Newcastle - UP - if they don't improve on last season, I'll eat my hat (which is made of custard, so remembering this promise is not as fun as you'd imagine). They have recruited well, bringing in a quality fullback that will allow Gidley to play a controlling roll around the ruck. That alone should pay dividends in the win loss area. Last year, the Knights were one of those sides that looked great in patches and awful at others. They could have finished anywhere from 8th to 11th and got lucky enough to finish 8th, but we all know that hardly makes you a finals contender. This season they will be a contender. I dont think they'll win it, but they're building towards something special soon.
Bulldogs - Down. This is a team with a workmanlike forward pack with an average second row. They have players with the ability to blow open games, but lack the ability as a team to be consistant. They do not have an established, quality halves pairing and their backline looks decidedly patchy. But you know the Bulldogs spirit will get them through games they really should lose and that means they're hard to predict. Remember, if you win half your games you end up in 8th spot and the Dogs are capable of that. But they also have the capacity to f**k things up royally and if they get injuries to a couple of key members to their forward pack they could struggle. They may prove me wrong, but I'm tipping them to slide.
Souths - What the flip do I make of this lot? They have the forward pack capable of taking on the league and had they not suffered so many key injuries last year they would have made the play offs for sure - probably finishing as high as 6th. But they've lost their key playmaker and the only established playmaker they have is a lazy, good for nothing twot half the time. OK, in fairness, the other half of the time, he's great - but a 50% man as your key play maker? That's worrying. That puts alot of pressure onto the shoulders of the youngster coming in to replace Sandow. Still they unearthed a great player in Roberts last season and their injuries meant some other second string players like McQueen, Farrell etc got valuable playing time and if their first 13 stay fit that makes their bench really impressive. Plus they've added Matt King and if Inglis is fit from the start they'll make trouble. Finish.....? 9th lol@Souff$
Roosters - Same, or down. Last year the Roosters were a team that struggled and at one stage looked destined for the wooden spoon. Yet the team stuck together and once Carney was dumped they ended the season with four straight wins and 10th place on the ladder. There is alot to like about this team and alot to concern their supporters at the same time. Anasta and Pearce as a halves combination? I just dont see that breaking down too many teams. Both players are precentage footballers. That works when you're St George and the rest of the team dont drop the f**king ball all the time, but this is the Roosters. Knock ons arent part of the game, they are a way of life. That means you need to break games off your own try line and score from long range. Carney could do that, Anasta and Pearce cannot. They get through the sets and kick for field position. If the team can do that, they'll use their defence to win field position back and will win games. If they cant they'll lose more than they win. The Roosters have the youngest squad in the NRL with very few big name players and an extremely mobile pack. But their pack lacks class, size and impact at times. Their back line needs their best players on the park at all times as it has no depth. If they can keep their best team on the park for most of the season, they'll end where they did last year. If they get bitten by injuries, they'll slide down a couple of spots.
Panthers - How could this team have been a top 3 candidate just two years ago? Phil Gould and Ivan Cleary have their work cut out if they want to return to the top of the NRL pack. Their second row has Lewis. In fact, he's their pack and one of their play makers. That's not enough. Trent Waterhouse has gone to Warrington and Petro has gone to Brisbane. They've been replaced by Danny Galea & Client Newton. Think about that for a while. They're relying on youth and their juniors to turn things around, but that takes time, I think that Gould has a three year plan in place and this is just year 1. They will get there, but not in 2012. In their favour though they have a backline that includes Jennings, Coote & Gordon. Most teams would kill for that pedigree and if those three stay fit and interested in playing (yes I'm looking at you Jennings) then they could well surprise a few people. But my tip is a slide.
