In and out of 8?

[mxlegend99]

IMO the 4 most likely to make/miss the top 8 are:

In: Roosters, Sharks, Raiders, Panthers
Out: Bulldogs, Sea Eagles, Warriors, Broncos

 

[macavity]

in: Knights and Roosters

out: Dogs and Eels

 

[legend]

Why are people saying the Eels? IMO, they'll be the top ranked Sydney club next year. They still have great backs and an improving forward pack and if Johns can get 10% improvement out of Finch and Smith, they'll be top four again.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

I can't believe people are saying that the knights will make the 8. IMO they are probably the team least likely to make the 8.

 

[macavity]

Why are people saying the Eels?

Hagan.

 

[macavity]

I can't believe people are saying that the knights will make the 8. IMO they are probably the team least likely to make the 8.

we will have close to if not the best pack in the comp. great depth, and a good 5/8 and fullback.

our spine (1,6,7,9) is up there in the top few - but granted we need either Walsh or Dureau to kick on in the 7. if we can get 2 or 3 of our outside backs to fire, we will go well.

I reckon injuries permitting we will finish 5-8.

would be intrested to hear why you think we are spoon material.

 

[yobbo84]

we will have close to if not the best pack in the comp. great depth, and a good 5/8 and fullback.

our spine (1,6,7,9) is up there in the top few - but granted we need either Walsh or Dureau to kick on in the 7. if we can get 2 or 3 of our outside backs to fire, we will go well.

I reckon injuries permitting we will finish 5-8.

would be intrested to hear why you think we are spoon material.

Gees talk about delusional. Best pack in the comp :lol:. Good one.

 

[Hutty1986]

Roosters & Dragons are absolute specials to make the top 8, if not the top 6 next year imo

 

[macavity]

Gees talk about delusional. Best pack in the comp :lol:. Good one.

Cross
Buderus
Sargent
Simpson
Paterson
Houston

won't be dominated by any pack.

I know you buns fan think you are the shyte now, but after Asotasi and Kidwell, yours drops off fast, bucko.

 

[yobbo84]

Cross
Buderus
Sargent
Simpson
Paterson
Houston

won't be dominated by any pack.

I know you buns fan think you are the shyte now, but after Asotasi and Kidwell, yours drops off fast, bucko.

LOL. Sargent? Simpson? Houston? Please.

Stuart, Luke, Asotasi, Kidwell, Fa'alogo, Sutton sh*ts all over that pack. That's not to mention Widders, Manuokafoa, Greenfield, Geddes, Lowe, Pettybourne, Rogers, etc.

I would rate that Knights pack in the bottom half of the comp, easily.

 

[thehattrickrabbit]

I will be very surprised if the bunnies miss out on the 8, essentially we have a better side than last year.

no one still doesnt have much faith in the bunnies. dissapointing really.

 

[thehattrickrabbit]

LOL. Sargent? Simpson? Houston? Please.

Stuart, Luke, Asotasi, Kidwell, Fa'alogo, Sutton sh*ts all over that pack. That's not to mention Widders, Manuokafoa, Greenfield, Geddes, Lowe, Pettybourne, Rogers, etc.

I would rate that Knights pack in the bottom half of the comp, easily.

we have more depth than newcastle, however i dont think half of those players you mentioned are actually better than some of the knights ones.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

we will have close to if not the best pack in the comp. great depth, and a good 5/8 and fullback.

our spine (1,6,7,9) is up there in the top few - but granted we need either Walsh or Dureau to kick on in the 7. if we can get 2 or 3 of our outside backs to fire, we will go well.

I reckon injuries permitting we will finish 5-8.

would be intrested to hear why you think we are spoon material.

Your pack is nowhere near the best in the comp.
And your backline is pretty ordinary, halfback is a massive concern and I think there is way too much weight of expectation on mullen's shoulders.

You have a few decent outside backs, but no experience there, except for Naiqama, who IMO is not exactly a good example for your other backs.

Your 1 and 6 are the only "good" players in your backline, the rest are unknown quantities.

After the whole Smith saga, Buderus wanting out etc etc.... I don't think it's a happy camp.

Plus you bought players like Danny Wicks and Chris Houston who are complete nuffies. I think you did pretty poorly on the purchase front, you got alot of players but very few of them are actually good.

 

[caylo]

we have more depth than newcastle, however i dont think half of those players you mentioned are actually better than some of the knights ones.

I have to agree, after the starting pack most of those names are unknown talents, and they can not be relyed on (bar widders - who is hot and cold, and doesn't fit the rabbits style of play anyway).

Still that pack does not even come close the best in the comp, and i would not take that Knights pack lightly, they are all very good solid players and Brian Smith is very good at getting the best out of his players during a season (don't expect them to win the comp though.

I would say that Penrith and the Tigers to make the 8, with the dogs and bunnies falling out of the 8. And I do agree while the bunnies are essentially better than last year, they scraped in the 8 (and some of you guys relay talk it up), and I think a team built on defence and no attack will always struggle. Penrith have bought well, and I can see new jnr coming through. A good forward pack, and goo backline... a young half pairing could do well imo. Tigers almost made it without Benji relay. If he stays injury free, him and Farah will cause havoc. They have a under-rated forward pack and good back. They will be 5-6.

My top 8
Brisbane
Eels
Nth Qld
Warriors
Melbourne
Tigers
Penrith
Manly

 

[dubby]

I would like to restate my post:

Dogs should drop out this year, but you cant underestimate them.

And Legend, for the record I am not a STG fan, but they have some quality players that on their day are on par with any team in the comp. I have a gut feeling they may just scrape into the 8 (bottom half of the 8) or at least finish really close to the 8. Dragons and Raiders are teams that are very similar talent wise IMO, but the Dragons have the likes of Gaz and Hornby who are proven game breakers, and the Chase boys ooze talent.

 

[Tommax25]

I find it odd that many people think manly will drop out at the expense of ridiculous teams, they lost monnas and hicks, hicks is covered by bani who showed he is up to 1st grade in the finals last yr and monnas is great and is a loss but ballin is a decent replacement and he was on fire at hooker early on last yr when monnas was at 7. teams being mentioned arent good enough, definetly not the dragons, maybe the roosters but I dont think so, the bulldogs are shocking now so they will miss out and penrith should fill that gap:

In: Penrith
Out: Bulldogs

Top 8:
Melbourne
Eels
Cowboys
Manly
Broncos
Warriors
Penrith
Rabbits

Bottom 8:
Sharks
Tigers
Roosters
Dragons
Titans
Bulldogs
Raiders
Knights

 

[Johnny Bravo]

I find it odd that many people think manly will drop out at the expense of ridiculous teams, they lost monnas and hicks, hicks is covered by bani who showed he is up to 1st grade in the finals last yr and monnas is great and is a loss but ballin is a decent replacement and he was on fire at hooker early on last yr when monnas was at 7. teams being mentioned arent good enough, definetly not the dragons, maybe the roosters but I dont think so, the bulldogs are shocking now so they will miss out and penrith should fill that gap:

In: Penrith
Out: Bulldogs

Top 8:
Melbourne
Eels
Cowboys
Manly
Broncos
Warriors
Penrith
Rabbits

Yet you suggest Penrith whose halves will be Richie Williams (or Jarrod Sammut) and Joe Williams in 2008 :lol:

 

[macavity]

yobb, not even your fellow mixos fans agree with you.

we are loling @ simpson now? he would make any pack in the comp.

Sargent played City/Country a year ago and is still only young. Houston has a massive motor and will surprise a few in the next year. I would take them over Stuart and Fa'alogo.

as far as depth goes

Ben Cross
Danny Buderus
Mitchell Sargent
Corey Paterson
Steve Simpson
Matt Hilder
Michael Young
Zeb Taia
Chris Houston
Danny Wicks
Daniel Tolar
Matthew White
Richard Fa'aoso
Mark Taufua
Chris Bailey
Terrence Seuseu
Jesse Royal
Jacob Ling
Tim Natusch
Sione Finefuaki
Larry Taufua
Hanan Laban

all certs or possibles for FG next year. it is our backs we are worried about - our forwards are well solid.

and bravo - word from inside the camp is we are having our best ever off-season and are pumped for 08. Our pack in particular are gnawing on raw meat and ready to rip - the competition for spots this year is fierce and all players know they need to play their best every game or there are 2 ready to take their spot.

 

[Freak2]

I will be very surprised if the bunnies miss out on the 8, essentially we have a better side than last year.

no one still doesnt have much faith in the bunnies. dissapointing really.

Bunnies did exceptionally well last year with their 1st competitive side they have had for some time, however like good rookies with 2nd year syndrome the same can be said for the entire Bunnies side.

They will be there abouts again, and although on paper you look like a stronger team in 2008 I'm not so sure.
IMO you won about 4-5 games early in the season last year on the back of Joe Williams kicking game. You will miss his 40-20 conversions this year more than you realise.
You also have a few boys not getting any younger and you also had to BUY many players into the club, which is good for one year when their is a goal to make the 8 but just maybe these players might start counting cash rather than playing footy!!

In saying this you lost some close games over the past 2 seasons and if you can change this trend YES you will make the 8!

 

[Johnny Bravo]

and bravo - word from inside the camp is we are having our best ever off-season and are pumped for 08. Our pack in particular are gnawing on raw meat and ready to rip - the competition for spots this year is fierce and all players know they need to play their best every game or there are 2 ready to take their spot.

Every club says that every year.

Even my club, the Roosters said it plenty of times last off-season. Well we all know how that turned out until Fittler took over.

Newcastle have alot of unknown quantities vying for spots, they may very well make the 8, but based on what I've seen from last year and the purchases you made ontop of all the turmoil this season, I cannot see it happening. I think the Knights will finish 10-14th.

As for the motor of Houston, I remember reading a stat where he only averaged 6.5m per carry, and 10 carries per game. I wouldn't say that's too impressive.