In alphabetical order
Broncos- Young guns will continue to rise but older players will perform poorly. Will look to Lockyer alot but he will struggle to lead an aging team. I predict about a 9th placing with a charateristic poor second half of the season.
Bulldogs- Will be slow off the mark due to a heavy injury toll. By about rd 12 they will get the majority of there top 17 on the park only to have huge amounts of origin duties decimate their team. Will be about 5th going into round 20 but will finish the season strongly to finish 2nd. Will be one of the 4 preliminary finalists.
Cowboys- They will be a team capable of racking up 40 on the best defenses. Consistency will be there main hurdle. I think they'll have form in patches, just never consistently. An 8th place finish with a big effort in their final only to be defeated.
Dragons- Injury's and Consistency will continue to haunt them. They will one week rack up 50 points, the next, conceed 30. They will make the finals in 6th position, but unlike most years, we'll put in some big performances in the finals to get them a preliminary finals spot.
Eagles- Will suprise many with there abilty to match the top teams on a consistent basis. Stewart will be a bolter for Nsw fullback. Their forward pack will earn the status of the nrl's most aggresive. Will fall away in the last 6 rounds giving up there spot in the top 8 along the way. 10th place for them.
Eels- The competitions big improvers. Have a quality star studded team and after a shaky start, will start to gel about rd 5. Some great tryscoring power in both the backs and forwards will see them as one of the most potent attacking forces of the comp. Will have a great year finishing 4th, along the way having an awesome match with the dogs with what will be regarded the match of the season, Parra winning in golden point. The lack of a match winning half will hurt them in the finals and they will lose both there finals matches to end what was a promising season.
Knights- Johns to be quiet the first few rounds as he regains his touch. A win over the dogs in rd 7 will see a much more confident knights side appear. Johns to lead NSW to a 3-0 series win and come back to the knights in top form. Buderus to continue his form and some young guns to shine in what will be a young squad. Buderus and Johns will lead them from a 8th placed position in rd 17 to a 5th place finish by finals time. Will come out all guns blazing in the finals and get a spot in the final 4.
Panthers- To have a great year with there stars all in top form and the emergence of some future stars will see them in the top 4 the whole year. Will be the most consistent side in the comp and will finish 1st. Injury's will hurt the finals campaign and will lose there first final only to bounce back with win in there 2nd to grab a final 4 spot.
Rabbitohs- Will be full of enthusiasm with a solid and young team. Some good performances mixed with some bad ones will see them finish 13th. Still not enough quality to compete for the top 8.
Raiders- Will lack the spark to match the big guns. Will have some patches of form but will conceed some big scores in 2005. Wooden spooners they will finish.
Roosters- Will continue to be the defensive bench mark and will fuel their performances from the pain of the gf defeats. Big years from both Firman and Finch will see them lead the comp for a large chunk of the season. They will lose some matches against high ranked opposition suggesting they lack the abilty to win big games. A good season with a 3rd place finish that will result in a poor finals campain. Early finals exit for them.
Sharks- Dicipline and consistency will be hurdles. Individual magic will see them be competive for patches of games but will lose the majority of them. Will never gel in 2005 and will finish 14th.
Storm- Injurys will see there potential limited. On their day are a top 2 team but will rarely have there top 17 on the park. A 7th placed finish with a spirited finals campain ended in the the second week.
Tigers- Big disapointments. Have the team to compete but will fail to gel and will win a few matches of the back of some individual performances. 2006 will be their year but 2005 will be a dismal one. 12th place finish.
Warriors- Will start of strongly only to drop of in the latter part of the season. Price and Wiki will help there attitudes stay on track and help compete with the big guns. A great record at erricson will be shadowed by a poor away record. Will finish 11th in a season that had a promising start but lacked the spark to continue the whole year.
