Which teams are likely to improve in the NRL in 2018?

[Marlins]

Dragons will be a Definite Top8 side
And will compete with the top sides.

 

[Billythekid]

Easy to get on the Knights bandwagon because of sympathy but it's still well short of quality and experience to challenge for finals.

I don't think it's because of sympathy. The knights have recruited incredibly well. At times last year they didn't look that far off the pace despite the team being miles behind the one they have next year.

Their spine in particular looks far better potentially. It's really hard to say either way. They've made a lot of changes and it will likely take a while to gel. I'm torn on whether they'll make it or not but it's hard to be confident either way.

 

[mozza91]

I’m cautiously optimistic about how we’ll go next year. Top 8 would be overachieving considering the time for new combinations to form after a huge turnover of players aswell as a ridiculously hard draw for the first couple of months. I’d say 10 or more wins would equate to a successful season.

2019 is where the expectations should be massive. Finals that year is an absolute must and Top 4 a definite possibility.

 

[PenrithPanther45]

I still have Knights around bottom 4-5 because their defence has always been the issue and I'm not entirely convinced their signings, while great, can immediately fix this. If they fix up their defence they can definitely improve.

 

[perverse]

i'm across a few threads specifically table predictions where knights top 8 seems to be trendy at the moment, all good.

i share the sentiment with hoping the knights do well, so i would like to see them snag a bit more quality depth, and we'll revisit where i see them finishing...for now just calling a spade a spade

I don't think we're a lock for the 8 by any stretch. However, with our recruitment being as strong as it has been, and should now continue to be - I think it should definitely be our goal internally at the club. It's not an unrealistic goal, and if Brown can coach and things click then it's reasonable to expect us to be there or there abouts.

I'm not sure where we'll end up, but i'm expecting somewhere around 8-12. Anything beyond that would be overachieving and quite impressive. 2019 will have much higher expectations.

 

[GongPanther]

Premiership winner will come from one of these clubs.

Brisbane,Penrith,Parramatta,Canberra,Perth,Bulldogs,Canberra or Gold Coast.

 

[Vee]

Pretty bold assertion to say that they won't be big improvers, though. People aren't getting on the bandwagon because of sympathy, they're jumping on because our recruitment has been nothing short of phenomenal, and still around a million to spend.

Really? Until Pearce, you'd paid overs for bog-standard FGers or promising youngsters.

 

[Vee]

Cowboys should improve with Thurston, Scoot and McLean added to the mix.

 

[Knight Vision]

Really? Until Pearce, you'd paid overs for bog-standard FGers or promising youngsters.

lol ur funny

 

[POPEYE]

All 16 hopefully

 

[veggiepatch1959]

Dylan Napa proved to be a myth..

The most truthful post in the history of LU.

 

[SBD82]

Really? Until Pearce, you'd paid overs for bog-standard FGers or promising youngsters.

*includjng Pearce.

 

[perverse]

Really? Until Pearce, you'd paid overs for bog-standard FGers or promising youngsters.

Who are the bog standard players we've paid overs for? Origin reps Guerra and Lillyman? Moga? Ese'ese? Watson? All of these players would be welcome at most teams. We paid some overs for Ponga, a player every team in the comp would love to have on the books.

You are talking out of your arsehole. None of these players bar Ponga even had their salary announced to the best of my knowledge.

I think you can maybe make an argument that the Roosters have recruited better, at least for the short term, but I don't think you can say the same for the 14 other clubs.

 

[Valheru]

Who are the bog standard players we've paid overs for? Origin reps Guerra and Lillyman? Moga? Ese'ese? Watson? All of these players would be welcome at most teams. We paid some overs for Ponga, a player every team in the comp would love to have on the books.

I would limit your expectations on Guerra. In 2013 and parts of 2014 he was better than Cordner. Since then he has been complete rubbish. Maybe a change of scenery is what he needs but he needs to drastically improve on his last 3 seasons

 

[ed-grimley]

I would limit your expectations on Guerra. In 2013 and parts of 2014 he was better than Cordner. Since then he has been complete rubbish. Maybe a change of scenery is what he needs but he needs to drastically improve on his last 3 seasons

If only he could always play in a Maroon jersey.

 

[perverse]

I would limit your expectations on Guerra. In 2013 and parts of 2014 he was better than Cordner. Since then he has been complete rubbish. Maybe a change of scenery is what he needs but he needs to drastically improve on his last 3 seasons

I'm not expecting him to be Boyd Cordner, lol. What he is to us is an experienced safe pair of hands to help usher through the young forwards that we have, and show them how to prepare and train as professionals at an elite level. There's plenty of ability in our young guys, but hasn't been a lot of guidance.

If we get any more from him than the above then it's honestly a bonus.

 

[horrie hastings]

I would limit your expectations on Guerra. In 2013 and parts of 2014 he was better than Cordner. Since then he has been complete rubbish. Maybe a change of scenery is what he needs but he needs to drastically improve on his last 3 seasons

Agree that Guerra was rubbish in 2015 & 2016 but he did return to a bit of form this season, while I will say it wasn’t as good as as his 2013 form he did play pretty well overall this year, lol though while i’m typing this I am remembering the intercept he threw against Melbourne at Adelaide oval which gave them a 95 mtr runaway try yeah so maybe he still stunk this season but I think overall there were some signs of Guerra getting back to some good form.

 

[RazorRam0n]

Guerra and lillyman aren't origin reps... They're ex reps that got dropped coz they're not at that level anymore.

Herman and Moga are better signings to brag about because they at least are on the way up not down..

In saying that to address the question of overs all above except lillyman are being paid market value to what they should be achieving which is more than what they were paid previously,

 

[TheFrog]

Tigers to surprise a lot of people, including their own supporters, now that they've got rid of the deadwood.

 

[RazorRam0n]

..