The opening two games of the NRL pre-season challenge are in the books, with juniors impressing, players stamping their authority over Round 1 spots, and questions still looming.
Here are all the talking points from the double-header at Kogarah, where the North Queensland Cowboys beat the Canterbury Bulldogs by four points, and the St George Illawarra Dragons to the better of the Newcastle Knights by ten points.
Could Gordon Chan Kum Tong find a role on the Bulldogs' bench?
There probably isn't a whole lot to take away from the Bulldogs, who played what will be predominantly a reserve grade side in their opening pre-season challenge match against the Cowboys.
Director of football Phil Gould dropped some fairly cryptic clues about how the Bulldogs were going to treat their first trial a couple of weeks ago, essentially suggesting some teams want two, some want one, and some want none.
But there were some bright spots to take out of the four-point loss for the blue and white, who came home with a wet sail once the Townsville-based side sat most of their better players.
Samuel Hughes will push for first-grade minutes in the middle third, while Justin Matamua looked extremely solid in his minutes.
Gordon Chan Kum Tong might be the story though.
The dummy half moved from Manly during the off-season, and while he is only on a development deal, the Bulldogs are short in the depth department at dummy half this year.
Bailey Hayward is expected to turn into an 80-minute hooker, but realistically, he isn't at that level and needs back up.
Jake Turpin and Patrick Woods are in the Top 30, but Chan Kum Tong has the most potential of any dummy half at Belmore. He showed it on occasion at Manly, has done so in the lower grades, and could well be featuring throughout the opening weeks of the campaign for Cameron Ciraldo's side.
