Alright here goes. May be a little long but I like analysing this kinda stuff.
1. Canberra Raiders
Have one of the best squads in the league. Their best players are hitting their peak and going into their prime, and their massive forward pack lays the foundation well for their massive backs. An attacking behemoth and contenders for the title.
2. Melbourne Storm
An ageing squad won't matter because Melbourne do what Melbourne do best. They are the most clinical team in the competition and will be looking to avenge their Grand Final loss. Look for Cam Munster to go up another level.
3. Cronulla Sharks
The loss of Barba and Ennis will hurt but they still have enough quality in their side to do damage. The Townsend/Maloney combination will be one year better and their young guns will be one year older. Can't see them going back to back but they still have a formidable side.
4. Penrith Panthers
My smokeys for the competition. Gould has done wonders for the club and the signing of Tamou is a masterstroke They have a great balance of youth and experience and injuries are the only thing I can see stopping them this season.
5. Gold Coast Titans
The Titans have lost a lot of depth but if they can keep injuries under wraps and continue their form from last season, with their new signings they should do very well. A full season of Jarryd Hayne and Kane Elgey will be great for the growing squad.
6. North Queensland Cowboys
The wheels are slowly falling off the Cowboys' wagon with a lack of depth up front but I still think they'll be good enough to make the finals. They still have the quality of Thurston but I find their team is still missing a few pieces to make the 4. I think the loss of Tamou will especially hurt, with no real replacement made.
7. South Sydney Rabbitohs
Honestly I think if we have a good year we could make the 4, but the fact is there's just better teams in front of us so far. We've recruited fairly well and I think the signing of Farah will have a monumental bearing on our season. The squad has been refined both on and off the field and we're looking to start fresh in 17' and finally get over our premiership hangover.
8. Brisbane Broncos
The loss of Parker is huge for the Broncos as they will have to rely on a young gun to fill the number 13 jersey. They'll need Milford and Hunt to be on fire if they are to do any damage, and while they do have a decent squad, I can see them missing the 8.
9. New Zealand Warriors
The Warriors no doubt have a team that can make the 8, but we have been saying that for the last 5 years and they have yet to do so. The addition of Kieran Foran would be a great one but we'll have to see whether he does lace the boots on or not. At their best they could be top 4 material but knowing them they'll fail once again.
10. Sydney Roosters
Another team that can make the 8, the Roosters have lost a lot of quality since 2015 and while injuries and suspension did play their part last year, they still lack the quality of the last few years. The addition of a few bad boys always spells trouble and a team with Mitchell Pearce guiding them around won't go too far.
11. Wests Tigers
With Robbie Farah off their backs the Tigers can start the season afresh but they still lack some size and power in the forward department, and they really need some experience in the spine. I can see them competing in a lot of games only to be let down by the lack of big game experience in the 6 and 7, which will hurt them the most.
12. Parramatta Eels
The Eels have made a lot of changes but some of them are fairly average to say the least. With the salary cap scandal behind them the club has seemingly gone down a 'quantity over quality' route, however Brad Arthur is a good coach that can get the best out of his players, so anything could happen.
13. Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs
There's a lot of controversy in Bankstown with the rumours of Des Hasler and James Graham ousted from the club, and with the way they finished 2016 is reminiscent of our exit in 2015. The team lacks attack and has all their money stacked into the boring and predictable forward pack, and with the lack of creative halves I can't see them in the 8.
14. St George Illawarra Dragons
Similar to the Bulldogs, the Dragons lack the attack needed to compete in games, and their halves pairing of Gareth Widdop and Drew Hutchison is hardly exciting. While they do have a decent forward pack, their new look spine will need time to gel and it could be hard to get a roll on over the more cohesive sides.
15. Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
God knows what is going on with Manly's squad. Coach Trent Barrett pretty much stripped the side from 2016 and has started putting pieces together. The signing of Blake Green is notable but a combination of ageing superstars, inexperienced rookies and a few journeymen doesn't spell good things for the Sea Eagles.
16. Newcastle Knights
I'm hoping that the Knights can get themselves up from the ground but they have easily the worst squad in the NRL. They've made some improvements from last season no doubt, but with such a young team lead by such an injury prone captain in Jarrod Mullen, the Knights will have to find something special to lift themselves up again, and hopefully for their sake they do.