More bad teams in 06?

[League Freak™]

Souths are Souths! They will be crap next season.


Melbourne will struggle with direction without Orford although depending on who they have playing at halfback, they may be better in close games.


The Knights will improve obviously.


The Warriors are rebuilding. The short term pain they will go through had to happen.


Penrith is a weird one. I think how good they go depends entirely on their off season and wether they hit the first round of 2003 in good shape. Yes they have no centers at this stage.....but deadset in 2005 when you best center is Paul Franze...that link having no centers anyway!


I think the Raiders will see of Matthew Elliot next season.


The Sharks should go pretty well, but I think Raper will be replaced if a good coach becomes avalible.

 

[Raider_69]

I think the Raiders will see of Matthew Elliot next season.

I hope so!

 

[Azkatro]

I don't like the Bulldogs that much without Braith Anasta. Sherwin is not a top 8 half on his own by a long shot. Their lack of quality in the halves will kill them.

 

[League Freak™]

I hope so!

Mate, so do I. I hate seeing the Raiders in the state they are right now.

I would love nothing more then to see them back as of one of the glamour clubs.

 

[Big Bunny]

I can really see the Bunnies and Warriors battling it out I am not sold on them @ all loosing Logan, Fletch and especially Harrison really hurts them.

The players that they brought are either hacks or unnecessary, gnalavu's(sorry bout the spelling) best footy's way behind him, and there backline was one of their strong points sillyness.

Warriors are only going to get worse in the absence of Jones, feel for them as I do have a soft spot for them.

Get on the bunnies now IMO for the spoon.

That saying anyteam can get it if they get smashed with injuries @ times.

I can't agree with that logic at all. Whilst both Logan and Harrison are significant losses, Fletcher was for much of the season a detriment to the squads cohesion. His style of play simply didn't fit with what McRae was building at the club and his attitude was sadly lacking as well. It was never any wonder when the majority of our wins came without him in the side.

Whilst Harrison can't be replaced to the same standard, both he and Logan have been covered by the injection of some solid forwards. Souths won't lose much in that department overall. Few people on this forum are aware of just how good the Souths pack is shaping up.

Souths are probably the side that is the most poorly recognised and understood by fans of other clubs. You only have to look at the number of people who thought that Fletcher and Minichiello were among the clubs best to realise that.

Whilst we might have a slight step down in the quality of 2 forwards, the difference between 05 and 06 is that we're a lot further along when it comes to depth. We'll also be starting with a halfback who has a pre-season under his belt, rather than starting out slow after pulling beers in a pub for 12 months.

Souths could very well take the spoon next year, but for that to happen there would need to be significant improvement from all quarters of the premiership without anyone dropping in their standards, and that's just not a likely event.

 

[Pierced Soul]

My Predicitons:

* Warriors to make the 8
* Tigers finish in top 4 again
* Melbourne + Canberra fight it out for the spoon.
* Knights make top 4
* Souths make top 8

put your tips in your sig like charlie saab did.

 

[choc_soldier]

I agree with the comments on Penrith. We can make the 8... but the x-factor is our centres combination. It will be probably Lewis and O'Halloran, and how that goes is really anybody's guess.

 

[nqboy]

Tigers to hold or go forward. Everyone seems to be forgetting O'Hara for depth.
Cowboys to struggle without Ra unless Firman comes good.

 

[Bib]

Mate, so do I. I hate seeing the Raiders in the state they are right now.

I would love nothing more then to see them back as of one of the glamour clubs.

We need a strong raiders outfit, to ensure rugby doesnt dominate the ACT, so yes im also hoping to see a strong raiders outfit

 

[shadow grinder]

orford -sh*t no big loss..cronk will have some work to do...not to be able to play like orford but to improve on his own game.

bell- one word --INGLIS!

kearns- big loss in leadership terms and his work rate but the forwards we got next year are bigger and we lacked that this year so thats an improvment.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Meli and Betham will be replaced in the starting line up with better players, Meli with Vatuvei and Betham with any one of Anderson, Koopu or Faumuina at lock

That was already the backrow in 2005. I hope it remains next year but I fear Sione will be given the 6.

 

[Timbo]

Everyone keeps saying 'no chance of Tigers to miss the 8', have you learned nothing from this season?

Who here didn't have the Dogs, Roosters and Panthers in their top 8s at the beginning of this season? I'll wager most had them as their top 3!

I'd be shocked if at least one of this years grand finalists didnt miss the 8.

 

[Stranger]

Tigers wooden spoon... wait that was supposed to happen this year :lol:


I cant see the Panthers doing much this year, Sharks will hover around the bottom of the 8
Souths wont get to the 8, Melbourne wont go close to the spoon.

 

[eddiehitler]

Storm: I don't think they will struggle as much as some are predicting.. sure they've lost Bell, Orford and Kearns, but they have Inglis, Cronk and Crocker to slot in as well as Walker now. Things could be a lot worse.

Souths: They may struggle abit without Harrison and Fletcher, but they have signed blokes who are very capable footballers ( Galuvao, Lowe, Webb) as well as strengthened their backline... I'm predicting 10 or 11 wins coming the bunnies way next year.

I think the real strugglers next year will be the....

Sharks.
Stevens, Peachey and Sullivan are huge losses. Look to have a weaker side next year (even with albert and ross) and with rumours the club is in turmoil over the halves combination i think they may pick up 2006 where they left off in 2005. Maybe not spoon contenders but will not finish as high as they have this year, as a result of not having as strong a start.

BUT WHO KNOWS!

I thought my beloved Wests Tigers would struggle this year...

 

[ParraDude_Jay]

Souths are Souths! They will be crap next season.

Penrith is a weird one. I think how good they go depends entirely on their off season and wether they hit the first round of 2003 in good shape. Yes they have no centers at this stage.....but deadset in 2005 when you best center is Paul Franze...that link having no centers anyway!

Souths will be crap but Penrith are a shot :roll:

Penrith for the spoon.

 

[sharks4ever]

3 team that will struggle
the bulldogs(may have the best foward pack in the comp But need decent halve sherwin is far to inconsistant
storm(lost kearns,offord and bell ad will struggle in the halves
Knights (after johns gets injured) rely to much on johns i predictring he will get ANOTHER serious injury and will retire

3 teams on the rise
sharks(brought well in ross,alberet and latu and im expecting a big year for Kimmorley
souths(glory days a not far away for the oldest club in the league
Tigers( providing injury i cant see why they cant go back to back titles

 

[League Freak™]

Souths will be crap but Penrith are a shot :roll:

Penrith for the spoon.

I dont know about that.

penrith were good enough to win the title just two years ago. Thats more the the Eels could do! :lol:

 

[Misty Bee]

Impossible to predict. However, below I've had a stab. The finishing prediction is the best I thnik they'll do. The table is the bottom is what I think will actually happen. I'm odds on the be wrong!

Brisbane - will struggle until they find 4 young, fit, decent forwards - FAST. The days of Webcke, Thorn, Carroll are over. They also need a half, and a game plan that doesn't consist of giving the ball to Lockyer and playing. Low finalists

Canberra - will improve. They showed a lot of pluck withy a huge injury toll. guys like Withers, Chalk, Kahler and Carney to improve. Just miss the finals

Canterbury - the same. Big forwards, a half with much to prove - suss at 5/8 and average in the backs. Low finalists

Cronulla - maybe the broom will work. A very ill disciplined club that could do anything it it got it's finger out. I'll bite the bullet and say possible top 4.

Manly - Improve. Still has suspect backs and halves - Orford hasn't shown to be a premiership shaking halfback yet. Possible top 4

Melbourne - should slide - much depends on Scott Hill. If he fires (is Cronk in the halves?) they should do well. Finalists

New Zealand - may improve dramatically as the old make way for the new. Nathan Fein's year to come of age. Same for Lance Hohia and young Leuluai. Could go as high as top 4, but too many variables to pick that.

Newcastle - Definite top 4, If Johns is fit.

North Queensland - Top 4. Enough said.

Parramatta - should be top 4, but I think they'll be bottom 4. Smith usually stuffs around for the first half of the year, and suddenly sees Daniel Wagon as the answer. Could be destablised as the club seeks his sucessor. Tinm Smith will be heavily marked. I repdict second season syndrome for him, and then a long career near the top.

Penrith - Almost spoonsville. Gower is grossly overrated. Great forwards who aren't firing - they lack the little Robbie Farah type alert workaholic. Need a decent pivot, and a decent centre. Rooney and Lewis, sadly, won't get the chance to represent. I really rate Rooney, but he needs to have decent players inside him.

Souths - will push for the finals. There is self belief in the club, and blokes like Sutton will consolidate and have good years.

Saints - Premiers. Unless their orogin commitment - they will have 16 players in both sides, with Lockyer and Johns. They shuold learn from this finals series - or fold up, relocate to the Gong and start again as Illawarra.

Roosters - bottom 4. Ill disciplined club won't gain much with Anasta and Harrison, because they are replacing Fittler and Rickettson. If Mini has some injuries, they'll struggle. Ryan Cross to press for Origin.

Tigers - spoon ;-). Nope, top 4 on the back of big crowds and bigger forwards.

So, that's a table that looks something like this:

1 Saints
2 Tigers
3 Cowboys
4 Knights
5 Manly
6 Cronulla
7 Parramatta
8 Melbourne
9 Canterbury
10 Raiders
11 Souths
12 Roosters
13 Broncos
14 Warriors
15 Penrith

 

[Agent Mulder]

I can't see that happening.

Yeah, We also said that about the Bulldogs at the end of 2004.

 

[SOULS 04]

my honest assement of the raiders so i cant be bias to my team

I think they'll struggle again and again it will be through injuries... my tip is we'll lose for extended periods... frawley, Lehroyd lahs, j smith and weyman... if we have a full side we may get as high as 8th but i'm not getting my hopes up.

ok other than that i think the sharks will struggle big time... kimmorley is on his own again unless vagana gets the permanent 5/8 spot but i bet that doesnt happen, so sharks will mainly have the one half to shut down... also lost a hell of alot of experience.

on the way up... well you cant go much higher but the tigers have brought very well and will be a semi finalist for sure... biggest drama next year is all teams will be up to play the premiers.

also souths and storm to continue to struggle.