The home stretch is here, lets consult the predictor

[I bleed Maroon]

NRL Ladder Predictor - NRL.com

Feel free to spend 10 minutes doing it yourself and see what you come up with. Mine is as follows:

1. Melbourne
2. Cronulla
3. Cows
4. Broncos
5. Dogs
6. Raiders
7. Titans
8. Warriors


Going with my head instead of my heart, I have us making the top 4 and missing out on 3rd because of F/A, Melbourne edging Cronulla for the minor premiership in their game against each other at AAMI Park, The Titans and the Warriors sneaking into the 8 (very unsure about this but then 7th and 8th are always impossible to predict), and the Dogs holding on to 5th. I personally think the Dogs will begin to tank over the next few rounds, so we'll see if that holds.

What I have noticed which is seriously depressing is that we need to win the vast majority of our remaining games to get into the top 4 going off current form. I gave us one loss, to Melbourne at AAMI Park. That's pretty much all we can afford unless form dramatically changes.

We reallly don't want to finish in 4th going off the rest of those predictions, because it means a qualifier against Melbourne at AAMI Park. Maybe we should just attempt to finish 5th lol

 

[Super Freak]

We won't finish third unless Cowboys have a massive drop in form and just go to hell.. Like 2008 Cowboys bad.

We need them to beat the Bulldogs twice and we need to beat the Bulldogs.

We can't afford to lose more than 2 games. We can still make the top 4 after dropping 2 games, but it will come down to F/A. We need Bulldogs to go back to being inconsistent to give us some breathing room.

 

[Huge]

Sharks
Storm
Cows
Broncos
Dogs
Raiders
Warriors
Titans getting in on -1 (Manly finishing with -3, so sad)
And the Roosters with the spoon, narrowly.

 

[Canga]

Sharks
storm
Cows
Broncos
Raiders
Bulldogs
Panthers
Tits

 

[Super Freak]

Sharks
Storm
Cows
Broncos
Dogs
Raiders
Warriors
Titans getting in on -1 (Manly finishing with -3, so sad)
And the Roosters with the spoon, narrowly.

Can you have a dream that Sharks win the premiership this year? Please?

 

[Battler]

I'll be over the moon if we play the sharks first up.

 

[Huge]

I'll be over the moon if we play the sharks first up.

Really? Unless we improve by a good margin I think we'd struggle against any of the top three. Do we have a good record against the Sharks in particular? Interested to hear your thoughts.

 

[johnny plath]

I think of 3 possibilities, playing a semi in Sydney is a shit load better option than Melbourne or Townsville. I think sharks at the SFS is nowhere as intimidating as the other options, regardless of form... we just don't win (often) in Melbourne or Townsville at the moment. Maybe wishful thinking, but Sharks a good chance of a choke as expectation rises for them.

 

[kat00]

I'll be over the moon if we play the sharks first up.

Me too

 

[Jason Simmons]

8th after round 26 and Wayne announces yet again that we're improving before we bow out in week 1...

 

[Stix]

We'll be lucky to win 1 more game... They look like they don't want to be there. Whatever the reasons they're just counting down the clock... Hit the reset button and hope 2017 is a better year. We'll be done in the first week of the finals.

 

[broncos4life]

8th after round 26 and Wayne announces yet again that we're improving before we bow out in week 1...

Honestly after all this time if you think anything Wayne says to the media is worth listening to, you deserve to get yourself worked up other it.

 

[Browny]

I've gotten the feeling that they are expecting to make the GF and are just waiting for the redemption. Gotta get there tho

 

[Super Freak]

Maybe they are playing mind games. Dropping games to make the opposition believe they are gone, that they are no chance and will be easy beats.. Then boom, they hit top gear and surprise everyone.

Biggest load of wishful thinking. I got to stop drinking.

 

[jarro65]

I've gotten the feeling that they are expecting to make the GF and are just waiting for the redemption. Gotta get there tho

I seriously doubt this is the case, but if it is, they seriously need a good clip around ears to get their minds back on the job !!

Now more than ever, the old saying 'one game at a time' should be their aim.

 

[vertigo]

I've gotten the feeling that they are expecting to make the GF and are just waiting for the redemption. Gotta get there tho

Haha, wouldn't be a problem if we were losing games from bad attack but they couldn't defend jack shit at the moment.

 

[uptheguts]

Somehow I think we will just scrape in to the eight , to be disposed of the the first week. This year is 2014 revisited.