Bias aside for a moment, who do you think will finish 1st in '09 (Top 08)

[Noa]

The Warriors will be close to or finish 1st.
There is no way I would gamble on the Broncos,they've got too many variables going into action.

I too struggled what to make of the Broncos. Forward pack has alot of question marks and teams will have noted Issy getting caught out through a lack of pace last year. How will Henjak re-act when things arent going well, how will the players re-act to him?

 

[Timmah]

bulldogs at the very least will top 4 ... my pick for smokey minor premiers

I'm surprised - you rate Noddy?

 

[Raider_69]

Cowboys or Broncos

If thurston and bowen stay fit, with N.Henry on board, they'll be a MASSIVE improvement in this year. And the Bronco's backline is simply awesome. Their pack is always strong and they have a good solid halfback in Wallace now

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

I'm surprised - you rate Noddy?

all jokes aside, yeah i do ... pretty hard to deny his form last year ... i'd be taking him over barrett any day of the week

the only question mark on you guys is your coach ... you've recruited well in key positions and have some good young talent to be thrown in the mix ... top 4 contenders if all goes well

 

[AILD]

Already? What injury did he come down with? (If it was an injury).

they think its an ACL injury. did it in training last week.

 

[Dutchy]

Storm will not make top 4.

 

[Red Bear]

Manly minor premiers

And i dont think Brisbane will go well at all tbh. Their pack is the worst i have seen, pillow props like clinton, sh*thouse backrow, no real hooker. Hard for a backline to shine when the forwards will be giving them not nearly enough room

 

[butchmcdick]

bulldogs at the very least will top 4 ... my pick for smokey minor premiers

Oh Come on man

The dogs pack is

8 hickey
9 ennis
10 hannant
11 hodgson
12 ryan
13 ? te maari

I know the season is 4 months away but does that look like a championship winning pack to anyone else ?

 

[andirect]

they think its an ACL injury. did it in training last week.

first i've heard of it. there was an article in the courier mail just this morning about gorrell wanting to impress the broncos fans. source?

i know he was out for 2008 with an acl, but i've heard nothing about a new injury.

edit: hmm just read the story in the Australian. I predicted the guy would be trouble with injuries when we signed him. waste of money

 

[Timmah]

Oh Come on man

The dogs pack is

8 hickey
9 ennis
10 hannant
11 hodgson
12 ryan
13 ? te maari

I know the season is 4 months away but does that look like a championship winning pack to anyone else ?

Hmm...

Two rep players (Hannant, Ryan) and a possible third (Ennis). It's by no stretch of the imagination a "great" pack but lesser packs have guided a strong and experienced backline to premiership glory in recent years. With Noddy (love him or hate him he was sensational at Cronulla in 2008) at the helm and some fresh faces and finally SPEED in the backs, all is not lost. And Patten's back - easily among the top five fullbacks in the game.

 

[Shorty]

The dogs are another club that I really can't estimate properly until I see some action.
But I don't think they'll get the spoon - That's Wests or Parra.

 

[butchmcdick]

Hmm...

Two rep players (Hannant, Ryan) and a possible third (Ennis). It's by no stretch of the imagination a "great" pack but lesser packs have guided a strong and experienced backline to premiership glory in recent years. With Noddy (love him or hate him he was sensational at Cronulla in 2008) at the helm and some fresh faces and finally SPEED in the backs, all is not lost. And Patten's back - easily among the top five fullbacks in the game.

Backline

1 patten
2 el masri
3 j morris
4 idris
5 utai
6 holdsworth
7 kimmorley

I am a bit suss about utai and holdsworth still.

Ahh look stranger things have happend eg tigers and panthers winning the comp so who knows ?

 

[mxlegend99]

I can't see the Bulldogs finishing in the top 4.

Top 8 maybe... they have done extremely well at recruiting for 2009. But they still have a few gaps to fill IMO. Especially if they cop a few injuries to their key forwards.

 

[Liam]

Hmm...

Two rep players (Hannant, Ryan) and a possible third (Ennis). It's by no stretch of the imagination a "great" pack but lesser packs have guided a strong and experienced backline to premiership glory in recent years. With Noddy (love him or hate him he was sensational at Cronulla in 2008) at the helm and some fresh faces and finally SPEED in the backs, all is not lost. And Patten's back - easily among the top five fullbacks in the game.

Stewart, Slater, Gidley, Bowen, Mini, Hunt > Patten

 

[Where Eagles Dare]

Stewart, Slater, Gidley, Bowen, Mini, Hunt > Patten

I'd have McKinnon over him too.

 

[Timmah]

Gidley's a great player but he's better in a utility role than at fullback. Bowen's offered nothing since 2005-6 tbh.

 

[Vossy]

cronulla flying under the radar again..i like it

bulldogs at the very least will top 4 ... my pick for smokey minor premiers

noddy - worst halfback ever..took him bloody 5 years to get it right..and still turned out to be rubbish, good riddons to him

the only reason noddy showed ANY form last year from the past 5, the gnome finally had a decent 5/8th outside him (seymour, who was our main man, if he was out, we would turn to sh!t with noddy leading the team)

my condolences to dogs fans for the next 2 years..its going to be painful..

Oh Come on man

The dogs pack is

8 hickey
9 ennis
10 hannant
11 hodgson
12 ryan
13 ? te maari

I know the season is 4 months away but does that look like a championship winning pack to anyone else ?

^that has nothing on our pack

8.Ross
9.Hughes
10.Douglas
11.Gallen/Williams
12.Tupou
13.Bird (possibly)/Gallen

Hmm...

Two rep players (Hannant, Ryan) and a possible third (Ennis). It's by no stretch of the imagination a "great" pack but lesser packs have guided a strong and experienced backline to premiership glory in recent years. With Noddy (love him or hate him he was sensational at Cronulla in 2008) at the helm and some fresh faces and finally SPEED in the backs, all is not lost. And Patten's back - easily among the top five fullbacks in the game.

watch the games where seymour is out and kimmorley is left to lead the team around..we were smashed both times..round 3 and prelim final

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

Stewart, Slater, Gidley, Bowen, Mini, Hunt > Patten

i'd only have stewart or minichiello (fully fit) over patten ... i watched patten single handedly keep us from scoring 100 against the dogs last year ... supremely underrated

 

[butchmcdick]

Gidley's a great player but he's better in a utility role than at fullback. Bowen's offered nothing since 2005-6 tbh.

Yeah those 20 odd tries he scored in 2007 were all just sh*t

 

[Gaba]

Pattern is nearing the end of his career and is injury prone , the bulldogs are like the sharks in my opinion wont have the attacking players ,outside of kimmorely or barrett once are tied up by the opposition to give thier faster man much room to attack.

Ennis had star players around him in the broncos, take those players away as shown with the baby broncos ennis tried hard but no where near dangerous, he didnt have the options with the better players. like what is going to be like with the bulldogs next year he wont have the attacking players like lockyer, wallace, hodges etc , he will be in a team (bulldogs) what is slightly weaker then the baby broncos, and he will be less of a threat

The playing roster is important thats why i dont think the bulldogs will get near the 8