Another way to look at it is who from the top 8 from last year do you believe will miss out this year?
I think the below all definitely make it, barring injuries
Penrith
Storm
Roosters
Souths
Probably make it
Knights
Canberra
Parra....although could easily miss out
I think Manly make it IF Turbo and Foran stay fit. That's a bloody big if though.
I also expect the Titans to give the 8 a serious nudge as well.
I think Moylan, Woods and Dugan all plying for contracts will definitely work in our favour.
I think Moylan, Woods and Dugan all plying for contracts will definitely work in our favour.
Surely Melbourne are going to slide this year...
A good way to look at it, HB. Who is your smokeys list? Gold Coast, Warriors...? Canterbury? Even the Broncos? That 6-10 finish looks like it'll be decided by teams who either have players click for them or fail to fire (through poor form or injury). Feels like a lot of teams are in that position this year
I hope I’m wrong but I feel by the time SJ is back the amount of wins we would have accumulated will be sweet F’ A.
I don’t have much confidence in the 6 & 7 pairing who will more than likely be Moylan & Townsend.
I’ll see it as a win if Chad can be just solid without throwing in some of his customary shockers.
Collectively, from the halves, I think our overall kicking game will be poor, very few if any 40/20’s, inability to roll the ball in the in goal & ping the other team in there for repeat sets. will be problematic.
Our lack of length for our clearing 4 & 5 tackle kicks will put our D under the pump more, even if Moylan can be a miracle & stay on the field he has a tonne of mistakes in him & lacks composure & pulls the trigger on plays he needs to hold the ball on.
I don’t see Townsend creating enough opportunities on his side & whaever Moylan does create won’t outweigh his mistakes.
Hoping like hell our D has improved cause our points for will be ordinary.
Anticipating a vert tough & frustrating season ahead.
I hope I’m wrong but I feel by the time SJ is back the amount of wins we would have accumulated will be sweet F’ A.
I don’t have much confidence in the 6 & 7 pairing who will more than likely be Moylan & Townsend.
I’ll see it as a win if Chad can be just solid without throwing in some of his customary shockers.
Collectively, from the halves, I think our overall kicking game will be poor, very few if any 40/20’s, inability to roll the ball in the in goal & ping the other team in there for repeat sets. will be problematic.
Our lack of length for our clearing 4 & 5 tackle kicks will put our D under the pump more, even if Moylan can be a miracle & stay on the field he has a tonne of mistakes in him & lacks composure & pulls the trigger on plays he needs to hold the ball on.
I don’t see Townsend creating enough opportunities on his side & whaever Moylan does create won’t outweigh his mistakes.
Hoping like hell our D has improved cause our points for will be ordinary.
Anticipating a vert tough & frustrating season ahead.
Similar to last year. Between 7th-10th.
I just looked at the draw. Is there any team who plays in so many different locations? Melbourne, Townsville, Brisbane, Tamworth, Coffs Harbour, Sunshine Coast, Central Coast, Newcastle, Canberra, Auckland
Just 5 games in Sydney in 4 months of footy from April through July.
Might be a tough year boys. I'm predicting another 8th place finish and another first weekend exit.
Gotta agree that we'll just miss the 8. My guess is 9-10.
A lot comes down to how we handle SJ, Moylan and Dugan being off contract, and Fifs if he's playing on one leg.
I won't mind missing the finals if we make the right contract decisions for the future.
I think our chances will depend on how these 3 go over the first quarter of the seasons opening rounds (especially Moyza).
If they all stay fit and play to somewhere near their ability and keep us in the hunt (until SJ takes the field) I think we could be fighting for a middle of top 8 spot (somewhere from 4th - 6th)
If they play busted or not at all, then more likely bottom half of the ladder with maybe a push for 8th at best if we get a few lucky wins but more likely slip out of finals contentions.
We can't give away a big lead to the top teams in the early rounds otherwise it is too much to try to pull back in the later rounds.
Said Pre The Draw- 10th, now i'm thinking 11th. Any higher a Bonus. We have a disjointed roster. Not enough tough gritty Defenders.
Really enjoyed the style of Footy last yr, hope we keep it up, but tighten the D.
I think Souths, Penrith, Melbourne and Roosters are a step above everyone else at the moment, that’ll probably be the top 4. The rest of the ladder is up for grabs. Could be quite a close old logjam from 5th to 11th for most of the season.
Obviously fitness of players will play a huge role, but you could say that about any of the 16 clubs.
This time last year, Moylan, Fifita and Dugan would have done no running. This year they’ve got miles in their legs.
Johnson, Moylan and a young guy that could be anything(Brailey) is a pretty decent spine, that a lot of clubs would kill for.
A pretty good pack that includes Graham, Fifita, Uele, Rudolf, Tolman, Woods.
A couple of legitimate tryscorers in Katoa and Mulitalo.
Only Johnson’s injury stops me from picking top 4.
Will have a pretty good year.
There are good arguments for this not being the case though.I think Souths, Penrith, Melbourne and Roosters are a step above everyone else at the moment, that’ll probably be the top 4. The rest of the ladder is up for grabs. Could be quite a close old logjam from 5th to 11th for most of the season.
There are good arguments for this not being the case though.
South’s started terribly last year, and their 6 is yet to prove he can deliver on the big stage.
The chooks are counting on a young half delivering, captain America is one concussion away from retirement, JWH and Friend are ageing.
Melbourne minus Smith come back to the field big time. I don’t care how good a first season Grant had.
We don’t know yet how good Penrith really are. They may slump, or they may get better.
It was a weird season because of Covid and the 6 again rule, and it made some teams look better than they are and some teams look worse.
I think two of the above don’t make the four.
There are good arguments for this not being the case though.
South’s started terribly last year, and their 6 is yet to prove he can deliver on the big stage.
Melbourne minus Smith come back to the field big time. I don’t care how good a first season Grant had.
Re Souths, Walker doesn't need to deliver on the big stage though for them to finish top 4.
Re Storm, I've been saying this for years. First when Cronk left, then Slater. I know Smith is a massive loss but they're just too professional. They may not be good enough to win it, but they'll be top 4 again.
Hope I'm wrong because it would give me great satisfaction to see them slump.
Good point about Walker. I’ve just always seen the bunnies as brittle, but they do make top four a lot.Re Souths, Walker doesn't need to deliver on the big stage though for them to finish top 4.
Re Storm, I've been saying this for years. First when Cronk left, then Slater. I know Smith is a massive loss but they're just too professional. They may not be good enough to win it, but they'll be top 4 again.
Hope I'm wrong because it would give me great satisfaction to see them slump.
Re Souths, Walker doesn't need to deliver on the big stage though for them to finish top 4.
Re Storm, I've been saying this for years. First when Cronk left, then Slater. I know Smith is a massive loss but they're just too professional. They may not be good enough to win it, but they'll be top 4 again.
Hope I'm wrong because it would give me great satisfaction to see them slump.
As much as I hate C Smith I’d love to see him do a Tom Brady and sign for GC. Try prove coach and system are great but it’s him who deserves the most credit.
Interested to see how storm go without him but would be even more interested to see how he’d go elsewhere.
As much as I hate C Smith I’d love to see him do a Tom Brady and sign for GC. Try prove coach and system are great but it’s him who deserves the most credit.
Interested to see how storm go without him but would be even more interested to see how he’d go elsewhere.