Fox Sports....

[Coxy]

Yeah well wait until you see just how high he rates the Panthers this year...

Top 4 huh?

 

[Meat77]

Yep - 4th to be exact

 

[Coxy]

LOLZ, joke.

 

[Meat77]

To give him some sort of credit, at least he makes no secret about the fact that he is biased beyond belief! Although surely if he had ranked Penrith 8th that would have been high enough to give the impression to his board that he was showing faith in them without being ridiculous like he is now.

 

[Coxy]

Yep, honestly I think any person who is directly involved with a club should be precluded from making predictions like this. They can't be impartial and it's just pointless.

 

[Flutterby]

So everyone should be banned from making predictions - that is one of the best ideas I have heard in a really long while.

 

[Coxy]

So everyone should be banned from making predictions - that is one of the best ideas I have heard in a really long while.

icon_thumbs_u

Although it does take the fun away from being able to look at predictions at the end of the season and LOLZ at the idiots that made them.

 

[Meat77]

One of the columnists I read on ESPN.com Gregg Easterbrook always ends each NFL season by publishing all the predictions made before and during the season by various media types - the Bad Predictions Review.

Inevitably, every single prediction is always wildly wrong almost to a man

 

[Jip]

I was listening to that radio network thing, whatever it is, that has the sports program every afternoon, and all three of them named their top 8 and not one of them included the broncs, yet included teams like the roosters (who may just do well this year)... More than ever before the Broncs have a mammoth task ahead of them, with arguably the smallest and most inexperienced forward pack in the game. But has been mentined before, there is a winning culture and mentality at the club. We're not used to mediocrity and I don't see this season being any different.

 

[Flutterby]

Gus is also jumping on the bandwagon

5 . The Broncos - I think this is the year they miss the top eight after 18 consecutive seasons of finals football. They're starting to look worn around the edges for mine. I hope they can lift but I have my doubts.

That aside - I think he makes some very valid points - esp re Hayne, Parramatta, Pearce and Soward.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/rugby-l ... -pq8t.html

and my fave

Only five more sleeps and the footy is back - you bloody beauty!

 

[Flutterby]

Oh yeah - I don't listen to anyone's predictions really. But this article wasn't so much predictions as a series of thoughts and good points.

 

[Charmamba]

Queensland look vulnerable this season

Yes Mr Gould i mean QLD are gone they just havent been playing well this season.

 

[Coxy]

Queensland look vulnerable this season

Yes Mr Gould i mean QLD are gone they just havent been playing well this season.

I'd say he's pointing to the personnel, and it's hard to argue. I still struggle to pick a forward pack if Price and/or Civoniceva are out.

 

[ethos]

Hannant and Shillington?

In terms of personnel though, the losses aren't exactly massive. Hunt's spot can be filled by Cronk, Johnson can be replaced by someone like Michael Luck or Ash Harrison.

The two biggest issues for Queensland this year are the absense of Billy Johnstone and Neil Henry and the fact that both Price and Civoniceva are really getting on in years and (IMO) will struggle to match the pace of the NSW forward pack.

 

[Charmamba]

And like the past 4yrs the NSW foward pack will struggle to hit form untill its all over :P

 

[Jeba]

Rightio we've got the "experts" opinions, so what's everyone else's opinions on our chances this year??

I reckon we are in with a huge chance of winning the whole thing this season. Most bookies have us at 20-1 which is absolute ludicrous and think we are the 10th best team in the comp which is even more ludicrous!! Obviously the key to our success is the engine room, and a lot will depend on the ones right up front - Kenny, Sims and Anderson especially. All 3 are capable of being really good front rowers and Sims in particular at the back end of last season showed us what he is capable of. He may have worn the #11 jersey but he was playing up front and for a couple of games he really was outstanding. Kenny was consistently good throughout the year but I think he can go up another level, would like to see him become more dominant in his hit-ups and not get driven back as much. I think he can. Anderson is new to the club and can be a really good addition.

I think a huge plus in our game is the combination of Lockyer-Wallace-McCullough. They have had a season under their belt to understand their combinations now and that will work to our advantage. Yes we have lost a big link in the chain in Karmichael Hunt, but I don't think he is irreplaceable. Corey Norman has shown a lot in the trials and looks the perfect replacement to me.

Tim Smith can be an X-factor for us and I believe he can really provide a good spark for us off the bench.

Te'o and Setu will have big seasons as well.

Prediction: PREMIERS icon_thumbs_u

 

[Bucking Beads]

Very rarely will a prop win you a premiership!!

 

[Jeba]

Where did I say that??