2012 Premiers

[Big Pete]

Let's settle this.

We know who's on what bandwagon, but who do you think is going to win/not going to win & why?

Despite their form, I still think it's Melbourne's premiership to win. I believe the home ground advantage will play a huge part in breezing their way through the finals and they'll capitalise on the strains of the finals and just have too much class for the likes of the Dogs, Rabbitohs etc.

Only team that I feel will win it this year is the Sea Eagles yet I have this nagging feeling in the back of my mind that this team can't go back to back. If a team can take them to an arm wrestle, I believe they'll get exposed during portions of the match. For as classy as they've looked they have certainly looked ordinary in others.

 

[Alec]

1 - Best Chance: Melbourne, Manly
2 - Good teams, some big deficiencies: Bulldogs, Souths, Cowboys
3 - Need a lot of luck and to click as a team again to have a chance: Broncos
4 - No chance: Sharks, Raiders

 

[OXY-351]

I think the class of Smith, Slater and Cronk will come to the fore in the finals. Melbourne vs Manly gf. Melbourne to win

 

[Bucking Beads]

Cowboys.

 

[Huge]

Most likely Manly/Melbourne..even money...no chance Cows...best smokey will be Cronulla, know exactly how to grind and are brilliant defensively...a pre-requisite in finals

 

[Anonymous person]

the last few weeks has changed my opinion on who will win a fair bit from say 8 weeks ago.

at this stage, Manly would be my bet. coming into some great form at the right end of the season, and have all hands back on deck.
Melbourne have the potential to win, but their form has been very sketchy to say the least. will need big improvements from them if theyre going to win the GF.
the Bulldogs will either fall in a heap or make the GF easily i think. dont really think theres a middle ground with them. they either win easily or theyll lose.
the Cowboys are the dark horse IMO. just been flying under the radar, notching up the wins, and Thurston and Bowen have been in stellar form. one of the few teams where i feel they actually have a home ground advantage, and that could be the difference between winning and losing in the first few rounds.
the Broncos, well i think it all comes down to how we play tonight. could give it a real shake or could just make up the numbers.
the other 3 are no chance IMO.

 

[Kaz]

Really don't care, as long as it's not the Dogs.

 

[subsbligh]

GF Prediction: Manly v Bulldogs

Melbourne... I think that the Broncos showed that despite the big 3, Melbourne don't have the forwards to win it. If they're close enough Slater, Cronk and Smith can pull it out of the hat though but I think the burning desire to win a valid premiership burns in those 3.

Broncos.... Could dispose of some of the less experienced finals contenders (Cronulla, Souths, Cowboys, Radiers) if given the chance but are such a boring team at the moment and can't score points. Great at the grind but no dynamic players

Doggies... Have been the form team under Hasler. I reckon this is their version of Manly's 2007. Could easily see Matai, Watmough or Tony Williams knocking out Barba in a grand final.

The rest speak for themselves.

My "seeding"

1. Manly
2. Doggies
3. Storm
4. Broncos
5. Cowboys
6. Souths
7. Cronulla
8. Raiders.

 

[Fozz]

ABM.

Anyone But Manly

 

[Son Edo]

You just can't go past Sea Eagles on current form, only problem for them is their 2nd half performances. You just dont know how the Bulldogs might react to their recent loss, Storm look nowhere near the finals team that they should be and Rabbitohs struggle against those top 4 teams.

 

[Porthoz]

What AP said... :scared:

 

[The Brizz]

Manly are clear favourites. Cowboys are a great value chance.

 

[Nashy]

1 - Best Chance: Melbourne, Manly
2 - Good teams, some big deficiencies: Bulldogs, Souths, Cowboys
3 - Need a lot of luck and to click as a team again to have a chance: Broncos
4 - No chance: Sharks, Raiders

I think a lot of Broncos fans agree with this.

That's why I think a lot of Broncos fans are nuts.



1 - Best Chance: Melbourne, Manly
2 - Good teams, some big deficiencies: Bulldogs, Souths, Cowboys
3 - No chance: Sharks, Raiders








4 - Off the scale: Broncos

 

[Dexter]

I said Manly from about 3 months ago and nothing has changed my mind since then. Tough professional footy side which I hate and I hope I am wrong.

Melb I don't think have the front row to win it but the big three are capable of anything so I am reluctant to write them off completely.

Dogs will lose one before they win one IMO.

Cows have class and experience in all the right positions but are unconvincing in too many matches. I would love to see them win it though.

Rabbits are a class below with some match winners sprinkled in, may win a game but that is all.

Broncos have the most improvement in them no doubt, but can they find it? You just get the feeling ( my bias) that if they can get something started tonight they could go a long way into the finals.

Cronulla will compete but I've yet to see Carney own a big game when he is expected to, which is totally different to when the chooks made the GF a couple of years ago, I din't think he handles the weight of expectation.

Raiders, no

 

[Huge]

The bias in favour of three clubs is obvious when considering the penalties those clubs received during the season. A reasonable person would consider that over the season the penalties each club receives would work out to be roughly equivalent. A club, to some extent, can control the number of penalties it concedes by conscientious effort at playing within the rules. They cannot however control the penalties they receive, that is the purvey of the referees.

What is staggering is the difference between the favoured clubs and those not favoured by supposedly unbiased referees.
The top three were Penrith,Bulldogs and the Roosters receiving 142,147 and (wow) 153 respectively !!!!

Now compared to Cronulla they received 40,45 and 51 more penalties during the regular season !!!!! That's right, Cronulla only just made it into triple figures with 102. The rest of the teams did average around the same which is as it should be. The Roosters received 50% more penalties in one season than the Sharks !! How can that be ? After all, they play against the same teams, why wouldn't you expect an averaging out ??

When you consider this shameful imbalance the Sharks efforts to make the eight is even more meritorious then it would appear at first glance. Even with this unfair advantage the Panthers and Roosters should hang their heads in shame. They were clearly being given a leg up and only the Bulldogs took full advantage of this bias. All three teams received almost 50% more penalties. They are clearly ref favourites.

I do not write Cronulla off so readily as others do on this forum.

 

[Mr Fourex]

You sure about the Roosters?

......they're the most undisciplined side in the comp.

 

[Huge]

NRL stats....and the penalties they RECEIVE has nothing to do with their ILLdiscipline
Roosters
23
3665
59
50
384
92
153.......penalties for
1
80

 

[Ari Gold]

Getting penalties often comes off the back of attacking football that puts the opposition on the backfoot. Which would be why the Sharks get so few.