Barry Dick's 2007 Predicitions (Courier Mail)

[Bomber]

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21191085-952,00.html

His final predicitions

1. Melbourne
2. North Queensland
3. Manly
4. Brisbane
5. Canterbury
6. St George Illawarra
7. Parramatta
8. Roosters
9. New Zealand
10. Wests Tigers
11. Newcastle
12. South Sydney
13. Cronulla
14. Penrith
15. Gold Coast
16. Canberra

There is also a link to a blog if anyone wants to contribute

 

[wittyfan]

2 and 3 are ridiculous. Poor old Barry.

 

[B.A. Baracus]

Manly 3rd? No. Though they will make the semis.

Roosters 8th? Noooonononono! They won't make the semis....again.

And if Johns stays fit - the Knights should finish higher than 11th.

Other than that it all looks pretty reasonable to me.

 

[ParraDude_Jay]

There's no way Canberra will run last. Anyone who tips them to come last has absolutely no idea about their players and just assumes since they are unknown names that they aren't good enough. I doubt Melbourne will come first either with Inglis and Cronk as the halves, Cronk is solid at best and Inglis is not a 6, maybe that one will come back to bite me but I think Inglis could be easily marked out of the game by someone like Carroll when he's playing in the middle of the park.

 

[B.A. Baracus]

There's no way Canberra will run last. Anyone who tips them to come last has absolutely no idea about their players and just assumes since they are unknown names that they aren't good enough. I doubt Melbourne will come first either with Inglis and Cronk as the halves, Cronk is solid at best and Inglis is not a 6, maybe that one will come back to bite me but I think Inglis could be easily marked out of the game by someone like Carroll when he's playing in the middle of the park.

Carroll'd have to %#@* catch him first!

But there's definite question marks over Inglis at 6 for sure. Tell you what though - he'll be more use to the Storm there than out on the wing! He's wasted out there - centres or fullback, yes - Five-eighth, maybe, remains to be seen - but it is such a waste having him languishing out on the wing - even if he comes looking for the ball from out there - he shouldn't have to!

You don't get your Porsche out of the garage then just let it run down the hill with its handbrake on - you want to give that sucker some GAS!

I also think Inglis will make a far, far better 6 than Gasnier - aparently Inglis can boot a ball a country mile and then some! Also a handy goalkicker I've been told. He's sure got the brains & quickness of thought to be in the halves - and from what I've seen, he's certainly got the handling & I reckon could pretty easily develop the passing game to match.

I am tipping Inglis to be a success at 6 - and Gasnier a dismal failure.

 

[Captian_Klutz]

It's all too easy to say that last years minor prems will be so this year also.

 

[Bomber]

It's all too easy to say that last years minor prems will be so this year also.

All too easy on Barry's part (lazy journalism?), and a very hard thing to accompish as well. No team has gone back-to-back as minor premiers since Canterbury, Manly and Brisbane all accomplished the feat in the 1990s.

The fate of the minor premiers since then:

* Brisbane finished 8th in 1999 after they were minor premiers in 1998
* Cronulla finished 8th in 2000
* Brisbane finished 5th in 2001
* Parramatta finished 6th in 2002
* New Zealand finished 6th in 2003 (Canterbury finished 3rd)
* Penrith finished 4th in 2004
* Roosters finished 9th in 2005
* Parramatta finished 8th in 2006

 

[hineyrulz]

Barry Dick is well named.

 

[Canard]

I think people keep picking the Cowboys to finish high up the ladder because they still think they we will be fielding a side with Sing, Hannay, Norton, Cooper, Tanielu etc.

And dont realise on top of losing those guys we have recruited basically no-one other than a 35 year old Jason Smith who is one good shoulder barge from never walking again. (Oh yeah and we got some drunk who used to play for the Warriors, who will probably be sacked after about Round 6 after an "incident"?)

 

[Marshall_magic]

I think people keep picking the Cowboys to finish high up the ladder because they still think they we will be fielding a side with Sing, Hannay, Norton, Cooper, Tanielu etc.

And dont realise on top of losing those guys we have recruited basically no-one other than a 35 year old Jason Smith who is one good shoulder barge from never walking again. (Oh yeah and we got some drunk who used to play for the Warriors, who will probably be sacked after about Round 6 after an "incident"?)

you also got Wayne Bennett (or his son at least)

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Cowboys have got plenty of depth, and should go well this year, but cant see them 2nd.

I can see Penrith improve.

Roosters will be sh*tt, but at least better than 2006.

Dragons will miss the 8 if Gasnier is 5/8.

I cant see Melbourne get the minor premiership again, they'll make the 8.

Manly at 3rd??? no way. Theyre missing Kennedy, and they dont have anyone to replace him.

Warriors will make the 8.

 

[effnic]

Barry Dick is well named.

I reckon, parra at 7th with Finch and Tim Smith :lol: i can believe 11th.
Manly is pretty much spot on ;-)
Sharks should be lower.

 

[Canard]

you also got Wayne Bennett (or his son at least)

Haha;-)

Dont really rate Minto as a recruit, seeing as he probably wont play much first grade next year.

Cowboys have got plenty of depth, and should go well this year, but cant see them 2nd.

No depth in the front row after losing Sargent (a much bigger loss than most on this forum are making out), basically we only have 3 first grade props (Webb, Scott and Cashmere (who is almost a rookie still at NRL level)), and in the halves if Smith or Thurston go down we are basically farked.

 

[B.A. Baracus]

I actually think you'll go very well this year.

Faumuina - if he can stay focussed - is a very talented footballer with a fantastic offload ability & will be able to replace Norton. Who was never fit anyway.

Hannay - well...Hot & Cold only begins to describe him! I very much doubt you'll miss him.

And what you have to realise about Jason Smith is - he may only get his hands on the ball a dozen times a game - and run for a total of about 4 metres in those 12 times - but every single one of those touches will be pure QUALITY! Watch Thurston thrive alongside Jason Smith next year - that was a VERY smart recruiting move IMO - What Jay Smith provides to Thurston & co OFF field alone - will be worth it's weight in gold!

Copper is a big loss though - don't understand how you let him go. And of course, Sing is a blow. Maybe not 2nd but I would have you in the top 4 almost for sure.

 

[Canard]

I dont doubt that Jase Smith is an awesome talent, I just have doubts over his ability to last the season without gettig injured.

I think we are in the dreaded "rebuilding" year phase, Im thinking somewhere between 9 and 12.

 

[Once Dead]

I'll be the first to say it since no one else has........what a Barry Dick

 

[B.A. Baracus]

Interesting to hear that - straight from the Cows' mouth as it were!

You're definitely rebuilding - but Graham Murray has done that cleverly - you still have sheer class in all the right places - fullback, five-eighth, halfback & hooker - which are the spine of any footy team - I still think you might be pleasantly surprised with how they go this year then!

Your forwards are no mugs either - just the outside backs there may be a question mark on in my eyes.

 

[Stranger]

Carroll'd have to %#@* catch him first!

But there's definite question marks over Inglis at 6 for sure. Tell you what though - he'll be more use to the Storm there than out on the wing! He's wasted out there - centres or fullback, yes - Five-eighth, maybe, remains to be seen - but it is such a waste having him languishing out on the wing - even if he comes looking for the ball from out there - he shouldn't have to!

You don't get your Porsche out of the garage then just let it run down the hill with its handbrake on - you want to give that sucker some GAS!

I also think Inglis will make a far, far better 6 than Gasnier - aparently Inglis can boot a ball a country mile and then some! Also a handy goalkicker I've been told. He's sure got the brains & quickness of thought to be in the halves - and from what I've seen, he's certainly got the handling & I reckon could pretty easily develop the passing game to match.
I am tipping Inglis to be a success at 6 - and Gasnier a dismal failure.

Neither Gaz or Inglis have the play making skills yet to be halves IMO. They both have the individual skill and im GAZ is ahead of Inglis in those stakes. Not to mention he has had more than 1 good year. 2nd year syndrome is a bitch when players start to mark up and work you out. Gaz is the best player with ball in hand IMO, and at 6 it will give him that chance. If Gaz's weakness is on the boot, then you can be sure Brown is working with it.

 

[B.A. Baracus]

I dunno - Gasnier is, when on form, probably the best centre going around today. in either League or Union.

For ONE - why you'd want to take that out of your side - I just don't know! And for two - even a seasoned half/five-eighth combo would struggle to adjust to not having a player like Gasnier outside them. Let alone a complete greenhorn - like Gasnier!

I may well have egg put all over my chops by him - but my prediction would still be that Gasnier will be back in the centres by....I'll say Round 6! And St. George's fortunes to improve drmatically shortly thereafter!

WTF is wrong with Hornby/Head as a combo anyway? When Mat Head is fit that is. And you could put that Greenshields or maybe Brett Morris at fullback?...then bring his twin bro up on the wing - or vice versa.

Just seems like an awfully big gamble from Brown. In betting parlance - I wouldn't be backing him to succeed at those odds - he's almost on a hiding to nothing! If Gasnier is a success - people will say "Oh, well Gasnier wanted to play five eighth!' and if he doesn't - Brown will die a death of a thousand stab wounds to the back!

And the reason I would have Inglis ahead in succeeding here - is because he already has the running - and apparently the kicking - games down pat...all he needs are the playmaking skills. Gasnier is only 1 out of 3 there - he's a great ball runner.

 

[Stranger]

To be fair, you have to give a player more than 6 games to adjust to a new position. Its not something that can be learned or taught over night. The Hornby/head combo would fall apart within an instant IMO. Hornby and Head do all the little things right, but neither are a dominate player IMO, like a Barrett or a Gaz. Head in my opinion is a great half, and from my knowledge Dragons let go clint greenshields to the titans? Thus they need a fullback. Hornby is an excellent fullback and fill in halfback imo.

People criticise brownie, but he has done a great job for the dragons IMO. They always fall short, but take last year. They were playing without their halfback for 75% of the season and they had a tampon playing 5/8. Don't know how many teams could cope with that.

Gaz is the best attacking player ball in hand bar none IMO. We will have to wait and see who has the vision to become the 5/8ths but IMO its stupid to move ur best players from their positions. I am against what the Dragons are doing, what melb are doing and what the Broncos did with locky, but we will just have to wait to see what works for them.