Mark's "Your Top 8 & Wooden Spoon" 2024 predictions thread.

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Bearfax

Grizzly old fart
This is conditional on Manly not suffering long term injuries to Turbo, DCE, Brooks, Ola, Koula, Jake and Garrick (and Schuster if he can get his s..t together)

Sydney City
Souths
Manly
Penrith
Broncos
Melbourne
Warriors
Cronulla

St George wooden spoon.
 
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Probably more of a case of how much a few of the sides who missed the 8 last season can improve sufficiently to displace a few of the marginal top 8 - 2023 finalists .
Manly can certainly be well in contention if a few more things go their way but so many variables and especially on the injury front for all sides and also certainly , would be a brave predication to narrow down a top eight outcome at this stage .
What the N R L naturally want but a lot of quite evenly matched sides at least on paper for season 24
 
IM not game to predict the top 8 just yet but the Tigers are likely wooden spooners again.
 
Roosters
Panthers
Broncos
Manly
Storm
Cowboys
Parramatta
Warriors

Spoon...Dragons
 
Penrith
Warriors
Storm
Brisbane
Roosters
Dolphins
Manly
Titans

Dolphins have a lot better depth this year, and if anyone can take Titans to the finals, it's Des. We were two questionable games off 7th, even without Turbo, so that's my estimate. Brisbane losing Capewell and Flegler will make them drop a bit. Warriors I can only see improving with their signings, and will try to make the most of it while AFB and SJ are still there.

Storm, Penrith and Roosters I feel are quite obvious finals picks. South's are a basket case, given they kicked out the only guy there who maintained standards, and they already have an injury crisis. Will be surprised if they make the 8. Newcastle run was a once-off in my opinion until proven wrong. Raiders have no one. Brad Arthur will get the sack. Sharks have been lucky and are not contenders until 2025.
 
Top 8 not in order Manly Souths roosters sharks warriors Broncos Penrith cowboys wooden spoon Dragons
 
my top 8 (no particular order) - penrith, broncos,
manly, souths, roosters, cowboys, storm, warriors. there’s going to be so many teams competing for the eight and there’s a lot that have missed out (knights, sharks, eels, dolphins, bulldogs and titans). the dragons or tigers will get the wooden spoon i reckon.
 
my top 8 (no particular order) - penrith, broncos,
manly, souths, roosters, cowboys, storm, warriors. there’s going to be so many teams competing for the eight and there’s a lot that have missed out (knights, sharks, eels, dolphins, bulldogs and titans). the dragons or tigers will get the wooden spoon i reckon.
Add the Bulldogs as well, they'd be in the frame for the wooden trophy also.
 
Honestly, this year I think you could pick names out of a hat.....impossible task.

That said

1.Penrith
2.Roosters
3.Rabbitohs
4.Storm
5.Manly
6.Broncos
7.Cowboys
8.Warriors/Sharks

Spoon - Dragons
 
Might update this after all the preseason games but first thoughts ... not sold on Souths despite plenty of stars, tip them to miss the finals again. Similar with Eels and Cows, plenty of talent but in each case the coach may not be able to get them all together.
Sharks have a soft draw so I think they'll get there, Knights and Warriors will be buoyed by last year's success and be hard to beat.
Manly to replace Raiders in the 8, if Knights or Warriors stumble then Des-powered Titans could also take a spot.

footnote - I see Foz's son Ryan has been added to the Titans top 30 (!)
 
Might update this after all the preseason games but first thoughts ... not sold on Souths despite plenty of stars, tip them to miss the finals again. Similar with Eels and Cows, plenty of talent but in each case the coach may not be able to get them all together.
Sharks have a soft draw so I think they'll get there, Knights and Warriors will be buoyed by last year's success and be hard to beat.
Manly to replace Raiders in the 8, if Knights or Warriors stumble then Des-powered Titans could also take a spot.

footnote - I see Foz's son Ryan has been added to the Titans top 30 (!)
I think there’s only a couple that aren’t capable of making the 8 so it could be a very very tight year and possibly decided on percentages.
 
Picking the 8 is like trying to pick the Powerball numbers. But I remain undeterred.

I'd say Penrith, Brisbane, Souths and Easts are a lock.

The bottom of the 8 is where you can pretty much throw a dart. But I'm going to stick with Manly, Melbourne, Parra and Cronulla.

My big improvers for the year will be the Dogs and the Dolphins.

I'll pick the Goons to run last. I'll be interested to see how the Tigpies go with their new buys.

And of course......the big leveler........injuries. Bloody injuries. Could literally cruel a team's season as we all know too well. Turbo, I'm looking at you.
 
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