http://www.nrl.com/draw/telstrapremiership/draw/tabid/11180/s/46/sc/cWOFIqw10800/default.aspx So we get Sharks, Broncos and Storm first 3 games. Tough but I like the tough draw at the start.
http://www.nrl.com/draw/telstrapremiership/draw/tabid/11180/s/46/sc/cWOFGg40w000/default.aspx Meant to post this one. Only had it set to Cowboys draw on first link.
Canberra have one of the easiest draws I've ever seen. Only play Melbourne, Brisbane and Easts once. Season opens with Titans, Knights, Warriors, Eagles, Dogs, Eels and Rabbits. Only 4 games all year against teams you'd seriously expect to be in the running. A tad ridiculous that a team can land such a draw IMO.
I can't really be arsed going through the whole thing, are there many of the usual 'play the same team twice in 4-5 weeks' fuck ups?
From what I saw of the Eels draw they've done that again and several times. Eels face Penrith, Tigers, Manly, Sharks twice in first 9 rounds with playing Penrith twice in 4 weeks, Tigers twice in 4 weeks, Manly twice in 5 weeks.
I can't stand that. I know it's not as simple as playing everyone once then repeating with all the other goings on, but surely they can break it up more. I'd have a blanket rule that sides can't play each other within 10 weeks during the regular season if I were in scheduling.
Not been as excited for a season in a long time as I am now. Loving the NQ team on paper. Don't really wanna get that carried away though as they start slow a lot of the time. Can only just hope they have a significantly less severe injury toll and not be to key players.
Pretty pumped for the season in general after a pretty one sided & lacklustre comp last year. Storm have been brought back to the pack by losing some important players in Cronk, Harris & Mclean Cowboys strengthen with injury returns & signing of Mclean Roosters strengthen with signing of Tedesco I don't see clubs like the Eels, Sharks, Sea Eagles & Panthers going backwards on their performances of last year, just a matter of which clubs can grow to be challengers. Broncos & Dragons with a large turnover in players but not convinced either club has a stronger roster than last year as a result. From the bottom 8 the Warriors, Titans, Knights & Tigers have all recruited pretty well IMO and will all have stronger top 17's as a result. Only real clubs I don't think will offer anymore to last year are the Bulldogs, Rabbitohs, & Raiders (largely due to Hodgson's injury).
Souths will definitely improve imo. McGuire is a good coach but man his style was stale as fuck. Player morale in defence was evidently abysmal. Seibold will remedy that I'm predicting. Inglis and Gagai in there can only help.
Yeh maybe, Maguire definitely seems like he's made from the same cloth as Ricky Stuart. Hasn't had a completely different career path to date yet either. I just reckon they've got one of the worst packs in the comp, the Burgess twins are gash their re-signing at the start of the year makes me question Seibold a bit.
True but you’ve gotta wonder how much of that was to keep Sam happy. They apparently were pretty pissed after Luke was let go. I don’t think they’ll make the 8 but they’re fucking kidding themselves and their supporters if they can’t win more than 9 games this year given their draw.
I don't know about that. Josh Dugan, Russell Packer and Joel Thompson is a fair but of talent to replace. All comes down to Ben Hunt really and my question over that is I think he and Widdop play very similar in a lot of aspects.
I fully expect St George to do their usual thing of starting the season well in the early rounds when more expansive play is a lot harder to pull off due to early season rust and new combinations, then fall away towards the end when they can't adapt to the higher standard of attack in the later rounds.
I think Hunt will offer more than he has at the Broncos, as the Dragons have a better pack. They also dont have to deal with the Dugan shitness.
I think the signings of Graham and Hunt outweigh the loss of those 3 and both have they potential to completely change the Dragons attacking dynamic, which is something they desperately need.