EACH weekend The Chronicle sport team looks at pressing issues on the Saturday Soapbox.

Q: Will former Toowoomba junior Ashley Taylor be able to back up his NRL Rookie-of-the-Year season in 2016 with the Titans this year?

Ben Drewe: THE second year of a career is often tough and that is why the term Second Year Syndrome is occasionally used.

For a few years there was a bit of hype around Ash and how good of a player he could be.

He showed last year he had the tools to succeed in the NRL which validated the opinion many pundits had of him.

Now the whole competition knows what he can do and he is bound to come under increased scrutiny in team meetings of rival clubs.

But one thing working in Ash's favour is that the Titans have added a player like Kevin Proctor while Jarryd Hayne is back for his first full season on the Gold Coast.

The presence of those two guys in the Titans line-up could take some of the focus off Ash which should allow him to just play his game.

But the former Brothers and Harristown State High School talent will need to step up his game after a full season in the top grade and he is bound to do that given more exposure in the NRL.

Anton Rose: THERE is always talk of "second season syndrome” and the "rookie curse”.

Six former rookie-of-the-year winners have left the NRL early since 2004, and only around 50 per cent of winners go on to play international test rugby league for Australia or New Zealand - according to the NRL.

So the odds are definitely not in his favour.

Taylor will seemingly get first pick at the starting jersey and will have the likes of Jarryd Hayne around him, so the ingredients are all there.

The moment of truth will come when Taylor takes to the field in round one.

Very rarely does any player back up a big season, let alone a rookie who now has all the pressure and expectation from an unexpected finals run behind him.

There's no doubt he is an amazing talent, but all the focus at the Titans will be on him this season.

Glen McCullough: IT DEPENDS what you consider would be a "successful” season for Taylor after his ultra-impressive rookie year.

I don't expect him to come out this season and be named Dally M Player of the Year or be crowned the game's next super star, but he only has to keep doing what he's been doing to get where he is and his natural ability with added experience should hold him in good stead.

His game seems to be built on a youthful confidence and self belief and the only little worry I would have for Taylor would be if he was to lose that.

As they say, confidence gone, everything gone.

Q: The Brisbane Lions have their first free-to-air television game in the AFL Women's competition today in round five. How important is free-to-air coverage for sports in Australia?

BD: FREE-to-air coverage is everything for professional sport these days.

You just have to look at how the NRL and AFL have left rugby union behind.

Rugby union is battling to capture the interest of the wider sporting public and that is largely due to Super Rugby not being broadcast on free-to-air TV.

The NRL and AFL at least have a regular presence on free-to-air.

If you are on the box for all to see, you are bound to have a bigger audience which allows viewers to become more involved in what is happening.

The presence of television streaming services is also bound to put a dent in Foxtel subscription numbers which limits a sport's exposure even further if they don't have a free-to-air broadcast deal.

AR: I HAVE to agree that having a wider audience base does wonders for any sport.

You only have to look at things like the women's world cup that was broadcast on SBS a few years ago and posted record global audience numbers.

The big money deals that Foxtel offer can be attractive, but at the end of the day people are moving away from subscription television in 2017.

It is far too expensive and I cannot see many people forking out on their extensive packages just to watch sport.

The convenience of free-to-air will always attract more people to the game.