One down, 24 to go.

The first eight games of the 2021 NRL season didn’t just provide us with our initial set of winners and losers, it raised 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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Canberra Raiders

Will Sunday provide Ricky Stuart with a bigger challenge?

After cruising past Wests to claim the two points on Sunday, it was with good reason that the Green Machine’s Premiership odds firmed with the bookies.

The toothless Tigers provided Ricky Stuart with minimal strain in week one, but will that change this weekend?

On paper, Cronulla’s 17-man team has the ability to theoretically test ‘Sticky’s’ squad, but as we all know, Rugby League is not, and will never be, played on a team sheet. When the whips begin to crack at Shark Park, expect the Raiders to romp home on enemy territory.

Despite the subjective nature of the claim, from fullback to the front row, Canberra come out on top of the head-to-head positional battles.

Realistically, this Raiders team should manage to not only steer clear of the Sharks on Sunday, but should prove too strong for both the Warriors and the Titans over the next fortnight. Should this be the case, they will enter Round 5 and a date against the Panthers in Penrith with a formidable 4-0 record.

Should this be the case, we will all be cancelling our prior engagements made for Friday, April 9.

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