Illawarra - True Contenders 2018 ??

[maxta]

I anticipated them to capitulate in 2017 after starting half the season at the top....
Expected this start or maybe 4 & 1 in 2018.
What I didn't expect is the improvement and I will add, this team is in my top 3 despised teams in the NRL....
They have a tough pack that competes and sets a platform - Vaughan, DeBellin winning the middle by plenty and power off the bench - McGuiness smart off the back of it.
Hunt adds plenty extra and his inclusion gives Widdop more space also.
Young Dufty though a lightweight adds zip and is a danger.
Aitken only 22, seems to have stepped up again.
MacDonald on the wing apart from a stupid flickpass is good as any winger atm.
Sims in the backrow looking better than in 3-4 years.
Add Grahams leadership.
Expected them to fall away and still could....but can feel a team with more steely resolve and though don't see them winning - could well finish Top 4 in 2018, whats the thoughts ??

 

[Chip and Chase]

Let's hope not, couldn't stand another GF where they conveniently overlook the fact the club has only been around for about 20 years and won one premiership - instead we'll get stories of the history of the Red V, the great players in Changa, Gasnier, Raper, Smith etc and their 11 premierships in a row. Illawarra ??? Illawarra who ??

Anyway I didn't particularly rate them before the season, they have gone better than I expected though. Can only hope they will live up to the St Choke moniker they are famous for. I just hope we beat them for a change - we have been their biatches since they merged and we have a woeful record against them. Would love a win at WIN

 

[SeaEagle21]

With their first team available they are one of the most balanced on paper but it’s a long season and an injury or two could see them struggle to keep the momentum

 

[Kevinward777]

Let's hope not, couldn't stand another GF where they conveniently overlook the fact the club has only been around for about 20 years and won one premiership - instead we'll get stories of the history of the Red V, the great players in Changa, Gasnier, Raper, Smith etc and their 11 premierships in a row. Illawarra ??? Illawarra who ??

Anyway I didn't particularly rate them before the season, they have gone better than I expected though. Can only hope they will live up to the St Choke moniker they are famous for. I just hope we beat them for a change - we have been their biatches since they merged and we have a woeful record against them. Would love a win at WIN

They’ve got some tough games coming up, let’s see how they fare over the next month.

 

[stoodamire]

They are exceeding my expectations.

They seem to be playing for each other. They run hard and tackle hard.

 

[Moops]

I anticipated them to capitulate in 2017 after starting half the season at the top....
Expected this start or maybe 4 & 1 in 2018.
What I didn't expect is the improvement and I will add, this team is in my top 3 despised teams in the NRL....
They have a tough pack that competes and sets a platform - Vaughan, DeBellin winning the middle by plenty and power off the bench - McGuiness smart off the back of it.
Hunt adds plenty extra and his inclusion gives Widdop more space also.
Young Dufty though a lightweight adds zip and is a danger.
Aitken only 22, seems to have stepped up again.
MacDonald on the wing apart from a stupid flickpass is good as any winger atm.
Sims in the backrow looking better than in 3-4 years.
Add Grahams leadership.
Expected them to fall away and still could....but can feel a team with more steely resolve and though don't see them winning - could well finish Top 4 in 2018, whats the thoughts ??

I looked at the Big League magazine and they have had the same starting team on the park for the first five weeks. They haven't had any injuries yet. You would think it would bite as some stage of the season.

 

[HappilyManly]

They fell apart in the finals as they don't have big game experience.

If that mid year UK Test takes Widdop out with an injury, who is their replacement?

They way they play ATM is effective. They are dodging the injury dark forces

 

[Peter C]

Injuries have been very kind to them, so that's been a bonus, their bench apart from Ah Mau is ordinary, so their depth is in question.
Cronulla should have racked up quite a score against them but they couldn't convert it to points, Broncos held them despite having an early try pulled back and they ran away with the game after a Ben Hunt intercept, even the Titans were in the game and blew a few early tries before turning it up.
Perhaps all of this early form is more of an aberration, perhaps not, however we cop this every second season or so from the Farking Mighty Red V where they look like contenders to eventually become pretenders.

 

[Class of 96]

They are the real deal. Well balanced team, well coached, Graham a big in. I expected them to fall off a cliff after a good start last year, but not this year. SOO could also be kind to them. Not sure they will have many reps. Top 4 for sure and a major threat.

 

[Stuey Davis’s Socks]

I’m backing them for the
April premiership

 

[BOZO]

They are the form team in the comp . They have a tough pack, great options with two quality halves , backs that can get the job done and they have a competent bench .
They tick all the boxes for top 4

 

[Harvies elbow]

I’m backing them for the
April premiership

Back to back...

 

[brad]

Saints and Parramatta were my smokies to start . Cows and Broncos to miss the 8 and the roosters and storm to have hickups. Going ok except poor ole parra . Saints will finish top 4 easily i think , but a little concerning that they didnt shut souths out . Still top 4.

 

[ricardo]

Widdop is currently the best half in the comp. Hunt as an addition is obviously working well. They have one of the strongest forward packs along with a stirling centre pairing and decent outside backs. What’s not to like about the making the top four??

 

[The Who]

Injuries now play a huge role in a club's success or failure, thanks to the dumb rule that you need to nominate just 30 players to be under the Cap. If a club can assemble 50 players and keep under the Cap why can't they?

 

[Fluffy]

With their first team available they are one of the most balanced on paper but it’s a long season and an injury or two could see them struggle to keep the momentum

Completely agree, if they had as many out as we do they would struggle.

Still it takes a good year injury wise to win it so you never know.

 

[Tomay]

They have a strong starting sides and appear to be well coached. As long as injuries don’t hurt them and test their depth they are definitely a threat, more so because it appears that the storm, sharks, cowboys and broncos appear to be on the decline - so potentially the lack of big game experience won’t hurt them. Also, they will have a few origin players this year.

 

[mave]

You dont make friends with salad
You dont make friends with salad
You dont win friends with salad
You dont win friends with salad
You dont win friends in April
You dont win friends in April
You dont win comps in April
You dont win comps in April

 

[40 years an eagle]

Same as last year.

 

[Bearfax]

At their best they could be premiers. They gave Manly a real pasting last year. But its early days and so much can happen. They should be there at the end of the year, but I said that last year when they were leading the comp. Certainly St George and the Warriors look the goods this early. And its so nice to see Melbourne, Brisbane, North Queensland and the Roosters cop some heavy losses. Greenberg's disgraceful performance of throwing money at Smith and Thurston, is now looking even more embarrassing. And isnt his team doing brilliantly without Des.