If these articles came with a disclaimer (and my lawyers are getting back to me on that one), then the disclaimer would read as follows:
The following article is for entertainment purposes only.
Most of us are flat out picking a winner of a single game five minutes before kick-off, so anyone thinking they can tip the order of the season ladder in February is having a lend. That said, I do jag a few things from time to time (such as the Sharks for the spoon last season....ka-ching!). So take this for what it is...a reasonably entertaining read. And if I happen to get anything right I'm sure I'll be reminding you of it (like when the Sharks won the spoon last season....ka-ching!).
1st - Canterbury Bulldogs
They could win this. They could so easily win this. The New South Wales playmakers, an enormous pack of forwards and two more Morris brothers in the backline than the rest of the NRL put together. All that, and their goalkicker gets them over the line in so many of the close contests. The team to beat.
Key addition – Brett Morris
Key losses - Michael Ennis, Dale Finucane
Players to watch - Brett Morris, Josh Morris, Tim Lafai, David Klemmer
2nd - Sydney Roosters
Two of the biggest names in the game have left the Chooks, but the kids that are coming through haven't peaked yet. Tuivasa-Sheck is poised to have a breakout season and has the potential to be one of the great fullbacks of the modern era. The strength of Fittler, the step of Fittler...and speed to burn. I can't wait to see him with some space to work in (check out the video below of his highlights from last season).
Key additions – Blake Ferguson, Lagi Setu
Key losses - Sonny Bill Williams, Anthony Minichiello
Players to watch - Boyd Cordnor, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
3rd - Brisbane Broncos
The Broncos have, by their lofty standards, underperformed in recent seasons. Two key components have been missing in recent years - a coach who delivers and a halves pairing that can do the same. Playmakers of the calibre of Allan Langer and Darren Lockyer don't grow on trees (trust me...I've been looking). I don't want to suggest that Ben Hunt and Anthony Milford are at that level, but their careers are on an upward spiral. Hunt steers and Milford shimmers...if all goes to plan the Broncos look like premiership contenders.
Key additions – Anthony Milford, Adam Blair, Darius Boyd (maybe)
Key losses - Josh Hoffman, Ben Hannant, Ben Barba
Player to watch - Ben Hunt
4th - Penrith Panthers
I pegged them as a top four side last season and they didn't disappoint, and there is no reason they can't improve on their 2014 performance. No big new names on the roster, but the Cleary/Gould plan to build a premiership club from the ground up has plenty of green shoots. The foot of the mountains is a fortress again.
Key additions – Nil
Key losses - Tim Grant, Kevin Kingston
Players to watch - Josh Mansour, Matt Moylan
5th - Cronulla Sharks
Their best seventeen could win the comp. The Robson/Barba halves pairing looks good and the addition of Michael Ennis ensures the Sharks will be the niggliest team in the NRL (note to Sharks: there's no trophy for that). Paul Gallen, with his body caving away and his pharmaceutical options drying up, has announced season 2015 will be his last. The boys from the Shire will want to give him a decent send-off I suppose.
Key additions – Michael Ennis, Ben Barba
Key losses - Todd Carney, Josh Morris
Players to watch - Jack Bird, Valentine Holmes
6th - North Queensland Cowboys
I don't want to say that the fortunes of this club rest on the angel wings and shoulders of one player...but they do. If the Cowboys ever win a premiership (and they will) it would bring me and many others enormous pleasure if Jonathan Thurston was the man that brings the trophy back on the plane. They'll go close again, and if another controversy unravels their 2015 campaign we'll be facing a revolution.
Key additions – Ben Hannant
Key losses - Tariq Sims, Ashtom Sims, Brent Tate
Players to watch - JT, Jason Taumalolo, Cameron King
7th - Manly Sea Eagles
This is still one tremendous line-up and if Geoff Toovey can unlock the genius of Feliti Mateo this side would be just about unstoppable. Those three long-time club stalwarts listed in the key losses will be hard to replace, and there's some risk that season 2015 is the season when the boys from Brookvale start to waiver...just a little.
Key additions – Feliti Mateo, Willie Mason
Key losses - Anthony Watmough, Glenn Stewart, Jason King
Player to watch - Daly Cherry-Evans
8th - Melbourne Storm
I'm already second-guessing myself with this one, because this is still one almighty team. If the new additions buy into the Storm culture they are easily a top four side. This should be the year Jesse Bromwich updates his CV with 'best prop forward in the NRL'.
Key additions – Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Dale Finucane
Key losses - Ryan Hoffman, Bryan Norrie
Players to watch - Jesse Bromwich, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs
9th - New Zealand Warriors
Ryan Hoffman is no champion but he's a champion bloke and he could be one of the greatest additions to the Warriors roster in their history. If his effort and consistency can rub off on his team-mates our cousins from across the ditch could be up their with the heavy-hitters. It's time for Shaun Johnson to deliver if he wants to be remembered as a great of the game, and the longer Sam Tomkins plays NRL the better he will get - he does remind me of a young Darren Lockyer at fullback.
Key addition – Ryan Hoffman
Key losses - Kevin Locke, Feliti Mateo, Jayson Bukuya
Players to watch - Shaun Johnson, Sam Tomkins
10th - South Sydney Rabbitohs
What's this? The defending premiers and winner of the Auckland Nines missing the top eight. I say the premiership hangover lingers long for the Bunnies after such a long drought, and Sam Burgess isn't an easy man to replace.
Key additions – Glenn Stewart, Tim Grant
Key losses - Sam Burgess, Ben Teo
Players to watch - George Burgess, Greg Inglis
11th - Parramatta Eels
Jarryd Hayne leaves the Eels to live his dream but in doing so he leaves the Eels in quite a hole. He was eating up a substantial amount of their salary cap and his late departure for the USA didn't leave his team with much time to spend the money. Another tough year.
Key addition – Anthony Watmough
Key losses - Jarryd Hayne, Willie Tonga, Ken Sio, FuiFui MoiMoi
Player to watch - Nathan Peats, Semi Radradra
12th - Gold Coast Titans
One of my favourite players in Josh Hoffman heads to the glitter strip and I wish him all the luck in the world. The Titans lost a lifetime of experience at the end of last year when Bailey, Harrison and Minichiello moved on with their lives. Someone on the roster needs to step up and turn the Titans into a top eight side...but who?
Key addition – Josh Hoffman
Key losses - Luke Bailey, Albert Kelly, Ashley Harrison
Player to watch - Josh Hoffman
13th - Wests Tigers
If this were an AFL team we'd say the Tigers were going through a rebuilding phase. We saw glimpses of the future last season and I expect we'll see more of the same, but I still think the best of the Tigers is 2-3 years away.
Key additions – Nil
Key loss - Adam Blair
Players to watch - Luke Brooks, Martin Taupau
14th - Newcastle Knights
On paper the Knights should do better than this, but teams have a history of under-performing following the departure of Wayne Bennett. Under Bennett the Dragons finished on the top of the table two years running. He stayed with the Red V for one more season but in March of that year he announced that 2011 would be his last with St George - the Dragons finished 5th. In the two years that followed the Dragons finished 9th and 14th. That Dragons team were nigh on unbeatable at the peak of their powers...considerably better than the Knights last year I am sure. That said, Jake Mamo could be one out of the box.
Key addition – Tariq Sims
Key losses - Darius Boyd, Matt Hilder
Players to watch - Tariq Sims, Jake Mamo
15th - St George Illawarra Dragons
For the life of me I can't think of anything interesting to say about the 2015 Dragons squad...and I have to come up with something about them every week for 26 rounds. Wish me luck.
Key additions – Nil
Key losses - Brett Morris, Gerard Beale
Player to watch - Difficult to say
16th - Canberra Raiders
I want to be wrong. I don't want the Raiders to finish last and I don't think many rugby league supporters do either. But this roster....and this coach....everything in Canberra looks ugly at the moment.
Key addition – Frank-Paul Nuuausala
Key losses - Anthony Milford, Reece Robinson, Brett White, Terry Campese, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs
Player to watch - Jordan Rapana
Comments
Submitted by Johnny Ray on
Awesome. Thanks for your thoughts Thinker ! Here are my predictions for 2015.
1 - Roosters - Strong roster with strong coach and halve pairing that will become crucial for them when team makes run for finals footy in September. Expect to see them again in this year's grand final game !
2 - Bulldogs - Des Hasler master coach will get another season long performance out of his team before pressure of playing finals footy will cause it all come loose. Just like they did last year in grand final.
3 - Cowboys - With Jonathan Thurston in your side it's only matter of when not if when they will win their maiden premiership. For me this is their year and I expect not only to see them in this year grand final game against the Roosters, I'm picking them to win it all this season !
4 Rabbitohs - Still top four side for me and I expect more of the same.
5 Sharks - I predict Ben Barba as fullback will be catalyst for Cronulla to turn their once proud team around. Expect big things from them !
6 Warriors - 2015 is the Chinese year of sheep. You're Kiwi then this year should be our year! But it won't be. All Blacks will lose the Rugby World Cup Black Caps won't even win the Cricket World Cup and the Warriors will make finals for first team in few years but lose to better side. Man it both sucks and blows to be New Zealand Warriors fan ! :(
7 Titans - With Neil Henry as their new coach will take this team into finals and that is in spite of their lack of having a star sudden roster.
8 Raiders - Ricky Stuart will surprise alot of his detractors by taking his team first into top eight and then into finals footy at end of year.
9 Panthers - Everybody underestimated this side last year but this year teams will be more prepared. Expect them just miss top eight.
10 Storm - Another team that I don't pick making top eight as they have lost too many of there most important players over years, for them to make more of impact. Expect Coach Craig Bellamy to retire.
11 Broncos - I expect Wayne Bennett as a coach won't just turn this club around, he will set it back another couple of years as problem is with Wayne Bennett now is that his style of coaching has been totally surpassed by people such his former coaching prodigy Craig Bellamy.
12 Sea Eagles - With too much going on behind them at club level, I expect this will continue to effect team terribly badly at ground level.
13 Dragons-Not even Benji Marshall can turn this proud club around.
14 West Tigers - Another seasons of poor performances from Tigers.
15 Knights - Knights will struggle as team this season as this is club that's still dealing with a number of financial problems off the field.
16 Eels - With Jarrad Hayne gone to play American Football I expect them get wooden spoon as this is side who just can't win without him.
Yeah that's it ! Thanks again Thinker ! Go Warriors ! Kiwi Power ! Peow ! Peow ! ;-D
Submitted by christine on
i'm not writing off souths this season & I expect panthers to make the 8 .
Submitted by a on
Here are my predictions
1 Roosters they are on top here for me because they have strong line up and they are expected to fight tough in games
Players to watch FERGUSON, Blake MALONEY, James PEARCE, Mitchell
2 Broncos I expect them to get off to a fast start and finish up strong in 2015 thats why they will come 2nd
Players to watch GLENN, Alex MCCULLOUGH, Andrew MILFORD, Anthony THAIDAY, Sam
3 Sharks What the team who came last last year hell man but they do have a side to do it this year so bring it on baby
Players to watch BARBA, Ben ENNIS, Michael FIFITA, Andrew GALLEN, Paul
4 Cowboys So I think my team will be a wrecking ball at 4th place this year because we always fight till the end in games so we will be in the top 4 this year YEAH BABY
Players to watch COOTE, Lachlan HANNANT, Ben MORGAN, Michael THURSTON, Johnathan
5 Warriors So when it comes to NZ they will be very good this year they will be very good and home and the origin period so here they are
Player Movements HOFFMAN, Ryan JOHNSON, Shaun MANNERING, Simon
6 Rabbitohs Yes they will slip up a bit this year but when it comes to the important times the Rabbitohs will have what it takes to make the finals
Players to watch INGLIS, Greg JOHNSTON, Alex LUKE, Issac REYNOLDS, Adam
7 Bulldogs Yes I dont think they will do well as the thinker thinks but they can handle close games and thats why they are here for
Players to watch HODKINSON, Trent MORRIS, Brett MORRIS, Josh PRITCHARD, Frank
8 Panthers Yes they wound out the 8 I think they might not get off to the best of starts but they might just sneak in at the end
Players to watch IDRIS, Jamal SEGEYARO, James WALLACE, Peter
9 Raiders I think they will do better than what people are expecting but than when I think about it when will only just miss out on the finals Players to watch CROKER, Jarrod FENSOM, Shaun SHILLINGTON, David
10 Storm I think this is finally the year they miss out on the finals because the big 3 will be getting on a bit
Players to watch CHAMBERS, Will CRONK, Cooper SMITH, Cameron
11 Titans Yes I think they will struggle again this year but they will do enough to finish 11 this year
Players to watch BIRD, Greg MYLES, Nate SEZER, Aidan
12 Eels They will struggle without Jayrred Hayne this year but at least they will not come last Amen
Players to watch MANNAH, Tim WATMOUGH, Anthony
13 Knight Knights do not have a lot to offer this year and will come 13th
Players to watch GAGAI, Dane GIDLEY, Kurt
14 Sea Eagles I hate that them they only make it so high because the refs help them if they do have no help from the refs they will play shit no doubt
Players to watch CHERRY-EVANS, Daly LYON, Jamie
15 West Tigers They will play no good at all this year makes them 2nd last on the table
Players to watch FARAH, Robbie WOODS, Aaron
16 Dragons and last place this year goes to The Dragons nothing else I can say
Players to watch CREAGH, Ben
Submitted by Anonymous on
is this going to be the end of the road for the titans ?
Submitted by christine on
does any one really cares what happens to titans any more
Submitted by christine on
I found out today that there isn't too much they can do for my ms my health is on a gradual decline .
Submitted by Declan on
1.Roosters
2. Bulldogs
3. Panthers
4. Rabbitohs
5. Cowboys
6. Warriors
7. Manly
8. Storm
9. Broncos
10. Knights
11. Sharks
12. Eels
13. Raiders
14. Dragons
15. Tigers
16. Titans
Players to watch:
-Blake Ferguson and Willis Meehan
-Dave Klemmer and Morris combo
-Bryce Cartwright, Dean Whare and DWZ
-Chris Gremsvuhl, Greg Inglis
-The 3 JT's, Tautau Moga, Justin O'Neil
-Konrad Hurrel, Somolone Kata
-Feleti Mateo, Willie Mason
-The Bromich Bros
-Anthony Milford, Nikorima brothers
-Sione Mata-utia, Tariq Sims, Joe Tapine
-Jack Bird, Valentine Holmes, Ben Barba
-Junior Paulo, Will Hopoate
-Tevita Pangai, Blake Austin, Paul Vaughn
-Euan Aitken, Rory O'Brien
-Mitchell Moses, Martin Taupau, James Tedesco
-Josh Hoffman, Lachlan Burr
Submitted by Jimmy on
I'm so glad you'll be back this season Thinker. Thank you.
Submitted by Lesley Macdonald on
Thanks Thinker hope you are wrong about the Cowboys!
Submitted by scott m on
I think the thinker may have turned into the drinker. Roosters are on the slide and will struggle to even make the eight. Good to see you finally rate the sharks but its the cowboys to win this year.
Submitted by a on
Do you know who is in the tipping ladder this season
Submitted by Thinker's Little Helper on
Gidday a,
We haven't finalised the tipping team yet, but everyone who was involved last year is welcome again this year, including you.
Submitted by a on
Thanks so it will be round 1 when everybody knows
Submitted by mark ashford on
TLH ...thanks you are a genius!
Now seasons predictions...no idea but it will be a Broncos/Cowboys grand final. (just kidding but I can live in hope)
AND Maroons to retake the origin shield (not kidding this time)
Submitted by Baggy_Gee on
Just firing up for a big year with the BOYS. Looking forward to another game of pain for Manly heading west to Pirtek. Carn' the EELS.
Submitted by a on
Who name is on the tipping ladder
Submitted by Johnny Boney on
My prediction of the NRL in 2015:
1st- Rabbitohs- I just just think the rabbits will be too strong this year with a great line-up.
2nd- Broncos- With supercoach Bennett, Broncos will do really well this year.
3rd- Manly- Even though they lost Glenn Stewart and Anthony Watmough, they still have a great line-up and have great recuits and will have another great season this year.
4th- Cowboys- The Cows will do really well this year, they just have the side to do well and with JT kicking game and magnificent goal kicking, the Cowboys will do really well this year.
5th- Roosters- The Chooks have lost Mini, but still have Tuivasa-Sheck, who will be the fullback this year and will have an absolute blinder this year.
6th- Bulldogs- The Doggies signed Brett Morris and the Morris twins will terrorise the defense of any team but the Dragons LOL!!!!!! this year and bulldogs have the coach and the players to do it and Ennis is a big loss for them so that's the bad thing for the Dogs, but do have a good replacement in Lichaa.
7th- The mighty mighty Dragons- The Dragons have loss some good players but do have some handy replacements with Nabouli and Georgie Rose. So will improve and have a really good season this year.
8th- Storm- The Storm have some big time players e.g. Smith, Cronk and Slater , their big 3. But did loss Ryan Hoffman, who was a big part of the team and will drop off because of that loss I think. And will just scrap into the 8 this year.
9th- Panthers- Panthers to just miss the 8 unfortunately for them even though they have a good side and have some good and skilful young players.
10th- Warriors- Warriors will just miss the 8 this year. Hoffman and Johnson will be key of the Warriors this year and also Tomkins and Vatuvei.
11th- Parramatta- Parra have no Hayne and will be a bit more disappointing than last year since they have no Hayne.
12th- Sharks- Sharks will improve this year but will still have a disappointing season yet again this year but better than last year. P.S., hopefully they've nothing to do with the acada stuff now.
13th- Knights- Knights will be stuffed without supercoach Bennett, but McKinnon will inspire the Knights yet again and will do stuff like last year yet again this year.
14th- Tigers- Even though they have Taylor as coach, they will have yet another disappointing season.
15th- Raiders- Raiders are terrible!!!!!!!
16th- Titans- The Titans are having problems with the cocaine and nothing will go pass them being wooden spooners. One positive is that they have a great coach this year in Neil Henry and will win a few to several games under him.
Finals predictions based on my prediction this year.
Qualifying Finals
Rabbitohs vs Cowboys- Rabbitohs
Broncos vs Manly- Manly
Roosters vs Storm- Roosters
Bulldogs vs Dragons- Dragons
Semi Finals
Cowboys vs Roosters- Cowboys
Manly vs Dragons- Manly- Dragons will make it to the semi finals this year but unfortunately, the magic puff dragons will get knocked out in the semi finals. Sad face, sad face.
Preliminary Final
Broncos vs Cowboys- Broncos
Rabbitohs vs Manly- Rabbitohs
GRAND FINAL!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rabbitohs vs Broncos- and the winner wil be......... the RABBITOHS for a second year in a row to make it 22 titles.
So that's my prediction for 2015 so good luck everyone and go the Dragons.
CHEERS.
Submitted by Smithy on
Would be good if we could get the likes of "Johnny Ray" "Wally Lewis" "Mark Ashford" "The Joker" "a" and others as per the last season to assist in our local tipping competitions.