***Official*** NRL 2008 Thread

[morgieb]

This is the Centenary Season for the NRL.
New year, new thread.

[Craig]

Can't wait. And I better not hope that Craig Bellamy does the dirty and coaches Brisbane next season.

[Simon]

Neil Henry apparently, I doubt he's going to have many problems getting a release from Canberra as a lot of Raiders players "apparently" wouldn't be too sad to see him leave,

[sideshowtim]

Up the Chooks.

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Up the Chooks.

awta.

[Burgey]

Up the Chooks.

Dire.

[Craig]

Dire.

AWTA.

[Simon]

Season prediction time? I think so

Table at end of season

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

Premiers: Brisbane Broncos
Runners Up: North Queensland Cowboys
Top Tryscorer: Michael Jennings (Penrith Panthers)
Top Pointscorer: Luke Burt (Parramatta Eels)
Rookie of the Year: Matt Keating (Parramatta Eels) or Josh McCrone (Penrith Panthers)
Origin Debuts: Qld - Michael Jennings, Israel Folau and David Taylor NSW - Todd Carney, Dean Collis and Anthony Laffranchi
Origin Series - Queensland 2-1
Dally M Winner: Johnathon Thurston
Best Buys: Travis Burns (North Queensland Cowboys) and Joel Monaghan (Canberra Raiders)
Worst Buys: Wes Naiqama (Newcastle Knights) and Mark O'Meley (Sydney Roosters)
Coaches Not to See out 2008 - Brian Smith (Newcastle Knights) and Nathan Brown (St George/Illawarra Dragons)

Other Predictions
Hazem El Masri to see out the season in Premier League
Parramatta to finish first in the Under 20's comp as well as first grade
St George's injury curse to hit again
One team will be winless after 8 weeks
Melbourne will suffer a premiership hangover and be midtable come middle of the season
Willie Mason will be dropped from the NSW side mid Origin series
At Least one Raiders player will be selected in Origin
Sonny Bill Williams will suffer another serious injury
Anthony Minichiello will regain his NSW #1 Jersey but not make the Australian team

[sideshowtim]

What makes you think El Masri will be dropped to Premier League? Given that he has been a tremendous servant to the Dogs for many years and the fact that his goal kicking is still by far the best int he world, I sincerely doubt he'll get dropped. Sure he has lost a lot of speed but he is still good at sneaking out tries close to the line, and as I mentioned earlier, there is nothing suggesting that his goal kicking has dropped off.

[Craig]

What makes you think El Masri will be dropped to Premier League? Given that he has been a tremendous servant to the Dogs for many years and the fact that his goal kicking is still by far the best int he world, I sincerely doubt he'll get dropped. Sure he has lost a lot of speed but he is still good at sneaking out tries close to the line, and as I mentioned earlier, there is nothing suggesting that his goal kicking has dropped off.

Generally with Simon you take his predictions and go the other way

[howardj]

Up the Chooks.

Hell yeah.

Best blokes - Freddy, Mini etc.

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Hell yeah.

Best blokes - Freddy, Mini etc.

Not sure how to take this...

[Johnners]

Broncs are no chance without Petero imo

[howardj]

Not sure how to take this...

They are.

2nd favourite team behind the Broncs for me.

I'd run through a flaming, anthrax laden, brick wall for Freddy if he was my coach.

[vic_orthdox]

Hell yeah.

Best blokes - Freddy, Mini etc.

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Braith...