TODAY is arguably the most positive day in rugby league.

Tomorrow the season begins and with it, the hopes, expectations and dreams for the majority of fans, players and clubs will begin to be chipped away at. But today, all clubs are unbeaten, all clubs are level and they will all believe that if they can get a good start, stay fit and stay out of trouble, then this could be their year.

It’s more than the start of a normal season, as it is also the start of the second three-year licence period. Only financial disaster can stop the 14 Super League clubs from starting the 2013 and 2014 seasons among the elite, with the lack of relegation removing the threat. In theory, there is only opportunity.

However the first licence period was not a whole-hearted success. It had two primary aims – to ensure financial stability amongst clubs and to improve the quality of the England team by removing the need to panic-buy players from Australia and New Zealand in favour of playing young English players.

Yet two of the 14 clubs went into administration, while most struggled financially, and the England team was as far behind its international rivals last autumn as they’ve ever been.

Despite that, there are reasons to be optimistic at most clubs. St Helens and Salford will play in new stadia that have been in the planning for a decade and could prove to be the launchpad for both to take a big step forward.

London Broncos have (yet again) reinvented themselves, after ditching the Harlequins name after six seasons. Wigan and Warrington are both widely expected to be battling each other at the top of the league, while the inclusion of an ambitious Widnes Vikings means that the established order could be shaken up, although unlikely this year.