It's official - the Canberra Raiders fans want Jack Wighton back in the capital.
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And while the Green Machine might be going through a season of regrowth, that hasn't stopped most of them believing they can win the NRL premiership.
The full results of The Canberra Times Raiders fan survey are in - including how they'll go this season, their best 13 and what home game they're most looking forward to this year.
More than 900 Raiders supporters took the survey to give the lowdown on everything Canberra and the Green Machine in 2024.
Jumping Jack back
The most anticipated game at Canberra Stadium is not that surprising.
Not only are the South Sydney Rabbitohs a big Sydney club, but it will also double as Jack Wighton's first game in cardinal and myrtle against his old team.
All going well, it could also double as Josh Papali'i's 300th NRL game, with the big bopper needing just 18 more to get to the magic milestone.
Almost a quarter of fans (23 per cent) picked the Rabbitohs as their preferred home opponent, with the Wests Tigers surprisingly second with 17 per cent - perhaps Canberrans keen on watching an easy kill against the back-to-back wooden spooners.
The fans also emphatically voted for afternoon footy, with Saturday 3pm (26%) and Sunday 2pm (20%) accounting for almost half the votes.
Not surprising given how tough the cold can be at Canberra Stadium in the middle of winter.
Fan favourites
In many positions, the fans saw eye to eye with Raiders coach Ricky Stuart's round-one team when it came to their starting 13.
And if it hadn't been for injury and suspension it probably would've been even closer - suspended duo Sebastian Kris and Corey Horsburgh would've played the Knights in Newcastle if they'd been available, as would Canberra captain Elliott Whitehead (calf).
Plus a lot of votes were cast before the Raiders' second pre-season trial - meaning there could've been a different outcome in the hotly contested five-eighth role.
The fans voted for Kaeo Weekes, while Strange got the gig in Newcastle.
Both were tipped to be the rookies to watch this season, with Weekes topping the charts (30%) and his fellow five-eighth Strange (25%) close behind.
Honourable mentions in the rookie department went to England international Morgan Smithies (21%) and Stewart (17%).
Weekes could yet become the No.6 by the end of the season - as Chevy Stewart could be the fullback, with Stuart opting for Jordan Rapana to start the campaign in the No.1 jersey - the fans went for Rapana on the wing.
The only other glaring disparity was the fans picked Zac Woolford as starting hooker, while Stuart's given first crack at the dummy half role to Danny Levi.
I'm a believer
It's not just Whitehead, Rapana and Joe Tapine who think they can win the competition, but it's most of the Green Machine faithful as well.
There's no such thing as a rebuild in their minds with a whopping 62 per cent thinking they can lift the premiership trophy on grand final day.
On top of that a massive 78 per cent think they'll play finals football, with 29 per cent backing them to make the top four.
That finals success will come off the back of a season with 11-15 wins (53%) - or even better, 16-20 victories (22%).
There were two players who stood out as the most important cogs in making that happen - Tapine (46%) and halfback Jamal Fogarty (39%).
Tapine's one of the best props in the game and will play a big role leading the Raiders' star-studded forward pack.
If they can get the Green Machine rolling down the field then it will be up to Fogarty to get the attack firing off the back of it.
Fogarty's importance goes up several notches given he'll have a young five-eighth alongside him, regardless of whether that's Strange or Weekes.
Matt Timoko might've made his New Zealand debut in the Kiwis' successful Pacific Championships campaign last year, but Raiders fans still think he doesn't get the credit he deserves.
The centre was tipped as clearly Canberra's most underrated player (59%), with daylight second before hooker Tom Starling (15%).
Just stop it
In a clear message to the NRL, Raiders fans want the governing body to stop tinkering with the rules.
Almost half (43%) wanted the NRL to stop changing them on what's now become an annual basis.
NRL ROUND ONE
Thursday: Canberra Raiders v Newcastle Knights at Newcastle, 8pm.
Raiders squad: 1. Jordan Rapana, 2. Nick Cotric, 3. Matt Timoko, 4. Albert Hopoate, 5. Xavier Savage, 6. Ethan Strange, 7. Jamal Fogarty, 8. Josh Papali'i, 9. Danny Levi, 10. Joe Tapine (c), 11. Hudson Young, 12. Zac Hosking, 13. Morgan Smithies. Interchange from: 14. Tom Starling, 15. Emre Guler, 16. Ata Mariota, 17. Pasami Saulo, 18. Kaeo Weekes, 19. Simi Sasagi, 20. Zac Woolford, 21. James Schiller, 22. Trey Mooney.
Knights squad: 1. Kalyn Ponga, 2. Enari Tuala, 3. Dane Gagai, 4. Bradman Best, 5. Greg Marzhew, 6. Tyson Gamble, 7. Jackson Hastings, 8. Jacob Saifiti, 9. Phoenix Crossland, 10. Leo Thompson, 11. Tyson Frizell, 12. Dylan Lucas, 13. Adam Elliott. Interchange from: 14. Jack Cogger, 15. Daniel Saifiti, 16. Jack Hetherington, 17. Kai Pearce-Paul, 18. Jed Cartwright, 19. Thomas Jenkins, 20. Will Pryce, 21. Brodie Jones, 22. Thomas Cant.