Set of Six: The NRL is back and already there's a major scandal

Praise Rabs, the 2017 NRL season has finally arrived and we’ve got every single game live and on-demand. Here are some big questions which will be answered over the next 26 rounds of rugby league.

1. How does the Tim Simona scandal affect the Tigers?

It wouldn’t be the NRL if the season didn’t kick off under the shadow of a scandal. This year it’s Tim Simona and his imminent life ban for gambling on opponents to score tries against him. If the charges are borne out by the evidence then the NRL has no choice but to level the most severe sanctions against the Wests Tigers centre – any margin for leniency is unacceptable given the severity of the charges. The Tigers only missed the eight by a single point last season so Wests fans will be entitled to question whether Simona’s actions cost them a finals spot. Embattled coach Jason Taylor is coaching for his job so dealing with the fallout from the Simona suspension coupled with the four-match ban for second rower Kyle Lovett for drug possession will hardly be the start he envisaged. A first-up win over the Rabbitohs would go a long way to setting things right at Leichardt.

2. Can Wayne Bennett quiet his doubters?

Master coach (and Clint Eastwood lookalike) Wayne Bennett is perhaps the greatest coach in the history of the sport, but despite his reputation he has found himself the target of speculation about his future. Given that they have only missed the finals three times in their history the Broncos coaching job comes laden with massive expectations. Even though he was largely responsible for setting those standards Bennett is not immune to the pressure.

His 2017 Broncos roster still looks like it could have the goods to mount a decent finals run. Despite the retirement of stalwart lock (and fantasy league messiah) Corey Parker the Broncos pack still looks formidable, especially with the late addition of former Knight Korbin Sims. Ben Hunt might have one foot out the door but he still forms an effective halves tandem with Anthony Milford this season. For all those so keen to push Bennett out the door the real question is who could replace him? Bennett might not connect with players the same way anymore but he’s a better option than most of the alternatives. It would be fitting if the old gunslinger could ride off into the sunset at a time of his choosing rather than be unceremoniously gunned down – a good showing this year would go a long way towards quieting the doubters.

3. How much impact will injuries play this season?

A ball is yet to be kicked in anger but already serious injuries are making an impact on the season – stars including Jarrod Croker, Adam Reynolds, Tohu Harris, Nathan Peats and Josh Mansour are set to miss considerable amounts of the upcoming season. Reynolds’ absence will probably have the biggest bearing on his team’s fortune – the Bunnies have a soft start to the season over the first month but if they can’t overcome the absence of their key playmaker they might find themselves in a hole that they will struggle to dig their way out of.

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4. Which young guns will make an early impact?

The flip side of injuries to key players is the opportunity created for young stars to make a name for themselves. Croker’s absence has opened the door for the highly touted Nick Cotric while Kenny Bromwich will pick up some of Harris’ minutes for the Storm. Invariably some of these rookies will make a better fist of it than others and their ability to fill in for bigger name players could go a long way to determining the fortunes of some teams.

5. Can the Warriors finally turn potential into performance?

Following the off-season acquisition of stand-off Kieran Foran much has been made of the Warriors now boasting an all-international spine and on paper the roster looks formidable. Unfortunately, this isn’t origami, its rugby league.  The Auckland-based franchise has flashed brilliance at times but has always struggled for consistency across an entire season, a fact largely attributable to a poor defence. Last season the Warriors conceded 25 points per game – over nine points per game more than premiers Cronulla. If Stephen Kearney’s men are to mount a serious challenge for their maiden Premiership then they need to start by shoring up their defence. If the meagre offence of the visiting Knights can score more than a try or two then it doesn’t bode well for the Warriors attempts to upgrade their defence over the long haul.

6. Match of the Round: North Queensland Cowboys vs. Canberra Raiders

A Saturday night matchup between last season’s two highest-scoring teams promises plenty of fireworks with both teams featuring massive packs and backlines bristling with game breakers. The Raiders are being heavily touted as premiership contenders on the back of last year’s strong showing in the finals and will want to start the season on the right foot. With Johnathan Thurston calling the shots it’s hard to go past the Cowboys at home but if the Raiders are set to live up to their big expectations then an upset in Townsville would be the perfect start to the season. Raiders coach (and certified megalomaniac) Ricky Stuart will relish the opportunity to start the season by racking up a win on the road against one of the comp’s pacesetters. This clash has all the makings of a classic.

Picks: CRO over BRI, MEL over CBY, SOU over WST, PEN over STG, NQL over CAN, GLD over SYD, WAR over NEW, PAR over MAN.