Julian's Season Preview 2013 Edition

Slightly different format this year. I'll do the previews in order of last year's ladder after 26 rounds.

2013 Predictions:

1. Brisbane Broncos
2. Newcastle Knights
3. Melbourne Storm
4. North Queensland Cowboys
5. Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs
6. Canberra Raiders
7. Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
8. Cronulla Sutherland Sharks
9. South Sydney Rabbitohs
10. New Zealand Warriors
11. Gold Coast Titans
12. Sydney Roosters
13. Wests Tigers
14. St George Illawarra Dragons
15. Parramatta Eels
16. Penrith Panthers

 

Parramatta Eels

2012 ladder finish: 16th


Best 17:

1.Jake Mullaney
2.Ken Sio
3.Willie Tonga
4.Jacob Loko
5.Cheyse Blair
6.Jarryd Hayne
7.Chis Sandow
8.Tim Mannah
9.Matthew Keating
10.Fui Fui Moi Moi
11.Matthew Ryan
12.Taniela Lasalo
13.Reni Maitua

14.Darcy Lussick
15.Mitchell Allgood
16.Daniel Harrison/Joseph Paulo
17.Luke Kelly

Notable reserves:Ben Roberts, Taulima Tautai, Ben Smith

Young Gun to Watch: Cheyse Blair


Blair is a promising outside back, but will he see much ball this year for the Eels?

Strengths: Pretty much rests solely with what Jarryd Hayne can do. A bit of Sandow magic appearing now and again would help as well. Moi Moi and Mannah are good attacking front rowers too.

Weaknesses: May well take over the worst outside backs mantle from Cronulla. Especially if Hayne plays five-eighth which he sort of has to unless Kelly can somehow become serviceable in the halves ala Jeff Robson. On top of an ordinary backline on paper they have next to no depth there at all. Their backrow is also very very ordinary by NRL standards no matter who they pick there.

3 Keys to success:
1. Hayne has to play every game and pretty much shred non stop.
2. They need to find a third player to be dominant in their spine.
3. How the terrible news re; Johnny Mannah affects them as a playing group.

Final word: Not enough strong or outstanding players across the park. They rely on Hayne to a ridiculous amount. Stuart won't help their cause in the immediate fiture: 15th.

 

I've actually done all of them already this time around.

 

Penrith Panthers

2012 ladder finish: 15th

Best 17:

1.James Roberts
2.Josh Mansour
3.Dean Whare
4.Blake Austin
5.Wes Naiqama/David Simmons
6.Lachlan Coote
7.Luke Walsh
8.Tim Grant
9.Kevin Kingston
10.Sam McKendry
11.Sika Manu
12.Lewis Brown
13.Nathan Smith

14.Clint Newton
15.Dayne Weston
16.Mose Masoe
17.James Segeyaro

I've named Austin there because I just reckon they need him playing first grade.

Notable Reserves:Cameron Ciraldo, Matt Robinson, Tom Humble, Nigel Plum and Kane Morgan

Young Gun to Watch: Blake Austin


Austin seems a future gamebreaker but where does he fit in the Panthers NRL side?

Strengths: Their main strength looking at their squad on paper is over all solidity and squad depth. Where they have lost the odd star or two who were deemed to be on too much money it does seem that they have, or are at least trying to, phased some of their mediocre and worse regular first graders out. They'll go in with a very workmanlike and under rated entire forward pack so they should contest most games. Their two dummy halves may strike quite a potent attacking combination as well. Also, they shouldn't need to pick Brad Tighe.

Weaknesses: They just don't have NRL proven game breakers and blokes that can consitently put on points when they need it. Most other sides will have one or two consistently good players in the spine but Penrith don't. Walsh is good at what he does but has always struggled because he's not had a gun five-eighth. Honestly think Coote won't be any different and is very much a stop gap half.

3 Keys to Success:
1. Finding the right halves and fullback combination very early in the season is vital.
2. Blake Austin's 2013. Don't know how good he will wnd up but he definitely shows the most potential of the current squad to be a real class player and leader in the future imo. I reckon he will end up five-eighth by mid-year.
3. How well they can defend across the park. Have the squad to really tighten up defensively up the middle. Not sold on the edges though.

Final word: Not enough points in their halves pairings. Seems a team of journeymen with no stars at all. Unless Gould is secretly employing Jonah Hill they'll struggle: 16th

 

Shittest team.

 

Fuck me that's 2 shit teams.

 

Penrith just have no NRL 'gamebreakers' as such. Such a weird squad tht they've ended up with. The club would be absolutely ecstatic with a top 8 finish IMO.

 

Yeah you definitely can. If Hayne misses a chunk of footy you'll easily slip past them. You've got a really solid forward pack but it's a stinker of a backline IMO.

I still like Walsh. I'd just like to see him partner a proven dynamic five-eighth like Mullen, Carney or even a Sutton/Mateo type player.

 

As realistic as that is surely those in charge of the club must hold out some hope. I presume they're already thinking about next year and tabling offers to the likes of Carney and/or Thurston but FMD they havn't left themselves much to work with this season. (yes I understand their hands were tied by ridiculous contracts leftover from Elliott's days, but still...)

 

That squad won't go alright until they have a dominant attacking half.

 

New Zealand Warriors

2012 ladder Finish: 14th

Best 17:

1.Kevin Locke
2.Bill Tupou
3.Konrad Hurrell
4.Dane Nielson
5.Matu Vatuvei
6.Shaun Johnson
7.Thomas Leuluai (Siejka)
8.Jacob Lillyman
9.Nathan Friend
10.Ben Matulino
11.Simon Mannering
12.Feleti Mateo
13.Todd Lowrie

14.Russell Packer
15.Sam Rapira
16.Elijah Talor/Ben Henry (heard rumours of Taylor moving on)
17.Elehana Mara (Leuleuai)

Notable reserves:Pita Godinet, Dominique Peyroux, Sione Lousi, Jerome Ropati

Young Gun to Watch: Harry Siejka


Siejka has moved across the ditch for an NRL opportunity but the experienced Thomas Leuluai stands in his way.

Strengths: As per usual they will have an almost infinite attacking potential and natural footballing talent. Young guns like Locke and Johnson are now also experienced first graders, and especially Johnson, could be just about anything. They've got a very good pack on paper and Lowrie, as ordinary as many thing he is, will be a suitable replacement for Luck who struggled to take the park last season. The signings of Lowrie and Nielson are astute as they will bolster defence in positions where it is much needed for the club. Mannering is arguably the best wide
second rower in the competition. Elliott has a nack of playing to his team's strengths. So Leuluai/Friend/Mara may have a field day out of dummy half if all comes off.

Weaknesses: Untested halves combinations and a marquee signing who has tried and failed before in the NRL. Leuluai has now played the majority of his career in England, doing well, but he hasn't played well in Australian conditions besides from dummy half, where he has looked brilliant. Alas, the team makeup isn't suited to him playing anywhere but in the halves where he has struggled before. He will be helped by Mateo on one edge for some creativity but outside of that won't gain much attacking assistance at all. The new coach will move heaven and earth for immediate success but overlook long term success in doing so.

3 Keys to success:
1. Leuluai playing at first grade standard to help out Johnson.
2. Johnson having a stellar year.
3. A cliche, but; Elliott strengthening the squad to play together under a strict game plan.

Final word: This squad should push for the 8, they've just got so much ability. They've made a ballsy move in signing Leuluai but I don't think it will work out how they want it to: 10th