Tigers for me...they have recruited well and have cleaned out some dead wood also.

Tigers - if they can keep Ellis and Marshall fit - Flannagan will surprise a few, I was surprised Wigan let him go - he is the best backrow forward to emerge since Ellis in the UK.

If the Rabbitohs don't make the 8 with their squad then Lang should retire for good.

Alot of people saying Tigers, they'll need to be more consistent or they'll have no chance. IMO the Tigers are the same as Benji, hit and miss. One week they can be great and everything they do comes off and the next week they cant do anything right.
They've signed Taumata who's been sacked from 4 clubs already, Cayless - good but always injured, Tame Tupou - always injured, Moors and Daniela who weren't regulars for Penrith, Flanaghan who's only played 4 games for Wigan, Mitch Brown, brought Fulton and Fitzhenry back.
So yeah they've got rid of some of the dead wood but they could have just replaced them with more of the same IMO.

I like the look of the Tigers squad this year also, but while the first 17 of the Bunnies look good, I don't think they've got the depth to be locks for the 8. Very few teams do.

Souths' first choice pack looks a bit tasty though, and I think Lang will make them a very different unit. I can't see them winning the comp at all, but they should make the 8 and probably beat a couple of 'bigger' sides in the process.

My top 8 will be

Storm

Manly

Parra

Broncos

Bulldogs

Wests

Souths

Sharks

Souths will win it as they have the almighty Sam Burgess

sharks in the 8 is a bit optimistic. i reckon they'll improve but any position above 12th would be a miracle. but it is very hard to pick an 8, its just so close.

Hard to say, as much as I dislike Ricky Stewart I can see the Sharks surprising a few people this year. They have a lot of youngsters in the side who have been 'broken in' last season and if they come good I think they might make the 8.

Hard to look beyond the usual big names to do well though

I cant see the Sharks anywhere near the top 8, they'll be in the bottom 2 or 3, probably bottom IMO unless someone has a bad year with injuries or another year like the Roosters had last year.
They've got some very good forwards in Gallen, Tupou, Douglas, but i just cant see them scoring points even if Barrett stays fit all year, Pomeroy and Covell were shocking all year, Ferguson looks promising and they've brought in Collis from the Tigers. They've got a young kid a FB Stapleton, they've got Morris from the Tigers, Aiton and Cuthbertson. They haven't recruited well IMO and there's not much quality in the side and i think they'll struggle again.
On paper they look the worst side of everyone IMO

Hard to say.

I think the first 3 or 4 games will be a good indicator of how things are going for the Sharks.

I'm looking forward to seeing if Parramatta can keep up the run they had last season.....they were outstanding at the end......pity they blew it at the final hurdle

storm (H), warriors (A), souths (H), eels (H). they might be at home but they get to play the fancied sides early and the warriors away. ao they are either going to be rolled over or throw a surprise in the mix for those sides. i think 0 - 4

I started watching the sharks last season and it was like watching an accident happening... serious injury after serious injury followed by scandal after scandal... yet still the team were competitive in 95% of the games I saw... losing many in the final few minutes of the game....


there were some outsanding youngsters who stood up and fought through this hardship.... Nathan Stapleton .. good pace and vision... Matt Wright... a young inside back with a massive future... Blake Ferguson... long lean and massively talented, and one who missed most of last year through injury... Jason Bukuya... potentially the best of the bunch...

all of these are now more mature and wiser, they have been joined a the club by Albert Kelly, Broderick Wright and Tualima Tuatai from the Paramatta stable... all good young (age group) rep players. Admittedly Stewart has not gone for any big name signings this year, he has brought in good strong professional team players who will foster his young guns and develop them with the right attitude...

We already have Paul Gallen, Anthony Tupou, Kade Snowden, and Luke Douglas, with Trent Barrett to form the backbone of the team... this mix of youth and experience is a very exciting one...

I am desparate for the season to start, and am even considering leaving an important meeting early to get to the pre season game against Manly next friday....

dont underestimate the Sharks this year... I have a feeling that everone will be talking about these "young guns" before the season is out.


come on you sharkies!!!!