Thursday 9 February 2017 12:12, UK
There are some familiar faces returning to Super League this year - can they make an impact at their new clubs?
The Betfred Super League is upon us, with Saints and Leeds kicking things off on Thursday, but which players will dazzle throughout the season?
With Hull KR relegated and Leigh making their Super League bow, there has been plenty of movement between clubs, and we've picked out six players to look out for in 2017...
Greg Bird - Catalans Dragons
Perhaps the marquee arrival from the NRL this off-season, Greg Bird returns for his second stint in Super League, and his second stint with the Catalans Dragons.
The Australian international made a big impression back in 2009 and will return with plenty of experience under his belt after a lengthy stint with the Gold Coast Titans. Bird has signed a five-year contract with the Dragons and will move into coaching in the south of France.
A World Cup winner with his country in 2013, he's a State of Origin veteran and will bring guile and class to the Catalans back row.
Laurent Frayssinous has overhauled his squad this winter and will be looking to the likes of Bird to help them improve on last year's sixth place finish, and perhaps steer them to a first major trophy.
Kevin Brown - Warrington
Kevin Brown has big shoes to fill. He's the replacement for Chris Sandow who ended his career in England to move back to the NRL after the 2016 campaign finished.
With 11 tries and 25 assists to Sandow's name last season, he will take some replacing - but Brown is a quality operator. He has stood out in a Widnes side since joining from Huddersfield in 2013 and provided 22 try assists of his own last campaign - six more than any other Vikings players as they made the Super 8s.
In fact, Brown has gone past 20 assists in three of his four seasons with the club, and England coach Wayne Bennett saw enough to select him for the Four Nations defeat to Australia in November.
The question is, will Brown step up and lead Warrington to that elusive Grand Final victory?
Todd Carney - Salford
A new year and a new club for Todd Carney. After two years in the south of France with Catalans Dragons, the enigmatic half-back has made the move across the Channel to join Salford.
He had been linked with a move back to the NRL after being released with two years left on his Dragons deal, but Salford have swooped in a massive coup as they look to reach the Super 8s this season.
Off-field incidents have blighted his career, but as a former Dally M Medal winner, there's no doubting Carney's quality. He provided 17 try assists last season for Catalans, two more than any of his team-mates.
He'll have Michael Dobson and Robert Lui for company in the halves at Salford, providing Ian Watson with some real quality options as playmakers.
So will Carney settle down in England and fire Salford up the table? Let's wait and see.
Zak Hardaker - Castleford
Zak Hardaker needs a big year. After a stunning 2015, where the full back won the Man of Steel award and completed the treble with Leeds, he left the Rhinos last year after failing to hit the high standards he set in the previous campaign.
He had a short stint with the Penrith Panthers in the NRL, but has now chosen to return to West Yorkshire to bolster Daryl Powell's ranks on a season-long loan from the Rhinos. Hardaker started his development under Powell at Featherstone before earning the big move to Leeds, and his coach will expect big things this year.
An all-rounder capable of big metres, try scoring, try making and try saving, Hardaker will bring a touch of class to a Tigers side capable of challenging for silverware in 2017.
Albert Kelly - Hull FC
The most controversial move of the 2017 off-season, Albert Kelly becomes the latest player to cross the Hull city divide and swap Red and White for Black and White.
Last season ended in relegation for Kelly's Hull KR, and the half-back didn't hit the heights previously set in 2015. And now that he's decided to join their biggest rivals, there's plenty of pressure on his shoulders.
He guided the Robins to the Challenge Cup final in 2015, while also scoring 15 tries and providing 10 try assists in Super League. But last season, that total fell to just six tries - though he did set up 11 scores.
The playmaker will link up with Marc Sneyd this season for Hull FC and it's a partnership with the potential to dazzle. Add Sneyd's kicking game and organisation to the individual brilliance and flair of Kelly, and there's a platform capable of helping Lee Radford's side add to the Challenge Cup they won in 2016.
Thomas Leuluai - Wigan
The returning hero. Kiwi Thomas Leuluai is back for one final bash at Super League after rejoining the Warriors. He bowed out of the Cherry and White in 2012 and promptly missed Wigan's Super League win the next season after joining the New Zealand Warriors.
A popular player during his previous six years at the DW Stadium, Leuluai does have a Grand Final winners ring in his collection, winning the title in 2010 with Wigan. His experience could be crucial in adding another.
The New Zealand international and World Cup winner will replace St Helens-bound Matty Smith and will be charged with sparking a Wigan attack into life that often failed to fire in 2016. Leuluai will also be key in helping George Williams' development, playing alongside the talented 22-year-old in the halves.
So will the returning star help Shaun Wane's side defend their Super League crown?
