Rate the teams

[Hatzy]

I definitely wouldnt put the Warriors in the "Contenders" category yet. At most they should be dark horses.

Yeah, I guess we will find out next weekend when we have Manly at home. That will be the real test.

 

[The Engineers Room]

I know they beat us and played pretty good but im going to say, its a big prediction folks, Sharks will not win all of their remaining games. Shocking i know.

That's why they are roughies. Only if they can win all the rest of their games can they make it but they have a superior F/A and they may have turned the corner.

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

Definite:
manly

dark horses
eels
warriors - lets not forget 6 losses on the trot. one loss will de rail their season imo. let's hope not though.

pretenders
bulldogs
storm
cowboys

roughies
roosters
rabbitohs
tigers

gorn
everyone else

 

[magpie_man]

Definate Contenders
Manly

Dark Horses
New Zealand

Pretenders
North Qld
Brisbane
Melbourne

Roughies
Easts
Souths
Wests
Canterbury
Parramatta

Gorn
The Rest

 

[adamkungl]

Definate Contenders
Sea Eagles
Warriors
Storm

Dark Horses
Bulldogs
Easts

Pretenders
Eels
Cowboys

Roughies
Rabbitohs
Broncos
Tigers

Gorn
Raiders
Sharks
Dragons
Knights
Titans
Panthers

 

[Earl Hickey]

Contenders
Melbourne
Manly

Pretenders
Cowboys

Dark Horses
Bulldogs
Warriors

Roughies
Broncos
Eels
Roosters

Unsure
Bunnies
Tigers

Gone
Panthers
Knights
Raiders
Dragons
Titans
Sharks

 

[mongoose]

Contenders:

Storm - Have all the class in the world but have looked vunerable the last few weeks. I would tip Manly to beat them in the GF if they meet. They don't like to get in an arm wrestle.

Sea Eagles - Manly look ready for finals football. They may not have all the superstars of the storm but they are a well balanced team that plays to their strengths every week. Will make the GF.

Warriors - Have been on fire as of late. Questions still loom over their halves and hooker and whether they can step up in finals football. The forwards and outside backs will run around or over the top of anyone though.

Eels - If they turn it on they will go far, but they are still the most inconsistent 3rd placed side ever. Hagan needs to get the boys fired up otherwise they will be cannon fodder for the above 3.

Dark horses

Bulldogs - The dogs have cruised along this season and somehow find themselves in 6th spot. Everyone knows about Sonny Bill and their forward pack but do they have the backs to finish the job? Sherwin will need to be on his game if they are a chance.

Tigers - I wouldn't write them off yet. Farrah is twice the player he was 2 years ago, add Marshall and Hodgson and they could do some damage. The forwards are a major concern though. The Tigpies don't like playing up the middle.

Pretenders

Cowboys - Miraculously in 4th spot with an abysmal for and against. When crunch time comes Thurston and Bowen won't be enough to get them home.

Broncos - Only due to injuries. Will be a nusance but don't have any strike power to threaten.

Roughies

Rabbitohs
Roosters
Titans
-can still make the 8 but are all essentially pretenders as well. I think the roosters bubble will burst this week.

Gorne

The rest
I'm tipping the panthers to avoid the spoon.

 

[ozbash]

Definite contenders
manly
dogs

Dark Horses
Storm
warriors - there is still a loss in this team imo, but once they get into the finals - watch out.
rabbitohs
chooks


Pretenders
eels
cowboys
broncs


Roughies
tigers


Gorn

 

[oneeyedeaglesman]

IMHO

Definite contenders
Melbourne
Manly
Warriors

Dark Horses
Bulldogs
Parramatta

Pretenders
Cowboys
Tigers
Broncos

Roughies
Roosters
Rabbitohs

Gorn
Titans
Sharks
Dragons
Raiders
Knights
Panthers

Agreed.

 

[t-ba]

warriors - there is still a loss in this team imo, but once they get into the finals - watch out.

Hopefully next week, but I'm not confident,

 

[KiWi_BoI_15]

IMHO

Definite contenders
Melbourne
Manly
Warriors

Dark Horses
Bulldogs
Parramatta

Pretenders
Cowboys
Tigers
Broncos

Roughies
Roosters
Rabbitohs

Gorn
Titans
Sharks
Dragons
Raiders
Knights
Panthers

Pretty much spot on for me there Timmah.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Contenders:

Storm - Have all the class in the world but have looked vunerable the last few weeks. I would tip Manly to beat them in the GF if they meet. They don't like to get in an arm wrestle.

Sea Eagles - Manly look ready for finals football. They may not have all the superstars of the storm but they are a well balanced team that plays to their strengths every week. Will make the GF.

Warriors - Have been on fire as of late. Questions still loom over their halves and hooker and whether they can step up in finals football. The forwards and outside backs will run around or over the top of anyone though.

Eels - If they turn it on they will go far, but they are still the most inconsistent 3rd placed side ever. Hagan needs to get the boys fired up otherwise they will be cannon fodder for the above 3.

I'm not sure that's the problem.

The Warriors smashed us by 16 points in round 1 but we turned around and beat them by 24 ten weeks later.

Manly were too good for us both times we met, yet we led at halftime in both games before getting smashed in the second half. Either they had us for fitness or wore us down with their size or we switched off at halftime.

Either way we only lost the two games by 10 and 8 points so we were hardly cannon-fodder.

And we have yet to play Melbourne this year.

So I don't think Parramatta have any trouble firing up for the big teams (except when we lead at halftime).

Our biggest losses this year have been to the Raiders (28 points), Titans (26 points), Souths (25 points) and Knights (24 points).

I don't think we're likely to be so relaxed in the finals, especially against Melbourne, Manly and the Warriors.

 

[joel caine number 1 fan]

too impossible too predict who knows who will hit form come finals time

 

[The Teach]

Definite contenders
Sea Eagles
Storm

Dark Horses
Bulldogs
Warriors

Pretenders
Broncos
Tigers
Eels
Cowboys

Roughies
Rabbits
Roosters


Gorn
Titans
Sharks
Dragons
Raiders
Knights
Panthers

 

[NK Arsenal]

Definate Contenders
Storm
Sea Eagles

Dark Horses
Tigers
Cowboys
Warriors
Bulldogs

Pretenders
Eels
Broncos

Roughies
Rabbitohs
Roosters

Gone
Titans
Sharks
Dragons
Raiders
Knights
Panthers

 

[parramaniac2516]

Parramatta's Problem is they are missing Luke Burt. Since then Parra have looked shocking except in the Bulldogs game.

 

[Charlie124]

Definite contenders

Storm - This comp is theirs to choke on (again), their form has slackened off of late but for some reason they give me the impression they are happy to coast along for now and just get done what needs to be done. I feel sorry for their Finals round 1 opponent.

Eagles - For the whole year Ive waited for this bubble to burst, when they lose i would think "there it is" yet they would bounce back the following week and be right back on track, its hard to ignore their drive and focus, they want it bad this year.

Dark Horses

Eels - Haven't set the world on fire much this year but have been impressive enough, much of the focus has been taken away from the rest of the comp (outside of Storm and Eagles) so the Eels have just gone about their business and could realistically find themselves in the GF, and they wouldn't look out of place.

Cowboys - Thankfully finals aren't won and lost on for and against. They've won the games to get them where they are despite the loss of several forwards. Their for/against is the result of 3 or 4 thrashings but theyve proven to be the best in the comp for winning the close games with 8 or so wins by 10 points or less. If 2004 and 2005 showed us anything it was that come finals time, the Cowboys will show up to play, they're a different team and not to be taken lightly.

Warriors - A golden run with injuries has seen this team turn around a 6 game losing streak and hit form right at the business end of the season. Their halves are inexperienced and unproven in the big games but on the other hand, Shane Perry has a premiership ring...

Pretenders

Bulldogs - On their day they can blow teams away but come finals time they just dont seem to stand up as much as they should. 2004 losing to the 7th placed Cowboys before making it through, last year completely clocked off at half time V the Broncos and were murdered in the second half.

Broncos - Not entirely their fault. Injuries have been cruel at the wrong end of the season for this team, should still be able to make the finals but cant see them winning a game, first round knockout me thinks.

Roughies

Rabbitohs - Good defence and if they get their attack going, might cause a headache or two in the finals, cant see much more than a hard fought first round knockout though.

Roosters - Nah


Gorn

The Rest

 

[Matt Damon]

Definate Contenders
Storm
Sea Eagles

Dark Horses
Warriors
Bulldogs

Pretenders
Eels
Broncos
Cowboys
Tigers

Roughies
Rabbitohs
Roosters

Gone
Titans
Sharks
Dragons
Raiders
Knights
Panthers



Matt Damon

 

[Bazal]

Definate Contenders
Storm-They are the best, no doubt

Sea Eagles-Orford is still a choker, and Lyon is pathetic but they can win games with their pack. I dunno if they are "definite" contenders, but they are the next best thing after Melbourne

Warriors-They are on fire, and IMO have far more of a chance than Manly. The halves might be an issue

Dark Horses
Bulldogs-They can do anything when they fire but with injuries and inconsistency they're probably only an outside chance

Parramatta-If they get their attitude fixed not many can contain their attack. But our defence is second worst in the 8, which could be an issue if it continues.

Cowboys-Any team with Thurston and Bowen is a chance, but the number of beltings they have received this season must be a problem.

Pretenders

Broncos-Not their fault, but they have too many injuries and not enough depth to do anything much

Tigers-They are on a slippery slope at the moment, and I can't see them gaining enough ground on the ladder to avoid meeting one of the top 2 or 3...I can't see them beating Manly and Melbourne and if Parra manage to cling on to third we always seem to beat them

Roughies

Bunnies-Have the defence to keep out a lot of the top 8 sides, but not the attack to beat them IMO

Gone

The rest

 

[badav]

melbourne will hit top form in the finals and win.
they have faltered in the last 3 weeks, but that doesnt mean anything. this time last year brisbane were in a slump.
to face them in the gf, parra, manly, or nz.
nq to get bundled out early along with brisbane and wests
bulldogs to fall in the same place as they did last year