2014 Ladder

[hardbaby]

1...Roosters - stand out favourites
2...Cowboys - will respond well to a different coach
3...Rabbits - very susceptible in the outside backs
4...Eagles - always solid
5...Storm - last chance for a while
6...Knights - Bennett's three year plan
7...Panthers - would be higher but Wallace/Soward?
8...Titans - rate their pack and a better backline in 2014
9...Warriors - surely they can't be that bad next year
10.Bulldogs - really lacking a game breaker
11.Broncos - rubbish halves
12.Dragons - coaching
13.Sharks - ASADA is about to bite
14.Raiders - lost so much talent/coaching
15.Tigers - weak pack, average halves
16.Eels - hope it doesn't come true

 

[Big LIMA]

1. Souths
2. Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles RLFC
3. Roosters
4. Melbourne
5. Sharks
6. Newcastle
7. Titans
8. Panthers
9. Broncos
10. Warriors
11. Doggies
12. Saints
13. Cowboys
14. Eels
15. Tigers
16. Canberra

 

[soc123_au]

I am a bit concerned that pretty much everyone has the Panthers making the eight. I dont think we have met or exceeded a positive expectation since 1991. Here's hoping next year is different.

 

[Big LIMA]

They've built up a good side and are sort of an underdog team. every year there is a surprise team. the panthers are looking likely to be that team.

 

[MacDougall]

Marshall leaving is only going to help the Tigers. They have a ton of young players who are at the point in development of really taking first grade on too, namely Tedesco, Murdoch-Masila, Woods. Recruitment was a bit meh but Austin is quite a good foil for Brooks. I'm quite happy with the makeup of the side. A lot relies on how well Brooks handles first grade. I tend to think he'll be fine. Quietly confident of surprising.

I also think the Eels will do well.

Don't really see the Dragons improving like so many others? Dugan is not a miracle cure. He came halfway through last year and they didn't exactly ignite and he never exactly made the Raiders a title threat either. 1-17 they look the worst in the comp by some way to me.

I'm not going to embarrass myself and list a 16 this year. The Roosters went from 15th to premiers in one season. Anything can happen.

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

1. Sydney Roosters (The best roster in the competition).

2. Melbourne Storm (The Big Three will still give them the edge over most teams)

3. Manly Sea Eagles (So long as Jamie Lyon, Steve Matai, Brett Stewart, Glen Stewart and Anthony Watmough are fit, the Sea Eagles will be powerful).

4. South Sydney Rabbitohs (Greg Inglis, the 4 Burgess brothers, plus Isaac Luke give the club what is needed to be Top 4).



5. New Zealand Warriors. (Signing Sam Tomkins will give the Warriors more creativity in attack. Watch Tomkins, Shaun Johnson and Tommy Leuluai form some great combinations),

6. Cronulla Sharks (With or without Blake Ferguson they will be top 8. However with Ferguson they will probably be 5th)

7. Brisbane Broncos (Ben Barba will give them x-factor in attack that they have been missing. Together with Justin Hodges, Barba will score or create a lot of tries. When Anthony Milford arrives in 2015 they will be in the top 4).

8. Penrith Panthers (Several smart new signings, esp. Kevin Naiqama and Elijah Taylor, will push the Panthers up the table).



Just missing out:

9, Newcastle Knights (Just not good enough to overtake Brisbane and Penrith. They will sorely miss Kevin Naiqama and Craig Gower at the business end of the season).

10. North Queensland Cowboys (Losing Matty Bowen, and replacing him with Lachlan Coote, will deaden the Cowboys attack).

 

[KiWi_BoI_15]

1. Sydney Roosters (Remi Casty)

Is that what you meant? Or really trying to say?

 

[Card Shark]

Storm big 3, 1 year older.

They are only heading in 1 direction & it ain't to a grand final.

 

[rabbitohs95]

I think Souths are in a position where they have an easy enough draw to get the Minor Premiership but our team has changed and will change throughout the year so much that i'm unsure what will happen. I am confident of another top 4 spot but exactly where we will finish i am unsure of.

 

[Kiwi]

in no order

broncos
roosters
souths
sea eagles
storm
warriors
bulldogs
panthers

 

[Lucas-Con]

Won't matter Roosters will win back to back the rest of the teams are just for show

 

[some11]

Knights losing Gower effectively guarantees them the spoon wouldn't you say Albert?

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Roosters
Souths
Manly
Knights
Storm
Sharks
Cowboys
Bulldogs

The warriors won't be near the top 8, the broncos have a horrible team, and lol at the panthers, Jamie soward will only make them a worse team.

 

[MrAnonymous]

1,Roosters
2,Manly
3,Souths
4,Penrith
5,Storm
6,Sharks
7,Knights
8,Tigers Only if Brooks/Austin in the halves.

 

[BranVan3000]

Storm are past it

 

[Red Bear]

Long way out. As ever, there's a few which look certain and about 10 teams for the other 4 spots.

Knights depends big time on the hooker situation, scary how much of a difference Buderus made to their play.

Storm look less dangerous, Manly's another year older (but great halves and good recruitment), still unconvinced by Cronulla.

Souths
Roosters
Manly
Storm
Warriors
Sharks
Cowboys
Panthers

How is that for a guess? Knights, Dogs, Broncos, Titans, Raiders could all easily be there as well. Only sides I dont expect to be there at all are Parra, Tigers and Dragons, all at least a year away IMO.

Penrith were always aiming at 2015 to start to compete and they might just miss again, think they're really on the improve though, their recruitment in the last few years has been high quality, although still quite a question mark over the halves they've got.

 

[Albert Rosenfeld]

Storm are past it

:lol::lol::lol:


Australia 34 (Slater 2 tries, Cronk try......) New Zealand 2.

Yes, the Big Three are really "past it." o

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

1. Sydney Roosters (The best roster in the competition).



Just missing out:

9, Newcastle Knights (Just not good enough to overtake Brisbane and Penrith. They will sorely miss Kevin Naiqama and Craig Gower at the business end of the season).

10. North Queensland Cowboys (Losing Matty Bowen, and replacing him with Lachlan Coote, will deaden the Cowboys attack).

you're kidding right?

 

[TheDalek079]

1) Sea Eagles - Driven by revenge
2) Souffs - their last shot. will give it everything
3) Canterbury Bankstown - Dessie will get them firing
4) Melbourne - One last hurrah from the big 3
5) Cowboys - Paul Green will get them strong
6) Easts - a quality side.
7) Canberra - Now they've got a good coach we'll see some improvement
8) Brisbane - They're too good to miss the finals again. And they've got Kennedy arriving. Barba too

 

[rabbitohs95]

1) Sea Eagles - Driven by revenge
2) Souffs - their last shot. will give it everything
3) Canterbury Bankstown - Dessie will get them firing
4) Melbourne - One last hurrah from the big 3
5) Cowboys - Paul Green will get them strong
6) Easts - a quality side.
7) Canberra - Now they've got a good coach we'll see some improvement
8) Brisbane - They're too good to miss the finals again. And they've got Kennedy arriving. Barba too

Personally with the squad we have, which is quite young (Especially our core of Inglis, Luke, Reynolds, Keary, Walker and the three youngest Burgii), I think we could still contend for the next 2 maybe 3 years. The last two years have been great in terms of establishing players within the squad and getting that core together and firing, i think the next three years will tell the real picture, but each to his own.

I also think Easts will do better than 6th, they've got a good enough team to easily make the top four.