Two down, 23 to go.

The second round of the 2021 NRL season didn't just provide us with our second set of winners and losers, it raised yet another series of questions.

With each of the league's 16 teams set to do battle again this weekend, we attempted to answer the major issues facing their playing lists and coaches alike.

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North Queensland Cowboys

Who does Payten pot this week?

After missing out on his chance to see how his star forward Jason Taumalolo would respond to his Round 1 rocket, Todd Payton will have spent the week looking for his new target for a verbal nuking following his Cowboys' cataclysmic loss to the lowly Dragons.

Payten's side spent more of Saturday night with the football and even completed their sets at a greater percentage than the Dragons, so his ire is likely to be spared by their offensive efforts. With 13 errors, 22 ineffective tackles and 32 missed altogether, it is the 0-2 coach's defense that can expect to feel the wrath of his blowtorch.

Still, if the post-game shots from the sheds are anything to go by, Payten may have run out of puff already.

Who does he pot? Everybody? Nobody? Himself? Who knows?

If I were in the hot seat, the next two names down the totem pole in Josh McGuire and Michael Morgan would be in the gun.

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