Each week ESPN's resident NRL experts will take a look at the burning issues in rugby league and try to come up with the answers. Their opinions might not match yours, but they should certainly spark further debate on the latest conundrums facing the game we all love.
Do Queensland have any real chance of beating New South Wales in Origin II?
Lucie: The Origin stage is set for another classic Queensland comeback, but if the Blues come out like they did in Townsville then there's no real chance of a Maroons triumph. This match will be decided by how well NSW play. Yes, Queensland has been bolstered by the return of Josh Papalii and will have the roar of the Suncorp Stadium crowd behind them - but I doubt it'll be enough to bounce back from a humiliating 50-6 loss. Their defensive line was picked to pieces by the Blues in Origin I and NSW coach Brad Fittler has only named two changes to his stellar side - with the inclusion of Dale Finucane and Angus Crichton. Paul Green, meanwhile, has another challenge on his hands with Harry Grant, AJ Brimson and Kalyn Ponga all injured. He's brought in Dragons Ben Hunt and Andrew McCullough. They're not groundbreaking changes when the likes of James Tedesco, Tom Trbojevic and Nathan Cleary stand at the other end of the field. The statistics at Suncorp Stadium may point to a Queensland victory, with the Blues having won just five of the past 23 games on the Brisbane turf. But those statistics mean nothing given how both states' rosters have changed in recent years.
Darren: Being a long-time Blues supporter with all the emotional baggage that entails, I just know that writing the Queenslanders off will only result in them winning the unwinnable game at Suncorp Stadium. That is simply what they do best, rising above the odds to crush the hearts and minds of New South Welshmen everywhere; almost every, single, year. So it is with great trepidation that I say that Queensland can not win this game. The Maroons have made some changes and have certainly added some starch to their forward pack through Josh Papalii. But, they still have Dane Gagai and Kurt Capewell lining up against Latrell Mitchell and Tom Trbojevic. All the heart and pride in the Maroons jersey is not going to fix that blatant mismatch. They can best hope to match it in the forwards and rob the Blues halves and backs of any momentum, but Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai are so crafty and dangerous its almost impossible to blunt NSW's attacking options. I'm not expecting the margin to be another blow-out, but I do expect to be celebrating a Blues Origin title by full time.
What should Ben Ikin's first steps be as the new Broncos Head of Football?
Lucie: In the wake of a second successive struggling season and dressing room rumours, Ben Ikin needs to try salvage whatever is left in this Broncos' campaign. Ikin returns to Brisbane following the axing of Peter Nolan as Head of Football, with the former chief shown the door last week. Their 46-0 loss to South Sydney proved to be the final straw as the club slumped to a 3-15 record under coach Kevin Walters. Reports of a player revolt did not help matters, with the once powerhouse club seemingly hitting rock bottom. Ikin needs to take control of Brisbane's roster as the club looks to rebuild, his appointment alongside the signing of halfback Adam Reynolds for 2022 should help draw players back to Red Hill. Now is the time to look to the future and Ikin, with his football and business knowledge, can help create structures and target players that'll aid the club back to its former heights. But until then, there's an elephant in the room - and that's to work with Walters to manage the current roster and bring the best out of it. Everyone needs to be on the same page, both on and off the field, to avoid a second straight wooden spoon.
Darren: Ben Ikin is well-spoken and has a wealth of experience behind him as a player, businessman and media personality. He brings to the Broncos an astute mind and a personal history with the club. The very first thing he needs to do, something that coach Kevin Walters has probably already tried, is gather the players in a room for a reality check. He needs to make it clear that there has to be a vast improvement in attitude or he'll start moving players on. Anyone not upholding the proud history of the Broncos jersey, for whatever reason, has to be cleaned out. Brisbane has way too big a junior area to be embarrassed week after week by this group who somehow think they have a right to pull on the first grade jersey. Once he has made that clear, he then needs to follow through. The club needs a return to the days when every Queensland kid aspired to play for the Broncos and would run over broken glass and through brick walls once given the opportunity. Ikin's No. 1 goal has to be restoring pride in the jersey. Very soon they won't be the only NRL club in Brisbane and no kid wants to follow, less play, with a bunch of heartless losers.