1. Wests Tigers : With the acquisition of the likes of Jason Cayless and maybe Lima and Tiqiri , I think the tigers are in for a big season, Halfback is still a question mark but i think i would go with Robert Lui to be perfectly honest i think he is going to be a classy player. There forwards now are a match for most sides with Cayless,Galloway and Ellis this is why i think they will come very close next season.
2. Melbourne : They will be up there again yes they have lost a few players but they won't miss them too much they easily have the best recruitment in the competition. Only thing i can see stopping the Storm is injuries they will be one of the final four teams guarenteed.
3. Parramatta : I expect Parramatta to improve on this season at least in the regular season, Adding Poore,Shackelton and Tahu to a team which came incredibly close this season means they will be in with a huge chance of going one better. I hope they play with the same style this season as they did last, I also can't see Mortimer getting 2nd year syndrome i think he is a player who will only get better.
4. St George : With Bennett in charge they won't slip too far down the table and with all no players selected for the Australian squad the players have a point to prove also.
5. Souths : With the best forward pack in the competition on paper, With a new coach with a reputation for turning poorish teams into good ones. I can see this being a very good year for Souths, I think next season they will show a very good improvement but i believe in 2 seasons they will come very close to winning the competition. A lot depends on Sandow and Sutton but Lang turned a Gold Coast Chargers winger into one of the best halves of the past decade, Sutton has always had the talent and he will never have a better chance to become a truly great player then he will next year behind this forward pack.
6. Canterbury : They will make the semi finals i can't see them doing as well as this season but they are capable and will be tough to beat i think losing Greg Eastwood could be a big blow which is why im tipping them to come so low.
7. Manly : They will make the finals again Brett Stewart will be back so that is a bonus.
8. Gold Coast : They will win at home like they always do, They have some talented youngsters but i don't think they will reach the heights of last season they will still be entertaining to watch though.
9. Brisbane : This is pretty much the only time i've ever thought they would miss out on the semi finals, There is still quality there with Hodges,Falou,Lockyer etc, But Lockyer seems to be slowing down a touch he is still a fantastic player and with another Origin series and the four nations, Im not sure if he will be able to make it through the season unscathed, Hodges was brilliant last season but he is another player who is injury prone, The forwards seem much weaker this season though they still did a number on St George, I just feel this Brisbane team on paper at least is close to being the weakest they have ever had and for that reason i think they will finally miss a finals series.
10. Canberra : They will come close again, Though Canberra are always a team which seems to be on the rise but never seems to be rising at all, Dugan,Croker and Campese are all quality young players and they have a decent team on paper. They are always a team who are good to watch but seem to be wildly inconsistant and frustrating.
11. Newcastle : To be honest they could easily make the eight also, But i really know nothing about the coach. To me they seemed to over achieve last season and whilst they have some good players, They fell away a lot after Brian Smith left so im not sure how they will cope with someone untested at that level at the helm.
12. Cowboys : Bowen is out for most of the season it seems, I think this will hurt but if they can keep Payne and Thurston out there they have a chance for the 8, I don't really know what to make of there forward pack though.
13. Roosters : Brian Smith means they probably wont get the spoon, It really all depends on how there big names want to play. If they don't really care anymore they will struggle if they can all fire at the same time they should make the top 8.
14. Warriors : Who knows really, Easily the most frustrating team in the competition they are just as likely to win the minor premiership now that i have tipped them this low. Had a hugely disappointing season last year personally i thought they would win it. Hopefully next season they can bounce back after tragedy and poor form.
15. Penrith : Penrith i think have bought quite well this season, But the big problem is they let go of the likes of Aiton,Tia Kilifi and Daniela, So they needed replacing. If they kept the 3 players i mentioned and maybe bought one more player preferrably a front rower they could of achieved anything, But poor management will hold the club back last season was arguably one of the worst ever with no teams making the finals. Also ended first grade in diabolical form which doesen't bode well for this season and doesen't particuarly bode well for Matthew Elliott. If Penrith experience anytype of injury crisis next season unless in the back row they will surely come last.
16. Cronulla : Cronulla will struggle to score points once again, They lack spark in attack and are so so predictable, Losing Kearney is a blow even if he is injured a lot he gave them a bit of unpredictability. Ferguson looks pretty decent i think Pomeroy and Collis is a decent centre pairing not outstanding but solid. But they really lack speed, There forwards though are fine Gallen,Douglas,Tupou and others all do a good job i think Aiton could prove to be a good buy he was in pretty good form last season.
So this is my ladder it is a bit Sydney centric but i feel sydney clubs with the exception of Penrith and maybe Cronulla have strengthened a lot in the off season. I feel it could be a fantastic season with record crowds especially in sydney.
