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Message: [QUOTE="Sproj, post: 3326649, member: 8423"] I don't know, every season is a lottery and these days, even more so given the constant screwing around with the rules. That said, based on recruitment and improvement, etc based purely on gut feel really (and the asking for essentially another list), something like: 2022: Top three are set in my opinon 1. Panthers - They've lost some pieces but they are young, confident and still on the improve, they'll be hard to stop going back to back 2. Storm - They are an interesting one because they still have a gun side but have lost so much of their depth over the last couple of years. How much will their leadership void that's started affect them? If they get injuries, they could be in trouble 3. Eels - I suspect they will need to really get it done next year or this generation might never get there I feel like it is a lottery from here on: 4-12 (in no particular order) Sea Eagles - They have TTurbo but teams late in the year showed how to shut him down. If you shut him down, this team has nothing else, so I fear for them next season because their best players are already old and broken, possibly on the downward swing and over reliant on one player, they might drop out of the 8 if TTurbo gets one of his many injuries, he is due for one Rabbits - This is one team I could see being bottom of the 8 or even falling out. They have lost some big players in Reynolds, Gagai and some of their lesser light depth. They will get Mitchell back so that is a big in but they will struggle in big moments. Knights - This is a team that should improve with Gagai coming in but they seem to have a group of players injured at any given time. Seibold not being in there will be massive for them and I suspect the injuries might suddenly improve as a result. They are a team that should battle for top 4 but seem to constantly fall short of expectations. Broncos - I generally expect us to be the surprise packets of '22. We have some huge ins and the back end of the season shows where our kids are heading. Having leaders is huge and the value cannot be understated. We have depth now and a lot of improvement to come. I think most teams will be wary of what our team will be capable of. Titans - I see them falling out of the 8 to be honest. This side is full of potential, there is no doubt about that but they have an entirely new spine and a few of them might be facing second year syndrome. They need some experience in the spine because their current options scream underwhelm next year. Roosters - To me, they seem one of the hardest to predict. Walker also screams second year syndrome but having Keary there will help him immensely. They still have a lot of quality and everyone else's best kids as always, so they will be knocking on the top 4 door. If they get injuries again, well who knows. Bulldogs - They SHOULD be in that 5-10 range but their spine still concerns me no end. Burton will help immensely there but this is one side that has the potential to self-destruct. They have great on field talent but will they all gel? I am not sure they will. They will be under the microscope next year if things go pear-shaped early. Raiders - They are getting on a bit now and this gives me alarm bells. They have some good kids coming through but are they ready for the week to week grind of the NRL? I'm not sure. This is a side that could finish 5th or 16th. I just don't seem them doing much better than this year unless their X-man comes out firing and even then, what do they do with CNK? Sharks - I suspect them to be in the bottom of the 8. They will not blow sides away but Hynes and Finucane are really, really big ins. What they do with Hynes will be the key to whether they finish 6th or 10th in my opinion. They will be competitive every single game they play. Dragons - They will want to be good next year because if they aren't, Hook might well be a dead man walking. He has taken a massive gamble with his cut price recruits and I suspect they aren't going to deliver again. I suspect they are high priced also rans but I still do rate Hook as a coach, so who knows. 14-16 Warriors - They are a boring team with little star power and what happens if Walsh hits second year syndrome, particularly on the back of his recent stupidity, he's a candidate for it for sure. They are a limited team and have lost their best player by far. Cowboys - They might go slightly better but they have recruited poorly and I just don't see where their improvement comes from. Townsend / Dearden / Drinkwater are so limited whichever way they go. Hammer is super exciting but other than that, I dunno. Payten has been extremely underwhelming and the club looks like they aren't going anywhere. Some promising kids but who knows how they come on or not Tigers - I feel for their fans, I don't know where their improvement comes from. They have some promising kids there but they really cannot make the improvements they need to because they can't attract the players they need no matter how much they throw at them. Probable wooden spooners. All in all, I think there will once again be three very clear tiers in this comp again next year. Tier 1: 1-2 - Panthers, Storm Tier 2: 3-4 - Roosters, Eels Tier 3: 5-13 - Rabbits, Broncos, Raiders, Knights, Titans, Sea Eagles, Sharks, Dragons, Bulldogs Tier 4: 14-16 - Cowboys, Warriors, Tigers [/QUOTE]

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