I can't write off the Raiders simply because they've got a lot of dedication in that side, they've been significantly worse than most rosters in terms of star power and natural talent but always seem to win their share of games. They snuck into the finals several times with average rosters playing a tough brand of footy. I can't see them in the bottom three, as long as they stick to the way Elliot has been coaching them the past few years. How many times have they been flogged in the last few years? I don't think it'd be many. That says it all about their side, they always put up a decent fight against all teams. They wont make the eight, but they'll win enough games to avoid the bottom three.
My bottom three would be the Warriors for sure, their playing roster was below average before they started 4 points behind the pack. Look at their side this week, average halves, average backs, average bench. Once Wiki and Price go off that side will crumble. No depth, one of the worst starting 17's in the comp, internal strife, starting behind the pack, they've got no hope.
Souths. I liked their lineup this year, until I saw the side they've named this week. It just screams of the sides they've had the past few years, good, but not good enough. They'll win games, I think all the bottom three will win at least 7 or 8 games, but they'll cop injuries, and they'll be exposed.
Penrith. The coaching troubles just add to their dramas. They were bad last year, they've started this year with a worse roster, and injuries to key players. Gower can try and repent all he wants, but while you've got Matt Cross, Craig Stapleton, Frank Puletua and Bryan Norrie leading your engine room, you ain't going nowhere. Rubbish backs (yes, Rooney, Wesser and Lewis can play, but the backups, and the lineup this week, they are hopeless), average forwards, injuries, no depth, internal strife, sacked coach, it spells disaster for my liking.
I don't mind being proven wrong, so I'll watch this season pan out, but if I had to choose a bottom three, which I have, that's who I pick, for those reasons.
