DREAMING next weekend’s first round of NRL matches signals your team’s march to September glory? Pump the brakes, you unfortunate souls.

There’s only room for eight at the pointy end of the season and in six months time these teams will be on the outside looking in.

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS — NINTH

Mitchell Pearce is a Knight in shining armour for Nathan Brown. (Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

Round 20

Newcastle Knights fans have a spring in their step and, despite admitting he’s not sure how his new-look NRL team will go, coach Nathan Brown isn’t about to burst their bubble.

After three successive wooden spoons, the Knights have undergone enormous change in the past 12 months.

Heading the arrivals list is halfback Mitchell Pearce, while young Sydney Roosters five-eighth Connor Watson, North Queensland fullback Kalyn Ponga and Melbourne hooker Slade Griffin have also headed to the Hunter to potentially form a completely-restructured spine.

Tautau Moga and Herman Ese’ese arrive from the Brisbane Broncos with their best football in front of them while Aidan Guerra, Jacob Lillyman and Chris Heighington bring size and experience.

“You can be excited by a lot of players we’ve added, but Pearce, at 28, his next three years should be his best three,” Brown told AAP.

“I’m confident that Kalyn has a good future here and along with Connor he’s in a key position for us.

“Add Slade, who’ll fight with Danny (Levi) for the hooking spot, and we have plenty of running threats and pace in those key positions and guys joining us from good, top-four organisations.”

The future of young half Brock Lamb has come into question with the arrivals of Pearce and Watson, with Brown admitting the sheer volume of moving pieces will be difficult to juggle.

“It’s a unique situation to have such a big changeover — I think 22 gone since this time last year — but we can all grow together now,” he said.

“We were a bad team two years ago; last year won half a dozen games and were in positions to win a few more and I expect our opposition to say we’re a fair bit better again this year.

“There’s a lot of excitement in the town; we’re all excited and have bigger expectations this year but we’re developing, so you can’t sit there and say for sure where we’ll be.

“You want people to be excited though; they deserve to be after going through three spoons.” The influx will test Brown’s man-management skills and increase the stakes after two seasons of limited expectation.

In response Brown is putting it on the club’s developing players, not the incoming stars, to trigger the change.

Best team: 1. Kalyn Ponga, 2. Nathan Ross, 3. Sione Mata’utai, 4. Tautau Moga, 5. Shaun Kenny-Dowall, 6. Connor Watson, 7. Mitchell Pearce, 8. Daniel Saifiti, 9. Slade Griffin, 10. Jacob Lillyman, 11. Aidan Guerra, 12. Jamie Buhrer, 13. Mitchell Barnett. Bench: 14. Danny Levi, 15. Jacob Saifiti, 16. Chris Heighington, 17. Herman Ese’ese.

Ladder finishes over the past three seasons: 2017 — 16th, 2016 — 16th, 2015 — 16th

BRISBANE BRONCOS — 10TH

Anthony Milford needs a huge year in Brisbane. Source: AAP

No more excuses.

That’s the mantra Brisbane have adopted for the 2018 NRL season as they look to snap the glamour club’s longest premiership drought.

The six-time premiers last tasted glory in 2006 — not that they have to be reminded.

In the foyer of their new $27 million headquarters, unveiled before the season, the Broncos’ silverware is proudly on display.

“We have always been a team that has been built on success, even from day one,” senior forward Sam Thaiday said.

“We have got the brand new facility so we have zero excuses now. We just have to convert all the good things for us off the field with some good results on it.”

Since master coach Wayne Bennett’s return in 2015 the Broncos have been thereabouts, finishing second, fifth and third on the regular season ladder and reaching a grand final, the semi-finals and the preliminary final respectively. But do they have the quality to claim a seventh title under Bennett in 2018? After being blown away 30-0 by Melbourne in last year’s finals, Brisbane lost Ben Hunt, Benji Marshall, Tautau Moga, Jai Arrow, Herman Ese’ese and Adam Blair in the off-season.

They added quality, not quantity.

Prized recruit Jack Bird arrived from Cronulla and is set to start his Broncos career in the centres after speculation he may dabble at lock or in the halves. However, the NSW State of Origin star will miss at least the first month of the NRL campaign due to shoulder surgery.

The spotlight will fall on Brisbane’s halves after Hunt’s lucrative off-season move to St George Illawarra.

Bennett has given Kodi Nikorima first shot in the No. 7 jersey after Brisbane won 11 of 13 games with the Kiwi international starting in the halves last year. He will combine with Anthony Milford, who returns from shoulder surgery to begin his new four-year, $1 million-plus per season deal — making him the highest-paid player in club history.

Then there’s the pack.

Matt Lodge, 22, has controversially snapped up a one-year lifeline after avoiding jail for a 2015 New York rampage and he is set to fill the front row void left by Blair’s departure.

However, Thaiday believes whoever fills the three-bench forward vacancies can prove the difference this season.

Tevita Pangai and Joe Ofahengaue face stiff opposition from Jaydn Su’A, Dave Fifita, Cronulla recruit Sam Tagataese and ex-winger Corey Oates who trialled as a back-rower during the pre-season.

Giant 18-year-old prop Payne Haas — dubbed an “Andrew Fifita clone” — is also knocking down the door with his 194cm, 120kg frame.

“The most important people are going to be the three big boppers on the bench, the young guys are going to be the key,” Thaiday said. “It is their time to shine.

“I am sure over the next few years with the youth coming through we will be a real threat to the competition.”

Best team: 1. Darius Boyd (capt), 2. Jamayne Isaako, 3. Jack Bird, 4. James Roberts, 5. Jordan Kahu, 6. Anthony Milford, 7. Kodi Nikorima, 8. Korbin Sims, 9. Andrew McCullough, 10. Matt Lodge, 11. Matt Gillett, 12. Alex Glenn, 13. Josh McGuire. Bench: 14. Todd Murphy, 15. Sam Thaiday, 16. Tevita Pangai, 17. Corey Oates.

Ladder finishes over the past three seasons: 2017 — 3rd, preliminary final, 2016 — 5th — semi-finals, 2015 — 2nd, losing grand finalist.

CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS — 11TH

Dean Pay is bringing back the bite to the Dogs. Source: AAP

It’s back to the past and back to basics at Belmore. After one of the most tumultuous summers at “the family club”, Canterbury have undergone drastic change heading into the 2018 NRL season.

After the controversial sacking of coach Des Hasler, Dean Pay took the reins and promised a take-no-prisoners brand of football that harks back to the Dogs of War era.

He has the faith and backing of a new board, headed by Lynne Anderson, which swept to power at the expense of long-time powerbroker Ray Dib. Dib paid the price for widespread dissatisfaction among members after Canterbury’s 11th-place finish and the exit of favourite son Josh Reynolds.

Anger about the departure of Reynolds was largely misdirected given the club tried to keep him but couldn’t match the Wests Tigers’ four-year deal. Not even the recruitment of Kieran Foran and Aaron Woods could save Dib’s position and this year shapes as a fresh start from the board room to the locker room.

In his first press conference as coach, Pay promised to introduce “a bit of madness” into the Dogs pack.

While captain Josh Jackson said that will show, he said the biggest shake up has been the simplification of their game plan.

Hasler was known as the most meticulous and, perhaps, hardest-working coach in the NRL, however, his team was criticised for being too rigid in game plan and overcomplicating things.

Their inability to hold onto the ball and score points showed in the statistics — the Bulldogs conceded the third-least tries in the competition (75) yet won just 10 games.

“He (Pay) wants us to play aggressive. Every coach wants their team to play aggressive,” Jackson said of the coach.

“Looking back at the way the Dogs were in the past, they had a pretty aggressive team.

“But the best thing for us is he’s really simplified things.

“We have worked hard on basic skills, basic catching and passing and things like that because last year they let us down a hell of a lot.

“We missed a lot of opportunities just through basic things like that, dropped balls and not being able to execute plays properly.”

So much of the Bulldogs’ fate will rest with playmaker Foran — after his move from the Warriors — and Moses Mbye, who has shifted from the halves to fullback.

Foran had a forgettable two years after well-publicised personal problems and shoulder and hamstring injuries, which restricted him to 26 appearances across 2016 and 2017.

He looked well below his best and hobbled by injury for the Warriors last year, however, Jackson said he had worked diligently to get his body right since landing back in Australia.

Mbye was once considered an Origin player in waiting but his career stagnated the past two years while in the halves. Jackson said he looked revitalised playing at fullback. “He looks outstanding,” he said.

Best team: 1. Moses Mbye, 2. Brett Morris, 3. Josh Morris, 4. Will Hopoate, 5. Marcelo Montoya, 6. Kieran Foran, 7. Matt Frawley, 8. Aaron Woods, 9. Michael Lichaa, 10. Aiden Tolman, 11. Josh Jackson, 12. Adam Elliott, 13. David Klemmer. Bench: 14. Fa’amanu Brown, 15. Greg Eastwood, 16. Raymond Faitala-Mariner, 17. Danny Fualalo

Ladder finishes over the past three seasons: 2017 — 11th, 2016 — 7th, 2015 — 5th

WESTS TIGERS — 12TH

Benji Marshall is happy to be home. Picture. Phil Hillyard Source: News Corp Australia

The Wests Tigers’ pre-season has had all the trademarks of an Ivan Cleary rebuild, but at his third club as an NRL coach he says he’s further along the track at this point than before.

As has become typical of a Cleary tenure, the coach’s first pre-season with his new club has been one of the busiest in the NRL.

Nine frontline players and a new assistant coach in Brett Hodgson have arrived at Concord, to go with the four remaining who he debuted after coming in to replace sacked Jason Taylor midway through last season.

Sound familiar? It should. In 2012, his first year at Penrith, Cleary brought eight new players to the club and handed six other players their maiden NRL appearance.

Two years later, they reached the third week of the finals after Cleary weeded through the recruits he wanted to keep to gel with the young and exciting talent at the club.

It was a similar story at the Warriors in 2006.

Hamstrung by salary cap issues that cost them four competition points before the start of the season, Cleary debuted four players in his first season and brought eight to the club over his initial two pre-seasons.

Again, he took them to the third week of the finals two years later, and by his final year at the club in 2011 they’d made the grand final.

“It’s all I’ve really known,” Cleary told AAP of his reputation for rebuilding struggling teams.

“I feel like we’re ahead of where we first were in 2012 at the Panthers though.

“Coming in mid-year last year wasn’t ideal in some respects but because we were able to get a little bit of traction last year it’s given us a bit of a leg up on the journey.”

Cleary’s recruits are from far and wide. None, aside from returning club legend Benji Marshall, carry the star power of a James Tedesco, Aaron Woods or Mitchell Moses, players they have lost. But instead Tigers officials hope they’ve got value for money to allow for a much deeper roster.

Tuimoala Lolohea should finally find a home at fullback after arriving to replace Moses in the halves midway through last season.

Josh Reynolds brings with him the enthusiasm he became famous for at Canterbury. Kiwi internationals Ben Matulino and Russell Packer bulk up the front row while the dangerous Mahe Fonua is expected to be a bargain buy in the backs. And players are promising a more attacking approach gelled together after a largely injury-free pre-season.

The other notable departure from the Tigers’ pre-season was the media scrum that dogged them in the past due to issues like the Taylor-Robbie Farah saga. The club now has the most settled roster in terms of players signed for next season, meaning the focus can finally be about football.

“The guys who have been here for the past two or three years have mentioned more than once how it’s nice to be able to just focus on the job at hand,” Cleary said.

“I know I felt when I got here last year that it was just a bit of a frenzy ... I think it definitely takes its toll.

“We’re just trying to get to a point where our football puts us in the news, and hopefully for the positive.”

Best team: 1. Tuimoala Lolohea, 2. David Nofoaluma, 3. Taane Milne, 4. Kevin Naiqama, 5. Mahe Fonua, 6. Josh Reynolds, 7. Luke Brooks, 8. Ben Matulino, 9. Jacob Liddle, 10. Russell Packer, 11. Chris Lawrence, 12. Chris McQueen, 13. Elijah Taylor, 14. Benji Marshall, 15. Alex Twal, 16. Robbie Rochow, 17. Sauaso Sue

Ladder finishes over the past three seasons: 2017 — 15th, 2016 — 9th, 2015 — 14th

CANBERRA RAIDERS — 13TH

The Raiders will sweat on Josh Hodgson’s return. Picture Kym Smith Source: News Corp Australia

Canberra Raiders faithful are praying their rollercoaster ride of the past three NRL seasons continues this year because an upswing is due.

After shooting up the ladder in 2016, finishing second before heartbreaking finals defeats to eventual premiers Cronulla and grand finalists Melbourne, things didn’t go to plan for coach Ricky Stuart’s men last year. The Raiders mirrored their 2015 campaign with a 10th-placed finish, marred by eight painful defeats by a converted try or less.

All involved at the Raiders were frustrated by their inability to close out games, none more than captain Jarrod Croker.

“We’re disappointed with our season last year, so we’ve definitely been working on a few things,” Croker said.

“It’s such a tight comp there is probably going to be only be about two to six points between missing and making the top-four, so you’ve got to close out every game you can.

“It’s hard to narrow it (the close losses) down to one thing but we had our chances in all those games, a few lapses in concentration cost us and if you rectify that it can really turn a season around.”

The Raiders were hit hard during the World Cup late last year with star hooker Josh Hodgson suffering a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament. Croker conceded being without the Englishman until at least July left a big hole in the team.

Hodgson is pushing for an early return, starting running in February only two months after knee reconstruction surgery.

The replacements arrived in the form of former Canterbury rake Craig Garvey and utility Siliva Havili, who was previously at St George Illawarra and enjoyed a standout World Cup for Tonga.

The World Cup not only did damage to Hodgson’s knee but to the waistlines of Josh Papalii and Samoan teammates Joey Leilua and Junior Paulo. The trio were cautioned by Stuart after returning from representative duties overweigh, but Croker said they had worked hard to regain fitness during the pre-season.

Sam Williams is back for a third stint with the Green Machine, returning from the English Super League club Wakefield.

The 26-year-old Williams will support Blake Austin and Aidan Sezer in the halves after the Raiders board ruled out a possible return for controversial former star Todd Carney.

The Dave Taylor experiment didn’t work last year, with the former Queensland Origin forward departing for Super League team Toronto before being released by the Wolfpack prior to their season.

The Raiders begin their NRL season with a trip to the Gold Coast to take on the new-look Titans.

Best team: 1. Jack Wighton, 2. Jordan Rapana, 3. Jarrod Croker, 4. Joey Leilua, 5. Nick Cotric, 6. Blake Austin, 7. Aidan Sezer, 8. Junior Paulo, 9. Siliva Havili, 10. Shannon Boyd, 11. Josh Papalii, 12. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Sia Soliola, Bench: 14. Craig Garvey, 15. Joseph Tapine, 16. Luke Bateman, 17. Charlie Gubb

Ladder finishes over the past three seasons: 2017 — 10th, 2016 — 2nd (preliminary finals), 2015 — 10th

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS — 14TH

Sam Burgess and Anthony Seibold. Picture: Brett Costello Source: News Corp Australia

There is little information out there about rookie South Sydney coach Anthony Seibold, but this is much we do know: He is definitely not insane.

So, despite having nearly the same team that missed the finals for a second consecutive NRL season last year, Seibold is promising Rabbitohs fans will see differences in 2018.

Most notably more boldness in attack, with less structure. “When the roster stays the same and you finish 12th two years in a row, you need to make some changes,” Seibold says.

Kangaroos and Queensland State of Origin star Dane Gagai is an exciting addition, while the return of skipper Greg Inglis feels feel like adding another new star after he missed all but one round last season with injury.

However the crux of the squad is still there, with Adam Reynolds and Cody Walker remaining in the halves and a forward pack dominated by the Burgess brothers.

But Seibold, who was promoted from assistant following the sacking of Michael Maguire in September, has shaken things up in a bid to bring the glory back. Maguire was often criticised for overworking his players, and Seibold made it a priority when taking the clipboard to ensure trust with the roster and the coaches.

The changes haven’t been limited to the inner sanctum.

The former Queensland State of Origin assistant has done some tinkering with a game plan that was in need of change since their breakthrough premiership. He’s overhauled their preparation, vowed more fluidity in attack, and more passing.

Best team: 1. Alex Johnston, 2. Campbell Graham, 3. Greg Inglis, 4. Dane Gagai, 5. Richard Kennar, 6. Cody Walker, 7. Adam Reynolds, 8. Tom Burgess, 9. Robbie Farah, 10. Zane Musgrove, 11. John Sutton, 12. Angus Crichton, 13. Sam Burgess. Bench: 14. Cameron Murray, 15. Kyle Turner, 16. Jason Clark, 17. George Burgess

Ladder finishes over the past three seasons: 2017 — 12th, 2016 — 12th, 2015 — 7th

NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS — 15TH

It’s time to get serious for the Warriors. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

Stephen Kearney spent 2017 taking stock of the Warriors — warts and all — and plotting a gradual path to the NRL summit.

In 2018, that long trek continues, step by step. Since last year’s dispiriting 13th-placed finish, Kearney has taken drastic action in Auckland, seeing more than 10 players off and coaxing established winners — such as Adam Blair, Tohu Harris, Blake Green and fitness guru Alex Corvo — across the ditch.

If you ask him, those acquisitions are already proving fruitful. In an entrenched cycle of failure after six years without finals football, his Warriors can get a sense of what NRL success entails.

“What I’m saying is, Alex, who’s come in, where he’s been and what he’s done speaks for itself — Adam’s the same, Tohu, Blake Green,” Kearney says.

“The group still has to push forward and find a way to close the gap, but the mindsets of some of the individuals in the group now help us do that. That helps young guys who haven’t seen that — that’s what it looks like.”

Kearney, now in his second year at the helm, has encouraged an incremental and unhurried approach to club success from the get-go.

Rarely have bullish predictions or public pronouncements emanated from the ex- Melbourne assistant, even after the ill-fated 2017 signing of Kieran Foran.

Instead, he insisted ad nauseam that his players conform to structures and processes laid out for them by the coaching group, and dismiss dreams of glory to focus on the week-to-week grind of NRL footy.

That wasn’t enough to get the Warriors into the top eight in 2017, having lost nine successive games in their customary post-State of Origin funk.

But, with the Warriors growing a reputation across their fan base — and the NRL at large — for being unreliable, Kearney admits a 2018 finals berth is a must.

They’ve improved their forward pack through Blair, Harris, Leivaha Pulu and Agnatius Paasi Five-eighth Green should help rejuvenate halves partner Shaun Johnson while the Warriors will again look to skipper and fullback Roger Tuivasa-Scheck for direction and spark.

Best team: 1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (c), 2. David Fusitu’a, 3. Gerard Beale, 4. Solomone Kata, 5. Peta Hiku, 6. Blake Green, 7. Shaun Johnson, 8. Adam Blair, 9. Issac Luke, 10. James Gavet, 11. Leivaha Pulu, 12. Tohu Harris, 13. Simon Mannering, 14. Nathaniel Roache, 15. Agnatius Paasi, 16. Albert Vete, 17. Bunty Afoa.

Ladder finishes in past three seasons: 2017 — 13th, 2016 — 10th, 2015 — 13th.

GOLD COAST TITANS — 16TH

Ash Taylor is the Glitter Strip’s new headline act. Picture: Jerad Williams Source: News Corp Australia

Garth Brennan says he wants to entertain in his first season as an NRL coach but that just might be bluff from a man who rates Steve Waugh one of his biggest sporting inspirations.

The former policeman has been all smiles since taking over from the sacked Neil Henry at the Titans last October.

He has promised to develop, promote and retain the local talent while also spruiking his ability to relate with his players on a personal level.

Brennan, who arrived after impressing with Penrith’s under-20s and NSW Cup outfits, has seen Jarryd Hayne depart for Parramatta but welcomed another X factor player in Bryce Cartwright.

He has backed re-signed halfback Ashley Taylor to take ownership of the side and, admitting he is growing sick of hearing his own voice, talked often of his desire to provide entertaining football.

But he knows it will take a while for the new-look Titans to hit their stride. That’s why, still smiling, he warns that there is just one thing he wants to see in the first round and has no hesitation in putting his players on notice that grit is non-negotiable.

“If you wanted someone to bat for your life, Steve (Waugh) was maybe not as talented as brother Mark, but you knew when the big moment came he would deliver,” Brennan told AAP.

“We’ve got some talent in our football team as well, but Steve had that mental toughness you look for and that’s what I want in my team; if we have to grind a win out and do it tough we can.”

Grit like that will help Brennan’s team earn respect and avoid embarrassments like last season’s record 54-0 loss to the Brisbane Broncos.

Brennan says if the team competes hard it will end up “where it deserves to” on the ladder and he is holding judgment on his own performance, too.

Best team: 1. Michael Gordon, 2. Anthony Don, 3. Konrad Hurrell, 4. Brenko Lee, 5. Dale Copley, 6. Kane Elgey, 7. Ashley Taylor, 8. Jarrod Wallace, 9. Nathan Peats, 10. Leilani Latu, 11. Ryan James, 12. Kevin Proctor, 13. Bryce Cartwright. Bench: 14. Mitch Rein, 15. Morgan Boyle, 16. Jai Arrow, 17. Will Matthews

Ladder finishes over the past three seasons: 2017 — 15th, 2016 — 8th, 2015 — 14th