IT is shaping up as one of the closest competitions in NRL history, with an incredible 13 teams realistic hopes of making the top eight in 2016.
While the Broncos charge into the Christmas break as the shortest priced pre-season premiership favourite since Manly in 2010, the one guarantee is that this is no one horse race.
What will be considered success or failure for your team next year?
Paul Crawley gives his verdict.
BRONCOS
Predicted finish: 1st
The old saying goes you have to lose a grand final to win one, and the bookies are sticking to that theory.
Not since Manly in 2010 has a team gone into the new year at shorter odds and the likely nclusion of James Roberts will complete Wayne Bennett’s red-hot roster.
In 2015 Bennett’s job was to make Brisbane believe again and they came up agonisingly short in a grand final golden point thriller. In 2016 they are the team to beat, but Origin could be their undoing.
The Roosters will again be a threat in 2016. Roosters hard man Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.ROOSTERS
Predicted finish: 2nd
Were the best team this year right up until they lost Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Mitchell Pearce. Go into the new year deservedly as the bookies second favourite.
Still, the loss of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and James Maloney leaves behind two big questions marks.
Jackson Hastings will fill the void left by Maloney, but time will tell if Blake Ferguson has the stamina to handle the extra workload that comes with wearing the No 1 jumper.
If he does, look out.
STORM
Predicted finish: 3rd
Plenty didn’t have them in the eight last year and they made the top four without Billy Slater. Have a very good pack led by Jesse Bromwich, some exciting backs and absolute superstars in key positions.
Craig Bellamy has indicted it could be his last season and he will make that call before the season starts.
Either way, something tells me this could be another strong year for Melbourne if they get through Origin unscathed.
SEA EAGLES
Predicted finish: 4th
The best backline in the comp bar none and the inclusion of Nate Myles and Martin Taupau among others give them more power in the middle.
While everyone keeps talking about young Tom Trbojevic as the game’s next big thing, his brother Jake showed this year he is also destined to be wearing a NSW jumper in the very near future.
The TAB has them equal fifth in betting.
“Manly are actually our worse result at the moment and have been backed in from $15,” TAB’s Matt Jenkins said.
SHARKS
Predicted finish: 5th
They are 10th in betting and paying $17 to win the comp. That’s about as good a bet as there is.
Have a tough pack and exciting backs.
Valentine Holmes will star in his new role wearing the No 1 jumper and the inclusion of James Maloney and Chad Townsend give Cronulla a quality set of halves.
Wade Graham is ready for Origin.
COWBOYS
Predicted finish: 6th
The record for reigning NRL premiers speaks for itself. No team since Brisbane in 1992-93 has won back to back comps.
And no team relies on their star player as much as the Cowboys do Johnathan Thurston.
If Thurston stays healthy, they are a top four team again and will
challenge for the title.
If he goes down for any period of time they would struggle to make the eight.
RABBITOHS
Predicted finish: 7th
It could go either way for Souths in 2016. Boom or bust.
Equal with the Bulldogs and Manly on the fifth line of betting but Dylan Walker’s exit has left them skinny in the backs — and that’s not even mentioning Issac Luke and Chris McQueen are also gone.
No doubt Sam Burgess will make a huge impact and a fit Greg Inglis will be the key.
Trent Hodkinson is a huge buy for Newcastle. Picture: Peter Lorimer.BULLDOGS
Predicted finish: 8th
A Des Hasler coached team hasn’t missed the finals since 2004. That’s enough to get them a spot here. The departure of Trent Hodkinson means young Moses Mbye has mounting pressure on him. Always hard to beat, probably don’t have the strike power of some of the better rosters but never write them off.
RAIDERS
Predicted finish: 9th
Were unlucky not to make the eight this year. Played some of the best attacking football in the game but have to improve their defence significantly. If they do find room for them in the eight.
A good young side with a giant pack and plenty of strike.
The new combination of Blake Austin and Aidan Sezer in the halves should be exciting to watch.
WARRIORS
Predicted finish: 10th
No more excuses for this mob, not after adding Tuivasa-Sheck and Issac Luke to a roster that also includes Shaun Johnson.
Have the talent to finish top four and that’s where they are placed in the betting market.
But the travel is always one of their toughest challenges, and there is massive pressure on their coach Andrew McFadden after the Warriors bowed out this season losing their last eight games.
Could finish anywhere from second to 13th.
DRAGONS
Predicted finish: 11th
The TAB has the Dragons 13th in the betting market yet they made the eight this year.
Don’t let them tell you that doesn’t fire them up.
Russell Packer will give them added respect up front and their depth is far better than it was this year.
Wouldn’t be surprised if they finish better than we have them here but, again, you can’t have them all playing finals football.
Manly made some huge off-season buys. Martin Taupau will add much-needed grunt up front. Picture: Gregg PorteousEELS
Predicted finish: 12th
Plenty of expectation at the Eels next year. They have spent up big and Kieran Foran will carry a lot of it on his shoulders. Beau Scott is another key with his experience sure to give their young forwards much needed guidance.
But they still lack the overall depth of the premiership heavyweights.
Need to stay at full strength to push for the finals.
PANTHERS
Predicted finish: 13th
Had no luck this year with so many injuries limiting the amount of footy their key playmakers Jamie Soward and Peter Wallace played together along with Matt Moylan. Have bought smart and boast some exciting young talent ready to make their mark in the NRL. Could surprise like they did in 2014.
KNIGHTS
Predicted finish: 14th
Last year’s wooden spooners who have it all ahead of them. Just don’t have the depth or experience overall but plenty of people underestimate some of the young unknowns in this squad.
Names like Danny Levi and Joe Tapine will be stars of the future.
Trent Hodkinson’s partnership with Jarrod Mullen will also prove crucial.
Not without a chance of fighting to be closer to the eight if injuries and luck go their way through the year.
TIGERS
Predicted finish: 15th
Have a talented young side but again don’t have the experience to match the better teams.
The club would like us to believe everything has settled down between Robbie Farah and Jason Taylor for now.
But let’s wait and see how that pans out once the season starts and the pressure builds.
They still don’t have the depth in the forwards.
TITANS
Predicted finish: 16th
Unfortunately one side has to come last and the Titans are the popular pick to do that.
They don’t have the money to compete with the best teams when it comes to buying players and losing Sezer, Myles and now Roberts is a huge blow. Their challenge is to fight their way as far up from the bottom of the ladder as they can.
Replies
whats your thoughts on this ? you think the prediction is right ? when you come to think of it and lets be honest we have got some good buys in the offseason , but so has a lot of other teams , its actually gonna be a hard year and i actually think we might be 9th ion canberra spot and they might be 12th but in saying that all depends on how much the boys want it this year and what they can produce ....
don't be sorry , thats what the daily telegraph are saying , and for me as much as id love for my beloved eels to make not only top 8 but top 4 , i just think as good as we have recruited many teams have done so too , including the dragons for gods sake , they have flown under the raider with the guys they have got , good forward pack good halfs and a good center , but who knows anything can happen and i hope I'm wrong ..
lets the hope the missing link to our team in jarryd hayne returns before seasons start , which is a my inner unicorn doing some wishful thinking , then id say we had a team who not only will make the 8 , but give the premiership a real big shake ...
theres a lot of sauce in this sight , we should get royalties from fountain for promoting them so much lol , but hope your source is right spanner lol
maybe I'm just over every year thinking this year is the year lol so kinda playing my cards right so my heart don't hurt like it dose every year , god bless mick and hope what your saying comes true ..
That's the thing about predictions its only a guess based on past form, gains and losses.
Having said that if you were 100% honest and looked at the collective squads position by position we do have one of the weaker teams on paper. We haven't bought anywhere near as well as some suggest. One out and out star will not be enough me thinks. The top 8 from last year are fielding relatively similar squads and some of the ones who missed like Canberra, Sea Eagles, Warriors and Panthers have improved.
When the 2016 season starts proper we will have a lot better idea of where we should finish, but IMO BA has his job cut out to even make top 10 let alone top 8.
exactly my point frank , as good as he is ''foran'' don't think he is gonna be the savour we are all hoping he would be , were still missing that ex factor , i hope all the hype surrounding gutho is true and that he has something special to offer us ...cause were lacking real fast and good try scorers , other then semi , who can you see scoring tries and breaking a game at the moment were done and need that little bit extra ?
That's why I would've offered Roberts a $600k plus TPA back ended contract and given him the fullback position. I mean its not everyday a speedster like him gets put on the open market.
We had our own speedster in Hayne but he wont be coming back. We haven't adequately replaced him yet if you ask me. I would've hedged my bets and gone ALL OUT for Roberts but what the fark do I know or Bennet for that matter.
Ultimately we have a side assembled by BA so he will have no more excuses this year injuries or not.
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