2006 Expectations

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Ryan

Journey Man
Ok - here it is guys. Last year I predicted 10th, and 2 more wins than 2004. I was wrong by 2 on both accounts. We came 8th, and we won 4 more than the previous year.

Now we look to 2006. What are your predictions & expectations. As the way things stand RIGHT now, we are loking at a squad something like this:-

01. Brett Stewart
02. Paul Stephenson
03. Steven Bell
04. Steve Matai / Ashley Alberts
05. Chris Hicks
06. Michael Monaghan / Michael Witt / Steve Menzies (Pfft)
07. Matt Orford
08. Brent Kite
09. Luke Williamson / Michael Monaghan / Matt Ballin
10. Jason King / Mark Bryant
11. Anthony Watmough
12. Steve Menzies
13. Ben Kennedy

14. Shayne Dunley / Travis Burns
15. Daniel Heckenberg / Kane Cleal / Mailangi Styles
16. Kylie Leuleuai / Phil Moorwood /
17. Glenn Stewart / Adam Cuthbertson / Nathan Tutt

I think we have some abvious deficiencies there. In my opinion they are:-

1. Age SHALL weary some of them, as seen with the latter part of 05;
2. No specialised 5/8;
3. No depth in club;
4. A weak bench compared to others;
5. Worst coaching staff in the NRL.

There are also IMPROVEMENTS. In my opinion they are:-

1. Matt Orford will structure our attack more;
2. Monaghan has no contract negotiation, and he might focus on football;
3. Our expectation have been reduced throough the end of 05;
4. We have a centre that can actually break the line / score tries;
5. We have off loaded some obvious unfulfilled potential kind of players;

All in all, I cannot see us improving on this year "on the ladder", but I expect we won't lose as many concurrent games, which will please me to no end.

In fact, I think we'll come 9th.

You cannot think The Bulldogs, The Roosters, The Knights, The Raiders, The Panthers won't be better.

You also can't think The Eels, The Dragons, The Broncos, The Tigers & The Storm will fold.

We will come 9th, but be a lot closer to the spoon than 9th suggests.

Sorry guys..
 
Storm will Drop, Roosters and Knights will improve, Bulldogs will have issues without Anasta
 
hard to say what will happen in 2006, who would have predicated the Dogs and Roosters to miss the 8 this season?

I would like to see more structure in attack, orford should provide this and no more heavy defeats like we suffered to Souths and the Sharkies this season.

I am hoping for a a top 6 finish which i think is not beyond us if we can keep our top squad on the paddock for most of the season. If we get a few serious injuries in key positions we will be in strife as our depth is not the best.
 
Hopefully 6 to 8 I think but we will finish stronger than 2005 - ie we won't get lapped in the first semi and may get through to the second week.

Teams that may drop for this years 8 are Storm, Cowboys and a bold prediction is that the Wests Tigers bubbe could burst.

Something smells about the dogs, while Finch and Anasta will lock heads at the roosters also they will find it hard to replace Cayless, Croker & Ricko.

Penrith could improve but they hace lost a few as well like Ross, Guavalo and their centres.

Souths will miss Harrison & Fletcher but should be close to the 8, while Joey will still be key to the Knights if he plays they are certs for the 8 while if he misses more than 6 games they will struggle again.

Broncos may miss the 8 altogether although they seem to do enough at the start of every season to ensure their top 8 spot.

All I can say I hope George Rose turns out to be a champion becasue unless our forwards fire all year we will struggle again with or without Orford & Bell.
 
The tigers buble will surely burst next year when handbag gets there but should still make the 8.

Agree that the Cowboys and Storm will drop down but expect a resurgence from the dogs now that they have got rid of 2 of the trouble makers in Anasta and loleisi. Expect Sherwin to bounce back to form now that they have gone.

A lot will depend on whether they can control big Willie and get him performing on the field again.

Brisbane will struggle again as there players will be a year older and slower - particularly the forwards. They have gone stale over the years and need a fresh injection of player talent and perhaps a new coach.

Could the the final year for webke, Civonoceva, looks like Tarzan plays like Jane and a couple of others and I doubt that Smith will back up again for another year. It will then be a couple of years before they beccome a strong force again after next year.
 
We have probably bought the best players on the market this year and if Rose turns out to be something special (bearing in mind props usually don't mature until mid 20's) and Bryant continues to improve then we could realistically challenge for top 4.

We will also need a lot of the young backs to step up next year and hopefully Orford will be able to improve their games.
 
Firsts

01. Brett Stewart
02. Paul Stephenson
03. Steven Bell
04. Ashley Alberts
05. Chris Hicks
06. Michael Monaghan
07. Matt Orford
08. Brent Kite
09. Luke Williamson
10. Jason King
11. Anthony Watmough
12. Steve Menzies
13. Ben Kennedy

14. Shayne Dunley
15. Daniel Heckenberg
16. Kylie Leuleuai
17. ????????????????

Now in my mind this will be the side, argue all you all you want, but i think dessie will keep kingy as a starter and i think he'll give mona's first shot at the 6, now 17 is open, i'd say its between Ballin (to hooker willo to bench), G Stewart, Bryant or Cuthbo

Premier League

1. Lennon
2. Robertson
3. Mattai
4. Meaney
5. Taylor
6. Witt
7. Burns
8. Bryant
9. Ballin
10. Rose
11. Cuthbertson
12. Styles
13. G Stewart

14. Curtis
15. Moorwood
16. Tutt
17. Robson

Premier league should start to look to the future, Bring in Meaney and start Styles and Cuthbo, obviously this side could change dramatically with lennon, taylor, curtis etc off contract, none of them are worth worrying about




all in all i think the side should be expected to reach the top 6 and be aiming for the top 4
 
Interesting to note that since the McIntyre System has been in existence the 8th team has always improved next year (bar one - Canberra this year) and in several instances they have gone on to play grand finals in the subsequent years. Worth noting that the Tigers did not even make the 8 last year, falling apart in their final few rounds to allow Canberra to fall across the line.
 
drop King bring up Bryant
drop monas to hooker and put burns in 5/8 and drop willow to the bench
 
I think their will be a few new faces in the P/L team next season as well.
 
What no more Cam Cherry's love child, Mitch Creamy or Greg Lemon's brother next year?

At least Kane Cleal will definately be with Manly next year though.
 
At least Kane Cleal will definately be with Manly next year though.

Yeah you'll see him at games serving out his suspecisions, probably sitting next to Steve 'Lets tackle like Simon Woolford' Matai.
 
A PL player earning $100k pa must be good. Or at least the club thinks so.
 

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