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On the back of a record television deal, boom ratings and one of the best sporting products in the land you could say the National Rugby League is in a good place.
Forgetting off-field dramas like ASADA’s ongoing investigation, the NRL action has been fantastic. Fans are turning up and they are loving what they are seeing.
But while the game is growing in leaps and bounds, there has been a worrying decline in quality halfbacks across the competition. Once upon a time we were stacked with legitimate superstars in the number seven jumper.
But 2013 has already shown a drastic shortage in quality pivots.
Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk are streets ahead of the pack and have been for quite some time. Granted Thurston might be wearing number six this year, but he is still the dominant force at the North Queensland Cowboys.
Cronk continues to evolve and works harder at his game than almost anyone else in the game.
Coming in a distant second in a group of three are Daly Cherry-Evans, Mitchell Pearce and young South Sydney Rabbitohs playmaker Adam Reynolds.
You could almost add Shaun Johnson, Peter Wallace and Chris Sandow to that list but recent form suggests they still have a way to go to join the aforementioned men.
So how many legitimate top tier halfbacks is that?
I count eight.
How many NRL sides are there in the competition?
We had a plethora of halfbacks in our mighty game seven short years ago. Almost every team had a number seven they could base their side around. Is there really a lack of quality halfbacks or have Thurston and Cronk raised the bar that high that we expect too much from these guys?
In 2006 there were at least twelve great halfbacks in our game.
Thurston and Cronk were two of them.
The Newcastle Knights had the Immortal Andrew Johns, Craig Gower was still at the Penrith Panthers, Brett Kimmorley was the skipper of the Cronulla Sharks, Manly-Warringah had Matt Orford on their books and Scott Prince was playing his final season at the Wests Tigers.
And don’t forget others.
Canberra Raiders boasted a young Todd Carney, Tim Smith at Parramatta Eels, premiership-winner Brent Sherwin was still calling the shots at the Canterbury Bulldogs, Brett Finch at the Sydney Roosters and the injury-cursed Matt Head was at the St George Illawarra Dragons.
There were twelve superb playmakers in 2006 and remember that it was only a fifteen team competition.
Already this year we have seen plenty of debate over the Dragons and their halfback problems. Coach Steve Price has divided Saints fans over the selection of veteran halfback turn hooker turn halfback Nathan Fein.
Many Bulldogs fans believe Kris Keating is not the right choice at their club while Titans mentor John Cartwright went into the new season without a proven playmaker.
Another team with real problems is the Tigers after sacking youngster Jacob Miller for backrower Braith Anasta.
And don’t forget that the Panthers have just dropped Luke Walsh to the NSW Cup.
Is it just the evolution of the game?
Are sides less reliant on one man these days?
Or are clubs reacting to a serious halfback shortage in the National Rugby League?
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