Misty Bee
First Grade
- Messages
- 7,082
OK. Neck stuck out. Here I go into the Charlie Saab world of predictions - and traditionlally I get as much right as he does LOL. So here goes.
BRISBANE
Dad's Army. Darren Lockyer is brilliant as John Le Mesuerier guiding a Broncos home guard that still remembers their Boer War - SuperLeague. There is no doubting the talent, but the proximity to an age pension for most of them is of major concern. Read - same old, same old.
Brisbane need youth to take hold. The last crop, which yielded the likes of the Berrigan brothers, Brad Myers, Carl Webb, Dane Carlaw et al, didn't bear much fruit(Shaun Berrigan is a competent top level player, but no game breaker). However, if they fire, they could do anything. Finals is the key. There is no Origin factor at the Broncos, it's a finals factor. They must conquer that.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Dane Carlaw to step up. Heaps of talent, but has has never had a leadership role thrust on him.
BEST ASSETS: Shane Webcke, evergreen, awesome. A gun backline, a formidable home ground. David Stagg - best of their young guns by a mile.
WORST PROBLEM: Darren Lockyer needs help! He needs a decent halfback who can allow him to select his time. Lockyer is a workhorse who rarely complains. Maybe he's a ball hog on a perfect situation - no one else can create anything!
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Will make the preliminary final
WORST CASE SCENARIO: 11th
PREDICTION: 11th
CANBERRA
Only in a season like 2005 could I be impressed with the side that ran third last! Canberra have a squad that would would fill a good PL side, but they pushed hard early. Injuries killed their season, but they never lost ticker. I can still recall them mowing down a 20 point defecit at Penrith.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Jason Smith to stay on the paddock! Smith is a huge asset for 50% of the year - the other 50% he's suspended!
BEST ASSETS: No one gives 'em a chance. They will sneak upon many sides who don't play for the full 80. Schifcofske, probably the most underrated player in the NRL, is a match winner.
WORST PROBLEM: No one give's 'em a chance! Home games aren't packed anymore, so their road trips are crucial. Their depth is suss as well.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Top 6 - it's definitely possible.
WORST CASE SCENARIO: Spoon
PREDICTION: 9th
CANTERBURY
Last year they were bloody awful! They were like a trashy womens mag - all gloss and glitz on the cover, sh*t inside. Injuries never helped, but for a club with more depth than a coal mine, their result was woeful. Thankfully, SBW is no longer regarded as the world's saviour. Sadly, their big guns Bobcat Ryan, Willie Mason and Shrek O'Meley spent 2005 learning how to lose form. Roy Asotasi, Tony Grimaldi and the evergreen El Masri carried the side last year. For 2006, Canterbury HAVE to improve.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Brent Sherwin to live up to his promise. The guy has test half written allover him, and the job is very much up for grabs, with no one really gunning for it.
BEST ASSETS: Big, mongrel forwards.
WORST PROBLEM: Has the hunger gone? All the salary cap hype leading up to their 2004 premiership has abated. Has it drained them?
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Top 4
WORST CASE SCENARIO: A repeat of last year.
PREDICTION: 5th
CRONULLA
A big clean out from this undisciplined club would be the thing they need. It's a new era for the Hobbits, without Peachey, Nutley and Stevens. Not bad replacements in Ben Ross and Lance Thompson either. Cronulla's recent curse has been ill discipline, falling apart like a manic depressive whenever the going gets tough. It's gone through the club, too. No matter who they buy, unless they become super disciplined, they've got buckleys.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: To be positive in tight games and show discipline. Their runners and backs must respond better to Kimmorley's artwork.
BEST ASSETS: Kimmorley and Vagana shapes up as a gun halves pairing in an era when no one has a gun halves pairing. Paul Gallen's workrate. They also haven't got the weight of expectation on them.
WORST PROBLEM: Undiscipline. Lack of depth.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: They'll stay close to the top all year, jag home semi final against Brisbane and possibly sneak into the prelim finals.
WORST CASE SCENARIO: Kimorley gets injured. Bottom 6
PREDICTION: 12th
MANLY
Back to the good 'ol chequebook days! Beware, for every great signing (Kennedy) their is a dud signing as well (Kite). So, by mortgaing the family farm on 2 players whose best achievement is to be called "underrated" by commentators on Super Saturday, they run the risk of looking like the premierships biggest chumps! However, you have to look a their forwards, especially their first half of '05, and predict that Orford and Bell willonly improve it.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Orford to live up to his expectations. Backs to punch above their weight.
BEST ASSETS: Menzies, Watmough and Kennedy. These 3, with Mick Monaghan, made Manly's season look better than it was last year.
WORST PROBLEM: Can't get over the effect the Monaghan treatment could have on morale. He was treated appallingly. They are also undisiplined, coming up with 90% of the most disgusting acts onfield last year.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: All the money gods will smile and they's make the top 4
WORST CASE SCENARIO: Kennedy or Orford falter, and the club crashes.
PREDICTION: 7th
MELBOURNE
My biggest surprise last year was seeing Melbourne players weeping after the Cowboys knocked 'em out - they thought they were going to win the comp!!! I find it also interesting that few Storm fans fear losing Orford. Cooper Cronk has blitzed 'em so far in the trials, suggesting that potentially Orford won't be missed. They have bought mongrel up front. Mick Croker will love the trip up the Hume for the judiciary hearings, but he's probably a very good asset in big, tight, finals games.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Scott Hill to fire. Plenty of decent ball to Inglis, Slater and King will bring points a plenty.
BEST ASSETS: Cam Smith at dummy half. Dallas Johnson's defence. Brilliant backs.
WORST PROBLEM: Replacing Orford, and finding a forward leader to replace Robbie Kearns.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Premiership
WORST CASE SCENARIO: Miss the 8
PREDICTION: 3rd
NEW ZEALAND
Salary cap dramas - good timing! Possibly starting the year in the red, no Stacey Jones, new untried coach, big money tied up in over 30's props, erratic players everywhere. It could just work!!! I reckon the salary cap will pull them together, but that's won't mecessarily make 'em consistent. Maybe the Tri Nations victory will.
My biggest problem is with Price and Wiki - big money and not much time to see the investment mature. They were bought so that 06 would be NZ's big year, and it's doesn't look like happening.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Nathan Fein to fire. Koopu, Meli, Guttenbeil, Paaleasina, Faumuina and their bench to play to their potential, consistently.
BEST ASSETS: Brent Webb. Their ad-lib style, and the underdog tag.
WORST PROBLEM: Internal strife and ill discipline. Ageing forward pack.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Top 8.
WORST CASE SCENARIO: Spoon
PREDICTION: 14th
NEWCASTLE
2005 saw Newcastle become the best wooden spooners ever. Still, it all hinges on Joey - Rugby League's version of the statue of David being held together by 60 tubes of superglue. Not much else to say really. Matt Gidley might get some of those magic passes away.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Johns on the field.
BEST ASSETS: Johns, a big home crowd, and the fact that they blooded a heap of juniors last year.
WORST PROBLEM: Johns.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Premiership
WORST CASE SCENARIO: Spoon
PREDICTION: 6th
NORTH QUEENSLAND
The new competition heavyweights. The most stable backline in the comp, and one of the most lethal. Dally M man at halfback. Big forwards. The best performing side in the last 2 years. People fear losing Rauhihi (who wasn't as dominant in 05 as he was in 04). Carl Webb's there, so is Steve Southern, and O'Donnells now a test player,and Tronc is huge. Their young forwards are ready to mature.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Carl Webb fit in September. Thurston to gel with Firman in the halves. Bowen to have as much impact on a game as possible,
BEST ASSETS: Stability, combined with high achievement.
WORST PROBLEM: Honestly can't find one. Origin commitments?
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Premiers
WORST CASE SCENARIO: miss the 8
PREDICTION: Premiers
PARRAMATTA
With the best squad in the NRL on paper, Parramatta should lobby the NRL to make it a first past the post competition. They have a gun forward pack, but it's getting a whiff of age about it. Their backs are brilliant - Eric Grothe and Ben Smith are virtually unstoppable, and Timana Tahu is going great in the centres. Heaps of depth. Fiu Fiu going nuts. Not much reason why the minor premiership can't be repeated.
However, they have bought no one - increasing the risk of other teams working them out. Then there is the Smith factor. There's one year left, Brian. Can you add anything to your resume this year?
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Hindmarsh, Morrison, Tim Smith and John Morris fit and healthy.
BEST ASSETS: Nathan Hindmarsh. Depth.
WORST PROBLEM: Preliminary finals!!!!
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Premiers
WORST CASE SCENARIO: miss the 8
PREDICTION: 4th
PENRITH
Last year, Penrith were like the bikies table at the trivia night. Heaps of brawn, bugger all skill. The tragedy was not seeing Luke Rooney in his annointed position in the right wing for Australia. They are still relying on Craig Gower, the slowest halfback since Ben Kusto gave up Mogadon, to do it all. Gower is clever, but not nippy enough - he could have been anything had he stayed a hooker.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Better service to the backs. Trent Waterhouse to step up and dominate in the way Mark Geyer and John Cartwright used to, variety.
BEST ASSETS: Forward strength, led by Waterhouse.
WORST PROBLEM: Scoring points.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Top 8
WORST CASE SCENARIO: Spoon
PREDICTION: SPOON
SOUTH SYDNEY
Only Souths could find way to eternally hold themselves back. Just forget bloody Redfern, give the bills to Homes-a-court and get on with it!!!! If tey could only let their ON FIELD efforts count for something.
John Sutton was a huge find last year. So was the old rabbitoh ticker - a great effort to hold of the rampaging Knghts in the great spoon battle of '05. They are a positive squad. While light on for depth and forward size, they make up for in effort. And missing Anasta, Bell and Orford won't be such an issue.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Forwards to fire, to give their halves room. Do this, and they will surprise a hell of a lot of people.
BEST ASSETS: Positive,enterprising play, and self belief
WORST PROBLEM: depth.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Top 6
WORST CASE SCENARIO: Spoonsville again!
PREDICTION: 10th
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA
Came of age last year on the back of the vintage Barret year that we've been waiting a decade for. Still, like other years, they failed to grasp the big opportinuty when it came. Much is expected in 06. However, thses guys never carry the weight of expectation well. Simms, Young and Creah will again be test certs and not get there. Ryles will still give 20 hitups, 20 tackles and 20 penalties, and the halfback problems are still there.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: A half! Hornby is better out wide, and Barett can't do it all on his own. Bailey to play at his best, and some of the older head to take the pressure of Barrett.
BEST ASSETS: Wes Naiquama out wide, spent all year making Cooper look better than he is. Plenty of strikepower all over the place.
WORST PROBLEM: Can be inconsistent, and lacks a true leader. Barrets not it, and the wieght of it can stifle his game.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Premiership
WORST CASE SCENARIO: They fall apart and miss the 8
PREDICTION: 2nd
SYDNEY
This side is falling. No offence to Rooster fans, but their magnificant dominance of the game since 2000 is over.
The chooks would never have made those grand finals had Fitzgibbon, Morley, Flannery et al been 5 years older. They are all slowing up, and they are trying to replace the irreplaceable Freddy, rather than rebuilding a different team.
Brett Finch is the biggest scapegoat in global history. Blaming him for everything from the poor Latte at Vaucluse House to rotting used condoms in the Cross is rediculous. The have bought big (Anasta, Harrison), but they always do. Please note that their last 3 big signings that lived up to expectations were Brad Fittler, Hugh McGahn and Arthur Beetson! Ryan Cross should become an Origin player in 2006.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Anasta to become the perfect link man from he ruck to Ryan Cross and Minichiello. .
BEST ASSETS: A. Minichiello. Thank you linesman, thank you ballboys.
WORST PROBLEM: They are an old side being patched up. Topou and Soliola seem the only real emerging talent
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Top 8
WORST CASE SCENARIO: Stone motherless last.
PREDICTION: 13th
WESTS
Still scratching my head over how that mob could have won the comp!!!! Reality has set in, with Marshall and Prince deliberating before signing (Prince is still not comitting). Last years win was more refreshing than a cold shower on a hot day. Are they a powerhouse yet?
Wests won because they were consistent while the comp crumbled around them. They met Canterbury after Parra had decimated them. They cuaght the Cowboys at a low ebb, and again smashed them. Brisbane were in a confidence-sapping losing streak, Saints were underdone, and there was little chance of teh Cowpats turning around a 50 point hiding in the big one.
I don't think they can count on as much luck in 06. Prince needs Marshall to be effective IMHO. All teams will lift for them, there won't be any easy games. Still, they have bought big, thereby strengthening their 05 achilles heel.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Prince and Marshall fit and on the field together. They also need to overcome the big loss of Pat Richards out wide.
BEST ASSETS: The experience and guile of Paul Whatuira out wide is grossly understated IMHO. A dual grand final winner and tri nations winner, he's probably got the best resume of any centre going around. List Hodgeson and Farah here as ell. And a fantastic comeraderie put in place by Tim Sheens and Roye Simmonds.
WORST PROBLEM: The thought that they were clayton's premiers. Overstating Scott prince's abilities.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Back to back
WORST CASE SCENARIO: They get found out, and miss the playoffs
PREDICTION: 8th
BRISBANE
Dad's Army. Darren Lockyer is brilliant as John Le Mesuerier guiding a Broncos home guard that still remembers their Boer War - SuperLeague. There is no doubting the talent, but the proximity to an age pension for most of them is of major concern. Read - same old, same old.
Brisbane need youth to take hold. The last crop, which yielded the likes of the Berrigan brothers, Brad Myers, Carl Webb, Dane Carlaw et al, didn't bear much fruit(Shaun Berrigan is a competent top level player, but no game breaker). However, if they fire, they could do anything. Finals is the key. There is no Origin factor at the Broncos, it's a finals factor. They must conquer that.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Dane Carlaw to step up. Heaps of talent, but has has never had a leadership role thrust on him.
BEST ASSETS: Shane Webcke, evergreen, awesome. A gun backline, a formidable home ground. David Stagg - best of their young guns by a mile.
WORST PROBLEM: Darren Lockyer needs help! He needs a decent halfback who can allow him to select his time. Lockyer is a workhorse who rarely complains. Maybe he's a ball hog on a perfect situation - no one else can create anything!
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Will make the preliminary final
WORST CASE SCENARIO: 11th
PREDICTION: 11th
CANBERRA
Only in a season like 2005 could I be impressed with the side that ran third last! Canberra have a squad that would would fill a good PL side, but they pushed hard early. Injuries killed their season, but they never lost ticker. I can still recall them mowing down a 20 point defecit at Penrith.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Jason Smith to stay on the paddock! Smith is a huge asset for 50% of the year - the other 50% he's suspended!
BEST ASSETS: No one gives 'em a chance. They will sneak upon many sides who don't play for the full 80. Schifcofske, probably the most underrated player in the NRL, is a match winner.
WORST PROBLEM: No one give's 'em a chance! Home games aren't packed anymore, so their road trips are crucial. Their depth is suss as well.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Top 6 - it's definitely possible.
WORST CASE SCENARIO: Spoon
PREDICTION: 9th
CANTERBURY
Last year they were bloody awful! They were like a trashy womens mag - all gloss and glitz on the cover, sh*t inside. Injuries never helped, but for a club with more depth than a coal mine, their result was woeful. Thankfully, SBW is no longer regarded as the world's saviour. Sadly, their big guns Bobcat Ryan, Willie Mason and Shrek O'Meley spent 2005 learning how to lose form. Roy Asotasi, Tony Grimaldi and the evergreen El Masri carried the side last year. For 2006, Canterbury HAVE to improve.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Brent Sherwin to live up to his promise. The guy has test half written allover him, and the job is very much up for grabs, with no one really gunning for it.
BEST ASSETS: Big, mongrel forwards.
WORST PROBLEM: Has the hunger gone? All the salary cap hype leading up to their 2004 premiership has abated. Has it drained them?
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Top 4
WORST CASE SCENARIO: A repeat of last year.
PREDICTION: 5th
CRONULLA
A big clean out from this undisciplined club would be the thing they need. It's a new era for the Hobbits, without Peachey, Nutley and Stevens. Not bad replacements in Ben Ross and Lance Thompson either. Cronulla's recent curse has been ill discipline, falling apart like a manic depressive whenever the going gets tough. It's gone through the club, too. No matter who they buy, unless they become super disciplined, they've got buckleys.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: To be positive in tight games and show discipline. Their runners and backs must respond better to Kimmorley's artwork.
BEST ASSETS: Kimmorley and Vagana shapes up as a gun halves pairing in an era when no one has a gun halves pairing. Paul Gallen's workrate. They also haven't got the weight of expectation on them.
WORST PROBLEM: Undiscipline. Lack of depth.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: They'll stay close to the top all year, jag home semi final against Brisbane and possibly sneak into the prelim finals.
WORST CASE SCENARIO: Kimorley gets injured. Bottom 6
PREDICTION: 12th
MANLY
Back to the good 'ol chequebook days! Beware, for every great signing (Kennedy) their is a dud signing as well (Kite). So, by mortgaing the family farm on 2 players whose best achievement is to be called "underrated" by commentators on Super Saturday, they run the risk of looking like the premierships biggest chumps! However, you have to look a their forwards, especially their first half of '05, and predict that Orford and Bell willonly improve it.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Orford to live up to his expectations. Backs to punch above their weight.
BEST ASSETS: Menzies, Watmough and Kennedy. These 3, with Mick Monaghan, made Manly's season look better than it was last year.
WORST PROBLEM: Can't get over the effect the Monaghan treatment could have on morale. He was treated appallingly. They are also undisiplined, coming up with 90% of the most disgusting acts onfield last year.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: All the money gods will smile and they's make the top 4
WORST CASE SCENARIO: Kennedy or Orford falter, and the club crashes.
PREDICTION: 7th
MELBOURNE
My biggest surprise last year was seeing Melbourne players weeping after the Cowboys knocked 'em out - they thought they were going to win the comp!!! I find it also interesting that few Storm fans fear losing Orford. Cooper Cronk has blitzed 'em so far in the trials, suggesting that potentially Orford won't be missed. They have bought mongrel up front. Mick Croker will love the trip up the Hume for the judiciary hearings, but he's probably a very good asset in big, tight, finals games.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Scott Hill to fire. Plenty of decent ball to Inglis, Slater and King will bring points a plenty.
BEST ASSETS: Cam Smith at dummy half. Dallas Johnson's defence. Brilliant backs.
WORST PROBLEM: Replacing Orford, and finding a forward leader to replace Robbie Kearns.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Premiership
WORST CASE SCENARIO: Miss the 8
PREDICTION: 3rd
NEW ZEALAND
Salary cap dramas - good timing! Possibly starting the year in the red, no Stacey Jones, new untried coach, big money tied up in over 30's props, erratic players everywhere. It could just work!!! I reckon the salary cap will pull them together, but that's won't mecessarily make 'em consistent. Maybe the Tri Nations victory will.
My biggest problem is with Price and Wiki - big money and not much time to see the investment mature. They were bought so that 06 would be NZ's big year, and it's doesn't look like happening.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Nathan Fein to fire. Koopu, Meli, Guttenbeil, Paaleasina, Faumuina and their bench to play to their potential, consistently.
BEST ASSETS: Brent Webb. Their ad-lib style, and the underdog tag.
WORST PROBLEM: Internal strife and ill discipline. Ageing forward pack.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Top 8.
WORST CASE SCENARIO: Spoon
PREDICTION: 14th
NEWCASTLE
2005 saw Newcastle become the best wooden spooners ever. Still, it all hinges on Joey - Rugby League's version of the statue of David being held together by 60 tubes of superglue. Not much else to say really. Matt Gidley might get some of those magic passes away.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Johns on the field.
BEST ASSETS: Johns, a big home crowd, and the fact that they blooded a heap of juniors last year.
WORST PROBLEM: Johns.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Premiership
WORST CASE SCENARIO: Spoon
PREDICTION: 6th
NORTH QUEENSLAND
The new competition heavyweights. The most stable backline in the comp, and one of the most lethal. Dally M man at halfback. Big forwards. The best performing side in the last 2 years. People fear losing Rauhihi (who wasn't as dominant in 05 as he was in 04). Carl Webb's there, so is Steve Southern, and O'Donnells now a test player,and Tronc is huge. Their young forwards are ready to mature.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Carl Webb fit in September. Thurston to gel with Firman in the halves. Bowen to have as much impact on a game as possible,
BEST ASSETS: Stability, combined with high achievement.
WORST PROBLEM: Honestly can't find one. Origin commitments?
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Premiers
WORST CASE SCENARIO: miss the 8
PREDICTION: Premiers
PARRAMATTA
With the best squad in the NRL on paper, Parramatta should lobby the NRL to make it a first past the post competition. They have a gun forward pack, but it's getting a whiff of age about it. Their backs are brilliant - Eric Grothe and Ben Smith are virtually unstoppable, and Timana Tahu is going great in the centres. Heaps of depth. Fiu Fiu going nuts. Not much reason why the minor premiership can't be repeated.
However, they have bought no one - increasing the risk of other teams working them out. Then there is the Smith factor. There's one year left, Brian. Can you add anything to your resume this year?
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Hindmarsh, Morrison, Tim Smith and John Morris fit and healthy.
BEST ASSETS: Nathan Hindmarsh. Depth.
WORST PROBLEM: Preliminary finals!!!!
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Premiers
WORST CASE SCENARIO: miss the 8
PREDICTION: 4th
PENRITH
Last year, Penrith were like the bikies table at the trivia night. Heaps of brawn, bugger all skill. The tragedy was not seeing Luke Rooney in his annointed position in the right wing for Australia. They are still relying on Craig Gower, the slowest halfback since Ben Kusto gave up Mogadon, to do it all. Gower is clever, but not nippy enough - he could have been anything had he stayed a hooker.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Better service to the backs. Trent Waterhouse to step up and dominate in the way Mark Geyer and John Cartwright used to, variety.
BEST ASSETS: Forward strength, led by Waterhouse.
WORST PROBLEM: Scoring points.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Top 8
WORST CASE SCENARIO: Spoon
PREDICTION: SPOON
SOUTH SYDNEY
Only Souths could find way to eternally hold themselves back. Just forget bloody Redfern, give the bills to Homes-a-court and get on with it!!!! If tey could only let their ON FIELD efforts count for something.
John Sutton was a huge find last year. So was the old rabbitoh ticker - a great effort to hold of the rampaging Knghts in the great spoon battle of '05. They are a positive squad. While light on for depth and forward size, they make up for in effort. And missing Anasta, Bell and Orford won't be such an issue.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Forwards to fire, to give their halves room. Do this, and they will surprise a hell of a lot of people.
BEST ASSETS: Positive,enterprising play, and self belief
WORST PROBLEM: depth.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Top 6
WORST CASE SCENARIO: Spoonsville again!
PREDICTION: 10th
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA
Came of age last year on the back of the vintage Barret year that we've been waiting a decade for. Still, like other years, they failed to grasp the big opportinuty when it came. Much is expected in 06. However, thses guys never carry the weight of expectation well. Simms, Young and Creah will again be test certs and not get there. Ryles will still give 20 hitups, 20 tackles and 20 penalties, and the halfback problems are still there.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: A half! Hornby is better out wide, and Barett can't do it all on his own. Bailey to play at his best, and some of the older head to take the pressure of Barrett.
BEST ASSETS: Wes Naiquama out wide, spent all year making Cooper look better than he is. Plenty of strikepower all over the place.
WORST PROBLEM: Can be inconsistent, and lacks a true leader. Barrets not it, and the wieght of it can stifle his game.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Premiership
WORST CASE SCENARIO: They fall apart and miss the 8
PREDICTION: 2nd
SYDNEY
This side is falling. No offence to Rooster fans, but their magnificant dominance of the game since 2000 is over.
The chooks would never have made those grand finals had Fitzgibbon, Morley, Flannery et al been 5 years older. They are all slowing up, and they are trying to replace the irreplaceable Freddy, rather than rebuilding a different team.
Brett Finch is the biggest scapegoat in global history. Blaming him for everything from the poor Latte at Vaucluse House to rotting used condoms in the Cross is rediculous. The have bought big (Anasta, Harrison), but they always do. Please note that their last 3 big signings that lived up to expectations were Brad Fittler, Hugh McGahn and Arthur Beetson! Ryan Cross should become an Origin player in 2006.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Anasta to become the perfect link man from he ruck to Ryan Cross and Minichiello. .
BEST ASSETS: A. Minichiello. Thank you linesman, thank you ballboys.
WORST PROBLEM: They are an old side being patched up. Topou and Soliola seem the only real emerging talent
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Top 8
WORST CASE SCENARIO: Stone motherless last.
PREDICTION: 13th
WESTS
Still scratching my head over how that mob could have won the comp!!!! Reality has set in, with Marshall and Prince deliberating before signing (Prince is still not comitting). Last years win was more refreshing than a cold shower on a hot day. Are they a powerhouse yet?
Wests won because they were consistent while the comp crumbled around them. They met Canterbury after Parra had decimated them. They cuaght the Cowboys at a low ebb, and again smashed them. Brisbane were in a confidence-sapping losing streak, Saints were underdone, and there was little chance of teh Cowpats turning around a 50 point hiding in the big one.
I don't think they can count on as much luck in 06. Prince needs Marshall to be effective IMHO. All teams will lift for them, there won't be any easy games. Still, they have bought big, thereby strengthening their 05 achilles heel.
TO DO WELL THEY NEED: Prince and Marshall fit and on the field together. They also need to overcome the big loss of Pat Richards out wide.
BEST ASSETS: The experience and guile of Paul Whatuira out wide is grossly understated IMHO. A dual grand final winner and tri nations winner, he's probably got the best resume of any centre going around. List Hodgeson and Farah here as ell. And a fantastic comeraderie put in place by Tim Sheens and Roye Simmonds.
WORST PROBLEM: The thought that they were clayton's premiers. Overstating Scott prince's abilities.
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Back to back
WORST CASE SCENARIO: They get found out, and miss the playoffs
PREDICTION: 8th
