Even this early, is there only 3 who can win?

[isaiah]

Is it just down to the storm, stg, and the broncs?

bulldogs and knights looked ok early, but gone a bit off.

manly, souths, warriors and the cowboys can be inconsistent

roosters, titans and parra are gone

sharks were never really going to be a threat

who else? tigers?

 

[Phil McGrawhan]

It is April...GFs are not won in April.

 

[Liddell]

You would have put the house on Parra for the spoon this time 2 years ago.

 

[kia ora storm]

Too early to predict...

 

[Noa]

Storm will be called the Sydney Domestic Airport storm for the 2nd half of the year so I wouldnt go making any grandiose claims just yet.

But that may just be my bruised ego talking

 

[Big Pete]

Way too early to call.

I wouldn't even group the Broncos with those other two sides yet, they don't really look a class above, just superior on the night.

 

[thommo4pm]

Is it just down to the storm, stg, and the broncs?

bulldogs and knights looked ok early, but gone a bit off.

manly, souths, warriors and the cowboys can be inconsistent

roosters, titans and parra are gone

sharks were never really going to be a threat

who else? tigers?

I wouldn't say any of that.

What Brisbane, Melbourne, Saints & Manly are doing is putting themselves in a good position for the 2nd half of the year.
They might not need to win some games as desperately as some teams at the back end of the year, due to their good start to the year.
Brisbane now on 12 points, + 2 byes takes them to 16, they only need another 6 or 7 wins to make the finals.

 

[Proud2BeCanberran]

You can't tell right now TBH. The one thing you can say is that St George and Melbourne will be there at seasons end, pushing for the premiership but even then someone else can win it.

Bulldogs, Tigers, Broncos are the other teams who will round off the top five IMO. They are all quality sides, and the former two are just a bit inconsistent ATM, while the Broncos are in a rich vein of form.

Despite, the Raiders languishing in last place, I can't see us in this form for too much longer. With the quality we have, this isn't characteristic, and with the likes of Dugan, Tongue and Campese returning in the coming weeks, it is only a matter of time before we click. I can see a 2010-esque situation for us, where we leave it late, finish 5-8, and put up a fight in the finals.

Manly, IMO, are showing they are a quality side and will be there or thereabouts in September, while you cannot write of the Roosters.

What we an take from previous years is that most teams can win it, as long as they aren't too far behind come around round 20.

 

[Timmah]

What about NQ and Canterbury Thommo?

 

[pennywisealfie]

its all about getting wins on the board from april until june. after origin is where we can really start to talk about who looks the goods. I have seen the Broncos year after year start the season as possible premiers only to fade away around july or august.

 

[applesauce]

Last year you would not of predicted the Raiders, Roosters bolting. Likewise the Panthers, Warriors, Titans fallout. And that was just before the Finals, let alone 7rounds in.

 

[Evenflow]

Way, waaaayyy too early to call.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Without doubt it seems to be a race in 3 ATM. Dragons, storm and broncos are so far ahead of the field it's not funny

However all it takes is an injury to a Lockyer, Boyd or cronk and they are back to the field. Another team gets a bit of momentum (wests 05, parra 09) and it all changes.

 

[Red Bear]

Way to early to call. We'll know more in 10 rounds or so.

Tigers looked great up until a the titans game. They'll be easier to judge when they have a team closer to fitness.

 

[Overweight Moron]

Its hard to see the Bronco's maintain for the entire season. On paper they are still one of the youngest and least experienced sides in the comp.

 

[2010Dragons]

Way to early to call.
After round 13 you will get a rough idea who are the contenders and who are the pretenders!

Watch out for the dark horses doing the bolt....Warriors, Cowboys.

 

[sheepbender]

Its hard to see the Bronco's maintain for the entire season. On paper they are still one of the youngest and least experienced sides in the comp.

yes but these young guys played together in the toyota cup, with griffin as coach, and made the grand final in 2008, so they are experienced together in a way...

 

[Overweight Moron]

yes but these young guys played together in the toyota cup, with griffin as coach, and made the grand final in 2008, so they are experienced together in a way...

We have seen so far Toyota cup is nowhere near the same level as first grade. After 26 rounds you will see the grind a full season of first grade has on the 21 and 22 year olds.

 

[azzah72]

I love that the sharks never get considered & with good reason on form in the last 10 yrs or so.

But we have a better team this year, all we need is for the halves to have and "ah ha" moment and it will click.

Our backs are more than solid enough, our forward pack in up there with the best. Once the halves click we are on.

ATM we are 9th with a -4 f/a. Thats the best position we have been in after 5-10 rounds in a long while, if we stay around there and click, we'll be in the 8.

 

[sheepbender]

We have seen so far Toyota cup is nowhere near the same level as first grade. After 26 rounds you will see the grind a full season of first grade has on the 21 and 22 year olds.

True but most of the young guys played last year, so have a half a season of first grade games under their belt.. only new guys lik like Reed, Beale n Gagai are inexperienced , but so far Id say they were up to the task