They collected the wooden spoon and battled through a litany of off-field controversies last season but the NRL’s top players expect the Roosters to be crowing once more in 2010.

Players from every first grade team were questioned on Wednesday and a quarter of those surveyed believed the Bondi Junction club was capable of turning it around this season.

South Sydney, who have only made the finals once in the past 20 years, received five votes as the most likely bolter from this year’s field.

With a fearsome pack featuring Sam Burgess, Dave Taylor, Roy Asotasi and Michael Crocker it was no wonder the Rabbitohs were heavily backed by their peers, but it was the ringing endorsement for the Roosters that came as a surprise.

Under new coach Brian Smith and boosted by the recruitment of Todd Carney, the Roosters are tipped to be like the 2009 Bulldogs side and make a giant leap from the bottom of the ladder to the top.

“I think the Roosters could be a dark horse,” said Dragons captain Ben Hornby.

“They had a disappointing year last year. They have a new coach and a couple of new signings and I think you’ll see a big improvement out of them.”

Newcastle Knights playmaker Jarrod Mullen agreed.

“Brian Smith is a great coach and Todd Carney and Mitchell Pearce should make a great combination in the halves,” he said.

The NRL stars tipped Souths to have their biggest season in decades.

“Souths have been very strong in their recruitment and it will be very interesting to see how they go this year,” said Broncos skipper Darren Lockyer.

A whopping 75 per cent of rugby league’s captains and stars believe Melbourne are once again the team to beat.

The Storm won their second premiership in four years in 2009 before going onto to take out the World Club Challenge.

This year they shoot for their fifth consecutive grand final appearance and most are convinced it will be nearly impossible to stop them.

“It was pretty awesome to watch them in that World Club Challenge and the scary thing was the amount of players they had out,” said Panthers captain Petero Civoniceva.

“Craig Bellamy has done an amazing job with the blokes he’s brought through and they’ll be there again this season.”

Parramatta Dally M winner Jarryd Hayne said if his team was able to make back-to-back grand finals this year, he would expect the Storm to once again be their opponents.

“They are the reigning grand finalists and are very strong. They are still the benchmark for every team,” he said.

Souths’ boom English recruit Burgess was voted as the player to watch this season, topping the voting with five to beat Hayne.

More than half of the players questioned believe these two talents will have the most impact on the coming season.

“Hayne is a superstar,” said Cowboys leader Johnathan Thurston.

While Cronulla five-eighth Trent Barrett said he was looking forward to seeing Burgess make it Down Under.

“It’ll be a real test for him, the length of the season,” said Barrett.

“But from what he’s shown so far, he’s a terrific player, a terrific athlete and I can’t wait to see him playing in the Souths pack.”

Answers from player poll, featuring one player from all 16 NRL clubs:
Broncos – DARREN LOCKYER
Team to beat: Storm
Dark horse: South Sydney
Player to watch at the Broncos: Israel Folau

Bulldogs – ANDREW RYAN
Team to beat: Eels
Dark horse: Cowboys
Player to watch at the Bulldogs: Steve Turner
Player to watch in the NRL: Scott Prince

Raiders – ALAN TONGUE
Team to beat: Storm
Dark horse: Rabbitohs
Player to watch at the Raiders: Josh Dugan
Player to watch in the NRL: Terry Campese

Sharks – TRENT BARRETT
Team to beat: Storm
Dark horse: Wests Tigers
Player to watch at the Sharks: Blake Ferguson
Player to watch in the NRL: Sam Burgess

Titans – WILLIAM ZILLMAN
Team to beat: Eels
Dark horse: Rabbitohs
Player to watch at the Titans: Joseph Tomane
Player to watch in the NRL: Sam Burgess

Sea Eagles – BRENT KITE
Team to beat: Storm
Dark horse: Raiders
Player to watch at the Sea Eagles: Tony Williams
Player to watch in the NRL: Lote Tuqiri

Storm – COOPER CRONK
Team to beat: Eels
Dark horse: Panthers
Player to watch at the Storm: Kevin Proctor
Player to watch in the NRL: Michael Jennings

Knights – JARROD MULLEN
Team to beat: Storm
Dark horse: Sydney Roosters
Player to watch at the Knights: Kevin Naqaima

Cowboys – JOHNATHAN THURSTON
Team to beat: Storm
Dark horse: Raiders
Player to watch at the Cowboys: Willie Mason
Player to watch in the NRL: Jarryd Hayne

Eels – JARRYD HAYNE
Team to beat: Storm
Dark horse: Rabbitohs
Player to watch in the NRL: Sam Burgess

Panthers – PETERO CIVONICEVA
Team to beat: Storm
Dark horse: Wests Tigers
Player to watch at the Panthers: Michael Jennings
Player to watch in the NRL: David Taylor

Dragons – BEN HORNBY
Team to beat: Storm
Dark horse: Roosters
Player to watch at the Dragons: Kyle Stanley
Player to watch in the NRL: Jarryd Hayne

Rabbitohs – ROY ASOTASI
Team to beat: Storm
Dark horse: Cowboys
Player to watch at the Rabbitohs: Jason Clark
Player to watch in the NRL: Fuifui Moimoi

Roosters – JASON RYLES
Team to beat: Storm
Dark horse: Roosters
Player to watch at the Roosters: Mitchell Pearce.
Player to watch in the NRL: Sam Burgess.

Warriors – MANU VATUVEI
Team to beat: Storm
Dark horse: Roosters
Player to watch at the Warriors: Bill Tupou
Player to watch in the NRL: Jarryd Hayne

Wests Tigers – ROBBIE FARAH
Team to beat: Dragons
Dark horse: Rabbitohs
Player to watch at the Tigers: Keith Galloway
Player to watch in the NRL: Todd Carney

© AAP 2012

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