Bookmakers predict Eels as definite top 8 contenders. What's your tip ?

BOOKMAKERS have written off the Cronulla Sharks’ chances of defending their grand final triumph in 2017.It’s hard to argue with their logic. No team has gone back-to-back in the NRL since its inaugural season in 1998.All 19 premiership winning teams since then have failed to defend their title. That trend is not about to change in 2017.In the past four years, the NRL has had eight different clubs qualify for the grand final.Trying to predict the future of the chaotic ever-shifting mess that is the greatest game of all guarantees some level of egg on face.So with that in mind, here is how it’s all going to play out for your team next season.PREMIER — MELBOURNE STORMLoser.Source:AAPTHE temptation is always to assume the runner-up is the next cab off the rank, but in the NRL the losing grand final team has bounced back to win the grand final just once (Manly in 2008).The Storm will have lost winger Marika Koroibete and playmaker Blake Green, but it’s difficult to see how this team will not be stronger in 2017 with the return of star fullback Billy Slater — who, admittedly, is yet to confirm if he is certain to play on next season.Melbourne still has a forward pack to be feared and the Craig Bellamy-inspired culture down south will ensure this team remains the benchmark of the NRL — as they were for most of 2016.Ins: Josh Addo-Carr (Wests Tigers), Brandon Smith (Cowboys), Vincent Leuluai (Roosters)Outs: Marika Koroibete (rugby union), Josh Kerr (Dragons), Ryan Morgan (St Helens), Blake Green (Sea Eagles)RUNNER-UP — CANBERRA RAIDERSTHE scary part of Canberra’s rise in 2016 is that it happened when the club was rocked with countless injuries to key position players.The Raiders will surely be stung by the loss of star players to State of Origin selection next year, but that is the only rain cloud on the horizon for this team on the up and up.Ins: Jordan Turner (St Helens)Outs: Lachlan Lewis (Bulldogs), Sisa Waqa (rugby union), Zac Woolford (Bulldogs), Sam Williams (Wakefield)THIRD — PENRITH PANTHERSPENRITH won nine of their final 12 matches in 2016 and will be much stronger in the second season of coach Anthony Griffin’s tenure.Penrith’s pre-season began with plans involving James Segeyaro in the No. 9 and a halves pairing of Jamie Soward and Peter Wallace.There will be a lot of pressure on promising playmakers Nathan Cleary and Te Maire Martin, but the partnership could easily follow in the footsteps of former Manly duo Kieran Foran and Daly Cherry-Evans when the young halves guided the Sea Eagles to the premiership in 2011.James Tamou is also a great buy.Ins: James Tamou (Cowboys), Tim Browne (Bulldogs), Michael Oldfield (Rabbitohs)Outs: Ben Garcia (Catalans), Chris Smith (Sydney Roosters), Elijah Taylor, George Jennings (Eels), Zak Hardaker (Leeds)FOURTH — NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYSNO team with Johnathan Thurston and Jason Taumalolo could finish outside the top four. Despite going close to defending their title from 2015, the Cowboys’ only major loss to their roster is prop James Tamou.Ins: NoneOuts: Brandon Smith (Storm), James Tamou (Panthers)FIFTH — CRONULLA SHARKSThe future.Source:News Corp AustraliaMICHAEL Ennis is a huge loss and that famous fuel of the club having never won an NRL grand final will no longer be there. Young stars Wade Graham, Valentine Holmes and Jack Bird will have to stand up and pick up the slack of an ageing roster. Despite this, the Sharks remain a star-studded team that could easily challenge for the title if they have some luck with injuries.Ins: Manaia Cherrington (Wests Tigers)Outs: David Fifita (released), Mitch Brown (Leigh), Josh Cleeland (Bulldogs), Michael Ennis (retirement), Connor Tracey (Rabbitohs)SIXTH — PARRAMATTA EELSDESPITE being caught cheating the salary cap, losing captain Kieran Foran and high-profile forward Anthony Watmough and having to sell hooker Nathan Peats, Parramatta won 13 games of football in 2016.It is arguably one of the most bungled seasons from a football club in rugby league and they still won 13 games of football.Like the Gold Coast this season, coach Brad Arthur appears to have found a way to get the best out of his players. It’s a modestly-talented roster, but it’s basically the same playing group that won more games than they lost in 2016 despite essentially playing for nothing after the club was gutted by the NRL’s salary cap sanctions.Ins: Jamal Fogerty (Burleigh Bears), Siosia Vave (Sea Eagles), Nathan Brown (Rabbitohs), George Jennings (Panthers)Outs: Tyrell Fuimaono (Rabbitohs), Michael Gordon (Roosters), Kieren Moss (Bradford), Anthony Watmough (retired), Kieran Foran (Warriors)SEVENTH — BRISBANE BRONCOSWAYNE Bennett has some real problems. There is no obvious area of the game where the Broncos will find improvement next season. Corey Parker is a huge loss, while it’s hard to see how five-eighth Anthony Milford could do any more than he did this year.Ins: Moses Pangai (Townsville Blackhawks), David Mead (Titans)Outs: Greg Eden (Castleford), Brett Greinke (Rabbitohs), Corey Parker (retirement), Jarrod Wallace (Titans), Jack Reed (retirement)EIGHTH — NEW ZEALAND WARRIORSThe NRL’s fastest feet are back.Source:Getty ImagesBETTING on the Warriors is stupid. You should never do it. The club gave up at the end of this season losing their last four games of the season, including their last three matches at home. If new coach Stephen Kearney can find a way for his side to take care of their matches at home, they should easily win enough matches to play finals football.Star fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will provide a huge boost, while Kieran Foran could easily become the feel-good story of 2017. Any normal club with a spine of Tuivasa-Sheck, Foran. Shaun Johnson and Issac Luke should not miss the top eight, but the Warriors are no ordinary football club.Ins: Kieran Foran (Eels)Outs: Raymond Faitala-Mariner (Bulldogs), Thomas Leuluai (Wigan), Shaun Lane (Sea Eagles)NINTH — WESTS TIGERSIF James Tedesco finally plays a season without getting injured, the Wests Tigers can easily play finals football. The young playing list should continue to improve next season. It looms as a huge season for halfback Luke Brooks. It seems a long time since the rising star was labelled the next Andrew Johns.Ins: NoneOuts: Josh Addo-Carr (Storm), Jack Buchanan (Widnes), Josh Drinkwater (released), Asipeli Fine (Bulldogs), Lamar Liolevave (Bulldogs), Billy McConnachie (released), Jesse Parahi (Rugby Sevens), Manaia Cherrington (Sharks), Dene Halatau (retired), Robbie Farah (Rabbitohs)10TH — GOLD COAST TITANSAFTER Jarryd Hayne’s first handful of games on the Gold Coast, the Titans have actually gone backwards in the eyes of bookmakers.Hayne’s signing saw the club slashed to $10 to win the 2017 grand final, but now find themselves drawn out to $17. Neil Henry has done an impressive job with what many thought was one of the worst playing lists in the NRL last season, but there is a lot more obvious improvement in the teams that finished around them this year.Ins: Dan Sarginson (Wigan), Jarrod Wallace (Broncos)Outs: Nathan Friend (retirement), David Hala (released), Nene Macdonald (Dragons), David Mead (Broncos), Cameron Cullen (Sea Eagles), Luke Douglas (St Helens)11TH — CANTERBURY BULLDOGSDES Hasler is a genius, but even he won’t be able to get the Bulldogs out of the mess they find themselves in. The Bulldogs appeared too structured and struggled to create scoring opportunities this year. Difficult to see how they improve that next year.Ins: Zac Woolford (Raiders), Josh Cleeland (Sharks), Rhyse Martin (Townsville Blackhawks)Outs: Lyndon McGrady (released), Pat O’Hanlon (retired), Sam Perrett (retirement), Curtis Rona (rugby union), Tim Browne (Penrith)12TH — MANLY SEA EAGLESExpectation.Source:Getty ImagesFOR the second season in succession the Sea Eagles will undergo a major roster shake-up. Being able to put Blake Green at five-eighth and move Dylan Walker to the centres is a good start, but there are too many unsettled pieces in the Manly puzzle heading into the pre-season.Ins: Frank Winterstein (rugby union), Shaun Lane (Warriors), Blake Green (Storm), Cameron Cullen (Titans), Akuila Uate (Knights)Outs: Jamie Lyon (retirement), Tim Moltzen (retired), Tom Symonds (Huddersfield), Siosia Vave (Eels), Liam Knight (Roosters), Nathan Green (released), Blake Leary (released), Issac John (released), Jayden Hodges (released), Rhys Armstrong (released), Josh Starling (released), Jamie Buhrer (Knights)

"Well Ryles was adament, even after Smith debuted that he wanted a 2nd Hooker. Tried to get Brailey for a while.
He must see Smith as something else. But i do not see him signing Da Silva on decent coin and for so many years just to be a 14 or…"

"Da Silva is a potentially elite dummy half. He would already be on very good money, probably $600k+ and will eventually be taking the majority of minutes at dummy half. Perhaps as early as 2026. Smith might start every game but could end up only…"

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Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐 October 6, 2016 at 4:42pm

I'm tipping Eels to finish top 4.
- Joshua > Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐 October 6, 2016 at 4:44pm
  
  same 4th i believe
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER October 6, 2016 at 4:46pm

If everything goes our way we should be 5 or 4 place no worse then 6
Wile E. Coyote October 6, 2016 at 4:59pm

To make the top four you need to get a fair go from the refs
We are not there yet
- Slippery. > Wile E. Coyote October 8, 2016 at 9:24pm
  
  Also the draw has plenty of impact on finishing positions. How good would it be to get Brisbane, Melbourne and the Cowboys leading into Origin. Away traveling and when you get interstate games also takes its toll. 3 or 4 weeks in a row traveling interstate each week is very tough, along with short turn arounds. I think in 2015 the Bulldogs got given a dream draw. I believe they played 18 of 24 games in Sydney and 15 or 16 games at either ANZ or Belmore. It was the softest draw I had ever seen.
The French Fullback #1 October 6, 2016 at 5:01pm

Storm will stay up there but Sharks/Cows to drop with loss of players and less motivation. Penrith to improve, Raiders will be there also. Broncos could go either way. It's a very open comp next year tbh. Storm would be my favs to win it sadly. If things go well we can make the 4, poorly we can still make the 8. Only a disaster would see us miss out IMO.
Wile E. Coyote October 6, 2016 at 5:06pm

Hopefully we will scrape in the top eight.
Think Roosters may be back in the top eight too
Injuries and other calamities will probably determine which of the top 12 teams don't make the top eight
Enforcer Eel October 6, 2016 at 5:09pm

If our spine going into 2017 is (French, Gutho, Norman & De Gois), we will win alot of games, top 4, no, premiership, no way!!!?
Ron October 6, 2016 at 6:06pm

Elijah Taylor?
This reply was deleted.
- Robert Lloyd October 6, 2016 at 8:19pm
  
  Slug: They take paedophiles, agnostic or not.

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