're in better shape and I expect some of the fresh faces to re-invigorate the side. Admittedly I am leaning towards the more interesting result and I think it might light a fire under Souths.
Brisbane/Roosters, obviously backing the boys from Red Hill. Still, I feel like we're sleeping on the Roosters a little. Yes they were disappointing last year, but they had a ton of absentees and they'll be on deck as well as the younger players who should be better for the experience. We'll see if this is Las Vegas and not the Bermuda Triangle, but I'm not expecting a repeat of the Gabba Game, or even the Dolphins/Roosters game.
Hopefully when it's all said and done, everyone gets through unscathed, the Broncos pick up the win and we get two quality games to open the season.