There were upsets, warning signs and plenty of team list clues and injury news in the past fortnight of NRL pre-season trial games. Here's what mattered most for each of the 16 clubs ahead of next week's season opener.
Brisbane Broncos
Results: Drew 26-26 with Titans; lost to Cowboys 26-6
Team news: The big question heading into the trials was who would partner new skipper Adam Reynolds in the halves, and unfortunately that's still the question heading into Round 1. The coach's son Billy Walters got the points in the first trial but neither he or Tyson Gamble grabbed their chance in the second, with Albert Kelly sidelined with COVID-19. Reynolds still hasn't played with his new teammates after missing both trials, and will need to make a big impact, especially after the team suffered a surprisingly heavy defeat against North Queensland.
Having spent time on the wing and in the centres last year Selwyn Cobbo looks set to line up at fullback -- although he did have his defensive struggles against the Cowboys -- while Jordan Pereira may have nabbed a wing spot ahead of Jamayne Isaako and David Mead. Cory Paix may have jumped Jake Turpin in the pecking order at hooker, while star centre Kotoni Staggs looked strong in his return from a knee injury with a solo try against the Gold Coast.
Canberra Raiders
Results: Beat Roosters 32-18; beat Sea Eagles 18-16
Team news: Young fullback Xavier Savage showed some of his blistering best in Canberra's opening trial against the Roosters with a try, a couple of offloads and five tackle busts, but there's still every chance Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad keeps the No.1 jersey -- although CNK's utility value could result in him being switched elsewhere in the backline down the track. Nicoll-Klokstad missed the second trial with COVID-19, along with Jordan Rapana, Sam Williams and Matt Frawley, with Savage spending the second half of that game on the wing. Club legend Jarrod Croker was benched for the trial against Manly in a possible sign of things to come, although he looked good against the Roosters.
Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs
Results: Drew 16-16 with Knights; lost to Sharks 30-6
Team news: New fullback Matt Dufty was the standout in attack against Newcastle, with a long-range cutout pass creating one try and his speed down the touchline earning him a second. His well-noted weaknesses in defence were on show against the Sharks and he was less effective with the ball. Jake Averillo was shaky against the Knights and didn't show much more against the Sharks. Star recruit Matt Burton had a great debut in the blue and white against the Sharks, but as suspected he can't carry the entire team. Jeremy Marshall-King is completely devoid of any spark out of dummy-half and his slow delivery kills any momentum the Dogs might have. Former Storm and Titans forward Max King looks like a good buy for the Bulldogs, while the ill-discipline of Tevita Pangai Jr could prove to be a massive headache for coach Trent Barrett, who has enough problems on his hands trying to work out what a game plan looks like. .
Cronulla Sharks
Results: Lost to Panthers 34-6; beat the Bulldogs 30-6
Team news: The mystery of who would partner star signing Nicho Hynes in the halves was solved pretty quickly, with halfback Braydon Trindall suspended for two matches for a careless high tackle -- meaning Matt Moylan is set to wear the No.6 and Hynes the 7. Cameron McInnes will miss the start of the season after suffering a training setback to the same knee in which he ruptured his ACL last February. The Sharks stepped it up a gear against the Bulldogs, with Hynes leading the side to a resounding victory on the back of a dominant display from their hard-running forwards. Wade Graham hobbled off the field early in a worrying sign for the Sharks, but his teammates in the pack more than covered his workload.
Gold Coast Titans
Results: Drew 26-26 with Broncos; match against Warriors cancelled due to flooding
Team news: The Titans are set to field one of the most inexperienced spines in the league this year but at least they showed promise in the trials, with fullback Jayden Campbell and half Toby Sexton combining well and Sexton crossing for a try against Brisbane. Beau Fermor was named to start ahead of former captain Kevin Proctor in the second row in their full-strength trial against the Warriors (which has since been cancelled due to flooding), while last season's star recruit Tino Fa'asuamaleaui is the club's new captain. Winger Treymain Spry scored twice against the Broncos including a 60-metre burst down the sideline but remains behind Phillip Sami and Corey Thompson in the pecking order.
Manly Sea Eagles
Results: Beat Wests Tigers 28-4; lost to Raiders 18-16
Team news: Manly could field one of the fastest right-side pairings in history with lightning quick 19-year-old centre Tolu Koula and winger Jason Saab. Koula set up two tries against the Tigers and both he and Saab scored from long range against Canberra. The forward pack has taken a battering with Martin Taupau suffering a back injury and Haumole Olakau'atu a suspected broken arm, while new recruit Ethan Bullemor may have played his way into the starting side with Josh Schuster already out with an ankle injury. Tom Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans were standouts in both wins and will again be the keys to Manly's fortunes this season.
Melbourne Storm
Results: Lost to Warriors 30-18; beat Knights 24-10
Team news: Brandon Smith started at lock against the Warriors (and scored a typically strong try) in a sign Harry Grant could take over the No.9 jersey from the reigning Dally M Hooker of the Year -- although Grant did come off the bench in both matches. Tyran Wishart is set to start at hooker in Round 1 with Smith and Grant among four suspended Storm players, along with Cameron Munster and Chris Lewis. Cooper Johns was set to replace Munster in Round 1 but suffered a shoulder injury against Newcastle, with Nick Meaney a chance of playing five-eighth or fullback to cover for the injured Ryan Papenhuyzen.
Newcastle Knights
Results: Drew 16-16 with Bulldogs; lost to Storm 24-10
Team news: Newcastle dearly missed Mitchell Pearce when he was injured last season and coping without him this year is their big test but the signs are bright with new No.7 Adam Clune a standout against the Bulldogs and five-eighth Jake Clifford opening the scoring with a strong solo try in that game. Kurt Mann will take on some playmaking responsibilities as well as being an undersized lock. Promising winger Dom Young is set to start the season on the wing with Hymel Hunt sidelined with a knee injury, while strike centre Bradman Best is set to be fit despite suffering a corked knee against Melbourne. David Klemmer showed off some sharp ball-playing at the line to create a try for back-rower Jirah Momoisea against Canterbury and could be looking to add more passing to his game this year.
New Zealand Warriors
Results: Beat Storm 30-18, match against Titans cancelled due to flooding
Team news: Chanel Harris-Tavita got some time at fullback in the trials and is a surprise option to replace the suspended Reece Walsh at the back in the early rounds, with Kodi Nikorima to join Shaun Johnson in the halves (Ash Taylor is another option). Euan Aitken is set to continue in the second row after making a positional switch from the centres late last season, with Eli Katoa and Josh Curran to join him in the back row -- at least until Tohu Harris returns from injury in a couple of months. Rocco Berry and Viliami Vailea were set to be the new centre pairing in the full-strength trial against the Titans which has since been cancelled due to heavy rain.
North Queensland Cowboys
Results: Beat Rabbitohs 24-12; beat Broncos 26-6
Team news: He was signed as a star fullback and is a proven Origin performer on the wing but Valentine Holmes is now a centre for the Cowboys, with the lightning quick Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow the first-choice fullback. Both scored tries and played well in the big win over Brisbane. New co-captain Chad Townsend has locked up one of the halves spots with Tom Dearden possibly ahead of Scott Drinkwater for the other. Youngsters Heilum Luki and Jeremiah Nanai were in the second row against Brisbane and appear to have the edge over the likes of Tom Gilbert and Mitchell Dunn, although Gilbert moved into the starting side when Nanai was ruled out with illness. Fellow forward Lachlan Burr has been forced into retirement at the age of 29 due to a chronic hip injury.
Parramatta Eels
Results: Lost to Dragons 26-22; beat Panthers 36-0
Team news: Parramatta produced arguably the best performance of the pre-season with a drubbing of the reigning premiers (albeit against a Penrith side that wasn't full-strength). The shootout between Haze Dunster and Bailey Simonsson for Blake Ferguson's old wing spot sadly ended prematurely with Dunster suffering a season-ending knee injury after being caught under a hip drop tackle from St George Illawarra's Tyrell Fuimaono. Young gun Will Penisini will start in the centres and was one of many standouts in a big win over the reigning premiers. Reed Mahoney looked strong in his return from a shoulder injury, while Mitchell Moses and Clint Gutherson were superb against Penrith.
Penrith Panthers
Results: Beat Sharks 34-6; lost to Eels 36-0
Team news: Don't be too alarmed by that Eels result which came with Nathan Cleary, Dylan Edwards, James Fisher-Harris, Spencer Leniu, Scott Sorensen, Liam Martin and Isaah Yeo all on the sidelines. Teenage centre Izack Tago was a standout in a big win for a young Penrith side over Cronulla in the first trial and is set to play first grade after the departures of Matt Burton, Paul Momirovski, Brent Naden and Tyrone May. Robert Jennings could line up on the wing ahead of Charlie Staines, who filled in for Dylan Edwards at fullback in the trials. Sean O'Sullivan will start at halfback if Nathan Cleary doesn't recover from a shoulder injury for the season opener. Mavrik Geyer impressed off the bench in the trials but suffered a dislocated elbow against Parramatta.
South Sydney Rabbitohs:
Results: Lost to Cowboys 24-12; lost to Dragons 16-10
Team news: Lachlan Ilias has snapped up the halfback role following Adam Reynolds' departure, with fellow young gun Blake Taaffe to replace the suspended Latrell Mitchell at fullback in the early rounds. Ilias's kicking game was impressive in the Charity Shield and showed why Souths were willing to let Reynolds leave for Brisbane rather than offer their old skipper a long-term deal.
St George Illawarra Dragons
Results: Beat Eels 26-22; beat Rabbitohs 16-10
Team news: They made a lot of new signings but it's all about the young guns for the Dragons with Tyrell Sloan starring at fullback and Talatau Amone in the halves as the Red V claimed a couple of wins -- including a drought-breaking victory in the Charity Shield. New recruit Moses Suli was also strong in the centres, while Jaydn Su'A is set to join Jack Bird in the second row at the start of the season. Tyrell Fuimaono copped a five-match ban for a hip drop tackle that ended Haze Dunster's season, while George Burgess has looked solid in his return to Australia after a couple of years at Wigan.
Sydney Roosters
Results: Beat Storm 30-18; lost to Wests Tigers 18-6
Team news: With the Morris brothers retired the Roosters used Paul Momirovski, Adam Keighran and Kevin Naiqama in their starting backline in their second trial, with Joseph Manu switching to five-eighth to cover for the injured Luke Keary. The Roosters left star quintet Keary, James Tedesco, Angus Crichton, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Siosiua Taukieaho on ice in the pre-season trials, but all could line up in Round 1. Lachlan Lam covered for Tedesco at fullback in the trials so it appears he's behind Manu in the pecking order to replace Keary in the halves if he's unfit for the season opener. Lindsay Collins returned to action for the first time since Round 8 last season following a knee reconstruction, and was a little lucky to escape with a fine for a dangerous-looking cannonball tackle.
Wests Tigers
Results: Lost to Sea Eagles 28-4; beat Roosters 16-8
Team news: Former Titan Tyrone Peachey lined up at lock against Manly but came off the bench in the full-strength trial against the Roosters, and that could be his role for Round 1 with Joe Ofahengaue replacing him in the starting side. Jackson Hastings impressed at five-eighth in that second trial while James Roberts lined up in the centres along with English recruit Oliver Gildart -- and that's the way they're likely to line up with backline star Adam Doueihi to miss the first two months of the season. Luciano Leilua was a standout in the win over the Roosters. James Tamou (one of five Tigers co-captains this year) will miss Round 1 through suspension.