Rugby league-NRL ready for kick off after 'Summer of Shame'

Even for a sport where off-field scandal is nothing new, the run-up to this National Rugby League season has been particularly sordid and there will be some relief from embattled officials when the focus returns to the pitch on Thursday.

The close-season has been dubbed the "Summer of Shame" by local media, the five-and-a-half months since Sydney Roosters beat Melbourne Storm to win a 14th title littered with report after report of the most egregious offences. The string of sexual assault and domestic battery allegations have long since eclipsed the drink-driving charge that lost Greg Inglis the Australia captaincy a couple of days after the final.

On the pitch, the NRL can rarely have been in a healthier state, however, with a series of high-profile coaching moves only adding to the perception that most of the 16 teams can harbour at least playoff ambitions. No team has won back-to-back titles since the Brisbane Broncos in 1993 but in the absence of a clear favourite, the Roosters have received considerable backing to repeat as champions.

With their home Sydney Football Stadium being rebuilt, they open their 2019 campaign at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, the latest clash in a fierce local rivalry that goes back to 1908. The Russell Crowe co-owned Rabbitohs, beaten by the Roosters in last year's playoff semi-finals, have coaching great Wayne Bennett at the helm this year after he moved down from the Brisbane Broncos in a job-switch with Anthony Seibold.

Seibold has his first outing as Broncos coach against the Melbourne Storm in the season opener on Thursday night, when Bennett's former assistant Craig Bellamy embarks on his 17th season in charge of the Victorian powerhouse. IGNORE DISTRACTIONS

Bellamy's former assistant Michael Maguire, who led the Rabbitohs to their first title in 43 years in 2014, is now in charge at Wests Tigers after Ivan Clearly opted to join his halfback son Nathan at Penrith last week. Coach Cleary will be hoping his players can ignore the distractions of a tawdry "sex tapes" scandal that resulted in five eighth Tyrone May being charged under "revenge porn" laws.

Manly's coaching situation attracted as many headlines as their performances last year but they will have hopes of a better season with Des Hasler, who led them to titles in 2008 and 2011, in charge after Trent Barrett's protracted departure. Paul Green will lead 2015 champions North Queensland for the sixth straight season but that stability will be offset by having to replace the peerless Johnathan Thurston after his retirement.

The 2016 champion Cronulla Sharks also have a new coach in John Morris after Shane Flanagan was kicked out of the league for infractions he committed in the wake of the 2014 peptide scandal. The Sharks have recruited Kiwi halfback Shaun Johnson, lost winger Valentine Holmes to America and the dreams of an NFL career, but will enjoy the services of hard man forward Paul Gallen for one last season.

Billy Slater played his last NRL match in last season's final, but his former Storm, Queensland and Australia captain Cameron Smith will be suiting up for an 18th season on Thursday night. (Editing by Peter Rutherford)