Eels Dude
Coach
- Messages
- 19,065
1. Melbourne - Can't go past the while they still have the big 5 (Slater, Inglis, Cronk, Smith, Bellamy) as long as they have these they'll be a top 4 side. They've been dominating for 4 years now they deserve favouritism. They may lose a few forwards, but that happened last year too (Kaufusi, Jeremy Smith, Crocker) Yet still won the comp
2. Canterbury - Only question I have over them is that a lot of their players overperformed this season like Roberts, Goodwin, Stagg etc. El Masri is a big loss, but their new found culture and strong roster should be enough to get them a top 4 spot.
3. Parramatta - Have recruited well for next season with Poore, Shacks and Tahu but have lost a few players who while not be world beaters have become handy backup players. Will need some unproven youngters to step. Question marks remain over the inexperienced halves, but with Hayne in a playmaking role and a great forward pack and the an exciting backline they should be right up there
4. Souths - No excuses this time. A forward pack of Asotasi, Burgess, Taylor, Crocker, Ross and Stuart would be close to the best in the comp. Sandow is their weakness, his defence is appaling. But let's remember what John Lang did with Presto at both Cronulla and Penrith. They have speedy backline which should work well off the forward pack.
5. Gold Coast - They should serve well with the experience from last year. Learning to win at home was a plus and even with not much recruiting they're building a solid junior base to be a consistent top 8 side. Prince's combination with Cambell and Friend is working very well.
6. Wests - I'm basing this on the possibility of their signings of Lima and to a lesser extent Tuquiri. They've still recruited well and with Benji in form and their young backline players stepping up towards the end of this year they should increase as a force next season.
7. Manly - I think they'll slip as some of their senior players (Orford, Kite, Lyon) seemed to fall of the pace the back end of this season. I've a feeling the best football may be behind them. They've still got enough quality to win plenty of games and easily make the top 8 though.
8. Brisbane - I'll put them in their because even when they're looking bad they still magically happen to make the top 8. Hell, they even made it this year after losing a stack of players and Wayne Bennett to boot. Weak forward pack, but it's hard to predict the Broncos not being their finals time.
9. North QLD - Seriously they've got problems. I just don't have faith in them to make the finals anymore. They've got the world's best halfback in their side yet they've still missed the semis the past 2 years. With Bowen out for most of the season they've lessened their chances too. I don't have the confidence to predict Cows to play the finals.
10. Newcastle - They should win enough games at home to be close to the top 8, especially with their first choice front row available next season. Not sure about their coach though he's still unproven and a lot of their players are simply too inconsistent at times
11. St George Illawarra - My big dippers. They were found out in the finals with predictable style of play and unless massive changes in structure with Wayne Bennett next year, sides will play on this and take advantages of their weaknesses. I don't think players like Soward or Weymen will be able to reproduce their form of this year and without a strike weapon like other premiership contenders I think they may struggle.
12. Penrith - It wouldn't suprise me to see them make the 8 but it may be a year too early. Good young players in Coote and Graham, while Jennings will only get better. They need a decent halfback though and I think some of the youngsters still need a year of learning the ins and outs of first grade before they can be considered contenders.
13. Sydney Roosters - What a terrible season they've had... and they've lost 4 key forwards in O'Meley, Shackleton, Soliola, and Fitzgibbon. They would only get worse but I think Brian Smith will be disciplined enough to get the best out of some of the players, which means taking them away from the spoon.
14. Canberra - Same old thing for the Raiders every year, lose quality players and rely on youngsters to step up. They've a pretty good forward pack and good young backs, but they still can't win away from home. I don't know if David Furner is a good coach either, he had them playing some football this year which just didn't suit them.
15. NZ - I don't know what went wrong this year. They had a top 4 side on paper which just didn't perform. Kemp, Jones, McKinnon fell from grace. And with instability in the halves Cleary still releases Fien and Witt mid season. They may bounce back, but with last year's attitude problems I don't see how they can.
16. Cronulla - And by a mile. Seriously they look terrible. They have easily the worst backline in the comp, and while some solid forwards in Douglas, Gallen and Tupou, their pack is still one of the weaker ones. They've no halfback and some of Ricky Stuart's recruiting decisions need to be questioned. He releases Kimmorley who has his best season in yrs, and then replaces De Gois with Corey Hughes. Big Wooden spoon heading their way next year.
2. Canterbury - Only question I have over them is that a lot of their players overperformed this season like Roberts, Goodwin, Stagg etc. El Masri is a big loss, but their new found culture and strong roster should be enough to get them a top 4 spot.
3. Parramatta - Have recruited well for next season with Poore, Shacks and Tahu but have lost a few players who while not be world beaters have become handy backup players. Will need some unproven youngters to step. Question marks remain over the inexperienced halves, but with Hayne in a playmaking role and a great forward pack and the an exciting backline they should be right up there
4. Souths - No excuses this time. A forward pack of Asotasi, Burgess, Taylor, Crocker, Ross and Stuart would be close to the best in the comp. Sandow is their weakness, his defence is appaling. But let's remember what John Lang did with Presto at both Cronulla and Penrith. They have speedy backline which should work well off the forward pack.
5. Gold Coast - They should serve well with the experience from last year. Learning to win at home was a plus and even with not much recruiting they're building a solid junior base to be a consistent top 8 side. Prince's combination with Cambell and Friend is working very well.
6. Wests - I'm basing this on the possibility of their signings of Lima and to a lesser extent Tuquiri. They've still recruited well and with Benji in form and their young backline players stepping up towards the end of this year they should increase as a force next season.
7. Manly - I think they'll slip as some of their senior players (Orford, Kite, Lyon) seemed to fall of the pace the back end of this season. I've a feeling the best football may be behind them. They've still got enough quality to win plenty of games and easily make the top 8 though.
8. Brisbane - I'll put them in their because even when they're looking bad they still magically happen to make the top 8. Hell, they even made it this year after losing a stack of players and Wayne Bennett to boot. Weak forward pack, but it's hard to predict the Broncos not being their finals time.
9. North QLD - Seriously they've got problems. I just don't have faith in them to make the finals anymore. They've got the world's best halfback in their side yet they've still missed the semis the past 2 years. With Bowen out for most of the season they've lessened their chances too. I don't have the confidence to predict Cows to play the finals.
10. Newcastle - They should win enough games at home to be close to the top 8, especially with their first choice front row available next season. Not sure about their coach though he's still unproven and a lot of their players are simply too inconsistent at times
11. St George Illawarra - My big dippers. They were found out in the finals with predictable style of play and unless massive changes in structure with Wayne Bennett next year, sides will play on this and take advantages of their weaknesses. I don't think players like Soward or Weymen will be able to reproduce their form of this year and without a strike weapon like other premiership contenders I think they may struggle.
12. Penrith - It wouldn't suprise me to see them make the 8 but it may be a year too early. Good young players in Coote and Graham, while Jennings will only get better. They need a decent halfback though and I think some of the youngsters still need a year of learning the ins and outs of first grade before they can be considered contenders.
13. Sydney Roosters - What a terrible season they've had... and they've lost 4 key forwards in O'Meley, Shackleton, Soliola, and Fitzgibbon. They would only get worse but I think Brian Smith will be disciplined enough to get the best out of some of the players, which means taking them away from the spoon.
14. Canberra - Same old thing for the Raiders every year, lose quality players and rely on youngsters to step up. They've a pretty good forward pack and good young backs, but they still can't win away from home. I don't know if David Furner is a good coach either, he had them playing some football this year which just didn't suit them.
15. NZ - I don't know what went wrong this year. They had a top 4 side on paper which just didn't perform. Kemp, Jones, McKinnon fell from grace. And with instability in the halves Cleary still releases Fien and Witt mid season. They may bounce back, but with last year's attitude problems I don't see how they can.
16. Cronulla - And by a mile. Seriously they look terrible. They have easily the worst backline in the comp, and while some solid forwards in Douglas, Gallen and Tupou, their pack is still one of the weaker ones. They've no halfback and some of Ricky Stuart's recruiting decisions need to be questioned. He releases Kimmorley who has his best season in yrs, and then replaces De Gois with Corey Hughes. Big Wooden spoon heading their way next year.
