With seven teams well and truly out of it for this year, and a couple in the eight living on borrowed time, who can really look forward to next year? And who is dreading it?
Let’s take a look at how your club will perform in 2016.
The redeemers
New Zealand Warriors
The Warriors saw their season flash before their eyes when Shaun Johnson left the field against Manly weeks ago. Gone for the season, and so were the Warriors. In spite of rugby league being a team game some players just offer too much to a side to lose. If Johnathan Thurston went down for the Cowboys the season would be over for them, likewise for Cameron Smith and Melbourne.
However the signings for the Warriors next year are a mouthwatering prospect as Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Issac Luke join them. Tuivasa-Sheck has been in scintillating form for the Roosters while everybody knows the toughness and durability that Luke brings. Both should take some serious pressure off Johnson.
After four years in the finals wilderness the Warriors will make it comfortably next year if their recruitment and early season form are any indication.
Parramatta Eels
After a turbulent time this season and indeed for many seasons the Eels have some things to look forward to in 2016. Michael Gordon, Kieran Foran and Beau Scott are big signings for the Eels, they all have experience and class. Gordon and Foran contribute to building a more consistent and controlled spine.
The Eels moved in the right direction to move Chris Sandow on and should do the same with Will Hopoate, he is not justifying his heavy price-tag with his current form.
Aside from this the Eels haven’t made the finals for six seasons and the law of averages says that they are overdue for a berth. It has been a long wait for Eels fans and I can see them making the lower half on the eight in 2016.
Canberra Raiders
If the Raiders can learn how to win tough, ugly and close matches they will make the finals with ease next season. Learning to win at home would be a good start too.
Close losses to the Sea Eagles, Tigers, Sharks, Cowboys, Storm, Dragons and Sharks again were all occasions where they lost by less than four points. Throw in the thrilling loss to the Bulldogs by seven and it is easy to see why they haven’t made it.
With Aidan Sezer coming to the club it will add some class and the Raiders will have learnt plenty from their losses this season. They should make the eight comfortably in 2016.
Penrith Panthers
The Panthers have had polar opposite seasons the last two years. Going further than anyone thought possible last season they came crashing back to earth in 2015 with injuries crushing them.
They haven’t had their spine play together for a while and their backline has been decimated at different times in the season with Jamal Idris, Josh Mansour, Dean Whare, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, George Jennings and Robert Jennings injured for long periods.
As the curtain falls on their season they will have Matt Moylan, Watene-Zelezniak, Idris, Whare, Peter Wallace, Nigel Plum, Brent Kite and Elijah Taylor on the sidelines. This represents nearly half their side from Round 1.
The law of averages says that the Panthers are due a break and with Merrin coming to the club next year they will have a forward pack with a lot of talent and footwork. Bryce Cartwright, Trent Merrin and Tyrone Peachey have great skills with the ball, Moylan and James Segeyaro are key performers while Wallace and Soward need to control the side.
If they can keep a good side on the park they can trouble once again.
No-hopers
Gold Coast Titans
The Titans are desperately struggling to attract players. They missed out on Daly Cherry-Evans and Sezer, who was one of their best performers in the last couple of seasons, has walked away.
They have signed David Shillington, Tyrone Roberts and Nathan Friend but while they offer experience their is a real lack of class in key positions. They have no genuine matchwinners in key positions and while they have some good outside backs they are stalwarts who have not managed to consistently perform for the club in the past.
Down on crowds, support and luck the Titans look very long odds to surprise in 2016.
Newcastle Knights
The Knights’ issues have been well documented this season. They have lost their coach and while they have strung two wins together they were horrible when it mattered most.
The acquisition of Trent Hodkinson is a good one but not great. Their is a distinct impression of a stale playing group at the Knights. There needs to be wholesale changes as those who have been there for a long time have failed to find consistency and desire for their club.
While there is plenty of potential in the Knights it would take a classy coach and a small miracle to diagnose and fix the team after what has been an appalling year.
Wests Tigers
Jason Taylor signed, sealed and delivered the Tigers’ fate when Robbie Farah was granted permission to look elsewhere for 2016. He has the experience and class that the Tigers need and with no-one similar coming to the club in 2016 it will not be the Tigers’ year.
While the youth at the Tigers have an amazing amount of potential there needs to be an ounce more control about the team. Luke Brooks, Mitch Moses and especially James Tedesco on their day are stars but they cannot sustain the pressure in games or throughout the season.
On their day this year they have looked like world-beaters but with so many good sides in the comp the consistency that they lack means they can’t make the finals.
It is all well and good to think long-term, and success is not an overnight job, but Jason Taylor will run out of time if his side isn’t pushing for a berth late next season. I don’t think he can coach and I don’t think the Tigers’ roster bodes well for consistency and improvement next season.
The certainties
Brisbane Broncos, Sydney Roosters, North Queensland Cowboys, Cronulla Sharks
The rosters for these sides are going to be too good to miss the finals. Barring massive injury woes they should all do it comfortably. The Roosters will likely struggle the most with Tuivasa-Sheck and James Maloney leaving, as well as the impact of State of Origin.
The battlers
St George Dragons, Manly Sea Eagles, Melbourne Storm, Canterbury Bulldogs
These sides could go either way. The Bulldogs have been leaving their finals run excruciatingly late the last couple of seasons, the Dragons have shown this season that they are plagued by inconsistency, and the Sea-Eagles have lost Foran. The Storm have to miss a finals series one day and have looked vulnerable at times this season.
There are always surprise packets and always reasons to be optimistic, but there are also always sides you can write up or write off before the season gets going. It will be no different next season, the competition will be as close as ever.
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