2015 Top 8

[Danoz Direct]

My Top 8 is

1. Rabbitohs
2. Bulldogs
3. Cowboys
4. Broncos
5. Roosters
6. Panthers
7. Manly
8. Storm

What does every else think?

 

[Foordy]

I have a feeling the Storm may miss out

 

[Danoz Direct]

I have a feeling the Storm may miss out

I can't really see anyone else getting in the 8 though.

 

[Ari Gold]

My Top 8 is

1. Rabbitohs
2. Bulldogs
3. Cowboys
4. Broncos
5. Roosters
6. Panthers
7. Manly
8. Storm

What does every else think?

I think you have the Dogs too high. Despite being grand finalists their spine is still underwhelming.

Not quite sure who else misses out from that 8, but I expect the Warriors to be there. Might even be one of the Storm or Manly. I dare say more likely to be Manly given their pack just gets worse by the year.

Also, Tedesco, Moses, Brooks and Farah is potentially the best spine in the competition. How well Taylor can get them playing well is the key, and it's probably odds against they do much, but I dare say the Tigers will be pretty binary. Either that spine gets injured or sucks and they are bottom 4, or the click and are top 4. I don't see much in between, but I feel obliged to point out the potential of the team.

 

[Bucking Beads]

1. Roosters
2. Cowboys
3. Panthers
4. Warriors
5. Rabbitohs
6. Broncos
7. Bulldogs
8. Storm

 

[Danoz Direct]

I think you have the Dogs too high. Despite being grand finalists their spine is still underwhelming.

Not quite sure who else misses out from that 8, but I expect the Warriors to be there. Might even be one of the Storm or Manly. I dare say more likely to be Manly given their pack just gets worse by the year.

Also, Tedesco, Moses, Brooks and Farah is potentially the best spine in the competition. How well Taylor can get them playing well is the key, and it's probably odds against they do much, but I dare say the Tigers will be pretty binary. Either that spine gets injured or sucks and they are bottom 4, or the click and are top 4. I don't see much in between, but I feel obliged to point out the potential of the team.

I just though that the Bulldogs beat a lot of good teams this year without a proper fullback and now they have Morris (I know not a fullback either but better than Perret) and a gun young hooker and their forward pack is getting better with Klemmer and Lloyd Perret.

I agree with you about the Tigers and the Warriors definitely have the potential it is just seeing if they reach it.

 

[Porthoz]

I don't see the Panthers repeating the feat, despite having some promising youngsters on their books. I feel they overachieved last year and won't maintain it next season.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

1. Penrith
2. Broncos
3. Souffs
4. Cowboys
5. Roosters
6. Warriors
7. Melbourne
8. Manly

Melbourne and Manly have one more finals appearance in them before things really turn to shit, so they'll sneak in one last time. Warriors and Roosters are the wild cards of the 8 in my opinion. They'll either make it comfortably or won't at all because they've shown that when the whips are really cracking in August, they collapse under the pressure.

I firmly believe the Grand Final will be Penrith versus us. Both teams have shown they're on their way up and fast.

It would make for an epic confrontation for myself. Myself and my father are the only Broncos supporters in a family full of Panthers supporters.

 

[Morkel]

1- Broncos
2- Cowboys
3- Sea Eagles
4- Tigers
5- Warriors
6- Souths
7- Bulldogs
8- Roosters

 

[Danoz Direct]

1- Broncos
2- Cowboys
3- Sea Eagles
4- Tigers
5- Warriors
6- Souths
7- Bulldogs
8- Roosters

I like the look of that, very optimistic though, Good Queensland!

 

[subsbligh]

Maybe it's easier ruling out teams?

There's no clear reason to sugegst the Sharks, Titans, and Raiders can lift themselves from the the bottom of the ladder.

The Eels may as well sit it out for the next 2 years without Hayne.

Newcastle and St George have done nothing exciting in the off season. Newcastle are bankrupt and St George have the softest looking forward pack in the comp and may yet lose Merrin.

There's 6 teams I'm relatively confident won't make the 8.

I think the Rabbitohs will struggle through this year, more than most returning premiers. Roosters without SBW maybe less of a threat. Manly could really struggle with their forward back torn apart and still no decent props.

I think the Tigers and Broncos will be the surpise packets - Tedesco, Brooks, Farah + Moses or Moltzen is a potent looking spine as is Milford, Hunt, McCullough and Boyd (with Barba as depth), especially with some discipline and fresh ideas from a new coach.

Warriors should make it this year into the 8.

Bulldogs (especially with Lichaa under a decent coach), Storm are conistently professional.

Panthers should go from strength to strength. The Cowboys... one man band... with a giant forward pack. Granville, Thurston, Morgan and Coote looks like a very competitive. Granville darting behind Tamou, Scott, Hannant and Taomolo will be bloody hard to stop.

Top 4 candidates:

Cowboys, Broncos, Roosters, Bulldogs, Rabbitohs, Penrith

Top 8 candidates:

Storm, Manly, Warriors, Tigers

 

[Morkel]

Maybe it's easier ruling out teams?

There's no clear reason to sugegst the Sharks, Titans, and Raiders can lift themselves from the the bottom of the ladder.

The Eels may as well sit it out for the next 2 years without Hayne.

Newcastle and St George have done nothing exciting in the off season. Newcastle are bankrupt and St George have the softest looking forward pack in the comp and may yet lose Merrin.

There's 6 teams I'm relatively confident won't make the 8.

I think the Rabbitohs will struggle through this year, more than most returning premiers. Roosters without SBW maybe less of a threat. Manly could really struggle with their forward back torn apart and still no decent props.

I think the Tigers and Broncos will be the surpise packets - Tedesco, Brooks, Farah + Moses or Moltzen is a potent looking spine as is Milford, Hunt, McCullough and Boyd (with Barba as depth), especially with some discipline and fresh ideas from a new coach.

Warriors should make it this year into the 8.

Bulldogs (especially with Lichaa under a decent coach), Storm are conistently professional.

Panthers should go from strength to strength. The Cowboys... one man band... with a giant forward pack. Granville, Thurston, Morgan and Coote looks like a very competitive. Granville darting behind Tamou, Scott, Hannant and Taomolo will be bloody hard to stop.

Top 4 candidates:

Cowboys, Broncos, Roosters, Bulldogs, Rabbitohs, Penrith

Top 8 candidates:

Storm, Manly, Warriors, Tigers

That's how I got to my top 8. The Panthers I disagreed on because they were never taken seriously last year, and stayed under the radar (including in the finals, despite all teams saying "we won't take them lightly" etc). They'll probably be the most likely to make the finals if one or two of the better teams lose a big name or 2 to injury and slide down the ladder. I think Manly have a better chance of making the 8 than the Storm, purely because of their 1-7. They were without Glewart for just about the entire year, and Watmough was playing through injury & getting needled up, and they were still right up there. The Storm on the other hand are on serious decline and they simply can't afford to recruit any big names to help while ever the Big 3 are getting paid their true contracts.

 

[Broncoman]

I don't see the Panthers repeating the feat, despite having some promising youngsters on their books. I feel they overachieved last year and won't maintain it next season.

Penrith are the rising force in the game imo and have the best development, leadership at the top and one of the most underrated coaches in the game. I can see your point that they overachieved this year missing top players but the fact that they still finished highly is a testament to the depth they've got. If they failed to make the finals next year I would be stunned.

 

[subsbligh]

Penrith are the rising force in the game imo and have the best development, leadership at the top and one of the most underrated coaches in the game. I can see your point that they overachieved this year missing top players but the fact that they still finished highly is a testament to the depth they've got. If they failed to make the finals next year I would be stunned.

I think the Panthers success, or true ability, is about the same as Soward relative to the best halves in the game.

Passionate competitior, good, moments of brilliant, but generally not a real threat.

On the back of that they've gone from consistent 10-14 runner to finals this year. I can't see the X-Factor - unless it's Moylan?

 

[Big Pete]

Outside of Soward/Wallace my biggest question mark over Penrith is their front row rotation.

McKendry, Kite, Plum & Latimore were more than serviceable this year but can they take that next step forward? Personally, I think they're more likely to regress & I don't know if Penrith have anybody worthwhile coming through. Anderson, Campbell-Gillard & Latu don't inspire that much confidence while Saunders is really just a handy work-horse at this stage of his development.

Somebody is going to have to step up and right now, there are no obvious candidates.

I have similar concerns with the Broncos. McGuire is a very handy prop but is in that Tim Mannah mould where he can't really carry a pack on his own and right now, he doesn't have a lot of support. Whatever Wayne does, I hope he doesn't compromise the pack to sort this problem out because we saw the roll on effect that had. The ideal scenario is to shift Thaiday exclusively to the fringe where you can use his ball skills & quick play the balls while trying to bring a Garbutt, Garvet, Dodds, Wallace etc. to speed.

Thankfully in their favour, I believe they've got a lot of exciting props coming through - Ofahengaue, Molo, Fai, Hipgrave & Collins. Right now, I reckon it'd be wise for Bennett to ride this rough period out, bring in a few journeymens, while looking to bring through the next wave of talent and see what they've got to offer.

Worth noting that Penrith could have had that luxury had they not allowed Lodge to go to Melbourne.

 

[Unbreakable]

1st ~ Canterbury Bulldogs

They'll be very hard to beat next season, as much as I think Josh Reynolds is majorly overrated, Hodkinson is a solid player and a great goal kicker, the loss of Ennis will be noticeable, but not irreplaceable. The addition of another elite try scorer in Brett Morris will be amazing for them. Best bench in the NRL as well. Also, any team with Hasler in charge and an above average roster should be considered a favourite to finish top 3.

Gains - Michael Lichaa, Jacob Loko, Curtis Rono, Brett Morris
Losses - Michael Ennis, Mitch Brown, Krisnan Inu, Lachlan Burr, John Sila

Predicted 2015 Line-up -

1. Sam Perrett
2. Curtis Rona
3. Josh Morris
4. Tim Lafai
5. Brett Morris
6. Josh Reynolds
7. Trent Hodkinson
8. Aiden Tolman
9. Michael Lichaa
10. James Graham (c)
11. Josh Jackson
12. Tony Williams
13. Dale Finucane

14. Sam Kasiano
15. David Klemmer
16. Greg Eastwood
17. Frank Pritchard

2nd ~ South Sydney Rabbitohs

The reigning premiers, the only major losses Souths have coming in to 2015 are Sam Burgess & Ben Te'o, which are pretty big losses mind you. The additions of the experienced Glenn Stewart & Tim Grant will help soften the blow of losing 2 elite players, it may take them a while to reach the level at which they were at this year, but I think they can get close, especially if George & Tom keep developing at the same rate.

Gains - Glenn Stewart, Tim Grant, Cody Walker
Losses - Sam Burgess, Beau Champion, Ben Te'o, Joe Picker, Nathan Merritt, Apisai Koroisau

Predicted 2015 Line-up -

1. Greg Inglis
2. Alex Johnston
3. Dylan Walker
4. Kirisome Auva'a
5. Bryson Goodwin
6. Luke Keary
7. Adam Reynolds
8. George Burgess
9. Isaac Luke
10. Tim Grant
11. Chris McQueen
12. John Sutton (c)
13. Glenn Stewart

14. Jason Clarke
15. David Tyrell
16. Kyle Turner
17. Tom Burgess

3rd ~ Sydney Roosters

The mighty Roosters, as long as they've got the same core group of players together I think they'll always be a premiership threat, they looked immensely better last season when Mitchell Pearce actually played like he's supposed to, the loss of Sony Bill Williams and Anthony Minichiello are huge, but they've still got the personnel to cover for the losses, and may actually have a slightly stronger roster next season. Also worth noting that Jake Friend may miss the first couple of months of the season, which is why I have them at 3rd and not 1st or 2nd.

Gains - Nathan Stapleton, Abraham Papalii, Martin Kennedy, Blake Ferguson*
Losses - Sony Bill Williams, Anthony Minichiello, Tautau Moga, Daniel Mortimer, Remi Casty, Heath L'Estrange, Saulala Houma

Predicted 2015 Line-up -

1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
2. Daniel Tupou
3. Michael Jennings
4. Blake Ferguson*
5. Shaun Kenny-Dowall
6. James Maloney
7. Mitchell Pearce
8. Jared-Warea Hargreaves
9. Jackson Hastings**
10. Sam Moa
11. Aiden Guerra
12. Boyd Cordner (c)
13. Frank-Paul Nuuausala

14. Mitchell Aubusson
15. Dylan Napa
16. Isaac Liu
17. Martin Kennedy

* = Hasn't officially signed with the Sydney Roosters yet
** = Until Jake Friend returns from shoulder surgery

4th - North Queensland Cowboys

The constant underachievers, will this finally be the year they perform to expectations? I'm predicting yes. The loss of the Sims brothers will most certainly hurt, but the addition of Hannant to an already awesome pack mostly covers it. Lachlan Coote didn't play a single game last year, their number one option at Fullback, it'll be interesting to see if he starts the 2015 season there or in the Intrust Super Cup, my bold prediction is that he'll once again get first crack, with Morgan shifting to Five-Eigth, sorry Lui.

Gains - Jake Granville, Ben Hannant, Tautau Moga, Kyle McConnell, Kelepi Tanginoa
Losses - Tariq Sims, Ashton Sims, Anthony Mitchell, Ricky Thorby, Brent Tate

Predicted 2015 Line-up -

1. Lachlan Coote
2. Antonio Winterstein
3. Tautau Moga
4. Kane Linnett
5. Kyle Feldt
6. Michael Morgan
7. Johnathan Thurston (c)
8. Matt Scott (c)
9. Ray Thompson
10. James Tamou
11. Gavin Cooper
12. Jason Taumalolo
13. Scott Bolton

14. Jake Granville
15. Ben Hannant
16. Ethan Lowe
17. Kelepi Tanginoa

 

[Unbreakable]

Yes, I got very bored today, might do 4-8 tonight if I'm even more filled with boredom.

 

[Unbreakable]

1- Broncos
2- Cowboys

:(