The painful wait between the end of the Big Bash and the start of footy season is almost done.

I see the league have finally got off their asre and are putting a salary cap on "football departments". Been a bug bear of mine for years, they put salary caps on players and coaches get paid $2m plus and send the club broke which was what they were trying to avoid with player overpayments.

Should be a negative for the Broncos so that's good for football (first sledge)

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/...bf58310433cb79

In no particular order, I'd like to see:

- the Knights play better
- Manly make the eight against the odds
- Storm win the spoon
- Mitchell Pearce do OK
- not talk about refereeing
- Cameron Smith pass the ball backwards once or twice