The NRL's inaugural Pre-season Challenge kicks off on Thursday night with all clubs looking to fine-tune their efforts in the summer before the Telstra Premiership kicks off next month.
NRL.com takes a look at some of the biggest storylines of the Pre-season Challenge ahead of Round 1 with $100,000 also on offer for the overall winner.
Can Penrith win the World Club Challenge?
All teams have felt the pinch of a shorter pre-season this year due to the World Cup and none more so than the defending premiers, who welcome St Helens to BlueBet Stadium on February 18.
The Panthers had eight of their World Cup stars return to training a week earlier than expected in a bid to not only be eligible for the clash but have enough of a training block to prepare against the Super League champions.
The World Club Challenge has not been played since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while it's the first time since 2014 the match will be played in Australia.
The Panthers will have some added motivation after losing both World Club Challenges in the past after their 1991 and 2003 premiership triumphs.
They'll be further challenged following the departures of Api Koroisau (Wests Tigers) and Viliame Kikau (Canterbury) to rival clubs, who will be watching their old team attempt to become world champions from afar.
Preparing the Panthers: The return
Is Parramatta's grand final window still open?
Trial form isn't everything (the Eels lost in one to the Dragons last year before beating Penrith 36-0) but plenty of eyeballs will be on whether the Eels can continue their momentum in 2023.
After losing Reed Mahoney (Canterbury) and Isaiah Papali'i (Wests Tigers) to rival clubs, the arrival of Josh Hodgson, who is coming off a near 12-month lay-off from an ACL injury, will be a major storyline going into Round 1.
Hodgson gets his first chance in blue and gold against the Panthers on Saturday night after being named at hooker on Tuesday.
Will the Eels change with his services at dummy half? Equally, can the Eels replace Papali'i on the edge, and for the opening three rounds find someone to fill in for Ryan Matterson, who is suspended.
The Eels are in a tough position after reaching the decider last year with expectation now at a high they'll be there again.
Which incoming coach hits the ground running?
Whether they're a new coach set to embark on their journey in the NRL or seasoned veterans who are making their return to the game, plenty of coaches will want a fast start in the Pre-season Challenge to settle the nerves.
Tim Sheens and Cameron Ciraldo are at different stages of their coaching careers but have been busy in the off-season putting together teams that both are hoping helps break their club's finals droughts.
Wests Tigers and the Bulldogs will be two of the most-watched clubs during the Pre-season Challenge while Anthony Seibold and Andrew Webster both have big jobs to do in turning the Sea Eagles and Warriors around respectively.
Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett has been out of the game for 12 months and will want to see some positive signs early from the new franchise, who start against the Cowboys this weekend.
'Just a little fancier': Sheens chats at Wests Tigers 'Field Day'
Who will be history-making Dolphins for Round 1?
Still on the Dolphins and what will their inaugural 17 look like?
Will Bennett stick with players he has coached or knows in the past or immediately throw a few surprises with some debutants?
As a new team, there’s plenty of interest around the squad, with the club’s first Pre-season Challenge match on Sunday offering some light on what their Round 1 team to face the Roosters might be.
Bennett seems to have settled on his first-choice spine, telling the Courier Mail last month that former Panther Sean O’Sullivan will start at halfback alongside Anthony Milford.
Milford will partner Isaiya Katoa against the Cowboys this weekend while Jamayne Isaako to start at fullback despite Bennett indicating Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow will get first crack in the No.1 jersey.
Tesi Niu and Euan Atiken have been listed to start in the centres against the Cowboys.
How will Newcastle’s halves play?
Newcastle are another club who have undergone a major makeover in the off-season with Knights coach Adam O'Brien a man under some pressure going into 2023.
O'Brien has six new recruits in his squad with the spine make-up among their biggest talking points, along with how the side will play in general after a lacklustre 2022 campaign.
Kalyn Ponga's expected switch to five-eighth alongside Jackson Hastings has the potential to become something special, but how quickly can it evolve?
Neither Ponga (calf) or new recruit Lachlan Miller have been included for Newcastle's first Pre-season Challenge match against the Sharks.
Equally, how quickly can Miller come into the squad and learn combinations with just a month's preparation under his belt at the club.
A calf injury to Ponga over the summer didn't help the cause but O'Brien will be hoping the club's biggest star and remainder of the spine gets a game in together before their season opener against the Warriors.
Will Reece Walsh take the Broncos to a new level?
Reece Walsh's return to Red Hill in November has brought plenty of fans optimism the Broncos have enough strike and balance in their backline now to get back into the finals.
With Tesi Niu's exit to the Dolphins and Selwyn Cobbo yet to fully undergo a full season in the NRL, Walsh can make the fullback spot his own in 2023.
Already a confident character, Walsh has been a strong presence during pre-season training and is vocal throughout all their drills, comfortably directing players around him.
The Nerang junior, however, made the most errors for a fullback in 2022 at the Warriors in what could be dubbed ‘second season syndrome’ following an eye-catching debut year in 2021.
He'll need to fix up those aspects of his game but you get the feeling being back in front of his family and friends in Brisbane will provide plenty of motivation to find improvement.
Walsh has been named in a star-studded Broncos team to play the Titans on Sunday night.
Walsh on his Red Hill return
Will the Titans solve their own halves dilemma?
Titans coach Justin Holbrook has a big decision to make around his final choice of halves and overall spine combination.
The signings of veteran playmaker Kieran Foran and Sam Verrills solves two problems but the others lie around who will take the other half and fullback role.
AJ Brimson and Jayden Campbell are out in front but with Tanah Boyd, Toby Sexton and youngster Tom Weaver in the mix, it will come down to the next month of trial action to decide.
The club have played one internal full opposed match already with Holbrook, who has repeatedly said he “hasn’t decided”, will be hoping he gets answers from matches against Queensland rivals the Broncos and Dolphins.
Can Josh Schuster succeed at five-eighth for the Sea Eagles?
Aside from Tom Trbojevic's famous hamstrings, it's the other biggest talking point on the northern beaches.
Kieran Foran's departure opens the door for Josh Schuster to partner Daly Cherry-Evans in a combination that must work for the Sea Eagles to start fast.
With limited back-up options in the top 30 at the moment for Anthony Seibold in the halves, the reliance of Schuster to cement the No.6 jersey will have him under some immediate pressure.
After skipping the World Cup to focus on his new role, we'll get an early indication of how Schuster is shaping in Week 2 of the Pre-season Challenge.
Bondi, BBQs and banter: Smith starts life as a Rooster
How will Brandon Smith go at the Roosters?
There will be plenty of keen observers when the Storm host the Roosters in their opening Pre-season Challenge match in Geelong, with fans set to see former Melbourne fan favourite Brandon Smith in action against his old club.
One of the biggest player movements for the 2023 season, it will be interesting to see how the Kiwis hooker’s arrival to the Tricolours changes the club’s approach to their attack.
When playing for the Storm in recent seasons, the man they call ‘the Cheese’ often came off the bench and aimed to go ‘up the guts’ of opposition teams.
However, his fresh move north to play his preferred role of starting hooker will be the first time we see Smith take on the dummy half role fulltime.
Given his style, it is expected the Roosters will be more direct and target the middle a lot more, but with some personnel changes to the forward pack, that may change.
How Smith ties in with the halves pairing of Luke Keary and Sam Walker will also be key, with the duo taking their time to figure each other out to start last season. If Smith can click quickly with this combo, the Roosters will take some stopping.
Can the Dragons find the right mix?
Already written off by many given the off-season departures, injuries, sickness and suspensions within the squad, the Dragons could do with some trial form before their season kicks off in Round 2.
Anthony Griffin will be hoping the Pre-season Challenge matches help him nail down his strongest starting side available, particularly the position of five-eighth with Talatau Amone stood down and injury concerns to Jayden Sullivan and Jack Bird.
Former Wests Tigers hooker Jacob Liddle is one of only three new recruits at the club alongside Ben Murdoch-Masila and Zane Musgrove.
The Red V fanbase is growing restless having not made the finals since 2018 and are hoping their side responds.
Griffin will want players putting their hand up in February to lead the way.
