As is the case with all sport around the world, round one will see both the Roosters and the Rabbitohs Holden Cup sides heading in to a bit of the unknown.
After all the hard work of a summer pre-season everyone feels like they are in with a chance of winning the competition, in reality no one really has a gauge of where they are at until you have played a handful of competition matches.
Our great friends at sportsbet.com.au have the young Tricolours as favourites to win the competition this year but you’re more chance predicting Sydney’s weather than you are picking a winner at this stage of the year.
Admittedly the Roosters have picked up a host of talent in the off-season including halfback Jackson Hastings and a fullback with English Super League appearance to his name in Curtis Naughton.
Hastings will partner long-serving playmaker Tyler Cornish in the halves, filling the void left by Tongan International Samisoni Langi who has been promoted to the NRL Squad for the new season.
Nene Macdonald (wing), Taane Milne (centre), Brendan Elliot (centre), Jack Goodsell (wing) and Willis Meehan (second row), have all been named in Hartigan's starting side after the five future Roosters spend the summer months working alongside their NRL counterparts as a part of Trent Robinson's program.
Much like their NRL counterparts, these two young sides have had some memorable clashes over the past few years with the rivalry clearly filtering down to the younger stars of both clubs.
Both sides were around come finals time last year but not as long as either would have liked.
With Paul Green having left the Tricolours to take up the NRL job at the Cowboys the Tricolours welcome Adam Hartigan in to the coaching role.
Hartigan has been at the club for a number of years, rising through the junior coaching ranks and with the heavy backing of Trent Robinson will no doubt add plenty of his own style to an impressive looking line up in season 2014.
If you have the time this afternoon make sure you get out and watch the future stars of the club in a match that has the potential to be a cracker.
