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The second round of the NRL season is in the books and rugby league is again full of highs, lows, controveries and brilliance.
Here's everything you need to know from each game of another scintillating round of rugby league.
1. A worrying injury for aging Reynolds
The Brisbane Broncos came within a few minutes and a couple of plays of winning their first premiership in 17 years in 2023, but their premiership window is uniquely confusing.
Reece Walsh, Ezra Mam, Payne Haas, Pat Carrigan … they could all play for at least another decade, but halfback and captain Adam Reynolds is approaching 34 years old.
Phil Gould said before the season that the Broncos have "probably got to win [a premiership] now because I don't know how much time Reynolds has got left in him".
Before jetting off to Las Vegas, Brisbane locked him in for another year based on his top-shelf on-field performances and leadership for a still growing squad.
But the diminutive number seven has endured a number of leg injuries over his almost 300 games in the NRL, so seeing him go down with another knee injury in the season opener should be deeply concerning for the Broncos.
"Just stirred up what was already there. It's pretty sore," he said after the 28-18 win over South Sydney.
Jock Madden is the heir apparent to the halfback spot and hasn't disappointed in brief stints in maroon and gold, but Reynolds is the man expected to steer the team to a title.
They need him on the park to be a chance.
ABC player of the year votes:
3. Pat Carrigan (Broncos)
2. Selwyn Cobbo (Broncos)
1. Brendan Piakura (Broncos)
2. Shark attack rightly penalised
With such a focus on head injuries and the long term impacts, there was a fair amount of pressure on the NRL judiciary to come down hard on Sharks second-rower Briton Nikora.
Nikora flew into the line and hit Viliame Kikau flush in the head with his shoulder early in his side's victory over the Bulldogs at Shark Park.
It was a really ugly move that saw Nikora sent to the sin bin — and perhaps he was fortunate it was not a full send off.
Looking to come down hard, the match review committee charged Nikora with grade-two dangerous contact and offered him a two-match ban.
He will miss upcoming clashes with the Wests Tigers and Canberra by taking the early guilty plea.
ABC player of the year votes:
3. Ronaldo Mulitalo (Sharks)
2. Blayke Brailey (Sharks)
1. Nicho Hynes (Sharks)
3. Eels feel dudded over new rule
Clint Gutherson felt that the Eels were "dudded" in their defeat against the Panthers.
The talk pre-season was that the NRL would crack down on players who position themselves "downtown" this year, that being when an attacking player moves past the site of the last play-the-ball before the ball has been kicked past the chasers.
Reece Robson and Pat Carrigan have both been penalised amid the new crackdown — but Panthers forward Isaah Yeo was not despite blatantly standing down field before before Nathan Cleary kicked through the line at close range to allow Dylan Edwards to score.
Eels coach Brad Arthur made mention of the issue in his press conference.
"Not a lot went right for us, with a few calls I reckon," he said.
"I just thought there's some rule changes there that need to be enforced."
Gutherson simply added: "Rules are rules. You've got to do what the referees are doing."
"As Brad said, we probably thought we got dudded on a couple of calls."
ABC player of the year votes:
3. Izack Tago (Panthers)
2. Dylan Edwards (Panthers)
1. Clint Gutherson (Eels)
4. Tigers render unto Sezer what is Sezer's
Benji Marshall's team welcomed Jayden 'Bud' Sullivan from the Dragons and veteran half Aidan Sezer from the Super League's Leeds Rhinos in the same off-season.
Sullivan started the year as the reigning wooden-spooners' first-choice halfback, but he was hooked 55 minutes into their first game of the year in Canberra, with Sezer coming off the bench and finishing the 32-12 loss to his old team at halfback.
Marshall was well within his rights as Sullivan was offering little either side of the ball, with rookie five-eighth Lachie Galvin taking on an outsized role in his debut NRL match.
There are high hopes for 18-year-old Galvin, and an experienced game manager like Sezer probably makes more sense to help him develop than 22-year-old Sullivan, who never locked down a spot at St George Illawarra and was allowed to leave after four seasons.
It's just one of many challenges facing Marshall in his first year in the top job.
ABC player of the year votes:
3. Matt Timoko (Raiders)
2. Jordan Rapana (Raiders)
1. Api Koroisau (Tigers)
5. Clutch Townsend masks Holmes woes
Valentine Holmes cut a pretty frustrated figure at the end of the Cowboys' golden point win against the Knights in Townsville.
Which is a touch unfortunate given the drama of the victory.
However, the Origin rep was probably just thankful that Chad Townsend bailed out his missed kicks to seal a thrilling win.
The Cowboys star missed three kicks at goal in regulation time, as well as a long-range two-point field goal attempt to win it in the dying seconds.
He also made a game-high four errors in an uncharacteristic performance against a man who could well be a direct opponent for his Origin jersey in Kalyn Ponga.
That being said, he wasn't too bad. Holmes still ran for 123m in 13 runs, had 51 post-contact metres and was on the winning side.
ABC player of the year votes:
3. Chad Townsend (Cowboys)
2. Adam Elliott (Knights)
1. Reuben Cotter (Cowboys)
6. X marks the spot
The fact that there is absolutely nothing worth talking about — in a game that featured three huge swings of momentum, an eight-point comeback at the death and a controversial no-try — apart from Xavier Coates's magical put down says a lot about just how good it was.
But the other thing that tells you how good it was is the reaction to everyone watching.
"That is the greatest individual effort to win a game I have ever seen," Cooper Cronk said.
"I'm not sure a rugby league player should be able to do this."
"I still can't believe he scored that try," Jahrome Hughes said.
"It's right up here," Storm coach Craig Bellamy said.
But for Warriors coach Andrew Webster, it just seemed unfair.
"When you've got a winger who can jump over a skyscraper and then put the ball down in the corner, it's pretty amazing," he said.
Says it all, really.
ABC player of the year votes:
3. Jahrome Hughes (Storm)
2. Dalene Watene-Zelezniak (Warriors)
1. Ryan Papenhuyzen (Storm)
7. Manly giant comes of age
They don't really make them much bigger than Taniela Paseka.
The Manly prop stands 197cm tall and weighs 120kg and when he's in the mood he plays with every single bit of that size. His size and athleticism is such that he's been linked with a move to the NFL more than once.
But consistency hasn't always been the name of the game for Paseka and while he's impressed at times in the past he hasn't always put his Herculean physique on the line the way the Sea Eagles would hope.
That might be changing. After a strong showing in Round 1 against the Rabbitohs, Paseka led from the front again in the win over the Roosters. He ran straight and hard and angry and helped set a physical tone that carried Manly to their impressive 21-14 win.
Luke Brooks and Tom Trbojevic will always get the headlines, speedy outside backs like Tolu Koula will score most of the tries but this win started with Paseka and what he was able to do to a very accomplished Roosters pack.
The giant has awakened and there might be no going back. If the Sea Eagles are to turn a good fortnight into a good season they need more of the new Paseka and based on what he produced on Sunday afternoon there's plenty of that in the tank.
ABC player of the year votes:
3. Haumole Olakau'atu (Sea Eagles)
2. Lachlan Croker (Sea Eagles)
1. Tolutau Koula (Sea Eagles)
8. Katoa makes the most of second chance
Isaiya Katoa was a surprise exclusion from the Dolphins squad in Round 1 — the 20-year-old was one of the club's prize signings for their inaugural year and enjoyed a fine rookie season in the halves.
After the club's listless defeat to North Queensland, changes were required and Katoa was pitched in for Sean O'Sullivan. Turning things around was a big ask, especially given five-eighth Kodi Nikorima was ruled out in the first half due to an HIA.
But Katoa responded with the best game of his young career, setting up two tries and showing a maturity and command of the attack that belied his inexperience.
The plan was always for Katoa to be the long-term playmaker for the Dolphins but based on this performance, the long-term future might be arriving sooner than anyone thought.
ABC player of the year votes:
3. Hamiso Tabui-Fidow (Dolphins)
2. Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins)
1. Tom Flegler (Dolphins)
ABC player of the year top 10
1. Haumole Olakau'atu (Sea Eagles) - 5
2. Matt Timoko (Raiders) - 4
=3. Pat Carrigan (Broncos) - 3
=3. Jahrome Hughes (Storm) - 3
=3. James Tedesco (Roosters) - 3
=3. Hamiso Tabui-Fidow (Dolphins) - 3
=3. Ben Hunt (Dragons) - 3
=3. Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles) - 3
=3. Jamal Fogarty (Raiders) - 3
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