Julian's 2016 NRL Predictions

Broncos


1. Darius Boyd
2. Jordan Kahu
3. Jack Reed
4. James Roberts
5. Lachlan Maranta
6. Anthony Milford
7. Ben Hunt
8. Adam Blair
9. Andrew McCullough
10. Josh McGuire
11. Alex Glenn
12. Matt Gillett
13. Corey Parker


14. Sam Thaiday
15. Corey Oates
16. Jarrod Wallace
17. Kodi Nikorima


Joe Ofahengaue, Francis Molo, Carlin Anderson




Strengths: Halves. Pack. Addition of Roberts to the backline. Parker is a genuine gun in the backrow.


Weaknesses: Probably lack a bit of depth. But Qld Cup players would probably come in and do the job anyway. Would find it hard to replace an injury at 6/7/9.


Key Players/Coaching Moves: Keeping the halves fit is imperative. The replacements/fill ins are nowhere as good.


Verdict: Very strong: 2nd.

 

Warriors


1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
2. Manu Vatuvei
3. Konrad Hurrell
4. Solomone Kata
5. Tui Lolohea
6. Jeff Robson
7. Shaun Johnson
8. Ben Matulino
9. Isaac Luke
10. Jacob Lillyman
11. Ryan Hoffman
12. Bodene Thompson
13. Simon Mannering


14. Thomas Leuluai
15. Charlie Gubb
16. Sione Lousi
17. Ligi Sao


Albert Vete, Raymond Faitala-Mariner, Ken Maumolo, Jonathon Wright, Ben Henry, Ali Laititit


Strengths: Johnson, RTS and Luke are some of the most exciting attacking players in the world. Matulino, Hoffman and Mannering make it an impressive pack.


Weaknesses: Whoever partners Johnson will be under immense pressure. Backline, as per usual, looks almost too big. Will dominate when on but will leak points when under pressure. All of their stars are inconsistent players.


Key Players/Coaching Moves: Johnson's partner and getting the most out of Luke. And not picking Wright.


Verdict: Could shit it in, probably won't. Just can't back against them making the 8 though: 5th

 

Rabbitohs


1. Greg Inglis
2. Alex Johnston
3. Kirisome Auvua'a
4. Dane Nielsen
5. Bryson Goodwin
6. Luke Keary
7. Adam Reynolds
8. George Burgess
9. Damien Cook
10. David Tyrrell
11. John Sutton
12. Kyle Turner
13. Sam Burgess


14. Tom Burgess
15. Chris Grevsmuhl
16. Jason Clark
17. Paul Carter


Michael Oldfield, Nathan Brown, Cam McCinness




Strengths: Sam Burgess and Greg Inglis. Burgess just makes this team so much better and the job for his team mates so much easier.


Weaknesses: Edge forwards. Sutton will suffice but they've struggled since Te'o left and I doubt Turner can turn that around.


Key Players/Coaching Moves: Keeping Burgess, Reynolds, Inglis and co on the field. Also getting the backline right. They've signed heaps of mediocre three quarters and need to work out early who won't lose them games and get them in.


Verdict: Can't see this team missing the 8. But the pack's not very good minus the Burgesses so they won't go close to another comp: 8th.

 

Roosters


1. Blake Ferguson
2. Daniel Tupou
3. Dale Copley
4. Shaun Kenny-Dowall
5. Joe Burgess
6. Jackson Hastings
7. Jayden Nikorima/Tyler Cornish
8. Dylan Napa
9. Jake Friend
10. Sam Moa
11. Mitchell Aubusson
12. Aiden Guerra
13. Sio Siua Taukeiaho


14. Ian Henderson
15. Mitchell Frei
16. Kane Evans
17. Isaac Liu


(Mitchell Pearce), Abraham Papalii, Omar Slaimankhel, Latrell Mitchell, (Boyd Cordner), (Jared Waerea-Hargreaves)




Strengths: Trent Robinson and the defence his sides have shown when under pressure. Attack of young running forwards like Tacky-Ah-Hoe, Guerra and Evans.


Weaknesses: Rookie halves, no genuine fullback and 2 key forwards out for 10 weeks. The jury has been out on their attack at times and without their 3 main attacking weapons from last year gone you can smell trouble.


Key Players/Coaching Moves: Getting the halves and fullback right without Pearce. If ferguson fails he needs to be moved sooner, rather than later. With rookie halves the most obvious option is not always the right one. If Nikorima doesn't have much organisation in his game they prbably have to look elsewhere.


Verdict: Their defence should keep them out of spoon territory: 11th

 

Titans


1. William Zillman
2. David Mead
3. Josh Hoffman
4. Nene McDonald
5. Anthony Don
6. Tyrone Roberts
7. Ashley Taylor
8. David Shillington
9. Nathan Friend
10. Ryan James
11. Greg Bird
12. Chris McQueen
13. Zeb Taia


14. Luke Douglas
15. Eddy Pettybourne
16. Agnatius Paasi
17. Matt Srama


Ryan Simpkins, Jeff Lynch, Daniel Mortimer, Nathaniel Peteru, Lachlan Burr




Strengths: Probably lies in their premium forward group. Shillo, James, Bird, McQueen, Taia and Douglas can match it with anybody. Their backline also appears more athletic than most.


Weaknesses: Missing out on DCE and losing Sezer (and now Elgey) has seen their halves regress. Their spine in general will probably be the worst in the league no matter who they pick where.


Key Players/Coaching Moves: Getting the most out of the fullback role. Zillman/Mead/Hoffman all options and none really seem like true first grade fullbacks. For the Titans to over achieve they need someone threatening from the back to take pressure of their young hit and miss halves.


Verdict: It's a squad that doesn't look like it will get dominated physically too often. But I imagine they'll be losing plenty of close encounters with such an ordinary spine. 15th.


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Solid effort Julian. A good read. I think the middle of that field, as always, will be congested with a number of teams interchangeable. As in 6-12

 

With Beale back Barba shouldn't be in the side

1. Holmes
3. Beale
4. Bird

 

Beale's an NRL standard centre.

 

He definitely wasn't sensational compared to everyone else in the competition. He was sensational compared to the absolute gumbies who have played in the outside backs for Cronulla over the last decade though.

 

To be 'sensational' you realistically need to be top tier. Beale wasn't even in the top half of full time NRL centers last year.