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Guest
Guest
Who will win and why
SMH
February 27, 2012
JASON TAYLOR
Top eight: 1\. Wests Tigers 2\. Manly 3\. Melbourne 4\. Newcastle 5\. Sydney Roosters 6\. Brisbane 7\. Canterbury 8\. South Sydney. Premiers: Wests Tigers
WHY: I believe we are heading into the closest, most unpredictable NRL season yet. Wests Tigers are deserved favourites due to the acquisition of Adam Blair. Newcastle's roster has improved, along with their coaching staff, while Canterbury and Souths can make the eight.
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MICHAEL CHAMMAS
Top eight: 1\. Wests Tigers 2\. North Queensland 3\. Melbourne 4\. NZ Warriors 5\. Newcastle 6\. St George Illawarra 7\. Cronulla 8\. Parramatta. Premiers: Wests Tigers
WHY: In Benji Marshall and Tim Moltzen, they have the right formula to steer a strong forward pack and a talented back line to grand final glory. The only concern is over who plays fullback.
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ROY MASTERS
Top eight: 1\. Melbourne 2\. Manly 3\. Brisbane 4\. NZ Warriors 5\. Wests Tigers 6\. Newcastle 7\. North Queensland 8\. St George Illawarra. Premiers: Melbourne Storm
WHY: Experience will be the most valuable asset in the NRL's longest season. The Storm have it in a coach and three key players. Plus they have brought size to the pack - the ingredient missing last year when rolled by the Warriors one game short of the grand final.
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GLENN JACKSON
Top eight: 1\. Brisbane 2\. Wests Tigers 3\. Melbourne 4\. North Queensland 5\. South Sydney 6\. Newcastle 7\. NZ Warriors 8\. Manly. Premiers: Wests Tigers
WHY: The Broncos will win the minor premiership but the Tigers will rev up when it counts. They have an impressive roster this year, with the addition of Adam Blair. The key is whether Tim Moltzen provides the right support for Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah. If he does, and the Tigers keep their best players on the park, they will be difficult to stop.
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BRAD WALTER
Top eight: 1\. NZ Warriors 2\. Wests Tigers 3\. Manly 4\. Newcastle 5\. Melbourne 6\. South Sydney 7\. Canberra 8\. Parramatta. Premiers: NZ Warriors
WHY: After winning back-to-back NYC titles and making last year's NRL grand final, it seems inevitable the Warriors will eventually lift the premiership trophy, and the appointment of new coach Brian McClennan will ensure there is no complacency within the club.
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GREG PRICHARD
Top eight: 1\. Wests Tigers 2\. Newcastle 3\. Melbourne 4\. Manly 5\. NZ Warriors 6\. North Queensland 7\. Canberra 8\. Sydney Roosters. Premiers: Newcastle Knights
WHY: I'm convinced Wayne Bennett will win a premiership at some stage of his stay in Newcastle, and the Knights have bought well enough to accelerate the process. Most importantly, the arrival of Darius Boyd frees up Kurt Gidley to play in the halves, where he should be.
SMH
February 27, 2012
JASON TAYLOR
Top eight: 1\. Wests Tigers 2\. Manly 3\. Melbourne 4\. Newcastle 5\. Sydney Roosters 6\. Brisbane 7\. Canterbury 8\. South Sydney. Premiers: Wests Tigers
WHY: I believe we are heading into the closest, most unpredictable NRL season yet. Wests Tigers are deserved favourites due to the acquisition of Adam Blair. Newcastle's roster has improved, along with their coaching staff, while Canterbury and Souths can make the eight.
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MICHAEL CHAMMAS
Top eight: 1\. Wests Tigers 2\. North Queensland 3\. Melbourne 4\. NZ Warriors 5\. Newcastle 6\. St George Illawarra 7\. Cronulla 8\. Parramatta. Premiers: Wests Tigers
WHY: In Benji Marshall and Tim Moltzen, they have the right formula to steer a strong forward pack and a talented back line to grand final glory. The only concern is over who plays fullback.
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ROY MASTERS
Top eight: 1\. Melbourne 2\. Manly 3\. Brisbane 4\. NZ Warriors 5\. Wests Tigers 6\. Newcastle 7\. North Queensland 8\. St George Illawarra. Premiers: Melbourne Storm
WHY: Experience will be the most valuable asset in the NRL's longest season. The Storm have it in a coach and three key players. Plus they have brought size to the pack - the ingredient missing last year when rolled by the Warriors one game short of the grand final.
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GLENN JACKSON
Top eight: 1\. Brisbane 2\. Wests Tigers 3\. Melbourne 4\. North Queensland 5\. South Sydney 6\. Newcastle 7\. NZ Warriors 8\. Manly. Premiers: Wests Tigers
WHY: The Broncos will win the minor premiership but the Tigers will rev up when it counts. They have an impressive roster this year, with the addition of Adam Blair. The key is whether Tim Moltzen provides the right support for Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah. If he does, and the Tigers keep their best players on the park, they will be difficult to stop.
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BRAD WALTER
Top eight: 1\. NZ Warriors 2\. Wests Tigers 3\. Manly 4\. Newcastle 5\. Melbourne 6\. South Sydney 7\. Canberra 8\. Parramatta. Premiers: NZ Warriors
WHY: After winning back-to-back NYC titles and making last year's NRL grand final, it seems inevitable the Warriors will eventually lift the premiership trophy, and the appointment of new coach Brian McClennan will ensure there is no complacency within the club.
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GREG PRICHARD
Top eight: 1\. Wests Tigers 2\. Newcastle 3\. Melbourne 4\. Manly 5\. NZ Warriors 6\. North Queensland 7\. Canberra 8\. Sydney Roosters. Premiers: Newcastle Knights
WHY: I'm convinced Wayne Bennett will win a premiership at some stage of his stay in Newcastle, and the Knights have bought well enough to accelerate the process. Most importantly, the arrival of Darius Boyd frees up Kurt Gidley to play in the halves, where he should be.
