Our first place right now is worth as much as 2nd in 2022 until we knock off some good sides.
We have beaten good sides already this season it's just we haven't played the very best sides - that will be out test (especially away from home)
Last 2 seasons we struggled to beat any team in Top 4 even Top 8 at times but we are already showing we are far more capable against teams above middle of the road or dregs. Warriors, Raiders and Cows are lower on the ladder than they otherwise would be thanks to us defeating them.
Get some wins against the likes of the Storm, Dolphins, Brissy and Panthers and we really can start to believe we can maybe do something this year, at least get through a couple weeks of finals.
As for Tricky, I don't think he needs to be a leader out there, we have a bunch of those already. I wouldn't even call him a dominant player maker like a Maloney but Tricky doesn't have to stand outside Chad Townsend. He has Nicho Hynes next to him so I feel the dynamic is rather different and that might effect how the combos play out.