Ladder Predictions for 2012

[Ladmate]

It's the time of year again! Here are my thoughts:

1. Storm (Regular season beasts, big 3 keeps them in the top 4)
2. Tigers (Still have a great squad)
3. Raiders (Dark horses, Campese and Dugan back plus no expectations makes me think it's their year)
4. Knights (Mullen to have a career year under Wayne Bennett)
5. Titans (Overachievers, will get knocked out in straight sets. Skilled Park gets them this spot)
6. Manly (Grand final winners have a high chance of dropping off, 2nd year syndrome for DCE?)
7. Bulldogs (Have a feeling)
8. New Zealand (Always underachieve after a good year, they also have a rookie coach. It's only a 2 place drop anyway)

9. Cowboys (Showed potential last year, but dropped form at the end of the year. I believe that they will just miss out)
10. Parramatta (Good signings, but Kearney is a nothing coach who will rely on Melbourne tactics. Would make it if they had their talent used to their strengths)
11. Brisbane (Young talent, not sold on Thaiday's captaincy. Henjak also had a great debut year and missed the 8, this year also no Lockyer)
12. Roosters (Don't think they will do much at all, not a fan of their team)
13. St George (I could put them higher up, but Boyd, Gasnier and Bennett are huge losses and they will pay from them)
14. Sharks (Would like to see them make it, but no)
15. Rabbitohs (Lost their halfback, Inglis doesn't turn up for regular season. A long year for them)
16. Penrith (Losing a bunch of talent without adequate replacement)

 

[ceagle]

1. Manly (Have retained most of the squad, expect the young players to get even better)
2. New Zealand (There young players will also get better, and Nathan Friend will make their forward pack even more lethal)
3. Knights ( Bennet factor, have built a quality squad for next year)
4. Storm ( still have the Big 3)
5. Brisbane ( Will drop a bit with no Lockyer, but have a ton of quality youngsters)
6. Tigers ( Losing Moltzen is a big loss imo, questions over there new halfback, still expect them to make the 8)
7. Raiders ( I reckon they will turn it around next season with Campese back)
8. Dragons ( Lost alot of quality players and Bennet of course, but they will still stay in the 8, just)

9. Parra
10. Cowboys
11. Titans
12. Roosters
13. Rabbitohs
14. Penrith
15. Bulldogs
16. Sharks

 

[jonno_knights]

8. New Zealand (Always underachieve after a good year, they also have a rookie coach. It's only a 2 place drop anyway)

He isnt really a rookie coach. Has won an ESL title and coached the Kiwi's.

Then again Kearney has coached the Kiwis too and won just about everything there is to win there.

But McClennan should have the experience to manage a team over a full season, unlike Kearney.

 

[BranVan3000]

I don't get the logic behind the Titans position

 

[Garts]

I am not even going to try. I would probably get closer pulling team names randomly from a hat.

 

[saint_marto88]

He isnt really a rookie coach. Has won an ESL title and coached the Kiwi's.

Then again Kearney has coached the Kiwis too and won just about everything there is to win there.

I think he also forgot where they finished last year too

 

[ceagle]

I don't get the logic behind the Titans position

Apparently the Skilled Park factor. :lol:

 

[applesauce]

1. Tigers
2. Titans
3. Cowboys
4. Storm
5. Manly
6. New Zealand
7. Parra
8. Brisbane

9. Knights
10. Raiders
11. Dragons
12. Bulldogs
13. Sharks
14. Penrith
15. Roosters
16. Rabbitohs

 

[jonno_knights]

I don't get the logic behind the Titans position

Dont you know, Fortress Skilled!! all 500 people in attendence will bring them to an 11-1 regular season home record.

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

The funniest thing about these threads is not when people get 3/4 of it wrong but the reasons they give, I don't like this team they'll do shit. This team is f**kin old, that team played like shit for the 4 games I saw them in 2011

 

[wittyfan]

1. Storm
2. Broncos
3. Tigers
4. Warriors
5. Sea Eagles
6. Cowboys
7. Bulldogs
8. Knights

9. Titans
10. Rabbitohs
11. Roosters
12. Dragons
13. Sharks
14. Eels
15. Raiders
16. Panthers

 

[Walt Flanigan]

1. Sea Eagles
2. Broncos
3. Storm
4. Tigers
5. Cowboys
6. Raiders
7. Warriors
8. Knights

9. Titans
10. Panthers
11. Dragons
12. Bulldogs
13. Eels
14. Rabbitohs
15. Roosters
16. Sharks

 

[saint_marto88]

If Dragons finish as low as 10th I'll eat Sushi*



* I don't own a hat and I really hate Sushi

 

[typicalfan]

It's the time of year again! Here are my thoughts:

1. Storm (Regular season beasts, big 3 keeps them in the top 4)
2. Tigers (Still have a great squad)
3. Raiders (Dark horses, Campese and Dugan back plus no expectations makes me think it's their year)
4. Knights (Mullen to have a career year under Wayne Bennett)
5. Titans (Overachievers, will get knocked out in straight sets. Skilled Park gets them this spot)
6. Manly (Grand final winners have a high chance of dropping off, 2nd year syndrome for DCE?)
7. Bulldogs (Have a feeling)
8. New Zealand (Always underachieve after a good year, they also have a rookie coach. It's only a 2 place drop anyway)

9. Cowboys (Showed potential last year, but dropped form at the end of the year. I believe that they will just miss out)
10. Parramatta (Good signings, but Kearney is a nothing coach who will rely on Melbourne tactics. Would make it if they had their talent used to their strengths)
11. Brisbane (Young talent, not sold on Thaiday's captaincy. Henjak also had a great debut year and missed the 8, this year also no Lockyer)
12. Roosters (Don't think they will do much at all, not a fan of their team)
13. St George (I could put them higher up, but Boyd, Gasnier and Bennett are huge losses and they will pay from them)
14. Sharks (Would like to see them make it, but no)
15. Rabbitohs (Lost their halfback, Inglis doesn't turn up for regular season. A long year for them)
16. Penrith (Losing a bunch of talent without adequate replacement)

I agree but disagree with some. If Kearney relies on Melbourne tactics chances are sooner or later they will have a Melbourne style year.

Bold selections though so not attacking you as you will probably see odd selections in mine.

1. Manly Sea Eagles
2. Newcastle Knights
3. Melbourne Storm
4. Parramatta Eels
5. Wests Tigers
6. South Sydney Rabbitohs
7. Canberra Raiders
8. St George Illawarra Dragons

9. Canterbury Bulldogs
10. Brisbane Broncos
11. Sydney Roosters
12. New Zealand Warriors
13. North Queensland Cowboys
14. Gold Coast Titans
15. Penrith Panthers
16. Cronulla Sharks


I think the big movers will be Parra and Souffs. Mainly due to their coaches, Souths will become more methodical and consistent but they will still come up short in the finals, Parra are the dark horse, no one will want a bar of them but a decent spine to go with some talent out wide will be make or break for their coach.

I expect the Sharks will struggle, Todd Carney is their only saviour even then the absolute most I can see them at would be 10th or so.

The Cowboys and Titans are the hardest to place, both can make the finals but I expect an injury riddled season for the Cowboys and the Titans still trying to re discover themselves.

Any of the top 14 sides can make the finals and any of the top 5 can win.

 

[BranVan3000]

I am not even going to try. I would probably get closer pulling team names randomly from a hat.

Based on the last few years you would be best off putting the second place team near the spoon, putting three teams from the bottom 8 into the top 8 and three top 8 teams into the bottom of the ladder

 

[typicalfan]

The funniest thing about these threads is not when people get 3/4 of it wrong but the reasons they give, I don't like this team they'll do shit. This team is f**kin old, that team played like shit for the 4 games I saw them in 2011

I got 6 of the top 8 teams last year. In the end some teams will over perform, some will under perform, it is a guessing game really.

 

[MacDougall]

1. Tigers
2. Sea Eagles
3. Warriors
4. Knights
5. Storm
6. Roosters
7. Titans
8. Eels
9. Dragons
10. Raiders
11. Cowboys
12. Panthers
13. Broncos
14. Dogs
15. Rabbitohs
16. Sharks

 

[Ladmate]

He isnt really a rookie coach. Has won an ESL title and coached the Kiwi's.

Then again Kearney has coached the Kiwis too and won just about everything there is to win there.

But McClennan should have the experience to manage a team over a full season, unlike Kearney.

True. I just needed a reason to drop them lower. The top 8 is completely different every year and I wanted to replicate that.

I don't get the logic behind the Titans position

There is not much logic. I even said they will overachieve at 5th and get knocked out in straight sets. There's always one overachiever, and the Titans will be in 2012 IMO.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

5. Titans (Overachievers, will get knocked out in straight sets. Skilled Park gets them this spot)

This makes as much sense as a girl explaining their bad mood as 'nothing'. Nope, even less.

Fairly certain they played at Skilled this year and finished 16th? Hell, they'll be massive overachievers if they get to 5th.

 

[Ladmate]

This makes as much sense as a girl explaining their bad mood as 'nothing'. Nope, even less.

Fairly certain they played at Skilled this year and finished 16th? Hell, they'll be massive overachievers if they get to 5th.

Well they have a better team, and the wooden spooners always improve. Remember that 5th-8th are seperated by around 2 points, and therefore not much different than predicting Titans 8th.