2021 Ladder Predictions

Lukic · Mar 21, 2021

Honestly our team outside of the halves is decent. With a good pair of halves we're a fringe top 8 team. Just we've got the worst halves in the league. Doueihi is close to the worst 5/8th in the league, if not the worst, while Brooks is comfortably the worst halfback in the league.

Sultan Pepper · Apr 4, 2021

Feels like a two horse race for the spoon between cows and dogs

Magic · Apr 4, 2021

The team who can’t attack Vs the team who can’t defend.

Should make for a good contest when they play at least.

Paddy · Apr 5, 2021

Magic said: ↑

The team who can’t attack Vs the team who can’t defend.

Should make for a good contest when they play at least.
Click to expand...

Which will be in 2 weeks time. Lol

Sultan Pepper · May 28, 2021

Sultan Pepper said: ↑

-Dragons I have no idea why I think they might actually do alright, there's no sign that they should, I think its just a pure contrarian punt. I think their might be some chemistry/romance there with Hook and the old baby Broncos and teams have succeeded despite Griffin in the past. Dufty, Lomax and a fit Bird aren't bad weapons and a few of the old forwards in their twilight might still have some kick left in the legs. If nothing else they shouldn't be impacted by origin outs? Spark a Titans esque run at years end? NFI really.
Click to expand...

The romance is growing, Josh Mcguire brought in and now Gerard Beale dragged out of Qcup.

Need to nab Dunamis and Josh Hoffman now and they'll be dancing.

jazman84 · May 28, 2021

Lukic said: ↑

Honestly our team outside of the halves is decent. With a good pair of halves we're a fringe top 8 team. Just we've got the worst halves in the league. Doueihi is close to the worst 5/8th in the league, if not the worst, while Brooks is comfortably the worst halfback in the league.
Click to expand...

Have you changed your take on Doueihi?

jazman84 · May 28, 2021

Sultan Pepper said: ↑

The romance is growing, Josh Mcguire brought in and now Gerard Beale dragged out of Qcup.

Need to nab Dunamis and Josh Hoffman now and they'll be dancing.
Click to expand...

Reckon Jharal is up for another run?

Sultan Pepper · Aug 9, 2021

Sultan Pepper said: ↑

1. Rabbits
2. Raiders
3. Storm
4. Gold Coast
5. Panthers
6. Tigers
7. Cowboys
8. Roosters

9. Newcastle
10. St George
11. Manly
12. Bulldogs
13. Broncos
14. Warriors
15. Parramatta
16. Cronulla
Click to expand...

Obviously got a bit wrong here but the current tantrums and tears from Parra is what I was expecting much earlier in the year. They seemed really burnt out at the back of 2020 and it surprised me to see them click for so much of the season.

AVA · Sep 3, 2021

How about them Raiders aye.

morgieb · Sep 5, 2021

morgieb said: ↑

Right, now seems the time to do it.

1. Canberra
2. Souths
3. Melbourne
4. Sydney Roosters
5. Penrith
6. Gold Coast
7. Newcastle
8. Parramatta

9. Warriors
10. Manly
11. Wests Tigers
12. North Queensland
13. Cronulla
14. Canterbury
15. Brisbane
16. St George Illawarra

I think you can probably seperate the teams into thirds.

Canberra first because I think they have the deepest squad and likely won't be affected all that much by Origin. Not sure they have the quality to win the comp though.

I think Melbourne are the best team but can they do it without Cameron Smith? Instinct says yes but I think it might take time to adapt to life without him. Souths have the best backline in the comp (IMO) and some fantastic attacking weapons but I query our pack, don't think Arrow was the right approach.

Roosters will be up there again, though the halfback problem still hasn't been solved and no Cordner for half the season could really test their edge forward depth especially with Aubusson retired.

I'm a bit off Penrith as things stand. They'll still be good but Mansour and Tamou are big losses that I don't think they've adequately replaced, and their depth seems worrying. It was already the least experienced side in the comp and their losses will only compound it further.....do they have the leaders to deal with a potential form slump?

~

Gold Coast could be higher if Smith comes, but as things stand their side still seems pretty inexperienced and I think they're still a little while away. I still expect them to make finals though and in a couple of years time they'll be a true powerhouse.

Newcastle's pre-season hasn't felt right and I still don't love their backline and they've lost a number of decent forwards but they've got too much quality to fall too far and the rest of the teams seem even worse.

Parramatta is probably my boldest call, on paper they're a Top 4 side but their backline seems really alarming with how bad Blake and Ferguson went last year and there appears to be very little depth here. I wouldn't be surprised if they make me eat my words here but I smell a mini-implosion here. Only the fact that there's so many average teams this season keeps them Top 8.

Warriors could easily play finals but I don't like their forward line balance and their spine still has a lot of holes in it. Don't rate Brown as a coach either.

Manly are the other team on the fringe of finals. The problem here is that while their core is Top 6 worthy (Trobjevic x2, Cherry-Evans, Walker, Foran, Sironen, Aloiai, Taupau), there isn't much depth under it and a lot of their better players are a bit too injury-prone. Trobjevic tearing his hamstring again doesn't inspire confidence that we'll see a lot of him this season and as we saw last season, they're a Bottom 4 side without him.....

~

Wests Tigers backline is potentially excellent and I think their forward line is decent enough, but that spine lets them down. If Liddle, Laurie and/or Simpkin really breakthrough I think they can play finals, but if Grant couldn't push a similar side towards finals, it's gonna need a big effort from their youngsters.

The Cowboys could surprise if everyone was fully fit but as things stand their side is basically a promising spine that's been off the boil since 2017, a good middle third with little depth and not much else. Payten could give them a new direction but they're gonna need the 2017 Morgan and the 2018 Holmes to really do anything this season. And that doesn't sound too likely.

Cronulla look in dire, dire trouble. They fluked a Top 8 spot last season through an easy draw and pinching a lot of tight encounters, but all I can see is a side full of past it stars and kids that haven't really kicked on. Add that their best player is out for the first two months and the coach apparently on death row and I see them really sinking this season.

Canterbury I think will roll a few sides, but I don't really rate Allen and Flanagan as the magic bullets their spine needs and it'll ruin a quality backline. Forward line looks tough but lacks impact. Not sure what to make of Barrett's coaching either.

Brisbane could surprise as every side bar the Titans in the last 15 years that went Top 8 -> spoon bounced back to the finals the year after (Bulldogs 07-09, Roosters 08-10, Storm 09-11*, Sharks 13-15, Eels 17-19), but while they won't have as dire of an injury run, I don't think they've reshaped the roster in the way they need to, and while their best forwards are class their back 7 just ruins it. Culturally the club is just shot too.

Which leaves St Merge. Apart from Newcastle 2017 I don't think I've one side look so much worse than the rest in a long time. Their best player not only jumped ship he tore an ACL. Their forward line has hit a wall since mid-2018, their backline has some talent but not enough proven superstars. Griffin seems a really poor coaching choice for this team too. I honestly can see them only winning 2/3 games this season.

~

Man there's a lot of shit this season.
Click to expand...

7/8 of my Top 8 made the Top 8.....not too bad. Manly and Canberra obviously the worst calls there, but I somewhat underestimated Penrith, Parra, Cronulla + St Merge too. Possibly over-rated Canterbury and the Warriors.

Log in or Sign up

2021 Ladder Predictions

Lukic L Popovic

Sultan Pepper HG Emm

Magic AJ Parker

Paddy P Orr

Sultan Pepper HG Emm

jazman84 JM Eightyfour

jazman84 JM Eightyfour

Sultan Pepper HG Emm

AVA T Delonge

morgieb MC Burridge

Share This Page

Log in or Sign up

2021 Ladder Predictions

Lukic L Popovic

Sultan Pepper HG Emm

Magic AJ Parker

Paddy P Orr

Sultan Pepper HG Emm

jazman84 JM Eightyfour

jazman84 JM Eightyfour

Sultan Pepper HG Emm

AVA T Delonge

morgieb MC Burridge

Share This Page

Useful Searches