So thanks for coming, summer of cricket, A-League, NBL, Australian tennis open and the like. It’s time to get down to the serious business of taking a stab at what is going to unfold over the next seven months.

When we left you in 2017, it was all hail the Melbourne Storm. They capped off one of the greatest modern-day seasons by any club with grand final glory over the determined North Queensland Cowboys. However, it also signaled the end of their “big three” of Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk. The band played for a final time dressed in purple, with Cronk deciding to move to Sydney and continue his career with the Roosters.

That is a serious change to the storyline and it’s going to take viewers a little time to get used to. Cronk is a master and the crew at Bondi will be hoping he gives them that edge to deliver another premiership. To be honest, Cronk’s move and the domino effect of player movements over the summer was of the kind I have never witnessed before in my three decades in the media. Even the biggest league nerds struggled to stay abreast of all that was going on.

When you tune into Fox League this season for the first time and examine the team cards, the big changes you will see will be in the playmakers role at more than a handful of clubs.

There was plenty of player movement over the off-season ... some even in readiness for 2019. (Photo by Getty Images)

Digest this: Cronk to the Roosters forced Mitchell Pearce to Newcastle. The Sharks’ James Maloney has joined Penrith as the Panthers’ captain Matt Moylan swapped places and linked with the Sharks. Kieran Foran has gone from the Warriors to the Bulldogs and will take the spot of Josh Reynolds, who has joined the Tigers. Then there is Brisbane halfback Ben Hunt now a Dragon. Manly’s five-eighth, Blake Green, is now a Warrior.

Throw in a few other high-profile stars in the shape of James Tedesco, Jarryd Hayne, Jack Bird, Aaron Woods and Josh Dugan all in different jerseys from 2017 and what is traditionally known as the silly season may have achieved its zenith in terms of silliness! We’ve even had a few signings announced already for 2019, but that’s rugby league these days. It’s part-pro sport, part-soap opera.

It terms of winning the premiership, I say the season doesn’t start until August. You’ve just got to put yourself in contention and be ready to mount a charge. That’s if Melbourne can’t repeat their efforts of ’17. And minus Cronk, and fellow internationals Jordan McLean and Tohu Harris who have moved on, the Storm couldn’t possibly be better. (Or could they?)

I’m expecting the Cowboys and Roosters to be thereabouts come September and perhaps Cronulla to tease their fans of the possibility of a second premiership in three years. There’ll be a few scandals on and off the field ... that’s par for the course. We’ll blow up about the referees and the NRL Bunker. Inevitably, injuries will play a part in the fortunes of a few clubs. Get ready for upsets as tipsters get sent around the bend.

And at Fox League, we get to cover it all and call it our work. How bloody good is that? So, all aboard the rollercoaster, folks. Welcome back, rugby league. And from Vossy’s backside: the Cowboys to beat the Storm in the grand final.