Top 8 - Contenders and pretenders

[WaznTheGreat]

Dragons are obviously the team to beat and even they are not that threatening. On form every other team is as good a chance as each other.

You have to look at which sides have the big game players
Broncos, Tigers, Eels and Titans. Manly if they get Stewart back.

Can't see Penrith doing anything unfortunately. They just have no attack other than kicking.

Warriors and Souths are too inexperienced in key positions.

Roosters could go ok, they have some classy players but their defence is pretty terrible.

Raiders need to win 5 of their last 6 which is a big ask. Don't like their chances.

How can the team that got bounced out of the finals last season in straight sets(Not only lost but lost easily) be the team to beat when they haven't improved at all from LAST YEAR?


Being the most consistent and having the best attitude week to week in the regular season doesn't make them the best,other teams will aim up in the finals and show there true colours while the Dragons will be the same old mob.

 

[Gaba]

D

You have to look at which sides have the big game players
Broncos, Tigers, Eels and Titans. Manly if they get Stewart back.

Apart from broncos what big name players the other teams have

titans lost both semi finals - prince,campbell would be thier attacking players

Tigers - without marshall involvement the others wont really threaten other teams


Eels- the same as tigers Hayne is the only attacker ,

Manly with out lyons there isnt really ane one else who can take the game


Broncos , dragons maybe panthers and warriors are not 1 or 2 man teams

 

[Broncos93]

Eels get 3 wins on the board against 2 ordinary teams and one team with no attack bar kicking and your "Haynetrain" is suddenly unstoppable.

STFU and stop being an idiot, the rest of the clubs have made it where they are through decent football and a group of players who are capable of playing football together.

Jarryd Hayne finally plays to his potential in three games and basically wins it for you, and suddenly you have "four easy wins" against teams that are all better than you.

:lol: Can't wait for someone to finally snap the wings off Jarryd Haynes f**king plane so we can watch you crash and burn and go back to the team that has been on-par with Cronulla for 17 rounds.

 

[Ulysseus]

if Manly reproduce their round 9 match v the Dragons they are contenders.

I believed that for a while too typicalfan, the thing is after that game they then went on to beat such powerhouses as cronulla, the cowboys, souths and very little else, they were also far from convincing in two of those wins.

I know Gould said at the time they would be the yardstick, but f**k, they have not gone within a bulls roar of producing it again, they also did it against a team missing a few players, granted they had some players of their own backing up, but their is a world of difference between backing up and missing.

Personally, I just do not think they are capable of reproducing that performance again, it seemed to be their road to ruin directly after that game, winning five tenths of f**k all until today.

On another subject, Haynetrain, you are a f**king moron who obviously started supporting Parra at some point during the winning streak last year, do the rest of the Parra supporters a big favor and drink petrol before having your next spliff.
Its f**kwits like you, and by f**kwits like you I mean sh*theads that think RL was a game invented by Antonio La Purpegoniss in Spain, in 1975, that make me hurt between the ears.

 

[Ulysseus]

STFU and stop being an idiot,

For that to happen to him, breathing and a pulse must cease

Even then you'd want to stake it through the heart to be 100% certain it is not going to get back up again.
Something so invariably head f**ked cannot possibly be human, surely its some kind of mythically skull f**ked creature?

 

[Non Terminator]

We're still way too unpredictable, but we're hitting some of our best attacking form. If we can produce a more consistent defence, we're in for a crack.

 

[Broncos93]

For that to happen to him, breathing and a pulse must cease

Even then you'd want to stake it through the heart to be 100% certain it is not going to get back up again.
Something so invariably head f**ked cannot possibly be human, surely its some kind of mythically skull f**ked creature?

:lol:

You HAVE to be a real dumb arse for forum peers to think that about you based on nothing else but what you post...

 

[Iafeta]

From the way the 8 is at the moment, I feel Brisbane and Parramatta will roll in.

The question is, who drops out. I would suggest the teams under the most pressure are Souths, the Warriors, the Titans and if the Roosters have a dreadful run... them. Souths without Stuart and Taylor, I think that might seriously hurt them. The Warriors... they need to make sure away games they should win like against Cronulla count. Those games will define their season. The Titans... I worry about them.

I think you can bank on, in particular order

Saints
Penrith
Manly
Wests
Brisbane
Parramatta
Roosters

Leaving the Warriors, Rabbitohs and Titans to scrap it out for one spot.

 

[Ulysseus]

:lol:

You HAVE to be a real dumb arse for forum peers to think that about you based on nothing else but what you post...

And I am meant to judge him on what else?
It would be different if just one post of complete stupidity poked its head through, but with him its the norm, not the exception.
Thing is, he is way too consistent with it to be considered a troll, I think the bloke literally is that deluded.

 

[RHCP]

Contenders: Dragons, Roosters, Broncos, Eels, Warriors
Pretenders: Penrith, Tigers, Titans, Souths

The Dragons players will be better off for their finals experience last year. I believe it was the first time for many and I think having been to that arena before they won't choke as usual. They've got an attacking x-factor now in Darius Boyd, and if Gas gets back to anywhere near his best they should make it to the Grand Final. The Roosters, Broncos, Eels and Warriors are all starting to find some form at the right time in the season. Those teams are genuine contenders for mine.

As for pretenders, of the teams that are still in the hunt, the Panthers, Tigers, Titans and Rabbitohs. When teams run the Panthers chases of the ball they can't come up with anything in attack. Plus Penrith and Souths haven't been in the finals for a long time, and it will be the first time there for many players. I'm expecting the Panthers to be the Dragons of 2010 and bow out in straight sets despite finshing so high on the ladder. Titans are just scraping home in the matches they win, and come finals time I don't think they'll be able to contain the teams in red hot form.

I'm undecided on Manly.

 

[cleary89]

Roosters off a short turnaround against Brisbane/MNF syndrome = Eels will destroy them

Tigers = Parra owns this mob,look at the past 12 or so clashes,will destroy them at Parra stadium




Warriors = Parra will not lose there last home game of the season and the Warriors will not beat Parra twice in one year.


Bunnies = This team never beats the Eels




4 easy wins,end of story.

can we bet on it? loser has to not post for a month.

 

[The Engineers Room]

The Eels need to coinue to lift. They were explosive at times but they are still far from their best.

 

[big boppa eel]

Everyone please ignore this imbecile (Haynetrain)!

 

[mongoose]

Apart from broncos what big name players the other teams have

titans lost both semi finals - prince,campbell would be thier attacking players

Tigers - without marshall involvement the others wont really threaten other teams


Eels- the same as tigers Hayne is the only attacker ,

Manly with out lyons there isnt really ane one else who can take the game


Broncos , dragons maybe panthers and warriors are not 1 or 2 man teams

Titans have Prince, Bird, Campbell and some experienced forwards.

Tigers have Farah, Marshall and Tuquiri and a still a number of players from their 2005 side.

Eels & Manly have played in the last 2 grand finals. Like I said Manly will need Stewart back and in form to be a chance.

 

[adamkungl]

Contenders:

Dragons - Even with their noted breathing difficulties during big matches, they will still be minor premiers for a reason.

Roosters - Very good in the post Origin period so far. Dangerous in attack all over the park. Defensive issues out wide are the main weakness.

Warriors - In fine form and unlucky to have not won 6 in a row. Have previously been flying under the radar but not anymore. Teams above them should be worried.

Souths - Too many close losses keeping them out of the top 4, but if they keep it together and make the finals will be able to match it with the best of them. Other than a lack of consistency, injuries are a problem.

Broncos - Real dark horses for mine. Their young blokes have shown some blistering attacking football but might not have the consistency or experience this year.

Parra - A huge worry for anyone facing them. Problem is they depend almost entirely on the Haynetrain/plane, because their halves are garbage.

Pretenders:

Penrith - Roosters 08 all over again. Depend heavily on the kick try, no plan B, and struggling to find form post-Origin.

Tigers - I just don't rate them. Some absolute nuffies in their side and Benji Marshall only turns up every few weeks. Terrible goalkicking will cost them close matches.

Manly - wildly inconsistent and I don't think they have the class or the fitness. Too many second half collapses.

Titans - have stopped their slide for the moment, but I still don't think they will really challenge for the title. Talented across the park but for whatever reason haven't been truly convincing.

No hopers: the rest. Canberra are too far away from the pack to make it imo

 

[simmo1]

Any one of the current top ten has a real chance of winning this. A very even competition, as well as being below par in terms of quality means that it will come down to the team who can make the big plays come finals time. I think all it will take is a big name player to step up during the finals and the rest of the team to play off that one player.

Players like Boyd, Marshall, Hayne, Prince, Lyon etc must perform if their respective teams are to win the competition. I fancy the Broncos to take it out, with Lockyer playing a major role.

 

[typicalfan]

We're still way too unpredictable, but we're hitting some of our best attacking form. If we can produce a more consistent defence, we're in for a crack.

The halves at the Roosters will one day be the best in the game but at the moment I think they don't have the ability to win 4 big games in a row (which is essentially what the finals are). I reckon they might knock off a quality team or two in the process though.

 

[renouf]

lol Tigers are not contenders.. jesus, neither are the Warriors.

Parra, Saints, Brisbane, Easts, Manly are the only contenders, and they all have significant question marks over them, so it's anybodys guess really.

 

[Loudstrat]

No love for Canberra anyone?

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

No love for Canberra anyone?

They definitely have a lot of the pieces Strat. Add a seasoned half back & they are way up there.

Not with McCrone though. Not just yet.