Who are your top eight sides and why?

[eagle-rock08]

Here is the time to be bold and see how you'll go.

1-Melbourne (sorry to say it but can't see anyone beating them again this year.)

2-Dogs (again sorry to say but second year with Ha$ler who has made some good signings.)

3-Manly (hope I am wrong and hope we win the whole thing, but our forwards are a small worry. A good solid but aging pack.)

4-Brisbane (they have a good squad and have bought some talent)

5-Souths (a little disrupted with ownership woes might have an affect on their performance.)

6-8 In no particular order Canberra, Cronulla and Warriors.

Dark horses - Roosters and Paramatta (can't see them getting into the eight. But may challenge for the last three spots.)

Spoon could be a fight between Penrith and Titans with Titans to take it out but only just.

Don't be too hard on me as I am only an armchair supporter.

 

[The Who]

You left out the Cowboys. They will certainly finish ahead of the Warriors.
The rest of your eight correspond to my thinking, but not the finishing order. IMO Souths and Cronulla will be in the top four.
Manly, naturally, will win the comp.

 

[Napper]

Manly melbourne dogs/roosters and Cronulla will round up the top 4 injuries permitting.

 

[lloydy]

In no order
Manly
Dogs
Storm
Sharks
Roosters
Cowboys
Souths
Warriors

 

[manlyfan76]

MANLY
Brisbane - Prince will be the goalkicker V Manly not Parker
Storm - big 3 cheats, again
Sharkies - they havn't grown teeth. they bought them
Souffs - will win more then they loose - but not finals
dogs - on the slide from last year as Trent Dogkinson will play 1/2
eels - will have an energetic start to season but limp into finals
chooks - good coach (he's no B.Smith)

cows- will learn that JT is leaving
Drugcastle - Tinks on the Brinks
cnaberra - innconsistant
NZ - due for a bad year
Penriff - no talent
Titans - not by half
Dragons - you know it makes sence.

 

[Hamster Huey]

No particular order;

North Qld - Too much talent to ignore for the 8 and will use their exit from 2012 as motivation to raise the bar higher.

Brisbane - Took the hit post-Lockyer and as long as Hook persists with a stable halves combo, should see his quality outside backs and backrow cause plenty of problems for the opposition.

Manly - Because even when we have a bad year, we still make the 8. No reason to think we've lost much in the off-season changes, if anything. Good youth influx to refresh older squad members.

Souths - Not much change to the roster except to move on the passenger Taylor and score a coup with Te'o.

Cronulla - I really admire the work done by the coach and he's got a very mobile forward pack at his disposal. Like Brisbane, just needs consistancy with the halves to be well in the 8.

Roosters - Will benefit from a change of coach an we'll see them go from a bunch of individuals doing their own thing, to a more cohesive unit in 2013. Will surprise a lot of opponents initially and use the momentum to return to the 8.

Canterbury - Only because Des is there because it's still an ordinary roster, now impacted by loss of depth with success from last year forcing a few players out. Haven't fixed the halves so I expect them to be found wanting more often in 2013, affecting their structures. Scraping in.

Melbourne - Like Manly, they have the style to make the 8 no matter what is thrown at them. Only a long-term injury to Smith will prevent them making the 8 at this time.

 

[Stevo]

Bulldogs
Souths
Cronulla
Manly
Melbourne
Nth Qld
New Zealand
Roosters

 

[MWSE]

In no particular order.

Dogs - won't be as good as last year, teams know how to stop Barba now, and he was the catalyst for most of their tries. Slow, big forwards will get exploited and rubbish halves. But they will still make the 8, probably the bottom half of the 8 tho.

Melbourne - Nuff said.

Manly - Nuff said.

Souths - Will be better than last year. Teo is a gun and if Burgess, S can stay healthy they will be primed, especially now that Reynolds has a year under his belt.

Cronulla - Recruited well, can they execute tho?

Cowboys - Best forward pack in the game, they are looking dangerous.

Tigers - If they can stay healthy and maximise Sironen could be dangerous.

Roosters - Scrapping in.

Spoon - Titans.

 

[Captain Moondog]

Manly
Melbourne
Brisbane
Bulldogs
Souths
Cowboys
Sharks
Raiders

In that order.

Titans specials for the spoon.

 

[EagleRock40]

Top 8 after 26 rounds -
Melbourne - still have the big 3 and the reason Bellamy will sign with the Storm again is because he knows this side has a great chance at back to back premierships.

Cronulla - If Gallen, Carney, Lewis and Flash Gordon stay fit, they will be hard to beat most weeks and anything worse than top 4 would be a failure imo.

Manly - WILL BE UNDEFEATED AT THE FORTRESS (have a good look at the draw, you heard it here first) and will be highly competitive away from home. Joey's influence on our young halves will show dividends early on and our veteran props now have more competition for spots on a weekly basis.

Souths - 2012 was no fluke. Great coach and they have a talented roster which i think has strengthened with the addition of Ben Te'o.

Cowboys - Very good at Dairy Farmers and the JT factor. 2 promising young forwards in Tariq Sims and Taumololo, but they will miss the Payne/Segeyaro combo. They need to prove they can win big games in Sydney, otherwise I think they will finish anywhere from 5th-12th

Bulldogs - Hard to know if they can repeat last year, and which Tony Williams will trun up on game days. James Grahams suspension will cost them early in the year and still pressure on the halves.

Roosters - Jennings, Maloney, SBW. Those 3 alone plus some good young talent should see them challenge for spots 7th and 8th.

Broncos - IMO will just scrape in. Prince will give them the experience they missed at times last year, however Petero may be a big loss. Like the Cowboys - could finish anywhere between 5th-12th

GF - Manly v Cronulla

 

[sheridanstand78]

Here is my top 8:

Drizzle: They are a news limited owned club and they will be looked after yet again.

Souffs: They are ready to take the next step, have a great roster.

Cowgirls: If they can stop moaning about past defeats they may have a chance. Should be very tough especially at home.

Manly: We still have a great roster, My worry is depth in the outside backs and front row. still we have the spine to win again for sure and the spotlight will be off us this season.

Dirty Dogs: De$ will be under pressure to deliver a premiership this year. this season the other teams will be after them big time. They have an imposing side with good depth, still a bit short in the halves and the mileston that they have inheited from us in TREX.

Fish Fingers: Ah Rothtools mob, They are threatening to be a good side with a plethora of ex tigers and panthers in their ranks, the question for them as is it for every season, how do they win it? They keep having maroon and white flash backs before a big game.

Tigpies: They have no pressure on them, they have cleared out the dead wood in the side and they have a Toyota cup team that has just won a grand final, lots of talent to work with and new coach, I see them rattling some cages this year.

Drugcastle Nits: Old Bennett again has assembled a quality roster, their home advantage should get them enough games to make it.

I expect the Rorters, the Raiders and the worms to be on the fringe of the 8.

The dragqueens will really struggle I feel. The Friday night donkeys will get an advantage but will struggle to win away games, The warriors fade away in games too fast to be a serious contender.

Panthers and Titans to battle it out for the spoon.

 

[HappilyManly]

1 Manly for minor and major Premiership in 2013
2 - 7 Don't care
.
.
.
16 - Panthers equal last with Tigers

 

[1947]

My 8 in no order:
With a quick reason why:

Manly - best team EVER !!!

Melbourne - Been there so many times before with the "big 3"

Cronulla - Good solid side, will be confident after 2012

Souths - Same reason as Cronulla

North Queensland - Good talent in this side

Canberra - Will be very confient after last year, nothing to lose, attack
well this side

Canterbury - YUK - Good coach & Ben Barba (altho cannot stand the dude)

Tigers - Diabolical in 2012 pressure is on plus a new coach and player cleanout

 

[Ralphie]

1. Manly - We have a stronger roster with better depth all around. Tooves will be a better coach for last years learning and the boys will have a point to prove after their ignominious exit last season.

2. Nth Qld - They have an extraordinary roster. Will finished in 2nd and crash in the finals because they can't win in Sydney.

3. Cronulla - Have recruited well, their only genuine weakness is the halfback.

4. Canberra - Would have been top 4 last season if not for a slow start and a horrendous injury toll. Campese will be back and will make the difference.

5. Scum - unless they get injuries to captain scum or cronk.

6. Dishlickers - will struggle this season with the crackdown on obstruction and crap halves.

7. Souffs - Overachieved massively in 2012. Reynolds will suffer 2nd year syndrome, Sutton will choke and their forwards, particularly Asotasi & Burgess will be interminably injured.

8. Newcastle - Bennett won't miss the finals 2 years running.

Spoon - St George - crap roster & crap coach.

Worthy Mention - Brisbane is a squad of athletic hard runners. They have very little creativity. If you think Prince will save them, just look at what he did for the GC the last couple of seasons.

 

[bones]

In no particular order:

Manly
Souths
Melbourne
Bulldogs
Roosters
Cowboys
Newcastle
Sharks

 

[Stevo]

@[bones] What do you like about Newcastle mate?

 

[voicefromthehill]

@[bones] What do you like about Newcastle mate?

@[Stevo] leaving it

 

[MK Eagle]

1-4 no order
Cronulla- Absolute threat but Carney lacks solid halves partner - Graham/Lewis are a better option than Robson come crunch games.
Storm -consistently able to lift - defend better than most & legit strikepower.
Dogs - Hasler has some good players to work with but come the big games certain players will AGAIN be caught out.
Manly - Front row & wings do the job are in it up to the eyeballs.

5-7 no order
Souths - Expect to test top 4 & just fall short when it counts.
Nth Qld - these fowards with Tamou/Scott /Taumololo & Simms will lay a platform for JT to score plenty in 2013, again not quite the full package.
Roosters -Astute purchasers & some absolute young guns coming thru atm. Anasta is gone which will also help imo.
NZ - scrape into 8 due to home wins - Maloney loss massive imo & though Johnson will show glimpses of brilliance far from enough to trouble the serious contenders.

 

[Manly1973]

Top 8 after 26 rounds ISSSSSS

1 Sharks
2 Souths
3 Manly
4 Storm
5 Newcastle
6 Nth Queensland
7 Raiders
8 Tigers

Last will be the what's the matter Parramatta they are a joke full stop and a new coach will do nothing for them, lol

Manly will win 2013

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

MANLY
Brisbane - Prince will be the goalkicker V Manly not Parker
Storm - big 3 cheats, again
Sharkies - they havn't grown teeth. they bought them
Souffs - will win more then they loose - but not finals
dogs - on the slide from last year as Trent Dogkinson will play 1/2
eels - will have an energetic start to season but limp into finals
chooks - good coach (he's no B.Smith)

cows- will learn that JT is leaving
Drugcastle - Tinks on the Brinks
cnaberra - innconsistant
NZ - due for a bad year
Penriff - no talent
Titans - not by half
Dragons - you know it makes sence.

I agree with you on one point - the Tigers may as well not even be counted at all.