Who will be 2011 premiers?

[ToiletDuck]

Yeah Warriors won't do anything. One of the better teams of the chasing pack but a massive gulf in class between the top 4 and the rest.

Will be between Storm, Drags, Seagles.

 

[besthalfbackPEARCE]

I forsee a repeat of the 08 grand final

 

[Matt23]

I forsee a repeat of the 08 grand final

Hopefully Moffo does as well

 

[Billythekid]

As far as i know we still have to face the broncos, manly and dragons. I think come finals time we will have a fair idea of whether the storm are the real deal.

The dragons match in particular will be huge.

 

[Garts]

I am tipping the Storm. The salary cap scandal is a huge motivation for them. If they keep their big guns on the field they will have a point to prove and will be very hard to stop.

 

[stormbati]

You guys are reading too much into the results. They mean squat. So the Dragons beat Manly, convincingly, so what?
Remember the year the Sea-Eagles won? Storm beat them at Brookie not long before the finals, they were also smashed by the Roosters.
Remember 09, Melbourne were in danger of missing the 8 after losing to Manly at home late in the season, then 3 weeks later (Finals) its a different story.
The Dragons were so close to being upstaged by the Tigers last year.

Someone mentioned that Melbourne cant handle the intensity of finals footy! What!

 

[Spot On]

Melb winning a comp with Adam Woolnough in the pack? Surely not! Oh hang on they won one with Clint Newton. Then had it taken away. Hmmm, we will see.................. no, surely not.

 

[eozsmiles]

Someone mentioned that Melbourne cant handle the intensity of finals footy! What!

Different Storm team. No questions about the big 3 unde pressure but they'll need youngsters like Proctor and Widdop to keep performing through the finals, and the journeymen like Woolnough and Norrie. They are something of an unknown in the big games.
Someone mentioned the draw being important and it's true. Most people agree on the 3 teams to beat. Where they finish the minor premiership will determine when they meet each other. The teams that run 1 and 2 will only meet after 4 weeks don't they? That can mean a sh!tload of injuries and suspensions and shake the whole thing up.

 

[Firey_Dragon]

Really? Every week? Even when they crumbled against the Sharks and Eels? Even notwhitstanding the losses due to origin depletion against Newcastle and the Titans, they certainyl don't play their best every week. Most weeks, yes, but then the same could be said about all the teams at the top end of the table, especially those that are above the dragons.

Crumbled against the Eels and Sharks... The sharks v dragons game in round 2 would have been one of the most physical games in torrential rain this year and we lost by 6. Eels we had 6 players backing up from Origin and both our left edge players missing in Cooper and Morris...

Prior to the origin period we'd lost one game. It's pretty damn hard to gauge the team on the other performances, not making excuses for the losses, they are what they are. But we've hardly "crumbled" like you described. Our biggest loss this year was by 14 points and we only had 2 regular backline players in the side.

You're a hard marker that's for sure....

I think Melbourne are the biggest threat, I'd love to see a Brisbane v Saints GF but that's unlikely. I also think Manly probably need another year with their halves to really be as strong as they can be, but the maturity of Foran never ceases to amaze me, so I could certainly be wrong there.

 

[St_Jubbsy]

The Storm's big three will certainly be focused on trying to secure their first premiership but I am confident that Saints have the ability to grind their way past any team (if they are somewhere near full strength).

Quite happy for morons to sprout nonsense that we "crumbled" in those games! Hahaha....yep....

 

[Ulysseus]

It is always hard to predict these things, and even harder to not look like a complete dickhead later on if you are wrong.

I remember Dean Kent writing in 2006 that a dogs VS $torm GF was a sure thing with the cheats winning.
Well the dogs never made it and the $torm lost it.

As for this year, lets wait it out and see what injuries occur, it only takes one in a key position to f**k everything, although if all of the current "big 3" teams were to cop and injury to the spine area I think Saints are able to handle an absence better than the others.
The $torm would pretty much crumble without Smith
f**k knows what Manly would roll like without their halves
If Hornby gets injured, or Young, or any number of other players for Saints they have at least had the dress rehearsal of what it is like to play with 3 different team members in 3 different weeks.

I'll tip Saints out of one eyedness and we will have a gauge on where everyone is at in a few weeks anyway.
It was a bit hard to ignore the arse kicking dished out to Manly though.

 

[Billythekid]

$torm? Could you be any more butthurt?

 

[adamkungl]

I would find Storm smashing Dragons in the GF to be absolutely hilarious.

Personally, I can't see it happening, but I can dream.

:lol: I would jizz if this happened. Cheats winning is still more pleasant that Dragons winning...

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

$torm? Could you be any more butthurt?

It's possible. Having 2 premierships, minor premierships, all points for the season and your credibility stripped would hurt quite a bit.

They cheated. Systematically. Deliberately.

They got caught.

They got caned.

They gained a reputation that will haunt them, their club (and unfortunately, the fans) for years - BUT they deserved everything they got.

Any club found doing it in the future deserve the same penalties. Case closed. Move on.

 

[11Straight]

:lol: I would jizz if this happened. Cheats winning is still more pleasant that Dragons winning...

:lol::lol: Damn man!!! you must hate us more than souffs lol.

 

[adamkungl]

:lol::lol: Damn man!!! you must hate us more than souffs lol.

Sometimes....but there's not really any worry about souffs winning a comp lol

 

[11Straight]

Sometimes....but there's not really any worry about souffs winning a comp lol

HAHAHA so true.Lol@50uff$.

 

[dangerousdave]

Dragons and Melbourne grand final.

Broncs can't do it. Manly maybe.

Newcastle have an easy run home so if they get up some momentum they're my dark horse

 

[SingleSpeed73]

I'd like to see a Manly Broncos Final
but its more likely gonna be Saints Storm this year, as a 1 eyed Manly supporter i think we need 1 more year to be GF bound

 

[Cliffhanger]

Melbourne or St George. I'm gonna say Melbourne they have much better potential in attack imo.