I think the team to watch out for most next year is the Cowboys. Neil Henry showed what he can do as a coach this year with the Raiders – he gives his sides freedom to show off their skills and play some seriously impressive football in the process. The Cows missed all of their big guns during the season - Bowen barely played, Thurston missed huge chunks of the year and wasn’t fit when he did play, their forward pack (O’Donnell, Webb, Southern) missed extended periods as well. You add a few extra forwards to that (Kaufusi, Manase Manukafoa) and Willie Tonga…you’ve got plenty of strike weapons and a team that is going to threaten for sure.
I’m picking them to be top four, no doubt. And a definite title threat.
As for Melbourne ’07 to Manly ’08….honestly I’d have to back against us unfortunately. Add Cam Smith and Hoffman into Melbourne ’08 and I’d still pick Manly, but Melbourne’s team last year (with the likes of Cross, Newton etc) and their ability to have Jeremy Smith, Crocker and Lima on the bench…they would’ve beaten us in a close one. Melbourne had a very good football side last year. In fact, I would go as far as saying our team from last year would’ve beaten the side that Melbourne trotted out on Sunday – not as emphatically, but it would’ve been a comfortable victory nevertheless.