Ok now hear me out. Penrith Panthers win a premiership by doing a Bradbury.
Roosters: No team has won the premiership back to back and Ferguson was a massive part of the Roosters side. Teams often lack the hunger after they've won a premiership the previous year. Additionally JWH has been a lazy plodder for years before suddenly turning back into a beast so there's good chance he could regress again and he's the most important forward in the team.
Storm: Slaters' gone. Croft has potential but can be a bit rocks and diamonds. Smith had to carry the team at various times and with Slater gone and another rookie in the spine that'll only get harder. And he isn't even re-signed yet. Chambers' form might be on downward spiral too.
Rabbits: A lot of uncertainty has definitely interrupted their pre season up until now which isn't good. They've seemingly got no proven first grade replacement for Crichton. Cook has only played good for one year and will seemingly be less effective with a blueprint of how markers handled him in the finals working well. The Burges twins only come good again this year but have been terrible for years before that. Robert Jennings is still unsigned.
Sharks: Lost Holmes, Lewis retired, Graham will be out for a lot of the season and it takes two years to completely recover from an acl. One injury in the seconder row will result in them relying on the guy who was last their 3rd back up choice.Gallen will be a year older and might not still be up to NRL standard at his age. Salary cap investigation could result in Flannagan getting suspended for a year. Fifita seemingly doesn't get along with the coach and that could get worse. Could get fined and have to move to Perth. Moylan could get moved back to fullback where he probably doesn't have the pace to play now that he's bulked up a bit.
Dragons: Mcdonald regularly made around 200 metres for them he left, Nightingale retired and Mann was released. They still need a winger and if JDB is arrested he will be hard to find a replacement as good. Herman Sele, and Leeson Amou also mean they're forward depth (which wasn't great) is worse. JDB's court case could also cause a loss of moral.
Brisbane: A lot of instability with their coaching which interrupted part of the pre season. While they probably have the most natural talent in their top 30 Staggs and Hass quickly suffered injuries and could be injury prone players. MIlf and Nikorima are still inconsistent, Boyd drags down the team. And PNJ has hammy issues and the hamstrings tend to be finicky once injured. Gillet will probably never be the player he once was and Macca looks like easily the slowest dummy half in the NRL when he runs the ball.
Warriors: Lost SJ, signed no replacement half who's a proven first grader. Have Hiku. Are the Warriors.
