Top 8 - Contenders and pretenders

[Dutchy]

They can beat any side on their day I believe, but may struggle when the heat is really on due to the inexperience of the halves.

You don't need to worry about Kieran Foran, he will hold his nerve. He held his own playing in the Anzac Test in which only goal-kicking got Australia over the line. Foran has the goods, one Andrew Johns reckons within three years time he can take the worlds best player mantle off Thurston.

 

[sam54no]

Wish people would stop thinking that we are back. We have a lot of work to do and quite frankly, I couldn't care if go along the same path as we did last year, it means nothing unless we win the Premiership.

With the roster we have and knowing what we are capable of, I should be more confident of our chances this year, but I'm not.

Agree...We should be more confident as the cheats are out. But, i'm taking it one week at a time.

Based on our previous finals matches, I won't be confident till we're holding on to the Trophy.

 

[mxlegend99]

Penrith: I really don't know with penrith. They have some of the best players in the NRL on their roster (Pet, Pritchard, Jennings, Lewis), but they struggle to score points. Walsh really needs to fire, because if his kicking game is off, they won't score any points, but I am not sold on him as a big game player.
Pretenders, unless Walsh really fires come September

They don't struggle to score points, they struggle to make linebreaks.

They've still scored 449 points this season for an average of 24.94 points per game, which is second in the NRL. Prior to this week they were first.

 

[adamkungl]

You don't need to worry about Kieran Foran, he will hold his nerve. He held his own playing in the Anzac Test in which only goal-kicking got Australia over the line. Foran has the goods, one Andrew Johns reckons within three years time he can take the worlds best player mantle off Thurston.

Andrew Johns has a new "future worlds best player" every year.

 

[abpanther]

Andrew Johns has a new "future worlds best player" every year.

+1

 

[Marshall_magic]

They don't struggle to score points, they struggle to make linebreaks.

They've still scored 449 points this season for an average of 24.94 points per game, which is second in the NRL. Prior to this week they were first.

I probably should have elaborated more on that. Apart from Walsh kicks, Penrith don't put on a lot of points, as you've said, they don't make a lot of line breaks (which is shown by the fact they score a lot from kicks).

 

[adamkungl]

:lol: the other day I heard Andrew Johns say that "in future Mitch Pearce would be an influential player for the Roosters like....other...influential players. They will struggle to win without him."

He clearly meant himself but didn't want to say it. found it amusing

 

[Raiders_Premiers]

You don't need to worry about Kieran Foran, he will hold his nerve. He held his own playing in the Anzac Test in which only goal-kicking got Australia over the line. Foran has the goods, one Andrew Johns reckons within three years time he can take the worlds best player mantle off Thurston.

ahaha

 

[grandorient]

The real top three contenders in my view, are Saints, Manly and the Broncs.

Saints, because of the team and its spirit and the simple fact that Bennett is coaching them. You simply cannot play all year, the way they have played, winning the games they have won, with a brilliant for and against, not to be considered as one of the three top contenders.

Manly, well, on their day, they can beat anyone. I realise the same can be said for other teams, but Manly is in a different catergory, being able to "have" their day far more often. As a Saints supporter, Manly is a major worry come finals time.

The Broncs can and do change their game, come finals time, and like Manly will be a major concern. Regardless who wins this Sunday between Saints and the Broncs, it will be a completely different match, if they meet again in the finals. The Brisbane side just seems to be able to lift in September. Us poor Saints fans, on the other hand, may have to wait until late in August, or even the semi's to see what Wayne Bennett will pull out of the hat.

As for the others, well the Roosters, Rabbitsand even the Eels will have their opportunities.

GO

 

[AuDragon]

Nice use of selective statistics.

I wasn't trying to put the Broncos on a pedestal at all.
I was trying to say that they can defend very well as that string of 10 games indicates, but their youth makes them vulnerable and inconsistent, especially when they start to get wraps and get on the field thinking that things will just happen.
Hopefully the Roosters game will be a strong wake up call, otherwise we might have a very unpleasant experience on Sunday.

 

[TheDalek079]

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

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[renouf]

it's fair to say Easts are now favourites. Brisbane on an off night almost beat Easts, so they surely are still a contender.

Favourites: Easts
Contenders: Saints, Manly, Broncos, Parra

 

[AuDragon]

it's fair to say Easts are now favourites. Brisbane on an off night almost beat Easts, so they surely are still a contender.

Favourites: Easts
Contenders: Saints, Manly, Broncos, Parra

Parra? I doubt they'll even make the eight with their calendar...

I'll see how we go tomorrow before I make the Broncos call also.

 

[redandgreenduck]

it's fair to say Easts are now favourites. Brisbane on an off night almost beat Easts, so they surely are still a contender.

Favourites: Easts
Contenders: Saints, Manly, Broncos, Parra

You cannot be serious...they are almost as bad as west balmain..

 

[florencemachine]

it's fair to say Easts are now favourites. Brisbane on an off night almost beat Easts, so they surely are still a contender.

Favourites: Easts
Contenders: Saints, Manly, Broncos, Parra

the roosters were also missing two of their best players myles and pearce...so yeah.

 

[Tom Ace]

it's fair to say Easts are now favourites. Brisbane on an off night almost beat Easts, so they surely are still a contender.

Favourites: Easts
Contenders: Saints, Manly, Broncos, Parra

Wait, wait, wait, wait.

Lets not get ahead of ourselves here.

We did play well but Parra, in my eyes, really weren't playing that great nor did they beat anyone that were playing that well.

We still have a lot to prove.

Dragons will be the real test. If we perform well against them, then we may be able to call ourselves genuine contenders.

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Good call Tommy. Good call.

 

[renouf]

You cannot be serious...they are almost as bad as west balmain..

Yeah, but they are still capable of beating a lot of top8 sides, so if they make the finals, I still think Parra will beat some teams, depending on who they play of course.

 

[Panther_Daz]

Can't believe that 2-3 weeks ago the Roosters were at $21 and the Dogs $17 to win the comp.

 

[Sunshine Coast Tiger]

Roosters are contenders, tigers, souths and eels are all pretenders.

We will make the semis, go out very quickly and Sheens will be our coach for next year and the idiots in charge of our club will probably extend his contract