We all probably hope our team will win in 2004, so here is a thread where we can list the reasons they will do well.
My team is the Knights.
Obviously the Knights need Johns to have a great year to take out the title, and the good news is that Johns is officially in the best shape of his life in early off season training - he has the lowest body fat level since he joined the club and for the first time in his life he is nearly a non drinker since starting his new relationship half way through last season.
Johns will also have a quality 5/8 beside him for the first time since his brother left the club now that Kurt Gidley is finally reaching his potential.
Danny Buderus is the next most important player, and he is getting better and better as he reaches his mid twenties.
The Knights backs were a bit thin on the ground last season, but the club has bought at least three players of firstgrade standard to fill in if injuries/suspensions/rep duties run us short again this season.
The Knights forwards had a massive injection of young talent last season with 9 forwards making their firstgrade debut, and this season will see several of them (Price, Tanner, Lowrie, Mueller, Quigley etc) come of age as firstgraders, assuming they can push aside rep players like Kennedy, Simpson, Perry, Abraham etc.
The Knights suffered from a lack of depth last season, but this season they have bought several firstgraders (Richardson, Witt, Fitzgerald) and have many talented juniors backing up for their second season in firstgrade, so the depth problem shouldn't be a worry this year.
My team is the Knights.
Obviously the Knights need Johns to have a great year to take out the title, and the good news is that Johns is officially in the best shape of his life in early off season training - he has the lowest body fat level since he joined the club and for the first time in his life he is nearly a non drinker since starting his new relationship half way through last season.
Johns will also have a quality 5/8 beside him for the first time since his brother left the club now that Kurt Gidley is finally reaching his potential.
Danny Buderus is the next most important player, and he is getting better and better as he reaches his mid twenties.
The Knights backs were a bit thin on the ground last season, but the club has bought at least three players of firstgrade standard to fill in if injuries/suspensions/rep duties run us short again this season.
The Knights forwards had a massive injection of young talent last season with 9 forwards making their firstgrade debut, and this season will see several of them (Price, Tanner, Lowrie, Mueller, Quigley etc) come of age as firstgraders, assuming they can push aside rep players like Kennedy, Simpson, Perry, Abraham etc.
The Knights suffered from a lack of depth last season, but this season they have bought several firstgraders (Richardson, Witt, Fitzgerald) and have many talented juniors backing up for their second season in firstgrade, so the depth problem shouldn't be a worry this year.