I gaze into Canberra's crystal ball and come up with some fearless predictions for the next 12 months.

The Canberra Raiders are coming off the back of the club's best year in nearly two decades, and in 2017 a team in green will win the title.

The ACT Brumbies are looking to pick up the pieces after a horror off-field year, and Nick Kyrgios continues to divide opinion.

Just how far can they go in 2017?

Predicted regular season finish: Fourth

The Canberra Raiders haven't played in back-to-back finals series since 2003-04, but that drought will soon be over.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart says his side face a "horrendous" amount of travel in 2017 but the Green Machine will overcome that to book their place in September's finals series.

Already one of the most devastating attacking sides in the NRL, Jordan Rapana will go to another level after being snubbed of the NRL's winger of the year gong in 2016.

Leading his side to back-to-back top four appearances will see Raiders captain Jarrod Croker earn a maiden Australian jersey in the World Cup alongside front rowers Shannon Boyd and Josh Papalii.

Croker's Australian debut could very well come in front of his home fans with Australia set to play France at Canberra Stadium in November.

It will follow NSW coach Laurie Daley opting for Croker, Boyd, and five-eighth Blake Austin to make their State of Origin debuts in a bid to conquer a Queensland side boasting Papalii.

Rapana and Joseph Tapine will turn out for New Zealand, while Josh Hodgson and Elliott Whitehead will again play for England.

Predicted regular season finish: Second (Australian conference), ninth (overall)

No David Pocock, no Christian Lealiifano, no Matt Toomua, no Stephen Moore, no Joe Tomane.

It doesn't make for pretty reading, but coach Stephen Larkham will do everything he can to go out on a good note before he joins the Wallabies set-up full-time.

The Brumbies miss the finals for the first time since 2012 as they struggle to adapt to life without some of Australian rugby's biggest names.

It's not all bad - the Brumbies welcome back Saia and Anthony Faingaa, while a few young guns get a taste of the action in a nod to the future.

The Brumbies are on the lookout for a new captain to guide the side through the transition, and the decision will have a huge bearing on how quickly the ACT return to title contention.

Queensland-bound Moore will come back to haunt his old side as the Reds clinch top spot in the Australian conference.

This is perhaps the most fearless prediction of all, for who knows what Nick Kyrgios will serve up when he steps out on to the court.

From off-court spats that ruined his Olympic dream to a career-high ranking and a tanking fiasco, Kyrgios is one of the more unpredictable characters in sport.

There's two sides to Kyrgios, and one can expect to see shades of both of them in 2017.

The controversial 21-year-old will continue to divide opinion, but he will back up his career-best year by moving into the top 10.

Every year since he burst onto the scene in 2012 he has finished higher in the rankings than the year prior, and he will continue that trend because he knows he can match it with the best in the world.

Canberra misses out on a Big Bash League regular season game in the 2017-18 season, leaving the Prime Minister's XI as the hottest cricket ticket of the summer in the nation's capital.

In a sign of things to come the Sydney Thunder will play a pre-season game in the capital.

Former Australian captain Michael Clarke will assume the captaincy role in the 2016-17 PM's XI clash with Sri Lanka in a massive boost for the February fixture.

The ACT government's four-year agreement with Cricket Australia to play international cricket in Canberra is extended one more year as a replacement.

With Cricket Australia's focus for Canberra remaining on international content, the Southern Stars return to Manuka Oval for the women's Ashes series against England.

Manuka Oval is home to history when the Greater Western Sydney Giants play the club's first Friday night game against the reigning premiers Western Bulldogs.

With the Giants on their way to a maiden flag, Canberra crowds flock to Manuka Oval and crack the 10,000 mark for all three regular season fixtures.

The Friday night clash against the Bulldogs has fans pleading for tickets all over social media on game day.

GWS go unbeaten across all four matches - pre-season included - for the first time in history, and the Canberra fans let North Melbourne know they haven't forgotten about being left behind all those years ago.

A young Canberra United outfit snapped Melbourne City's unbeaten run, but that isn't their biggest achievement this season.

Co-captains Michelle Heyman and Ellie Brush put injury woes behind them to inspire United to the club's third championship in stunning fashion.

In a move likened to Kevin Durant joining the Golden State Warriors, Lisa De Vanna excels alongside her new teammates from the opening whistle on her debut and United go from strength to strength.

United's W-League success heralds more calls for an A-League team in Canberra, but the FFA don't budge.

Why? Because the crowds stay away from the Central Coast Mariners' second match of the season at Canberra Stadium - the same crowds that cry foul at the FFA's decision.

Canberra Cannons fans can feel the excitement in the year, as informal talks to bring Illawarra Hawks NBL matches to the capital gain serious momentum.

The Capitals roll towards the WNBL finals and a buzzer beater from Marianna Tolo sends Canberra into the playoffs for the first time in six seasons.

The Canberra Cavalry knock over the Adelaide Bite to move into the ABL Championship Series, but they fall agonisingly short against the Melbourne Aces.

The Canberra Brave stage a late run to the finals and take out the Australian Ice Hockey League championship after a heartbreaking end to their 2016 campaign.