Ladder Predictions for 2012

[AuDragon]

This is akin to guess the lottery numbers, but I'll have a stab...

Warriors
Cowboys
Sea Eagles
Broncos
Storm
Eels
Tigers
Knights

Titans
Raiders
Dragons
Sharks
Bulldogs
Panthers
Rabbits
Roosters

I reckon the clubs in bold will be heavily involved in a battle for a top 8 spot. Fairly convinced of my top 3 and bottom 5 though...

 

[Moffo]

lulz

 

[Goddo]

Going off percentages from the poll it will be

Storm
Warriors
Sea Eagles
Tigers
Knights
Broncos
Dragons

Eels
Bulldogs
Rabbitohs/Raidres
Cowboys
Sharks/Titans
Roosters/Panthers

 

[sputneek]

lol at everyone picking the same teams that made the top 8 in 2011 to make it in 2012. I hope you guys don't bet...

 

[DoggiesBro]

of the 670 votes thus far, i hope the 13 who voted roosters don't bet.:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[Eels Dude]

1. Tigers - They have a strong side and are due after a couple of years in the top 4 now.
2. Manly - Still have their premiership winning side and Toovey will be an adequate replacement for Hasler given he really just needs to needs to continue doing what Dessy has been doing.
3. Storm - As long as they have the spine in top form they'll be top 4.
4. Knights - Good signnings and the Bennett influence will have them close to a premiership
5. Titans - They had an off year last year but have recruited well replacing old heads with strike players in their prime. If Bird and Prince get back in form they're a premiership threat
6. Raiders - Assuming Campese, Dugan, and Leyroyd-Lahrs stay injury free unlike last year then they should do what people were expecting them to do in 2011.
7. Brisbane - Their great young players should be good enough to get them into the 8 but they'll miss Lockyer.
8. Dragons - With Bennett gone they'll drop, but should still have learned enough from his time there to sneak into the 8.
9. Cronulla - The surprise packet. Carney will be the playmaker they've desperately needed for a long time
10. Warriors - Never seem to offer consistency season to season. They may have made the GF this year but they're losing their coach and a bunch of senior players so while they are in contention for the finals again there are no guarentees
11. Cowboys - Like always they rely too much on Thurston and this will be their downfall again in 2012
12. Eels - Should improve with Sandow at halfback but backrow is probably the weakest in the comp and depth is scarce in the outside backs too making us too one dimensional to be a threat.
13. Roosters - Went backwards last year and there's no reason I can see as to why they'd move forward again next year. Relied too much on players hitting career best form in 2010.
14. Bulldogs - Dessie will take some time to set in. On paper one of the weakest Bulldogs squads in memory. It will take more than a year for them to rebuild.
15. Souths - Maguire sounds like a good coach but relying on a rookie halfback is risky especially if your 5'8th is really a ball playing backrower
16. Penrith - Lost some good players and replaced them with nobody. Gus being in the camp will get them a premiership within a few years but they'll have to endure short term pain before that happens.

 

[POPEYE]

Souths, Cronulla and Parramatta to make the 51% pass mark. . . not sure how they'll go in the 'two-up' part but it's anyone's guess as usual

 

[CC_Roosters]

Going by the poll folks dont rate Parra this season coming, they are my dark horses.

 

[eozsmiles]

Two or three sides from the previous season usually miss out so we cant just pick the same teams.

Manly
Melbourne
Warriors
Tigers
Cowboys
Knights
Eels
Titans
Saints
Broncos
Dogs
Roosters
Sharks
Raiders
Panthers
Souths


The 3 sides I think are certain to make the 8 are Manly, Melbourne, and the Warriors. All those teams have similar key personnel to last year and are expected to play well at home. Should do well.
Next best I'd put the Cowboys and Tigers. The reasons I don't think they are automatic picks is that the Cowboys have a woeful record post Origin, while the Tigers have lost some experience and have a new first choice halfback. Both have a history of finding themselves in a slump.

I'm prepared to tip the Knights to make the finals, better squad than least year and a better coach.
That makes the two teams most at risk of dropping from the finals Brisbane (no Locky) and St George (no Bennett, Boyd, Gasnier). I think the teams that will be in the usual battle for 7-8 are in bold. I went for Parra and Gold Coast to fill the 8. The Titans were too bad to be true last year and have bought some talent. Parra showed some heart at times last year against decent teams and have a halfback this year.

 

[CQ RAIDER]

here goes
1. Wests`Tigers
2. North Queensland Cowboys
3. Manly Sea Eagles
4. New Zealand Warriors
5. Canterbury Bulldogs
6. Canberra Raiders
7. Penrith Panthers
8. Cronulla Sharks
9. Brisbane Broncos
1o. Melbourne Storm
11. Newcastle Knights
12. Parramatta Eels
13. Saint George Illawarra Dragons
14. South Sydney Rabbitohs
15. Sydney Roosters
16. Gold Coast Titans

 

[CC_Roosters]

here goes
1. Wests`Tigers
2. North Queensland Cowboys
3. Manly Sea Eagles
4. New Zealand Warriors
5. Canterbury Bulldogs
6. Canberra Raiders
7. Penrith Panthers
8. Cronulla Sharks
9. Brisbane Broncos
1o. Melbourne Storm
11. Newcastle Knights
12. Parramatta Eels
13. Saint George Illawarra Dragons
14. South Sydney Rabbitohs
15. Sydney Roosters
16. Gold Coast Titans

Surely not

 

[Bicey_18]

here goes
1. Wests`Tigers
2. North Queensland Cowboys
3. Manly Sea Eagles
4. New Zealand Warriors
5. Canterbury Bulldogs
6. Canberra Raiders
7. Penrith Panthers
8. Cronulla Sharks
9. Brisbane Broncos
1o. Melbourne Storm
11. Newcastle Knights
12. Parramatta Eels
13. Saint George Illawarra Dragons
14. South Sydney Rabbitohs
15. Sydney Roosters
16. Gold Coast Titans

no..no...no

 

[CQ RAIDER]

Surely not

injuries will take a part in my prediction . Slater and smith are due for some time on the sidelines. Also think panthers will surprise. But who knows

 

[CQ RAIDER]

no..no...no

onya gus

 

[winnyason]

parra big improvers top 4, knights be up there.
Tigers, warriors, manly, parra, knights, broncos, saints, souths the rest don't care.

 

[Tommy Smith]

1. Melbourne Storm
2. North Queensland Cowboys
3. New Zealand Warriors
4. Newcastle Knights
5. Manly Sea Eagles
6. Sydney Roosters
7. Parramatta Eels
8. St George Illawarra Dragons
9. Canterbury Bulldogs
10. Penrith Panthers
11. Wests Tigers
12. Brisbane Broncos
13. South Sydney Rabbitohs
14. Cronulla Sharks
15. Canberra Raiders
16. Gold Coast Titans

 

[Ozzy]

of the 670 votes thus far, i hope the 13 who voted roosters don't bet.:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Awww did the nasty big chicken peck you when you were a baby?

 

[firechild]

here goes
1. Wests`Tigers
2. North Queensland Cowboys
3. Manly Sea Eagles
4. New Zealand Warriors
5. Canterbury Bulldogs
6. Canberra Raiders
7. Penrith Panthers
8. Cronulla Sharks
9. Brisbane Broncos
1o. Melbourne Storm
11. Newcastle Knights
12. Parramatta Eels
13. Saint George Illawarra Dragons
14. South Sydney Rabbitohs
15. Sydney Roosters
16. Gold Coast Titans

You left out the Warrigan part.

 

[Wheeled Warrior]

I agree with the second statement. There's a high chance that the Warriors, like the Eels did in 2010 and the Roosters this year, will suffer from a bout of second-year syndrome, especially with a young, inexperienced squad.

The only difference is the Warriors are a better club than Paramatta and Roosters were the next year after they made the GF. We were lucky to get there in the first place. Roosters and Parramatta losing players and coaches accompanied by in house fighting, I can tell you this is not a problem with the Warriors we have gotten better

 

[coolumsharkie]

You left out the Warrigan part.

You mean Warringah?