6 SET OF BURNING QUESTIONS

I LOVE this time of year – everyone is fit, every fan is hopeful and every club is primed for a successful season.

I’ve been asked all offseason for my tips and thoughts on different teams and players, but for me there are six burning questions that will decide the fate of the 16 teams this season.

Payne Haas, David Fifita and Tevita Pangai Jr are all great ball runners, but there’s not a lot of variation to their games.

Lodge, who is out with a partial tear to his ACL, is also the Broncos’ enforcer and leader of their pack.

There’s no doubting the potential in the Broncos pack, but it’s up to players such as Tom Flegler and Joe Ofahengaue to fill the massive shoes that Lodge leaves and I’ve got some doubts about whether they’re up to it. players in our game who can do what Mitchell can do on the paddock. He’s an out-and-out strike weapon.

Mitchell is often compared to one of the true greats of the game, Greg Inglis. GI made a successful transition from centre to fullback and while I think Mitchell is capable of doing the same, I want to see more from him.

When the Rabbitohs were successful in 2014 it was off the back of GI and the energy and effort he provided from fullback.

I want to see more hunger and purpose from Mitchell. I want to see him involved in every set and not drifting in and out of games like he tended to do when in the centres.

If Mitchell can get the miles into his legs and be a dominant force at the back, he has the ability to take the Rabbitohs all the way.

NORMALLY when a player of the ilk of Cooper Cronk retires, you’d expect the team he’s leaving to struggle the following season, but I don’t see that being the case for the Roosters.

While Kyle Flanagan (the man who will replace Cronk) will be the first to admit he’s not like Cooper Cronk, he also doesn’t need to be.

Look at the players around Flanagan – James Tedesco, Luke Keary and Jake Friend are three of the best players in the game in their respective positions and will guide the young halfback through his first year at the Roosters.

Flanagan is also blessed with great edge runners in Boyd Cordner, Angus Crichton and Mitch Aubusson, who’ll all make his job easier.

Flanagan is a good organiser, solid defender and has a good kicking game, and I’m sure he’ll handle himself in 2020 and the Roosters will again be a forced to be reckoned with.

I’VE been asked a lot about Val Holmes during the off-season and I can see him picking up where he left off.

I love him as an athlete and I love his attitude.

Having spoken with Val re