NRL 2009 Thread

[Spruce Goose]

Shit yeah. Can't wait. Talk everything Rugby League in this thread.

Post your predictions here:

Premiers:
Grand Final:
Minor Premiers:
Top 4:
Rest of Top 8:
Spoon:
Biggest Improvers:
Biggest Fall:
State of Origin:
Bolter for Blues:
Bolter for Maroons:
ANZAC Test:
Dally M:
Coach of Year:
1st Coach to be Axed:
Biggest Off Field incident:
Shock Retirement Announcement:
Shock Signing/Release Announcement:

 

[Spruce Goose]

Premiers:
Sharks

Grand Final:
Sharks Vs Manly

Minor Premiers:
Manly

Top 4:
Manly, Storm, Sharks, Warriors

Rest of Top 8:
Dragons, Eels, Knights, Cowboys

Spoon:
Panthers

Biggest Improvers:
Cowboys or Bulldogs

Biggest Fall:
Broncos

State of Origin:
NSW 2-1

Bolter for Blues:
Isaac DeGois or Ben Pommeroy

Bolter for Maroons:
Ben Ross

ANZAC Test:
Aussies in a 30+ scoreline

Dally M:
Manu Vatuvai. I know he's a winger but meh

Coach of Year:
Ivan Cleary

1st Coach to be Axed:
Matt Elliot

Biggest Off Field incident:
Brett Stewart will be hard to top

Shock Retirement Announcement:
Lockyer

Shock Signing/Release Announcement:
Frank Pritchard to leave Penrith and sign elsewhere (roosters?)

 

[FerretallicA]

Premiers: Penrith Panthers
Grand Final: Auckland Warriors
Minor Premiers: Chicago Bulls
Top 4: GOOG
Rest of Top 8: 4
Spoon: Please
Biggest Improvers: Allan Holdsworth
Biggest Fall: Pacific Brands
State of Origin: Sober

I don't understand the rest of the questions.

 

[Spiff]

Premiers: Parramatta
Grand Final: Parramatta/St George-Illawarra
Minor Premiers: Parramatta
Top 4: Parramatta, St George-Illawarra, New Zealand Warriors, North Queensland Cowboys
Rest of Top 8: Broncos, Sharks, Roosters, Manly
Spoon: Panthers
Biggest Improvers: Parramatta
Biggest Fall: Melbourne
State of Origin: Queensland
Bolter for Blues: Terry Campese
Bolter for Maroons: Denan Kemp
ANZAC Test: Australia
Dally M: Darren Lockyer
Coach of Year: Daniel Anderson
1st Coach to be Axed: Matthew Elliott
Biggest Off Field incident: Something to do with Manly
Shock Retirement Announcement: Trent Barrett
Shock Signing/Release Announcement: Petero Secondreceiver back to the Broncos

 

[Spiff]

Bolter for Maroons:
Ben Ross

Shouldn't bolters be debutants? Ross has already played Origin.

 

[Southy]

I just can't wait to relax in the spa and watch the first game on Friday night, also gonna be great come origin time

 

[Iron Zombius]

Biggest Off Field incident:
Brett Stewart will be hard

Isnt that why he was arrested?

 

[Spruce Goose]

Shouldn't bolters be debutants? Ross has already played Origin.

I dunno... I thought a bolter was someone who noone would have really picked and/or a surprise selection.... See, I think Ross making the QLD team again after all these years of not making it would be more of a bolter than Terry Campise who was in the Australian world cup squad and played a few games for them?

Maybe I'm wrong about the definition of bolter

 

[Spruce Goose]

Spiff, why do you think Parra will go so well this year?
Their forwards are a bit light. They do have a decent backline, but have had a good backline for the past 5 years....
I'm not sold on Hayne at 5/8 either...

Is it the Daniel Anderson factor?

 

[Spiff]

Yeah, I couldn't think of any NSW players who might be bolters so I settled for Campese.

Yep, it's the Daniel Anderson factor, plain and simple. He's had pretty much instant success wherever he's coached (OK, so he's only coached two teams, but look what happened there).

Then again, I tipped Chris Walker to be the 2008 top try scorer so I'll most likely be wrong about everything.

 

[Goreripper]

Post your predictions here:

Premiers: Manly
Grand Final: Manly vs. St. George
Minor Premiers: St. George
Top 4: Manly, Saints, Cronulla, Roosters
Rest of Top 8: Parra, Warriors, Melbourne, Bulldogs
Spoon: Penrith
Biggest Improvers: Bulldogs
Biggest Fall: Broncos
State of Origin: Queensland
ANZAC Test: Australia

Biggest Off Field incident: The Stewart case. Unless someone dies/kills someone

 

[Spiff]

Sonny Fai already died. But I guess the Stewart thing was more newsworthy because it's more sensational and he's more famous.

 

[Winmar]

I'm off to see the Dragons tomorrow night. Woohoo!

Why do some of you chaps think we'll do better this season? Bennett?

 

[Spiff]

Yep. If the Dragons had had a decent coach the last few years they would have won at least one premiership.

They've lost a few top players but they still have a strong team and they've bought well. I think they'll do good.

 

[Winmar]

I saw the Dragons lose by a golden point tonight. Oh well. At least we're matching it with Melbourne now. Nice to see Wendell set up a try near the end.

 

[Spiff]

I didn't mind the two referees at all. Went nice and smoothly and it didn't seem to intrude on the game at all. I thought it would be a mess but it wasn't.

 

[Southy]

The 2 ref thing wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be

 

[Bucko]

yes i thought they did quite well and claened up all the shite around the play the ball ...........

 

[Spruce Goose]

Bolter for Maroons:
Ben Ross

 

[Spiff]

My tip for this year - in 25 weeks people will be saying, "Remember when Souths had that one good game against the Roosters?"