In a competition where picking the winner of a game at half-time is difficult, it takes a certain boldness to put fingers to keyboard and predict the NRL ladder for the entire season weeks before the season even begins. Will I get it right? I doubt I'm even close, but here I go, boldly typing where many others have boldly typed before:

1st - Brisbane Broncos

Wayne Bennett probably got his Broncos to the grand final one year too soon, and they almost won anyway. They'll be better this year, and the signing of James Roberts (to replace Justin Hodges) is a masterstroke. Josh McGuire missed the back end of last season and his return bolsters a pack of forwards that should cope with a reduced interchange better than most, and how good are those Broncos halves going to look when their opponents are on tiring legs? Corey 'Benjamin Button' Parker defies all logic and gets better every year. His offloads to the Broncos little men are priceless. Clearly the team to beat.

Key addition – James Roberts

Rising star - Anthony Milford

Player to watch - Corey Parker

2nd - Manly Sea Eagles

The achilles heel for the Sea Eagles in 2015 was their well-beaten forward pack, and they've done much to rectify that situation this season. Nate Myles is a great signing even if he's edging toward the end of his playing career. Lewis Brown is under-rated, and Martin Taupau is the sort of player than can become a crowd favourite at Brookvale. For the Sea Eagles to prosper this season their new halves combination of Cherry-Evans and Walker needs to gel - note that Lyon can slot in alongside Cherry-Evans if needed. Departing coach Geoff Toovey went close to winning a premiership as coach. They just might win without him.

Key additions – Nate Myles, Martin Taupau

Rising star - Tom Trbojevic

Players to watch - Daly Cherry-Evans

3rd - Melbourne Storm

Assuming Billy Slater comes back somewhere near his best, there's no reason to jump off the purple machine just yet. Munster is clearly the fullback-in-waiting, but he'll be slotting into the centres this season. We know what we get with the Storm - top four for mine.

Key additions – Nil

Rising star - Cameron Munster

Player to watch - The big three (again)

4th - Canterbury Bulldogs

Never underestimate Des Hasler and his ability to do what he can with what he has. What he does have is a pack of forwards that would sink an aircraft carrier. They may be big but quite a few of them are 80 minute footballers, and plenty of them have some sublime ball skills. The surprise packet.

Key addition – Will Hopoate

Rising star - Moses Mbye

Player to watch - Josh Jackson

5th - North Queensland Cowboys

They were arguably the best squad on paper in 2015 and they got the job done in what has to be one of the greatest sporting contests on Australian soil. They've managed to keep that very strong roster intact. The only question mark around their title defence is history - the last team to go back-to-back was 25 years ago. Records get broken...this team are good enough to do so.

Key additions – Nil

Rising star - Michael Morgan

Players to watch - The JT's (Thurston, Tamou, Taumalolo)

6th - South Sydney Rabbitohs

I tipped, perhaps foolishly, that the Bunnies would miss the eight last season. They ended up in 7th...so I was wrong, but close. Still wrong though. Sam Burgess returns, and he is one of those players that can carry others around him - I expect the whole team will lift with him back in the side. Inglis needs no introduction to anybody, but if those two superstars stay healthy and in form the red and green are a team to be seen. Watching with interest.

Key additions – Sam Burgess

Rising star - Cameron McInnes

Player to watch - Greg Inglis

7th - Parramatta Eels

Active in the off-season, it's hard not to be impressed with the additions to the Eels roster. If Foran and Norman work as a halves pairing the Eels aren't far off a top four spot. My roughie for a finals berth.

Key additions – Keiran Foran, Michael Jennings, Michael Gordon, Beau Scott

Rising star - Tepai Moeroa

Player to watch - Corey Norman

8th - New Zealand Warriors

There's a tavern not far from Thinker Lodge. I drop in from time to time and I usually give the steak a go...it always disappoints. It looks good on the menu, and every 12 months or so I'm told they have a new chef in the kitchen. It gets my hopes up, and it would bring much happiness to my life if they got it right...but they don't. The New Zealand Warriors are that steak. And here I am tempted again, despite all the gristle and let downs. Johnson, Tuivasa-Sheck and Luke in the same line-up is a spine to dine on. The steadying influence of Robson looks good too. They're a chance here. Medium-rare thanks.

Key additions – Issac Luke, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck

Rising star - Tuimoala Lolohea

Player to watch - Shaun Johnson

9th - Cronulla Sharks

The Shire has been suffering under an El Nino weather pattern since 1967 - there are more than a few who think the drought may finally break. They've had a big pack of forwards since The Thinker was a boy, but it's been a while since they've had such exciting talent in their backline. Holmes and Bird can, potentially, bring the sort of football we used to see from the likes of Peachey, Campbell and Rogers in their prime. It makes for entertaining footy, and I haven't been able to say that about Cronulla for quite some time. Ennis and Maloney in the spine add composure, and the goalkicking boot of Maloney will win the Sharks plenty of those tight games. So why do I have them outside the eight? I don't like Paul Gallen much...it's hard to let go.

Key addition – James Maloney

Rising star - Valentine Holmes

Players to watch - Valentine Holmes, Jack Bird

10th - Sydney Roosters

What's this? The Sydney glamour club outside the top eight. Some big departures in the off-season with Jennings, Maloney and Tuivasa-Sheck moving on. Couple that with the injuries to Cordnor and Waerea-Hargreaves and the mental state (and playing future) of Mitchell Pearce and you have to wonder if this side is more of a wooden spoon candidate than a premiership contender. Joe Burgess comes with lofty expectations given his performances in the English Super League, but he's a wait and see for mine. They've won the last three minor premierships in a row, and that's a feat we're not likely to see often, but I doubt this squad can make it four.

Key additions – Joe Burgess (potentially)

Rising star - Jayden Nikorima

Players to watch - Jackson Hastings

11th - Penrith Panthers

Still rebuilding, but what are they rebuilding? Is it a bird? Is it a plane? I still can't make it out but it doesn't look like a premiership.

Key addition – Trent Merrin

Rising star - Matt Moylan

Player to watch - Matt Moylan

12th - Wests Tigers

While so much of the focus in Tiggertown has been on Robbie Farah, our eyes will soon turn to the performance of the pack of forwards Farah will be steering around the park. On paper they look like they'll struggle. Outside of that the playmakers and backline are full of promise, but it's in the forwards that games are run and won, and that is where the struggle lies. Signs of life, but a finals campaign in 2016 looks unlikely.

Key addition – Matt Ballin

Rising star - David Nofoaluma

Player to watch - James Tedesco

13th - Canberra Raiders

The entertainers. This is a side with a lot of points in them but, sadly, this is a team that will concede a lot of points too. I can't see them making the top eight, but I'll be doing my best to watch the Green Machine every time they get a daytime slot in the schedule.

Key additions – Aiden Sezer

Rising star - Joseph Tapine

Player to watch - Blake Austin

14th - St George Illawarra Dragons

I didn't see the Dragons making the top eight last year, but make it they did. For mine they over-achieved last season, and it may be difficult to back that up again this year. There's nothing wrong with their spine or their backline, but those forwards look like they'll struggle against the better teams. Not yet.

Key addition – Tim Lafai

Rising star - Euan Aitken

Player to watch - Josh Dugan

15th - Gold Coast Titans

They missed out on Daly Cherry-Evans, they let Aiden Sezer go (to make way for Daly Cherry-Evans), and their biggest strike weapon last year (James Roberts) has moved north. Now Kane Elgey is out for the season with injury. How the Titans are going to launch successful attacking raids on their opponents is anyone's guess, but it's a lot of pressure for Tyrone Roberts. Ashley Taylor looks a bright prospect but his best years will be many years from now. A tough year on the glitter strip.

Key additions – Chris McQueen

Rising star - Ashley Taylor

Player to watch - Tyrone Roberts

16th - Newcastle Knights

Nice guys finish last, and new Knights coach Nathan Brown is a very nice guy. I wish nothing but good fortune for Brown on his return to the NRL, and I'm one football fan who thinks the NRL is a better competition when the Knights are going well. Prove me wrong boys.

Key addition – Trent Hodkinson

Rising star - Sione Mata’utia

Player to watch - Dane Gagai