Ahead of a momentous occasion for Rugby League, much of the attention has been on a one-match ban.
Silly as it will no doubt seem looking back, Blake Austin receiving a suspension has been the dominant discussion point ahead of the first free-to-air Super League clash on Channel 4.
Of course, Austin was set to be the big talking point of the match, as a high-profile player moving in the off-season from Warrington Wolves to their opponents at Headingley, Leeds Rhinos.
Channel 4 had planned to feature the halfback prominently in their build-up to the match and reportedly had an interview done, only for that to become worthless with Austin sat on the sidelines.
Happily, they’ve a major base just down the road and another interview ought to have been no problem. They’re also hardly short of storylines to get their teeth stuck into, from Warrington’s new coach and their embryonic star halfback pairing to Aidan Sezer and, naturally, the absence of Austin as a story of its own.
As for the Rhinos, the Austin issue has been one of fairness, having not discovered the decision until the Monday ahead of the match instead of the previous week when the Match Review Panel would usually hear all cases.
He would have been suspended for this match regardless of the timing, as the RFL’s Robert Hicks made clear, but the delay has no doubt been a big hit to Leeds’ preparations for the season opener.
But if the last couple of years have taught coaches anything, they must be agile and expect the unexpected, and Richard Agar will have a plan in mind, even if he rightly wouldn’t give it away ahead of the game.
The first option is moving one of the Rhinos’ flexible players to halfback as a partner to Austin, with Liam Sutcliffe and Rhyse Martin potential candidates having fulfilled that function in the past.
The other would be to put Richie Myler back in the halves as a partner to Austin after two years excelling at fullback, a move which has the advantage of presenting a way back into the side for Jack Walker to make a very welcome return.
After two years of injury hell, including seven surgeries, arthritis and the real risk of his career coming to an end, the talented 22-year-old stepping out for kick-off in front of the South Stand of a packed Headingley would be a truly wonderful moment.
Now that would be a story for Channel 4 to relish.
