Ladder Predictions for 2012

[mattyg]

1. Storm
2. Tigers
3. Manly
4. Brisbane
5. Bulldogs
6. Kinghts
7. Rabbitohs
8. Warriors

I think Dragons will miss out next year.

 

[CC_Roosters]

I got 5/8 last year so not too bad

1) Manly
2) Tigers
3) Melbourne
4) Parra
5) Warriors
6) Steelers
7) Newcastle
8) Souths

Spoon- Bulldogs

Gets harder and harder to pick a top 8

 

[typicalfan]

Titans have cleaned out the place but think Prince is becoming a weakness.

 

[M2D2]

Sharks wont come last.
But we thank you all for the vote of confidence.

 

[Red Bear]

Top 4 - Tigers, Warriors, Sea Eagles, Storm
5-8 - Dragons, Souths, Newcastle, Parramatta

9-12 - Roosters, Raiders, Brisbane, Cows
13-16 - Titans, Sharks, Penrith, Dogs

But it's all wild speculation at this point. Melbourne could well fall,Blair is a loss. I think every side's a good shot at making top 8 except maybe the Tits and Penrith (although I can see Penrith being sucessful long term). Sharks have even bought relatively well.

 

[BunniesMan]

1. Manly - all the pieces are in place for them to be in contention again
2. Souths - with Supercoach 3.0 now running the show, the final piece of the puzzle is in place, Sandow is gone (who brought as many negatives as he did positives), Maguire will improve the things that need to be improved to make us top 4
3. Melbourne - this years failure will make them hungrier than ever, and Supercoach 2.0 will always have them as a contender
4. Wests - the second half of the season showed how good they can be
5. Newcastle - Supercoach 1.0 to take a mediocre teamto edge of the top 4
6. Warriors - can turn it on with the best of them but havent got what it takes to be consistent enough for the top 4
7. North Queensland - not quite top 4, but enough talent to stay in the 8.
8. Roosters - picking them as the big surgers

9. Brisbane - no Lockyer will see them just miss out
10. Canberra - I really don't think they're that good, full strength or not
11. Canterbury - their squad screams mediocrity to me
12. Parramatta - to me there is just very little talent here
13. St George - Departures will hurt bigtime, what's left isn't much good.
14. Penrith - Gould isn't a magician, another team that lacks the talent
15. Gold Coast - Cronulla's biggest competition for the spoon
16. Cronulla - losing their star props will hurt, Gallen can't do everything. Very little else around him.

 

[Red Bear]

Titans have cleaned out the place but think Prince is becoming a weakness.

They bought centres and forwards and still have bugger all creativity (if Prince continues his downward trend). They bought outside backs but not hugely impressive ones (although there's a fair bit of potential with Idris). Dont rate them very highly.

 

[Michael Bishop]

Wests Tigers
Manly
Warriors
Newcastle
Melbourne
St George/Illaw
Penrith
Canberra
Souths
Brisbane
North Queensland
Sydney Roosters
Parramatta
Canterbury
Cronulla
Gold Coast

 

[Penrose Warrior]

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.

That I can agree with. Wouldn't be fair if I didn't do mine in return..

1. Melbourne. Masters of the regular season. Seldom lose at AAMI
2. Manly. As above, not much changes.
3. Tigers. Getting predictable here but again, not losing a lot + Blair.
4. Knights. Honeymoon year with the coach.
5. Warriors. Would've picked higher with Cleary. But too good to be below here.
6. Broncos. Still got a very good side. Take time to adjust post-Lockyer.
7. Eels. On the proviso Hayne plays at fullback.
8. Cowboys. Got a good mix of youth and experience ala 2011.

9. Souths. Perenially 9th...or 10th. Can't ignore history.
10. Raiders. Would be better with a new coach.
11. Dragons. New coach, new challenges.
12. Bulldogs. New coach, same inconsistencies.
13. Panthers. New coach, same team that missed out this year.
14. Titans. Prince on the slide, overhyped purchases with no passion.
15. Roosters. Coach gone by the final Origin.
16. Sharks. No way out of the mire that is Cronulla.

 

[cleary89]

Tigers to miss the 8 imo and manly to finish no higher than 6th. Will do a list later.

 

[Marshall_magic]

1. Storm (will be consistent as always)
2. Sea Eagles (will be very tough to beat again, DCE now has a season under his belt and will be even better next year)
3. Warriors (Will build on what they did at the end of this year, plus they'll have a halfback for the whole season)
4. Knights (Bought well, Wayne will get the best out of some of their players)
5. Tigers (Will bomb badly if we get a couple of injuries up front, otherwise we're looking good, providing Miller steps up at halfback)
6. Roosters (Now the Carney sideshow is gone, they'll be back up there again)
7. Brisbane (will fall off a bit, lots of pressure on Wallace who may not be up to it)
8. Dragons (won't fall out of the 8, for now)

9. Eels (Some good buys will help them, but will still be a bit too erratic)
10. Cowboys (I just can't find a spot higher up for them)
11. Souths (decent backline, but no halves)
12. Panthers (back to being perenial nobodies again, just lacking something)
13. Titans (have bought well, but not well enough)
14. Raiders (a lot of their juniors aren't really kicking on, if it continues next year it will be a long season)
15. Bulldogs (average side, if Barba goes down they'll have little in attack)
16. Sharks (lost a lot of quality, but haven't replaced it)

 

[typicalfan]

They bought centres and forwards and still have bugger all creativity (if Prince continues his downward trend). They bought outside backs but not hugely impressive ones (although there's a fair bit of potential with Idris). Dont rate them very highly.

I think also people underestimate how much of a loss Friend was and can be for them. Sure Srama did well, but it isn't the same. Friend could be the spark the Warriors need but he is getting older and a new environment could be difficult.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

They bought centres and forwards and still have bugger all creativity (if Prince continues his downward trend). They bought outside backs but not hugely impressive ones (although there's a fair bit of potential with Idris). Dont rate them very highly.

My issue with the Titans is the quality of the signings. Not their footballing quality, their mental quality.

Idris gave up at the Dogs. Myles gave up at the Roosters. Champion never gives up the ball.

Douglas being the exception, of course.

 

[Izz]

My issue with the Titans is the quality of the signings. Not their footballing quality, their mental quality.

Idris gave up at the Dogs. Myles gave up at the Roosters. Champion never gives up the ball.

Douglas being the exception, of course.

Sure he does. He knocks it on at least twice a game.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Willingly!

 

[cleary89]

1. Melbourne
2. Knights
3. Brisbane
4. NZ
5. Cowboys
6. Manly
7. Dragons
8. Eels

9. Tigers
10. Souths
11. Raiders
12. Bulldogs
13. Roosters
14. Sharks
15. Titans
16. Penrith

 

[Ausguy]

cmon people keep on picking the sharks to come last please....

 

[Ron's_Mate]

50uff$ to take out the minor premiership and grand final.
They'll beat the Storm 100 to 0 in the GF.
John Sutton wins the Clive Churchill medal & the Dally M.


LOL

 

[Red Bear]

I think also people underestimate how much of a loss Friend was and can be for them. Sure Srama did well, but it isn't the same. Friend could be the spark the Warriors need but he is getting older and a new environment could be difficult.

Yeah i'd agree, although I saw Falloon play quite a bit this year for Norths and he was excellent, not flashy but very good from dummy half, he could step up as well.

 

[BranVan3000]

I don't buy into the Souths "no halves" argument. 4 of the top 8 teams were running around with a rookie in the halves this year. The two Grand Final teams didn't have a half between them with more than two years NRL experience, meanwhile the bottom two had "premiership winning halves." It just proves that good coaching is more important than buying a name.

Souths will be in a big shake up this off season. A new half is not necessarily a bad thing after 4 years of missing the 8 with Sandow/Lang.