LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
NRL fans have once again found themselves scratching their heads over what they consider to be a "ridiculous" detail in the recent pre-season challenge, where the Brisbane Broncos walked away with a handsome $100,000 prize.
This victory came after the Broncos secured a convincing 50-12 win over the Titans and a 30-14 triumph over the Bulldogs.
However, it was their nail-biting finish that saw them just edge out the Dragons for the top spot in the challenge.
The Dragons themselves had a strong showing, beating the Roosters 26-8 and then putting on a clinic against Souths in the Charity Shield with a 46-26 win.
Ultimately, both the Broncos and Dragons finished tied on 29 points in the pre-season challenge, a competition that values tries and offloads.
But it was Michael Maguire's Dragons who clinched the victory due to their superior points difference.
This victory marks the second consecutive year that the Broncos have claimed the pre-season title, bagging $100,000 in prize money in the process.
Yet, many are left pondering why the reward is so lucrative compared to the $200,000 given to the minor premiers at the end of a grueling regular season.
It seems odd that the Broncos managed to snag half of that amount after only two trial games.
The $100,000 prize was intended to incentivize teams to field their star players in the trial games, but this strategy may not have panned out as expected.
While some big names like Reece Walsh, James Tedesco, and Kalyn Ponga graced the field, others such as Tom Trbojevic, Daly Cherry-Evans, and Jarome Luai were notably absent from action.
Adding insult to injury were the exorbitant ticket prices for the double-header at Leichhardt Oval last Friday night, where fans were left feeling short-changed.
The Panthers, who were set to take on Wests Tigers, had to field a reserve grade side as their NRL squad had already jetted off to Las Vegas.
In the end, it was a mixed bag of highs and lows in the world of Rugby League as teams continue to jockey for position ahead of the regular season.