From some outlets, based on the first month of footy this is a two horse race for the premiership, Penrith and Melbourne. The question i ask is, soooooo are Melbourne 4-0? no? oh so who beat them? oh that's right.
It is way to early to call anything a race to the premiership other than 16 teams, around round 20-22 with a month and bit to go that is when these comments can be valid, however i feel at the moment there are tiers as to where each team lands but this is far from a two horse race, even the top 7 is already predicted to which i do not agree with either. Tier 1 is definately Penrith, they are the team to beat the team everyone wants to be like. After that i feel it is a tie between Melbourne, ourselves and even Cronulla. Cronulla i am hesitent as they have beaten us but want to see them do it consistently first but atm i feel they can edge a spot there. After that it is a crapshoot of teams all over the place. Newcastle and North Queensland aren't as bad as first thought, while St. George Illawarra are not as good as first thought. The Roosters beat up North Queensland but that's it exactly NQ, let us see them against Penrith or Melbourne to pass judgement first. Souths showed glimpses of what they can do but never had control on Penrith.
I think atm i am 100% certain on 4-5 teams being in the 8, Penrith, Melbourne, Parramatta, Sydney City and Cronulla, after that it can be very up and down in terms of gauging how teams are going. That is exactly the point, we cannot gauge how most teams are going if they may lead into a hot streak or fall off a cliff. Penrith are the ones to beat but there are a few teams in the fight that can knock them out. Our performance to back-up a grueling game a week prior showed we are mentally stronger than ever before, i am not going out saying we are going to win the title but i feel more seriousness needs to be put on us.
If anyone listens to 'Get em' Onside podcast' i recommend it as it is a good listen, however one guy named Sean Omerod, from Melbourne is the sportsbet spokes person on the show, practically warned everyone do not take our performance on the weekend as fact as it was a bully job. Did he watch us v Melbourne? The roosters beat NQ and they are back, we beat the Dragons and it is a bully job?
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I haven't noticed it being considered a two horse race, there has been enough talk about the eels being contenders.
As it stands now the Panthers are a level above everyone else with the eels and storm just below followed by a bunch of teams like manly, roosters and sharks. I think you can forget about anyone else.
You can but Souths are one that hangs over my mind as give them a start and they are capable of anything.
Not sure about South's.
As good as Walker is he looks completely lost without Reynolds.
Also Penrith have beaten 4 very ordinary teams in Manly, Dragons, Knights and South's and they only just scraped home against the Dragons by 4 points.
Their game this week is against the dogs so they have been given a very easy start to the season which after this weekend will leave them at 5 from 5.
I will give them credit when they beat a decent team.
Souths to me are just a team that i feel if they get on a run can win some really nice games. Ilias is slowly starting to get going so maybe Walker starts opening up a bit
You might be underestimating the Rorters, HKF.
I'd have them pretty level with Eels and Storm.
And I'd definitely have Souffs with Manly and Sharks.
Saints to round out the 8.
Souths are a non event without Reynolds and Bennett. Lucky to make the 8 I reckon as the season progresses.
I suspect Penrith and Storm are in the two-horse-race discussion because they are the two teams to have really strung together, so far, an 80 minute game over the first 4 rounds. Call that Tier 1.
Note Penrith ticks that box but Storm had an off second half (Bunnies) and Eels beat them.
Tier 2 is really Sharks, Eels, Roosters, Bunnies, and Manly I think. None with an 80 minute game so far though all with very dominant periods of games (eg: Eels second half against Dragons).
What is yet to be determined is the trajectory of teams. In 2021 Manly and Souths improved as the season wore on. The Eels had a lull mid to late season. The season trajectory will shape who from Tier 2 is top or bottom 4 and who from the shapeless mass of Tier 3 makes a run into the 8?
But as BEM mentioned, Penrith nearly got chased down against St. George Illawarra. Melbourne nearly got chased down by Souths and had a rough first 30-40mins v Wests, and lost to us.
For us out of 8 halves for footy we have had 5-6 good halves. Too me that is quite consistent, Penrith and Melbourne have consistently won but havent had 80min performances week in week out, Cleary being back might change that for Penrith though.
Manly werent til 2 until last night, so let's see how they go moving forward.
I think the only 80 minute game the Storm strung together was the game against us in which we also strung together a full 80 minutes.
Like I said the Panthers have had an easy run and so has the Storm.
We are the only team that in four rounds has played against 2 other teams in the top 4 and we only lost one of those due to Stones stupid penalty at the death.
I think it's out of panthers, parra, sharks and storm. Any 4 of them could win it. Come down to injuries and so on.
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