Hey Steemians if you are like me and love your Rugby League you will be like a kid the night before Christmas waiting eagerly in anticipation for the kick off of the season tomorrow night between the Broncos and Dragons. As is always the case this time of year every team is fitter and stronger then they have ever been and had the ‘best’ pre-season ever but all that goes out the window this weekend when everyone is playing for competition points.
I think this year will prove to be a very tight race with every team feeling they have a legitimate chance at a top 8 finish. Today I am going to run the rule over the teams I think will finish between 16th and 9th and miss out on the top 8.
16th – Gold Coast Titans
After somewhat of tumultuous off-season with the great hope but often bust Jarryd Hayne defecting to the Eels and the signing of troubled former Panther Bryce Cartright it’s tough to get a read on the Titans for this season. Peronsally I think they will struggle though and take out the dreaded wooden spoon, they seem to be lacking big forwards and outside backs are a concern as well, if Ash Taylor and Kane Elgy fail to fire in the halves they will be in for a very long season I think.
New Recruits – Bryce Cartright, Michael Gordon, Jai Arrow, Leilani Latu, Mitch Rein
Key Player/s – The Titans to have any hope need Ash Taylor on close to 1mil a year to live up to his new price tag, Bryce Cartright also needs to step up and turn potential in to performace.
15th – New Zealand Warriors: 15th
The Warriors remain a mystery wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a riddle, with so much natural talent coming through the production line they still haven’t managed to harness this and ever resemble a consistent football team. When you look at their team on paper this year you have some hope with Tuivasa-Sheck, new signing Blake Green, Shaun Johnson and Issac Luke forming what looks a formidable spine. Looks can be deceiving however with the Warriors.
New Recruits: Blake Green, Tohu Harris, Adam Blair
Key Player/s – Take your pick on this one but if I was going to single out anyone I would say that they need Issac Luke to find his form of South Sydney days and get this big forward pack rolling if they are any chance of troubling the top 8 teams.
14th - Wests Tigers:
The Tigers have had a large turnover over players from last year and lost arguably there 3 best players in Aaron Woods, James Tedesco and Mitchell Moses to other clubs. They have recruited quiet strongly in the forwards with Russell Packer and Ben Matulino and prodigal son Benji Marshall has returned, Ivan Cleary is also now in his second year in charge with a full pre-season to work with this time but I can’t see them pushing off the bottom half of the ladder this year.
New Recruits – Josh Reynolds, Corey Thompson, Russell Packer, Ben Matulino, Benji Marshall
Key Player/s – They say games are won and lost in the forwards I think the Tigers pack will hold up well this year but if they don’t get big seasons from there 7 and 6 Luke Brookes and Josh Reynolds they will struggle to do anything with that forwards platform, long season I think for the Tigers.
13th – Canberra Raiders:
Canberra are a team that two years ago looked like serious threats to win their first premiership since the days of the Green Machine in the 90s. Last year was a bitter disappointment for them however and they fell out of the top 8, injuries, drops in form all played there part but I don’t see them rising up the ladder again this year with the loss of pivotal player Josh Hodgson and uncertainty already around there starting halves pairing and no real key signings.
New Recruits – Sam Williams
Key Player/s – It will come down to how they cover the loss of Josh Hodgson, if Siliva Havili can provide a spark out of dummy half they boast enough talent to make the top 8 but that’s a big if and I see this is as another year with no finals in the cards for the Raiders.
12th – Manly Sea Eagles:
Manly are an interesting team, they have some exceptional young talent in the Trbojevic brothers, Daly Cherry-Evans and Dylan Walker but too me look a bit short in the forwards and at the Five Eight position where the loss of Blake Green could prove critical, I think they will win their share of games this year but find themselves just out of the top 8.
New Recruits – Joel Thomspon
Key Player/s – Tom and Jake Trbojevic are future superstars if they aren’t already that now, if they and Cherry-Evans can have big seasons the Eagles remain a chance of forcing in to finals action.
11th – South Sydney Rabbitohs:
Souths are looking for a rebound year after a few seasons in the abyss post there 2014 Grand Final triumph. With a new coach in Anthony Seibold replacing Madge Mcguire and a returning Greg Inglis in the centres with new signing Dane Gagai there is cause for Optimism. I think the Bunnies once feared pack is on the decline and they still have question marks over there halves, expect them to finish out of the eight.
New Recruits – Dane Gagai
Key Player/s – The Burgess twins Tom and George will be looking to rebound after poor years last season, if the Rabbitohs are any chance of firing this year they will need those two to stand up.
10th – St George Illawarra Dragons
The Dragons started last season great guns and looked like top 4 specials for the front half of the season before the wheels fell off, they are hoping the big money signing of Ben Hunt can spark them back in to action this season. For me they look light on in the forwards after the loss of Russell Packer even with the addition of James Graham and I have question marks over there outside backs, I don’t see them troubling the better teams this year.
New Recruits - Ben Hunt, James Graham
Key Player/s – Ben Hunt was signed for a whopping 1.2mil a year and if he fails to fire early the knives will be out for him, I expect him to have a good season but not enough to get them over the finals hump.
9th – Newcastle Knights:
Finally the Novocastrian army of fans have reason to be hopeful for their beloved team’s chances after what was a huge off season signing splurge. They have brought in some genuine class and depth particularly in the halves and fullback with Mitchell Pearce, Connor Watson and young gun Kalyn Ponga now on board. I think the Knights could genuinely shock the NRL this year and push in to the top half of the competition but at this stage they seem a year away from that for me.
New Recruits – Kalyn Ponga, Tautau Moga, Connor Watson, Slade Griffen, Herman Ese’ese, Jacob Lilyman, Aidan Guerra, Chris Heighington
Key Player/s – Mitchell Pearce is out of the rat race of Sydney and will be looking to really stamp his authority on this team, without some of the pressures of playing at the Roosters look out for a big year from him.
I hope you enjoyed my look in the crystal ball at the NRL season, tomorrow i will run the rule over the teams i expect to finish in the Top 8. Pleas go ahead and upvote and comment if you liked this post, would love to hear from you all.
Good work again. Resteeming this to go with the other one.
It's hard to argue with you on these. I had Warriors in the 8 last year but they just have a really bad culture and a really bad coach. They might be spooners this year.
I agree with you about Newcastle. Their roster is much improved and they'll ALL be very hungry to prove themselves. The pressure is right off after a couple of bad years so any decent form and a couple of wins will have the whole town behind them. Definitely a potential bogey team.
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Cheers mate for the resteem much appreciated.
Its going to be a very interesting season i think, if i look back at seasons end and i have 5 or 6 of the top 8 correct i would be pretty happy with that.
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