2015.....Top 8

[Captain Moondog]

Damn people are touchy in the off season.

I blame the ists.

I blame -'people need to find more important things to complain about'

Too right Clint . Funny you should say that. My dog just bit the neighbour and he was having a bit of a whinge (the neighbour, not the dog)....what does he expect, bloody Broncos supporter....

 

[Clint]

Damn people are touchy in the off season.

I blame the ists.

I blame -'people need to find more important things to complain about'

Too right Clint . Funny you should say that. My dog just bit the neighbour and he was having a bit of a whinge (the neighbour, not the dog)....what does he expect, bloody Broncos supporter....

I'd whinge too if I was a Bronco's supporter 😛

 

[MissKate]

Can't understand why no one has mentioned parra yet, surely with the best coach eva & their new recruits they should be a force to be reckoned with

 

[globaleagle]

Too right Clint . Funny you should say that. My dog just bit the neighbour and he was having a bit of a whinge (the neighbour, not the dog)....what does he expect, bloody Broncos supporter....

I hope your dog is ok!

 

[Captain Moondog]

Too right Clint . Funny you should say that. My dog just bit the neighbour and he was having a bit of a whinge (the neighbour, not the dog)....what does he expect, bloody Broncos supporter....

I hope your dog is ok!

I'm going to take him to the vet this morning and make sure he has'nt caught anything.....in the dogs defence I'm pretty sure he thought the bloke was going to sit in his chair. He's a Manly supporter and the thought of a Broncos fan sitting in his spot was more than he could bear.

 

[maxta]

Can't understand why no one has mentioned parra yet, surely with the best coach eva & their new recruits they should be a force to be reckoned with

Prob with Parra MissKate....no Hayne, who won 5 or 6 games individually last season & has been the most influential player by 100 miles the past 5 years.
Apart from the Semi on the wing lack flair & will have to win low scoring matches to threaten & unfortunately, their defence is not up to that gameplan....

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

7. Warriors ( Johnson to fire, but still too many Polenisians) they need Foran to challenge for a

So what do you say is the correct number?

 

[lsz]

Considering Polynesians make up 37% of the NRL (and growing) i would also be interested in what the "right" number is

http://www.nrl.com/pacific-island-nations-test-deserves-respect/tabid/10874/newsid/78263/default.aspx

I would suggest there is no right or wrong number and is dependent on the players rather than their ethnicity

(Of course I am just a bleeding heart lefty who should not take things so seriously)

 

[TagMonster]

1/2 - Nql
1/2 - Manly
3 - Dogs
4 - Penrith
5 - Souths
6 - Roosters
7 - Storm
8 - Kiwis

I think a lot of people are forgetting how many injuries Penrith had late last year and near on made the big one.

Souths will have lost the 'haven't on since...' momentum from last year and don't have the mental toughness to perform when everyone aims up to beat the premiers week in week out.

Storm are in a rapid decline with ageing stars taking up the salary cap.

Roosters have not improved and only lost players this offseason.

NQL, Dogs and Manly will have the top forward packs that will beat teams into submission. Manly and NQL will have the direction that the dogs have lost without Enis. GF will be played out by two of these three teams barring key injuries.

---

Can't understand why no one has mentioned parra yet, surely with the best coach eva & their new recruits they should be a force to be reckoned with

Prob with Parra MissKate....no Hayne, who won 5 or 6 games individually last season & has been the most influential player by 100 miles the past 5 years.
Apart from the Semi on the wing lack flair & will have to win low scoring matches to threaten & unfortunately, their defence is not up to that gameplan....

Totally agree. They have bought up old and busted ex Manly players. Hayne's loss will hurt them significantly at the start of the season. Wont find their feet til its too late to make the eight. Hoppa will have to adjust to fullback and will go through growing pains.

 

[ALinda]

Manlys season will come down the level of disruption DCE and KF contract negotiations will be.

If Penn is smart he will insist a contract is done even before the start of 2015, because Ryan is right it will just become a carbon copy of 2014 otherwise.

My sentiments exactly - this issue will determine our success or failure in 2015. Me thinks Penn should get his act (or should I say pen) together before next season. Let's hope anyway as our season is counting on it!

 

[Clint]

I hope I am wrong, but taking off my Manly googles, I think we will struggle against the bigger packs of the Cows, Dogs and Rabbits.
Our backline can hold there own, and some, against any team, but it is the size of these other packs that concerns me.
If our forwards can hold their own then we will be top 4, but realistically I see us in the bottom half of the 8.
Cows v Dogs GF...

 

[globaleagle]

I hope I am wrong, but taking off my Manly googles, I think we will struggle against the bigger packs of the Cows, Dogs and Rabbits.
Our backline can hold there own, and some, against any team, but it is the size of these other packs that concerns me.
If our forwards can hold their own then we will be top 4, but realistically I see us in the bottom half of the 8.
Cows v Dogs GF...

see...this is why you should get rid of the home brew machine!!!!

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

My Teams to miss 8
Storm
Sharks
Eels
Dragons
Tigers
Titans

 

[Manly To Win!]

I'm not going to commit myself on a top 8, but I question whether Melbourne, Titans or Eels will make it. Can see upside in every other side.

 

[Clint]

I'll eat GE's hat if the Faders get anywhere near the 8.

 

[Jatz Crackers]

Considering Polynesians make up 37% of the NRL (and growing) i would also be interested in what the "right" number is

In that case the right number I am going to go with is 37+%

 

[lsz]

As spoon as I put that I waited for someone to quote that...

 

[HoldenV8]

1. Manly. Still got the best backline in the comp, with the best halves pairing and we have some talented youngsters waiting for their chance. Yes we've lost Gifty, Kingdog and Choc...but we played most of last year without Gift, King was past his best and while we'll miss Choc, we won't miss his disruption. Big Willie and Mateo are a welcome addition despite Willie's age. We'll still be hard to beat and as a Manly fan I have to pick us to win 😀.

2 Souffs. May have lost Sam, Te'o and now Auva'a, but they won't go from top to bottom like they did in 1989-90. The biggest danger to Manly's 9th premiership.

3. Scumdogs. 2 GF's in 3 years under Des is nothing to sneeze at and they'll be better for it. Signing the best winger this side of Ryan Hall won't hurt either. But for the love of god, can someone just say "Stuff it" and deck Grub Reynolds every game. 10 in the bin well worth it.

4. Donkeys. Not sure if Bennett is the coach he once was, but he's probably better than Hook. No Barba? No worries, he's been a shadow of his 2012 self since 2013. Wayne's love child Darius should be good for them and give them some stability at the back. Milford joining Hunt in the halves will give them on-field direction and strike power....if they can work together.

5. Rorters. Losing Mini and $BW will hurt them. It can be argued that losing Shame Hayne will too. Might take a top 4 spot from the Donkeys, but they won't get much further than that.

6. Cows. Once again their season will depend on a fit and firing JT. If they can get over their inferiority complex they'll be a smokey.

7. The Riff. Can't see them really improving on 2014, but can't see them being much worse off either. The problem is that some others will improve.

8. Worriers. You never know with this mob. They'll have flashes of brilliance where they can make anyone else look second rate, and periods where they'd struggle to beat a team coached by Ricky Stuart. I think they'll make the top 8 and from there who knows what they'll be capable of? Outside of the Vermin I'd say they're our biggest danger, depending on their mood.

As for the rest.....I think the Storm are on the slide and if they do make the 8 it'll be by the skin of their teeth.

Parra-doesn't-matta now have Choc, but that is no compensation for losing Hayne. They'll be lucky to make the top 12, let alone the top 8. I hope Choc enjoyed the success he had at Manly because that side of the gravy train is over for him now. At least he'll have the money train still rolling in for the next 4 years.

St Merge have lost Morris to the Scumdogs. While I normally wouldn't put so much stock in how much losing a winger will mean to a team, even one as good as him, its a loss Mary's boys didn't need.

The Gummies could surprise. No Carney but they have gained Barba. They do have a decent pack, but their backs are a bit suspect for mine. Could scrape into the 8 if they find form.

Not sure what Jason Taylor can do with the Tigers. The more experience their younger guys get the better they'll be for it. Another who might make the 8 if they hit form. Though my own personal feeling is that this club won't see any on-field success until Robbie "I run this club so we work as a team and do it my way" Farah retires.

That leaves Canberra, Gold Coast and Newcstle. In short, IMO none have a hope in hell of making the top 8 and will probably join Choc's new mob in the bottom 4.

Sorry to make a short story long.

 

[Bandit]

1. Manly. Still got the best backline in the comp, with the best halves pairing and we have some talented youngsters waiting for their chance. Yes we've lost Gifty, Kingdog and Choc...but we played most of last year without Gift, King was past his best and while we'll miss Choc, we won't miss his disruption. Big Willie and Mateo are a welcome addition despite Willie's age. We'll still be hard to beat and as a Manly fan I have to pick us to win 😀.

2 Souffs. May have lost Sam, Te'o and now Auva'a, but they won't go from top to bottom like they did in 1989-90. The biggest danger to Manly's 9th premiership.

3. Scumdogs. 2 GF's in 3 years under Des is nothing to sneeze at and they'll be better for it. Signing the best winger this side of Ryan Hall won't hurt either. But for the love of god, can someone just say "Stuff it" and deck Grub Reynolds every game. 10 in the bin well worth it.

4. Donkeys. Not sure if Bennett is the coach he once was, but he's probably better than Hook. No Barba? No worries, he's been a shadow of his 2012 self since 2013. Wayne's love child Darius should be good for them and give them some stability at the back. Milford joining Hunt in the halves will give them on-field direction and strike power....if they can work together.

5. Rorters. Losing Mini and $BW will hurt them. It can be argued that losing Shame Hayne will too. Might take a top 4 spot from the Donkeys, but they won't get much further than that.

6. Cows. Once again their season will depend on a fit and firing JT. If they can get over their inferiority complex they'll be a smokey.

7. The Riff. Can't see them really improving on 2014, but can't see them being much worse off either. The problem is that some others will improve.

8. Worriers. You never know with this mob. They'll have flashes of brilliance where they can make anyone else look second rate, and periods where they'd struggle to beat a team coached by Ricky Stuart. I think they'll make the top 8 and from there who knows what they'll be capable of? Outside of the Vermin I'd say they're our biggest danger, depending on their mood.

As for the rest.....I think the Storm are on the slide and if they do make the 8 it'll be by the skin of their teeth.

Parra-doesn't-matta now have Choc, but that is no compensation for losing Hayne. They'll be lucky to make the top 12, let alone the top 8. I hope Choc enjoyed the success he had at Manly because that side of the gravy train is over for him now. At least he'll have the money train still rolling in for the next 4 years.

St Merge have lost Morris to the Scumdogs. While I normally wouldn't put so much stock in how much losing a winger will mean to a team, even one as good as him, its a loss Mary's boys didn't need.

The Gummies could surprise. No Carney but they have gained Barba. They do have a decent pack, but their backs are a bit suspect for mine. Could scrape into the 8 if they find form.

Not sure what Jason Taylor can do with the Tigers. The more experience their younger guys get the better they'll be for it. Another who might make the 8 if they hit form. Though my own personal feeling is that this club won't see any on-field success until Robbie "I run this club so we work as a team and do it my way" Farah retires.

That leaves Canberra, Gold Coast and Newcstle. In short, IMO none have a hope in hell of making the top 8 and will probably join Choc's new mob in the bottom 4.

Sorry to make a short story long.

Very well said HV8.

 

[globaleagle]

I'll eat GE's hat if the Faders get anywhere near the 8.