1.Wests Tigers
(are reigning premiers and have probably recruited as well as anyone Look to have a far stronger pack this season and have signed Lolesi they might miss Richards though
and none of the selectors seem to rate the tigers so it will help them in mid season)
2.Sharks
( this might seem a very strange choice but i think they have bought well and might even break the drought next season The signing of Ross is a big coop for the sharks
Pomeroy should add some steel to the backline defence Albert will score over 15 tries
and Vagana should move to five eighth to see more of the ball i think they could have a big big year )
3.Broncos
(I don't think they will win it but they will be consistent again and be in the top 4
i think Ennis and Hannant are both good signings Ennis will give them more options and a goal kicker while Hannant might be a good option from the bench need Seymour to kick on )
4.Roosters
(I think they will be hungry again next year Harrison and Anasta are both great signings
and Edmondson has played well whenever i Have seen him need to lose Finch though
but i think they will be a much better side this year providing Anasta continues to play well)
5.Eels
( i think they will have a pretty decent year i think Brian Smith's job might be on the line this season and i think they will make the final 4 sides also have good depth Worried about the Halves backing up from last season If all goes well they might win it )
6.Sea Eagles
(i think they will be a much better side next season very hard to beat at brookvale
Orford gives them a really great Half and Bell is an excellent centre they need Kennedy to stay fit if he does they could finish higher)
7.Dragons
(this is a big shock but i think last season was there year to win it they didnt have many injuries except Head and were probably the strongest side in the finals on paper
alot of there players will get picked in rep football and i think they will get the injury curse again but if im wrong with that i think they can do anything they can certainly win it i think there forwards need to play with more aggression though a side with 2 australian front rowers should never be beaten in the forwards they remind me alot of the roosters before they got Morley)
8.Cowboys
( this is a controversial pick because i think they are still a very good side
but the main reason they are so low is Because Rauhihi isnt there i think he adds an awful lot to the team and Webb is usually in trouble so i think there forwards might struggle next season there backline though is Magnificent so i could be well out with this pick )
9.Bulldogs
(had an awful lot of injuries last season so struggled Anasta and Lolesi
are big losses they will now have to rely a hell of alot on Sherwin and he blows hot or cold if he is running hot they can win it really but if he doesent they will struggle
they Need Sonny Bill on the field for as long as possible he is ridicuously talented
And Mason needs to get the passion he had in the 2004 finals series)
10.Knights
(i put them basically down here because Johns is the single most important player to a team i think ive ever seen in any sport If he is fit for three quarters of the season and plays well they will make the eight
if he plays the whole year they could win it if he misses most of the season definate spoon material the signings of Davico and Carney are interesting too
both are very good players but increadibly injury prone so they need them to be fit also i think this is there problem to many injury prone players)
11.Storm
(will miss Orford's direction especially when Hill misses usually 5-6 games a season
will have probably the best three quarter line in the comp next season Providing Inglis lives up to the promise he has shown im not a huge fan of Cooper Cronk
i actually think they might try Cameron Smith at half back for a few games to see how he does they will probably be an increadibly exciting team melbourne.
the signing of Chris Walker is an interesting one He played his best football at brisbane when Bellamy was there and could be a bit of an asset or a complete liability
the one positive for melbourne is that they have bought plenty of size and aggression to there forward pack by signing Crocker,Crossman and Ben Cross
they wont do as well as in previous seasons but will still be difficault to beat especially in melbourne.
12.Penrith
(my team They have let go Ross,Galuvao,Pomeroy,Crossman and Rogers
and to be honest have bought crap to replace them basically
Craig Stapleton,David Thompson,Nick Youngquest and Mark O'Halloran
Stapleton and Thompson are both in there late 20's O'Halloran couldnt make the London Broncons side and Youngquest is a Brett Howland clone
the only signing that lookslike it might be promising is Brian Norrie because saints always produce good front rowers.the rest of the signings i dont know much about because they are from Qld cup or Bartercard cup but judging by Penrith's terrible recruitment from these areas working out at about 2 first graders out of about 50 in modern times things dont look great i have seen Wayne Bond play he looks talented but needs to look for the ball more he seems hesitant even at qld cup level.
Penrith didnt make the Finals in any grade last season.
it was a terrible season.
Hopefully things will improve but i cant see it.
they still have plenty of good players Penrith but there relying on finding a centre from no where and alot of luck with injuries but i dont think they will get the spoon.
They have replaced 3 regular first graders with 4 reserve graders and 1 up and coming player
add to that Penrith dont play there first game at home till round 8
i think its going to be a long frustrating year for the panthers)
13.Rabbitohs
(Hopefully the end of last season gave them a boost of confidence
they have good young players coming through. And establishing themselves
Gordon,Champion,Sutton are all very good players they have recruited quite well
Webb,Galuvao,Merritt and Mellor are all good players.There biggest problem is at half back
Ben Walker done quite well last season but he is the type of player who looks great one season and plays like a complete ass the next season hopefully for Souths sake this wont happen.The loss of Harrison was a big blow because i think if they had him they would be pushing for a place in the 8.Hopefully for souths if all goes well they might sneak in the 8 but they will need alot of things to go right especially with injury and suspension. All in all though if they can get Piggins away from the place the future looks quite good for Souths. And with such good young players they might be in with a shout at the Premiership in 2-3 years)
14.Canberra
( Canberra are an interesting case because they have bought 2 young players with alot of potential in Dane Tilse and Tom Leyroyd-Lahrs.Both are very big and will add alot of size to the Raiders.I think losing Adamson is quite a blow because he added alot of thrust to the Raiders forwards. The big thing for the Raiders this year is there young players they need to step up big time the likes of Carney and Weyman
both have great potential but they need to really show it this year.Otherwise it wil be a long long year for the raiders.They need Jason Smith on the field for alot of the year
he was brilliant last season .but its up to Carney to take the pressure off him
its a make or break year for Matt Elliott. He needs these young kids to be at there best
otherwise they will lack the class of the other sides and will need to spend big in 2007
hopefully the likes of Carney,Weyman and Leyroyd-Lahrs will become there stars.
Canberra will always be difficault to beat so its hard to rank them especially a side with lots of young players. With potential hopefully they can live up to it
and return to the years where Canberra were always a premiership threat)
15.Warriors
(They have lost there best ever play in Jones
but they have also lost Meli and Paaleasena(SP)
who will also be huge losses for the Warriors.
Hopefully they will improve there discipline this season they give away far to many needless Penalties.Jones is a massive loss because he was a cool head and gave there backline direction.Price and WIki Hopefully can calm them down and play the brilliant football of 2002/03 but they have lost so many players since then
and they havent really bought anyone for this season.
So unless there is an absolute cluster of great players in the bartercard cup
i think they will struggle big time this season.
Which is a shame because they can be a great but increadibly frustrating team to watch.
When they get it right there brilliant
but when it goes bad they look abysmal
hopefully though they dont do to poorly this season because they are very important to the game
and hopefully Cleary can get them playing like the old Warriors)
so there you have it my increadibly long table
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