What will surely be the biggest NRL story this year, Anthony Seibold and the Brisbane Broncos have finally severed ties just two years into their five-year partnership.
It's again opened up the discussion about who fills the three vacant head coaching jobs around the competition next year, and we've narrowed it down to just the favourites for you.
Meanwhile, we're hours away from kicking off round 16 and with five weeks remaining of the regular season, and the lower part of the top eight still not locked in, there's plenty of interest going into the weekend, particularly with some big names returning to the team sheets.
There's plenty to talk about at the moment and while we love shedding light on the big headlines each day, we're equally partial to the stories that slip through the cracks.
MORE: The untold stories from Wednesday's press conferences
ANOTHER ROLE CHANGE COMING FOR BEN HUNT
Reading Billy Britain's name on the interchange bench when the Dragons' team list was revealed on Tuesday may have spelled confusion for some Dragons fans.
The crafty dummy-half hasn't been sighted since round two but last year's Canterbury Cup Player of the year at the Rabbitohs can certainly play.
And caretaker coach Dean Young has unveiled his grand plan behind Britain's inclusion.
"Billy Britain's everything I love in a player. He rocks up to work each day, he rips into training, he competes hard," Young told reporters on Thursday.
"I want to give Hunty a spell at some stage so Billy's earned the right through his training to come onto the interchange bench and show me what he's got."
Ben Hunt's shifting of roles has been well spoken about this year, the Origin playmaker spending time at halfback, hooker and the interchange bench across the season.
More recently the Hunt has found a home playing the full game in the number nine, however Young has a plan to get more out of Hunt against the Titans.
"It's not easy in the middle. When you're the size of Cam McInnes or the size of Hunty and you've got 115 kilo bodies running at you for 80 minutes, it takes its toll," he added.
"I think if can find Hunty a spell we're gonna get better footy out of him. He's playing some good footy at the moment but I think that can improve if we can find him a spell."
- Ed Chisholm
STORM AND MANLY RIVALRY STILL ALIVE DESPITE CHANGING ON THE GUARD
The Melbourne Storm and Manly Sea Eagles rivalry has been one of the biggest in rugby league throughout the 21st century, famously coming to ahead during the 'Battle of Brookvale' in 2011.
From that game, just the two current captains remain in their respective sides, Daly Cherry-Evans and Cameron Smith.
Despite the changing of the guard, Storm enforcer Tino Faasuamaleaui suggests that the bad blood is yet to die down, with the 20-year-old refusing to take the Sea Eagles lightly despite last week's disappointing performance.
They are one of the toughest teams that I’ve played and they always turn up when they play the Storm not matter what position they are on the ladder,” he told media on Thursday.
“They're a very good team and I know they will be up for an ambush on Sunday."
Whilst the Titans recruit would've been just finishing primary school at the time of the infamous fight, he revealed that he still gets fired up watching the two teams duke it out.
“100%, just watching footage from back in the day when the Storm and Manly played, it gets you pretty pumped up and it’s still a bitter rivalry now,” he said when asked if the rivalry was alive.
“Watching videos, the old fights and they do get pumped up and get you up for this game and we know it’s going to be on, I think it’s still there and I love it.
“You see around on Fox and old videos come up and you’re like ‘far out, this is going to be a tough game this week and you can get pretty pumped up from watching that.”
- Nathan Williamson
CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO CONCUSSION A NO-BRAINER, SAYS TRENT ROBINSON
Roosters coach Trent Robinson is confident skipper Boyd Cordner has ticked all the boxes in his recovery from concussion.
Cordner hasn’t played since round 10 after the reigning premiers decided to put him on ice following a head knock.
Speaking to reporters ahead of Cordner’s return against the Broncos on Friday, Robinson praised the club’s patient approach.
“He’s trained well for a few weeks now, he’s trained physically, he’s ready to go,” Robinson said.
“We were quite conservative in the time that we took and we had the experience with Luke (Keary) last year so we knew what time to give them to get the best result.”
Robinson said a range of factors including specialist advice as well as Cordner’s behaviour shaped their approach.
“It’s a great lesson, because you’ve got one of the most competitive guys in the sport out for six weeks because it’s the right thing to do,” he added.
“It’s not a simple choice but if you take in all the information and also let go of the need to have that player out on the field and make an objective decision, that’s important.”
-Tom Naghten
YOUNG UNDER NO ILLUSIONS ABOUT FINALS CHANCES
Dean Young knows his side remain a mathematical chance of a miraculous finals berth, sitting level with the ninth-placed Tigers and four points adrift of the eighth-placed Sharks.
But he's under no illusions that the Dragons need to perform much better to earn the right to be playing past round 20.
"If we win every game we're a chance but that seems a fair way away at the moment," Young said.
"I was really happy with the boys' performance on the weekend in terms of I thought they competed for 80 minutes two weeks in a row.
"The challenge now is to compete harder for the 80 minutes, that's what I'm looking for."
The Dragons go into the clash with the Titans on Friday with some big outs in their forward pack, with Tariq Sims, Korbin Sims, Paul Vaughan and Tyrell Fuimaono all unavailable through injury and suspension.
It left many wondering if the club would blood some of its young talent named amongst the reserves list, like Eddie Blacker and Jayden Sullivan.
But Young is favouring experience while a slim chance of creeping into the top eight is still within sight.
At this present time, I'll be picking the best available team to go out and win the game and I won't be looking towards the future.
Down the track, my thoughts on that might change because mathematically we're still a chance of making the finals.
I'll be picking the side that's gonna do the job and giving our side the best chances of a win.
- Ed Chisholm
BRONCOS PLAYERS RELIEVED FOR SEIBOLD
Patrick Carrigan says the sentiment among Broncos players is sadness but also relief for Anthony Seibold ahead of the club's first game since the embattled coach departed.
"There were a lot of off-field things that were occurring at the same time that probably put a lot of pressure on him and his family," he said.
Carrigan admits the players are aware their not immune to blame for the Broncos performances this season and that their record poor season isn't all Seibold's fault.
But the young leader insists there is perseverance amongst the squad to finish off the year strongly and taking that into a fresh start next year.
"I'm a pretty big believer in the fact that as a playing group we're determined and we know each week of the performance we put forward each week," he added.
"Regardless of who's in charge, or tomorrow night, or moving forward at the club the players got to go out and play footy."
- Ed Chisholm
