So halfway (well a little bit over halfway) through the season, who plays finals? Current ladder: Storm 22 * Rabbitohs 20 Roosters 18 * Raiders 16 Knights 16 * Sharks 16 * Sea Eagles 14 Eels 12 Broncos 12 * Dragons 12 * Wests Tigers 12 * Cowboys 12 Warriors 10 * Panthers 10 Titans 8 Bulldogs 6 * means they have had their bye Could genuinely see any side make it other than the Dogs and the Titans. OTOH I feel like the Top 7 are kinda solid. Who do you think finishes 8th? Or do you think one of the Top 7 falls out too? I'm going to go left-field and say Penrith make it. Mostly because they're the sort of side that gets hot and goes on big runs, and unlike the Warriors can sustain it. In practice you'd probably say Cowboys or (if they get back in shape) Parra.
Feels like a pretty average comp this year. Very 2017 esque where a side like the Cowboys managed a fairy tale run to the grand final from was it 7th or 8th? Wouldn't be surprised to see something similar this year from a lower placed side.
Yeah Cows are fucked. It will be this top 7 and one of the other shit teams just below that as the 8th.
Hopefully its the Eels/Warriors/Cows that sneak into 8th for a bit of excitement. Dragons/Broncos/Tigers will get blown away.
Dragons could be interesting if they had something resembling a full strength team going into the finals. I think Widdop is theoretically due back for the last round or two of the regular season. I actually hope it's a shit side that Bradburys into it though because I hate that we have a top eight and want to see seventh and eighth eliminated ASAP every year.
I think Manly are genuine contenders this year for mine. Still on the fence when it comes to the Raiders. Really don't rate the Rabbitohs team that highly on paper but their results are undeniable.
Swap Manly for the Knights and you have the lock in top 6 IMO. Knights should make the 8, but they could also shit the bed and vie for a bottom 4 spot. Every other side are prank anyway so it doesn't really matter. The only effect they'll cause is a few headaches when they jag a win over top 4 contenders looking for home finals from here.
It's hard to get a gauge on how genuine Newcastles form actually has been. After losing 6 out of 7 they beat a lot of very poor sides mixed with a win against a Roosters side that was heavily depleted and win against the Rabbitohs in a origin affected game then got belted by Melbourne.
Now they're in the 8. Though Parra's form and Cronulla's run home makes it hard to call. Might see Newy miss out?
Parra should make the 8. Pretty sure we have the easiest run home. We don’t play anyone in the top 4. Just don’t know which Parra team will show up every week. Plus our defence is terrible, especially the wrestle. Is there anywhere where you can see avg play-the-ball speed given up? The amount of quick play-the-balls we allow is worrying.
I still see Cronulla replacing one of the teams sitting 6,7 or 8. But it’d be an entertaining finals series with the current 8 imo.
Called it pretty much. Finished roughly the same spot. I probably heavily underestimated the impact of losing JT to retirement based on 2017.