It’s on again!!
Another NRL season kicks off next week, and surely it can’t be as problematic as 2020. Can Melbourne retain their title, or will Penrith gain redemption for last year’s Grand Final loss?
Read ahead for predictions for every club, in order from 2020’s last to first.
BRISBANE BRONCOS
Brisbane endured a horror season in 2020, and ended up with the wooden spoon for the first time in their history. They’ve lost the experience of Darius Boyd and Andrew McCullough, as well as promising second rower David Fifita and front row forward Joe Ofahengaue. New coach Kevin Walters will have to get the best out of Anthony Milford if Brisbane have any chance of making the finals. Young backs Xavier Coates, Herbie Farnworth and Kotoni Staggs will be better for a year in first grade, while Jake Turpin looks the logical replacement at hooker. Patrick Carrigan may finish the year as an Origin player if things go well.
Prediction: 12th
CANTERBURY BULLDOGS
Canterbury look like they’re building towards something after a 2020 to forget. New coach Trent Barrett will be looking to resurrect his career after a disastrous stint at Manly, and he’ll have plenty of new troops. Jack Hetherington adds plenty of fire up front, while Nick Cotric is a proven try scorer - something the Bulldogs lacked last year. Kyle Flanagan will be keen to show his critics wrong after being made the scapegoat at the Roosters after just one season. With Matt Burton and Josh Addo-Carr on their way to Belmore in 2022, the future is very bright.
Prediction: 10th
NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
After only managing five wins in 2020, the Cowboys’ star players really need to step up for new coach Todd Payten. Jason Taumalolo can’t win every game on his own, and he needs the likes of Michael Morgan and Valentine Holmes to get back to their best. With Jordan McLean and Josh McGuire joining Taumalolo in the pack, the Cowboys should have been close to the top eight. They’ll need some support now that Gavin Cooper has retired. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow looks like a star of the future, but a lack of movement on the player market means the Cowboys may find it hard to compete against the teams that finished higher on the ladder in 2020.
Prediction: 14th
MANLY SEA-EAGLES
With stars such as Jake Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans in their ranks, it seems ridiculous that an injury to one player can cruel Manly’s whole season. But when that player is Tom Trbojevic, it seems that’s where Manly are. The warning signs are there with Tommy Turbo already set to miss the opening rounds. Corey Waddell, Addin Fonua-Blake, Danny Levi and Joel Thompson have all moved on, yet Manly decided to sign a couple of promising wingers. Josh Alioli will be expected to replace AFB, while the big name recruit is the return of Kieran Foran. The injury clouds are a worry, but if they stay healthy, there is no reason why a team with this much talent shouldn’t be knocking on the door of the top eight.
Prediction: 7th
ST GEORGE-ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Another team with a new coach, St George-Illawarra are up against it before a ball is kicked in 2021. Key forward Tyson Frizell has joined Newcastle, and inspirational captain Cameron McInnes suffered a season ended injury at training. McInnes had recently signed with arch-rivals Cronulla for 2022. Brisbane veteran Andrew McCullough joins the Dragons, as does his Brisbane team mate Jack Bird, who will be looking to stay injury free. New coach Anthony Griffin will be looking at the spine combinations to find answers, but it looks as though fullback Matt Dufty is already on the outer. Adam Clune went well last year, but it seems Griffin is keen to play new skipper Ben Hunt at halfback. If he can get all the moving parts working together, Griffin is a coaching genius. Unfortunately there are just too many variables.
Prediction: 15th
WESTS TIGERS
It seems as though coach Michael Maguire finally has the team he wants at the Wests Tigers. James Tamou will lend vital experience and leadership to the pack, while Joe Ofahengaue will be looking for a career reset after moving from the Broncos. James Roberts should regain his best form, and could even find himself back in the NSW team. Daine Laurie looks like a real player of the future at fullback. The Tigers have some good talents coming through, such as Jock Madden and Jake Simpkin; but ultimately they lack the x factor that the teams above them have. They are definitely building though.
Prediction: 9th
NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Nathan Brown has landed at the Warriors on the coaching merry-go-round, and it may be his toughest assignment yet. After playing the entire 2020 season in Australia, it looks as though the Warriors won’t see home again until at least round 16. It has to take its toll eventually. Throw in the fact that their best player, captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is leaving at the end of the year; and their best buys, outside of Addin Fonua-Blake, are fringe first graders and journeymen, and this looks like it may be a very long year. The Warriors have reportedly requested to play their entire 2022 schedule in New Zealand. If there is justice, their request will be granted; and it may well be a preview of a second team in New Zealand in years to come.
Prediction: 16th
GOLD COAST TITANS
Gold Coast probably have more pressure on them than any other team in the competition. That may sound ridiculous after a ninth place finish in 2020, but their recruitment sees them pushing for a spot in the finals. If they can snare Cameron Smith from the clutches of retirement, their stocks will definitely rise. With Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and David Fifita joining the forward pack, Jamal Fogarty and a resurgent Ash Taylor should have plenty of opportunities to set up attack. AJ Brimson will want another taste of Origin, while Anthony Don is still one of the most under rated outside backs in the league.
Prediction: 8th
CRONULLA SHARKS
After sneaking into the top eight in 2020, without beating any of the teams above them; it is difficult to see Cronulla pulling off the same trick. An ageing side, the Sharks may have already seen the best of Aaron Woods, Andrew Fifita and Josh Dugan. Matt Moylan needs to stay injury free, especially with Shaun Johnson already out for the first part of the season. They have some promising young players coming through such as Toby Rudolf and Blayke Brailey, but not enough to trouble the top teams. The Sharks are really missing the impact of Bronson Xerri out wide. Hopefully that matter will be resolved one way or another soon.
Prediction: 13th
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
After enduring an off-season they’d rather forget, Newcastle will be looking to improve on their top eight performance of last year. With Kalyn Ponga missing for the early rounds, there will be pressure on Mitchell Pearce to lead the Knights around the park. The spine is not set in stone, although it seems as though Blake Green and Jayden Brailey will get first crack. Where Kurt Mann, one of their best performers in 2020 fits in is a happy problem for the coach. Tyson Frizell will add experience to a forward pack that farewells Tim Glasby, Andrew McCullough and Aiden Guerra. Bradman Best should play Origin in 2021, but there remains a question whether the rest of the backline can match it with the top teams.
Prediction: 11th
SYDNEY ROOSTERS
The Roosters won’t be too happy about going out of the finals in straight sets in 2020 while trying to win their third premiership in a row. Young halfback Kyle Flanagan appears to have copped the brunt of the losses, yet the Roosters will still be opting to rely on rookies such as Lachie Lam and Sam Walker. Their remains a question mark over the fitness of captain Boyd Cordner; but they will welcome back Victor Radley. The backline looks as strong as ever, but the Roosters will miss utility Mitch Aubusson more than they may think. Any team with James Tedesco, Victor Radley, Boyd Corder, Joseph Manu, Daniel Tupou, Luke Keary and the Morris twins is always in with a shot.
Prediction: 5th
PARRAMATTA EELS
Every year since 1986, Parramatta fans have been asking is this the year the Eels finally win another premiership? They looked good for most of 2020 but the wheels fell off as the finals neared. Mitchell Moses has to go to another level if the Eels are going to break through. Blake Ferguson needs to return to his best form, and Maika Sivo has to be his partner in crime coming out of the back field. It will be interesting to see if Bryce Cartwright can resurrect his career at Parramatta, after being touted as a future rep player a few years ago. This time last year, Reed Mahoney was probably ahead of Harry Grant as the next QLD hooker. Mahoney will have to put that disappointment aside and prove his potential as one of the best number nines in the game.
Prediction: 6th
SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Souths may have finished sixth on the table in 2020, but their form in the finals will have the top teams looking over the shoulders. After thumping Newcastle and Parramatta, the Rabbitohs came within a couple of goal kicks of making the Grand Final. Latrell Mitchell will be back from injury, while Josh Mansour will be a great buy for his junior club, bringing try scoring ability and experience. Jai Arrow will bolster the pack, and Benji Marshall brings an x factor that may be enough to push South Sydney to the next level. A premiership would be a fitting send-off for master coach Wayne Bennett, who would become the first coach to win the Grand Final with three clubs.
Prediction: 1st
CANBERRA RAIDERS
After making the 2019 Grand Final, Canberra would be disappointed not to go on with the job last year. They have lost John Bateman and Nick Cotric, but pick up the experienced forward Ryan James, who will be able to guide the next generation, such as Hudson Young, Tom Starling and Corey Horsburgh. Josh Papali’i looked unstoppable at times in 2020 as he became the best prop forward in the game. Curtis Scott should benefit from less distractions this year, and George Williams will only get better after finishing his first NRL season. If everything goes right, the Raiders could be up to their necks in this competition.
Prediction: 3rd
PENRITH PANTHERS
Penrith’s season may depend on how they bounce back from the mugging they copped in the 2020 Grand Final. The scoreboard against Melbourne finished 20-26, but it was 0-22 at halftime. Nathan Cleary will also have to deal with the disappointment of losing the Origin series as halfback of a short priced favourite NSW outfit. Victims of their own success, the Panthers have lost a host of fringe first graders, as well as the experienced Josh Mansour, James Tamou and Dean Whare. Much will depend on the dreaded second season syndrome for players such as Stephen Crichton and Charlie Staines among others. The squad has too much overall firepower to slip too far.
Prediction: 4th
MELBOURNE STORM
Five years ago, if you had a crystal ball and could see that Melbourne would be fine without Slater, Cronk and Smith; you’d be a tipping genius. But this is where we are. The big three now are Ryan Papenhuyzen, Cameron Munster and Harry Grant; and they will lead the Storm into a golden era that seems to have been going forever. There is a question mark over whether conjecture over the future of Craig Bellamy will be a distraction, but the super coach is too professional to let it get to his players too much. Bellamy gets the best out of fringe players from other clubs, so expect a big year for Reimis Smith, and maybe George Jennings. The forward pack is still awesome, with the Bromwich brothers, Christian Welch, Dale Finucane and Nelson Asofa-Solomona laying the platform for Harry Grant and Brandon Smith to weave their magic. Josh Addo-Carr would like another premiership ring before he joins Canterbury in 2022.
Prediction: 2nd