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With the 2015 NRL season just a matter of weeks away, all 16 teams have their eyes set on Premiership glory. However, there is one prize that every team is desperate to avoid, the dreaded wooden spoon.
The betting agencies have spoken and established their favourites to finish last on the ladder. From least likely to most likely, these teams are St. George Illawarra, Parramatta, Gold Coast and Canberra. Let’s go through each team and establish their chances of winning the wooden spoon.
Canberra Raiders
The Raiders were narrowly edged out for the spoon last year by an embattled and injury-plagued Cronulla side. Interestingly, the Sharks have not been mentioned among this year’s wooden spoon contenders, yet Canberra are favourites.
Coach Ricky Stuart is clearly out of favour with the bookies and his peculiar preseason team selections could be a reason why. The Raiders did not field a strong team at the Nines, although they did manage a shock win over the Warriors.
Ricky, even before season starts, seems to be more concerned at shielding his key players from injury than providing them with significant match practice. Stuart has named an inexperienced squad for the team’s first trial against the Storm this weekend. This contrasts strongly with Souths coach Michael Maguire naming a strong team to face the Dragons in the Charity Shield.
If Ricky is so worried about his team at this stage of the season then maybe the Raiders fans should be as well.
Gold Coast Titans
The Gold Coast Titans have seen a number of ownership and sponsorship issues bubble to the surface over the past six months and many predict these problems to contribute to on-field struggles.
The Titans managed just one win at the Nines, over the Raiders, so maybe the two teams are destined to battle this year for the wooden spoon.
With a longer list of departures than signings this year it looks like a painful year ahead for the Titans.
Parramatta Eels
After two straight wooden spoon seasons in 2012 and 2013 the Eels showed considerable improvement last season, narrowly missing the eight.
Even with the loss of Jarryd Hayne it is hard to see the Eels as serious wooden spoon contenders and they certainly had a good Nines showing.
Their signings, including former Manly forward Anthony Watmough, this year seem to outweigh their losses and I cannot see them as contenders for the wooden spoon despite picking up a heavy injury toll in the Nines.
St. George Illawarra Dragons
The bookmakers have not been kind to coach Paul McGregor’s offseason signings.
Obviously Brett Morris was a big loss but the lack of ball going to him last year was an even bigger problem and the Dragons need to solve their problems at the centre position.
The ‘soft’ forwards are still there, mostly, and the much maligned signing of George Rose after his terrible year at the Storm does not solve the Dragons’ prop problem. Local junior prop Rory O’Brien may be too inexperienced to solve the problem this year but he will probably be given the chance.
The Dragons possess a number of second rowers and one of these needs to step up and become the enforcer in the pack if the Dragons are to perform above expectations this year.
With Benji Marshall delivering a good showing at the Nines it is hard to see them not being final eight contenders so I discount them for the wooden spoon.
The Outsiders
If we look at the bookies outsiders there are a number of other teams that will struggle to make the eight this year.
Newcastle, after the departure of Wayne Bennett as coach, look to have more losses than signings and will struggle if they do not get off to a good start.
The Melbourne Storm’s stars are beginning to age and after a limited number of recruitments may struggle if they have injuries, which are already apparent before the season begins. The key to the Storm’s season will be how they cope without captain Cameron Smith for the opening few weeks of the competition.
Manly have seen more offseason losses than gains, and will have ongoing speculation about Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran’s future dog their season. Although they had a somewhat disappointing Nines showing it is highly unlikely that they will win the wooden spoon this year.
The Tigers always seem to be contenders for the spoon with their reliance on young, homegrown talent and this year is no exception with more losses than gains, but I think they have enough talent to avoid the spoon.
Conclusion
The bookmakers predict the Raiders and Titans to challenge for the wooden spoon. While I don’t disagree with them, the NRL season is a long, arduous journey. A good start to either team could catapult them into finals contention as their confidence starts to grow.
I think we should all reserve a decision until Round 5 or so when cracks will start to appear in each team’s facade.
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