Ladder Prediction 2023

[andrew's_sharks]

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a nice Start to 2023. It has in general been fairly quiet in here, which is always the case for this time of the year. So I was curious to know your predictions for next year.

This is the order I think teams will finish this year. Post what you think below.

1. Panthers
2. Roosters (hate saying it but they have a good squad)
3. Raiders
4. Sharks
5. Cowboys
6. Rabbitohs
7. Eels
8. Storm
9. Manly
10. Bulldogs
11. Broncos
12. Dolphins
13. West Tigers
14. St George
15. Knights
16. Warriors
17. Titans

I think we will slide a bit on the ladder and finish around 4th. I do not think this means anything in regards to our potential finals campaign, I just think the roosters and raiders squads are a bit stronger.

I think the Storm will slide further due to their significant player losses, but due to the quality of the club will continue to be competitive and scrape in the 8. I can't see the Broncos doing any better than last year whilst I expect the West Tigers and Bulldogs to improve, I don't think it will be enough to make the 8.

Have at it fellas curious to know what you think.

 

[HaroldBishop]

Good idea mate. I'll have a crack at it soon.

 

[Tiger Shark]

I'll have a crack later but I think Panthers will really miss Kikau and Api this year, not to mention Ciraldo, though there defensive systems are probably in place enough that they can keep on keeping on.

Point being not sure they'll get Minor this year. Top 4 no doubt, still far too much talent.

Think Storm will have a good season still, if you look at their losses and who they brought in - still an excellent team if their spine stays on the park.

 

[andrew's_sharks]

I'll have a crack later but I think Panthers will really miss Kikau and Api this year, not to mention Ciraldo, though there defensive systems are probably in place enough that they can keep on keeping on.

Point being not sure they'll get Minor this year. Top 4 no doubt, still far too much talent.

Think Storm will have a good season still, if you look at their losses and who they brought in - still an excellent team if their spine stays on the park.

I don't think the Storm forward forward pack will be strong enough to make top 4, but still likely to make the 8.

Panthers will miss Kikau and Api, but I think still have too much talent in their side to slide much.

 

[HaroldBishop]

I don't think the Storm forward forward pack will be strong enough to make top 4, but still likely to make the 8.

Panthers will miss Kikau and Api, but I think still have too much talent in their side to slide much.

Agree, they've lost four quality forwards. Will be interesting to see how they go.

 

[Jaz]

Melbourne have definitely lost a lot of firepower but their pack is still decent. They were missing Welch all last year and still have NAS and Kamikamica.

 

[CrazyMatt]

Melbourne wont slide any further then where they finished last year (5th), they’re in a mini rebuild but there’s still enough unbelievable talent there to stay in the mix, plus the Bellamy factor, so watch him turn another plodder forward or two into world class players. They should finish anywhere between 1st and 5th, maybe 6th if injuries hit, but no lower.

I agree about us finishing lower then last year. We had a tremendous year but we had a little bit of luck with the draw and playing good teams when they had some guys out. Not saying we didnt deserve second, we definitely did, but to say we got there completely against the odds would be dishonest. 4th is probably where I’d put us too, I think we can definitely still be a top 4 team. We should be in the mix for a Grand final spot easily.

I agree about the Roosters, they should easily shoot into the top 4. Unbelievable recruitment again and a system and structure thats proven to work year in and year out. They never stay down for long.

 

[Super Impose]

Raiders too high for mine - good for discussion ..

 

[bort]

Any one change their list drastically if it is considered a strength of roster/team ranking rather than a ladder prediction?

To me a ladder prediction is always tricky because you can't predict injuries etc (or pride related club collapses). You can try and predict what the ladder would be in a no injury season of course, but that won't happen.

 

[Super Impose]

Any one change their list drastically if it is considered a strength of roster/team ranking rather than a ladder prediction?

To me a ladder prediction is always tricky because you can't predict injuries etc (or pride related club collapses). You can try and predict what the ladder would be in a no injury season of course, but that won't happen.

True and sometimes what appears to be a good draw - does not pan out..

 

[Rob]

Iv got Penrith on a big slide still in the 8 but out of the 4.
Not down to who they have lost or depth purely down to the culture and arrogance at the club after pushing so hard for 2-3 years now i can see a lot of players missing that extra % at training or the extra effort % in game.

 

[bort]

True and sometimes what appears to be a good draw - does not pan out..

For sure, two teams you decided it's good to play twice suddenly become bad to play twice and that could be a 3-4 win turn around.
Throw in your glad to only face a certain team once and some bad injury lucky suddenly they are two free wins for the rest of the top eight.

Predicting what you think the ladder be you'd probably be closer if you did your best then randomised every team to within 4 spots of that.
Saying how good you think a teams roster is or isn't is no more subjective, but eliminates a need to account for unexpected (which you expect there to be)

 

[bort]

Iv got Penrith on a big slide still in the 8 but out of the 4.
Not down to who they have lost or depth purely down to the culture and arrogance at the club after pushing so hard for 2-3 years now i can see a lot of players missing that extra % at training or the extra effort % in game.

While there is an air of that I think Nathan is pretty driven and will stay on course - seeing your halfback do that will pull a lot of others along for the ride. If Luai stays on course too between them they should keep everyone at the top of their game.
I could see him slipping off course a bit but also his arrogance is built on wins so I could equally envisage him keeping the effort up to make sure they keep coming to feed his ego. Yeo and Edwards I think will also be two who have big influence and won't get lazy.

I think they will still be right up the top and capable of minor premiership but I think Api and Kikau will be big losses. There will be games they drop that one of those two would have won for them last year.

But then Crichton likely to move on they probably keep Leniu for '24 but if Soni Luke is any good he will cost a bit to retain. I imagine it will be tough to keep Liam Martin who I think adds a lot even if it is not always very flashy. So I think it's more the year after they will start to fall if they can't keep a production line of youngsters coming through. But many of these youngsters are leaving now for better first grade opportunities.
'24 is also the last year for Yeo, Edwards and Luai so if those guys take what they deserve they won't all be able to stay for '25 you wouldn't think.

 

[snowman]

penrith
roosters
sharks
cowboys
rabbits
eels
storm
raiders

broncos
tigers
bulldogs
dolphins
titans
knights
manly
st george

nz

 

[Western Sharkie]

I think the Storm will slide further due to their significant player losses

Rookie mistake !!

 

[andrew's_sharks]

Rookie mistake !!

I don't think so. I think we saw the start of a further decline to come this year. I am not saying they will be terrible. But I can't see them in the top 4. 5-8 somewhere this year.

 

[andrew's_sharks]

penrith
roosters
sharks
cowboys
rabbits
eels
storm
raiders

broncos
tigers
bulldogs
dolphins
titans
knights
manly
st george

nz

The raiders is a tough one. If they can keep Fogarty healthy I think they will make the 4. If he is injured for large parts of the year around 8 like you have them.

 

[bort]

The raiders is a tough one. If they can keep Fogarty healthy I think they will make the 4. If he is injured for large parts of the year around 8 like you have them.

The Fogarty injury definitely hindered them but Elliot was decent for them in back end of year too and I think they will notice that loss, throw in Sutton who contributed who is off too, with no noteworthy gains.
Young also needs to keep up great form which I think he can but Papali'i looks like he could be on a bit of a slow decline which hurts a little more as their prop depth isn't great, with a predicted best 17 bench of Guler, Saulo and Horsburgh

So I'd probably assume they float around that bottom of the 8 again but haven't had a closer look at where I'd rate each team yet.

I think their biggest jump up could be if Savage took off and accelerated to another level

 

[CrazyMatt]

I don't think so. I think we saw the start of a further decline to come this year. I am not saying they will be terrible. But I can't see them in the top 4. 5-8 somewhere this year.

Don’t you say that this time every year about them though? A lot of people do, yet they find a way every year and prove everyone wrong. I think people just say it out of hope more then anything else, but sometimes life doesn’t work on hope alone .

I’ve come to accept that the system they have down there is simply too good for them to have seasons where they finish outside the 8 for the time being. Every other club has those bad seasons here and there, but they simply don’t. Sucks for us but its just how it is, best we can do is try to match it, the Roosters are probably the closest to figuring it out.

I think 5th or 6th is the worst we can expect from them this year.

 

[bort]

Don’t you say that this time every year about them though? A lot of people do, yet they find a way every year and prove everyone wrong. I think people just say it out of hope more then anything else, but sometimes life doesn’t work on hope alone .

I’ve come to accept that the system they have down there is simply too good for them to have seasons where they finish outside the 8 for the time being. Every other club has those bad seasons here and there, but they simply don’t. Sucks for us but its just how it is, best we can do is try to match it, the Roosters are probably the closest to figuring it out.

I think 5th or 6th is the worst we can expect from them this year.

Paps is the big question mark, looks good odds to miss at least half the season and missing the whole thing isn't unreasistic.
They can still go well but 5/6 is probably a fair shout.
Be interesting to see how they line-up - will Munny start the season at FB and use another half or will Meaney play fullback?
I guess who they have available as a half has to be the deciding factor.