Is this the closest top 8 in history?

[captainwarrior]

Shae

Dragons/Panthers and to a lesser extend, the Warriors, are limping in. As far as form goes, no team has been in better form since origin than the Sharks.

They’ll probably exit in week one but to suggest the Warriors are limping into the finals when they’ve won more in the last month than two of the top four sides is a bit of a stretch.

Sharks comp to lose for mine. Definitely the most complete side in the finals and are also in form. Still not sold on the Broncos, not sure they can win 7 straight to win the GF. Sharks/Roosters grand final for me.

 

[JamesRustle]

That f**king sharks gridiron pass cost us 4 spots on the ladder.

Those beatings by Parra and the dogs cost us the minor premiership..... and respect, dignity and momentum.

 

[jargan83]

I’ll echo what Hutty1986 said on the previous page.

In terms of competition points I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Top 8 this tight with 1st being separated from 8th by 1 game (ok and a truck of F/A) but in reality the form guide would tell a different story. The Dragons have limped into finals after suffering yet another end of season fade out and it looked like Penrith were suffering a similar fate, possibly for different reasons with some internal struggles out west until they upset Melbourne on Friday night. The Warriors are the Warriors and are delightfully inconsistent but can knock off an side on the day if they turn up.

The 4 sides probably were the reverse with a slow start to year and are no firing all cylinders even with a couple of hiccups in recent weeks.

 

[carcharias]

This “ it’s a new comp starting next week “ is bullshit.

I reckon all games will go to script.
Roosters will get the sharks
Storm will get the rabbits
Penrith will get warriors
Broncos will pulverise dragons

 

[txta2]

It is very close but only 3 teams -- Sydney Roosters, Melbourne Storm, and New Zealand Warriors -- have the brilliant players necessary to win a Grand Final.

Sydney Roosters have Latrell Mitchell and James Tedesco, Melbourne Storm have Billy Slater and Cameron Smith, New Zealand Warriors have Shaun Johnson and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.

Cronulla Sharks have only one brilliant player in Valentine Holmes, so he can be contained.

South Sydney are all muscle (Burgess boys) and a little zip (Damien Clark) which can be contained.

Haha that would have to be the worst theory I have ever read.

 

[wibble]

The only final I'm remotely confident in my tip is Broncos over Dragons, and despite the poor form of the Dragons, and the gloom of their fans, it still wouldn't surprise me if they won.

Projecting through to the 2nd week games from my shaky tips has me even less confident of picking the 2nd week winners.

So not just on the ladder, which is certainly the closest since I've been following league, but also in predicting the winners, this year is crazily close.

Kind of nice after a year where the winner seemed inevitable from about week 5 of the regular season.

 

[King hit]

2005 was the closest season off all time from 1st to 16th.

 

[footy75]

Yes it's incredibly close. People were moaning about the top 8 being decided so early. But you can not seperate them. Going to be a great finals series.

 

[Surely]

It is very close but only 3 teams -- Sydney Roosters, Melbourne Storm, and New Zealand Warriors -- have the brilliant players necessary to win a Grand Final.

Sydney Roosters have Latrell Mitchell and James Tedesco, Melbourne Storm have Billy Slater and Cameron Smith, New Zealand Warriors have Shaun Johnson and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.

Cronulla Sharks have only one brilliant player in Valentine Holmes, so he can be contained.

South Sydney are all muscle (Burgess boys) and a little zip (Damien Clark) which can be contained.

And yet despite having only one player to contain Souths have scored the most points this year.

For mine Souths are the favourites

 

[Cloudsurfer]

Dragons/Panthers and to a lesser extend, the Warriors, are limping in. As far as form goes, no team has been in better form since origin than the Sharks.

Tbf Cowboys 'limped' in to the finals last year all the way to play off for the premiership. It can be done

 

[2010Dragons]

This “ it’s a new comp starting next week “ is bullshit.

I reckon all games will go to script.
Roosters will get the sharks
Storm will get the rabbits
Penrith will get warriors
Broncos will pulverise dragons

There will be 1 or 2 upsets. Always has and always will be like this.
This is what the NRL wants.

 

[MilkShark]

That f**king sharks gridiron pass cost us 4 spots on the ladder.

Only team to have a try against you from a forward pass?

If that were true I'd be pissed too.

 

[MilkShark]

This “ it’s a new comp starting next week “ is bullshit.

I reckon all games will go to script.
Roosters will get the sharks
Storm will get the rabbits
Penrith will get warriors
Broncos will pulverise dragons

Wish I didn't agree but I do.

 

[carcharias]

There will be 1 or 2 upsets. Always has and always will be like this.
This is what the NRL wants.

Maybe
Rabbits could get storm
Toss a coin roosters sharks and Penrith warriors
But they would be toss a coin games anyway

I can’t see Dragons winning though.
They have been utter shit for 2 months
Busted players everywhere.
Plus ...up there.

 

[mongoose]

At there best its close as f**k but in reality you have Penrith and Dragons now both making up the numbers and a hot and cold Broncos and NZ, Top 4 will be the final 4.

people say this every year though and what happened last year? 8th made the GF.

Bulldogs made the GF from 6th a few years back

 

[Slackboy72]

Dragons/Panthers and to a lesser extend, the Warriors, are limping in. As far as form goes, no team has been in better form since origin than the Sharks.

I'd disagree. Broncos have been punching above their weight for the last month and more.

 

[Leber]

Only team to have a try against you from a forward pass?

If that were true I'd be pissed too.

On the siren at the end of the game, yes we are.

 

[JJ]

Haha that would have to be the worst theory I have ever read.

Albert Rosenfeld has a few doozies

 

[gordynz]

Only team to have a try against you from a forward pass?

If that were true I'd be pissed too.

You blokes, if I remember correctly, in the space of a month were dudded against Brisbane but then gift wrapped the game against the Warriors and then a week later the Raiders. Would have completely changed the outcome of the finals.

 

[MilkShark]

You blokes, if I remember correctly, in the space of a month were dudded against Brisbane but then gift wrapped the game against the Warriors and then a week later the Raiders. Would have completely changed the outcome of the finals.

lol get a grip.

How many incorrect calls from refs were this year? Countless, they all would have changed the look of the finals.