2009 Predictions

[Jeba]

Righto, list down a few predictions for the season.

Premiers: Broncos. Yeh I am biased. Yeh I am always gonna say they will win. Yeh I honestly do think we have a good chance, with that backline, anything's possible.

Improvers: Warriors should be better than 8th after the regular season. Dragons will be up there around the top 6. I'll be very surprised if the Cowboys miss the 8 again. Titans if they stay injury free will scrape in on the back of their form at Skilled Park.

Unimprovers: Sharks to miss the 8, Roosters to just scrape in, Melbourne knocked out second week (what should've happened last year :cry: )

Wooden Spoon: Tigers, hinging all their hopes on an over-rated hack who wants to play Rugby in Japan. Good on Tim Sheens for taking the Kangaroos role, at least he'll be coaching a team with some sort of hope.

So I'll go:

1. Broncos
2. Manly
3. Melbourne
4. Warriors
5. Dragons
6. Cowboys
7. Titans
8. Roosters
------------------------
9. Knights
10. Sharks
11. Raiders
12. Bulldogs
13. Panthers
14. Eels
15. Souths
16. Tigers

 

[Foordy]

Premiers: Broncos, i don't think we will get minor premiers, but i think we have a young enthusiastic side, with tons of potential, we should finish top 4, leaving us perfectly placed for a run at the title in the finals

Improvers: Warriors, i really rate their side this year, should finish higher than eighth. Cowboys, the seem to have recruited well, and if the have a fit Bowen and Thurston, they are potenially a top 4 side. Titans, if the keep Prince on the park, they should make the 8.

Unimprovers: Raiders, doubt they can make the 8 this year. Storm to miss the top 4

Wooden Spoon: Tigers, they have had nothing since the fluked the title in 2005. Souths will give them a run for their money though.

Standings at end of regular season:

1. Sea Eagles
2. Broncos
3. Cowboys
4. Warriors
5. Storm
6. Dragons
7. Titans
8. Bulldogs
-----------------------------
9. Sharks
10. Roosters
11. Knights
12. Raiders
13. Panthers
14. Eels
15. Souths
16. Tigers

 

[Clintos]

Premiers: Cowboys - If Bowen and Thurston can stay fit then I can't see anyone beating the Cowboys this year. They just look the complete team. A very dangerous back line, the best halfback in the rugby league, and a lot of size and muscle up forward to lay the platform for the potency in the backs.

Improvers: Bulldogs - Big signings in key positions could spell success for the Dogs this year. The only question is whether they can successfully gel together after just a few games. A new look team and a new coach is just what the Dogs need to forget about their horrible 2008 campaign. The Titans should make the 8 this year if Prince and Bailey can stay injury free.

Unimprovers: Raiders - Last year was a fluke. They simply do not have the players to maintain that type of success over a long period of time. If Campese gets injured then it's all over red rover. The loss of Colin Best weakens their already questionable back line as well.

Wooden Spoon: Eels - Too many player losses without any significant gains over the last few years has really effected the Eels campaigns. There has been no change for this season, and with not too many promising juniors coming through the ranks (Tim Mannah is the exception) I predict a tough 2009 for the Eels.

1. Cowboys
2. Manly
3. Melbourne
4. Warriors
5. Broncos
6. Sharks
7. Dragons
8. Titans
------------------------
9. Bulldogs
10. Roosters
11. Souths
12. Knights
13. Raiders
14. Tigers
15. Panthers
16. Eels

 

[Black Philip]

1. Melbourne
2. Manly
3. Cowboys
4. Warriors
5. Dragons
6. Broncos
7. Bulldogs
8. Titans
9. Sharks
10. Roosters
11. Eels
12. Raiders
13. Rabbitohs
14. Panthers
15. Tigers
16. Knights

Premiers: I have a feeling Melbourne will be minor premiers mainly due to their forward strength.

8. Lima
9. Smith
10. White
11. Hoffman (Ok, I realise White and Hoffman are pretty ordinary, but the rest are good lol)
12. Manu
13. Johnson

They have Adam Blair on the bench too, easily one of the best packs in the competition with Cooper Cronk steering the ship too. I hate to admit it cause I hate the bastards, but the Storm will still be the team to beat IMO.
Manly on the other hand..... with their current off field incidents involving Watmough and Stewart it's a bit unpredictable for them. Assuming they are innocent then they will be hot on Melbourne's heels IMO for no.1, otherwise I think it will have a fairly big impact on their season, with them finishing as low as 7th or 8th.

Improvers: The Cowboys and Warriors are in for decent seasons, along with the Dragons having a big impact as expected with Bennett at the helm and a fantastic pack also.

Unimprovers: The Raiders will slip without Neil Henry, they have some good players in the team but overall it's pretty ordinary.

Wooden Spoon: Despite making a good signing in De Gois I fail to see the Knights doing sweet **** all this season. Good riddance as well [icon_razz1

The teams I have in positions 7-10 will be very close together come the end of the season IMO, they all have good potential to make the 8 but aren't quite up to establishing a spot higher up the ladder.

 

[Nashy]

Premiers. NZ Warriors.

That's all.

 

[Professor47]

PREMIERS: BRONCOS - What else can I say? My bottom line with the Broncs is, its this year or we're in trouble IMO.

WOODEN SPOON: RAIDERS - Someone has to get it and on paper IMO its either the Raiders or Panthers... Raiders ALWAYS prove everyone wrong anyway.

DARK HORSE: DRAGONS - Lot of expectation - I reckon they will be there to cause some trouble in september... all the way? probably not but I would love to see them there.

TEAMS I EXPECT TO GO WELL: Dogs, Sharks and Warriors.

TEAMS I EXPECT TO STRUGGLE: Titans, Tigers and Panthers. (I dont think these teams would be worrying anyone much apart from the odd upset here and there.)

Obviously we have Many and Storm leading the front and a few teams who will be there in the eight. On Paper it looks tough but the bottom line is some teams will struggle that is for sure.

 

[mick]

Premiers: Not going to single a team out here. Too many chances.

Improvers: Warriors will head for a top six finish, while both the Bulldogs and Eels will surprise by making the finals or going damn close to it.

Unimprovers: Melbourne. Their line-up is slowly getting less impressive.

Wooden Spoon: Tigers for sure - loving the 8-1 odds on them at the moment. Unless Farah and Marshall can remain completely injury free, they're destined for it.

So I'll go:

1. Manly
2. Warriors
3. Brisbane
4. Dragons
5. Storm
6. Cowboys
7. Bulldogs
8. Roosters
------------------------
9. Eels
10. Sharks
11. Knights
12. Raiders
13. Panthers
14. Rabbitohs
15. Titans
16. Tigers

All in all, this primarily means a Broncos v. Cowboys matchup at Suncorp for week one of the finals. Booyeah!

 

[Hamm.0]

1. Manly
2. Warriors
3. Brisbane
4. Dragons
5. Storm
6. Cowboys
7. Bulldogs
8. Roosters
------------------------
All in all, this primarily means a Broncos v. Cowboys matchup at Suncorp for week one of the finals. Booyeah!

I say let Storm and Dragons slip a little, then Cowboys, Broncos or Warriors will have to make the GF!

 

[spoonbled]

Premiers: Either the Broncos or Warriors

Improvers: Warriors definetly and the bulldogs

Unimprovers: Have to agree with the Storm, will be hard going through SOO time

Wooden Spoon: Tigers or Bunnies, cant compete week in week out

So I'll go:

1. Warriors
2. Brisbane
3. Cowboys
4. Sharks
5. Storm
6. Manly
7. Bulldogs
8. Titans
------------------------
9. Roosters
10. Dragons
11. Knights
12. Raiders
13. Eels
14. Panthers
15. Bunnies
16. Tigers

 

[Fozz]

Premiers: Broncos or Womanly.

Improvers: Cowboys and Dogs - both have recruited well so depth shouldn't be an issue as it was last year.

Unimprovers: Raiders. Lost some key talent and replaced a top coach with a untested one.

Spooners: Pansies without a doubt.

1. Womanly
2. Warriors
3. Broncos
4. Storm
5. Roosters
6. Sharks
7. Cowboys
8. Dragons (I want to believe, their performance in the Charity Shield was inspid but they should have the game for the regular season)
9. Knights
10. Titans
11. Bulldogs
12. Bunnies
13. Tigers
14. Eels
15. Raiders
16. Panthers

 

[The Brizz]

Premiers: Melbourne

1. Melbourne
2. Cowboys
3. Warriors
4. Sharks
5. Manly
6. Knights
7. Canberra
8. Broncos
___________
9. Roosters
10. Dragons
11. Titans
12. Tigers
13. Bulldogs
14. Parra
15. Penrith
16. Rabbits

Improver: Cowboys, if JT and Bowen are fit most of the year they will be very competitive with there signings including a new and very good coach.

Unprover: Roosters, nothing about the side really excites me and they didn't really bring anyone new on to make them any better than last year where they overachieved.

Spooners: Rabbits, just playing the odds they win it every other year.

Dally M: Cooper Cronk, he is a gun and I think he will explode this year and still has the forwards and backs he needs to do so.