There are no shortage of talking points ahead of this year's Rugby League World Cup, with the tournament's 12-month delay due to COVID-19 only adding to the intrigue on many fronts.
From the biggest personal matchups, to questions surrounding teams carrying high hopes, these are the 11 biggest storylines surrounding the men's, women's and wheelchair tournaments which kick off this month.
The 11 biggest storylines surrounding the World Cup
11. Cannane name to go down in folklore?
Parents the world over have long tried to extend their sporting 'career' long enough to take the field alongside their son or daughter in their chosen sport, but few could dream of appearing at a World Cup with their offspring.
Craig Cannane gets that chance at the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup, where he will line up alongside son Corey for Australia, and if they can help the Wheelaroos to a maiden title it'll go down as one of the greatest World Cup yarns in history.
10. The start of a French resurgence?
It's easy to forget that France were once a force to be reckoned with on the international stage, and through the 1950s and 1960s they regularly beat Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain. But it's been 32 years since they last beat one of the 'big three' and they aren't expected to advance from the group stage this time around.
In saying that, there is hope that 2022 can be the start of France's revival. Roosters maestro Trent Robinson is on board as director of rugby, giving their coaching ranks a huge boost, while this year two French clubs played in the Super League for the first time after Toulouse Olympique earned promotion. The next World Cup will be held in France and plenty of international league fans would love to see les Chanticleers return to prominence.
9. Who can fill the void left by Millie Boyle?
Super-sub Johnston makes a huge impact
Millie Boyle was the best front-rower in the NRLW this year and among the key players in Newcastle's Premiership win. But following her withdrawal from the tournament, who will step up for the Jillaroos?
Boyle's propping partner at the Knights, Caitlin Johnston, had a brilliant 2022 season, and if her performance in this year’s Women’s State of Origin is anything to go by, the 21-year-old is ready for the Test arena. Or will it fall to a more familiar face like Simaima Taufa, who could play lock or prop, to make an impact? The Parramatta captain averaged 163 metres and 35 tackles per game this year.
8. Can the Wheelaroos break the northern hemisphere dominance?
While the men's and women's tournaments have been dominated by Australia in recent times, that's not the case at the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup, which European sides have had a mortgage on.
The Wheelaroos will be flying the flag for all of the southern hemisphere, with five nations from Europe and the USA joining them at the tournament. Defending champions France and perennial heavyweights England are the favourites, but fourth-ranked Australia are arguably in their best position yet to cause an upset.
Match Highlights: Wheelchair State of Origin, 2022
7. Do the Kiwis finally have a spine to rival Australia?
The 1,6,7 and 9 jerseys have historically been an area of concern for the Kiwis, with a lack of depth in those positions often seeing people have to play out of position (Tohu Harris at five-eighth and Kenny Bromwich at hooker to name a few). But this time around there is genuine excitement about the spine coach Michael Maguire has assembled, and it was strong enough that he felt comfortable leaving 32-Test veteran Shaun Johnson out altogether.
Joey Manu is almost certainly the best fullback who doesn't normally play fullback in the world, Dylan Brown is fresh off a Grand Final, while Jahrome Hughes and Brandon Smith have a proven track record of starring in the black jersey. All four were fantastic against Tonga in June.
Jahrome Hughes in full control
6. Who will be the breakout stars of the tournament?
Along with the chance to see some of the game's biggest stars come together on the field, the World Cup presents an opportunity for players who might not be on the radar of most league fans to show what they've got on the big stage.
In 2017 Adam Doueihi, who at that stage was yet to make his NRL debut, burst onto the scene with a string of brilliant showings that helped Lebanon to the quarter-finals. Another player yet to emerge on the NRL scene at that tournament was current Storm star Justin Olam, who scored four tries in as many games for Papua New Guinea, including a hat-trick against the USA. Who will announce their arrival this time around?
5. Will the New Zealand men live up to the hype?
Ranked No.1 in the world, with a golden generation of talent at their disposal, expectations are at an all-time high for the Kiwis in terms of a World Cup year. Their recent form is undeniable, with five wins from their last six Tests, but the proof will be in the pudding.
Should they progress as expected, it's likely Australia await in the semi-finals, meaning Michael Maguire's men will have to take the tough path to the final.
Match Highlights: Kiwis v Mate Ma’a Tonga
4. Is the gap really closing between the Kangaroos and the rest?
Australia haven't played a Test since the historic loss to Tonga in 2019, and with the Kiwis in fine form, Samoa at full strength and Tonga again looking good, the Kangaroos appear to have more competition than ever.
But the fact remains that Australia have won 11 of the 15 World Cups held, and despite some of their likely selections such as Brian To'o, Josh Papalii and Junior Paulo opting to play for Samoa this year, they still have, on paper, the best team going around. Even if it is the most competitive World Cup on record, are the Kangaroos just too good?
Meninga and Tedesco wish Suaalii well
3. Will the Jillaroos opt for youth or experience in the big games?
Coach Brad Donald’s squad features 13 international newcomers along with five players from the 2017 World Cup-winning side, and there several positions potentially up for grabs when it comes to the Jillaroos' best 17.
Clydsdale caps off great game with try
Young forwards Kennedy Cherrington, Keilee Joseph and Yasmin Clydsdale come off strong NRLW campaigns, but can they force their way into the first-choice side at the expense of veterans like Tallisha Harden, Kezie Apps and Holli Wheeler?
2. Can Samoa emulate the rise of Tonga?
Just like Tonga ahead of the 2017 World Cup, Samoa have got access to almost all of their star players who might have otherwise been selected by Australia or New Zealand.
So with the talent on board, can Samoa do as Tonga did and go deep into the playoffs and claim a couple of high-profile scalps along the way? An interesting side note to this storyline is that there is a good chance Samoa and Tonga could end up clashing come quarter-final time.
1. Who is Australia's best male halfback?
For much of the last three years debate has been swirling about whether Nathan Cleary or Daly Cherry-Evans is the best halfback in the NRL. They've faced off in the Origin arena on a number of occasions, and the sample size is decent at club level now too, but this tournament is the first time we actually get to see who is selected between them for the biggest games Australia will play.
Meninga: DCE and Cleary will have to earn spot for big games
Nine years the junior out of the pair, Cleary is obviously the long-term option, and his CV features Premiership wins in each of the past two seasons. But right now Cherry-Evans has the runs on the board at Test level, with two World Cup winner's medals already to his name, not to mention he got the job done against Cleary for Queensland this year.
There are passionate advocates on both sides of this argument, but ultimately Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga will have the final say.
