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Predicting the 2017 NRL season

Roar Pro
11th January, 2017
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The Raiders take on the Panthers in the NRL finals. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
Roar Pro
11th January, 2017
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3317 Reads

After yet another fairytale year in the NRL, we look forward to 2017 expectantly, our hopes raised by off-season signings and articles about our clubs all over the internet.

Here’s my outlook.

Premiers:
It’s so hard to go past Canberra.

The only sides to finish ahead of the Raiders in 2016 were Cronulla, who have since lost Michael Ennis and Ben Barba, and the Melbourne Storm – who they would’ve beaten but for Edrick Lee’s butterfingers. The green machine haven’t lost many important cogs over the off-season and are my tip for the title in 2017.

Runners-up:
Either Brisbane or Melbourne here.

Brisbane, like Canberra, wouldn’t have changed their line-up since last year. Benji Marshall won’t get much game time over younger, more promising players, so he won’t make much of an impact.

Whilst at Melbourne, The return of Billy Slater is tough to predict. He could change the Storm’s style for better or worse, it’s hard to say.

Wooden Spoon:
Totally left-field.

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I’m going to call Newcastle improvers this year, and say that St. George-Illawarra will take the spoon in 2017. Newcastle surely can’t get any worse, can they?

Dally M:
Another left-field call, but Matt Moylan should lead an experienced Panthers side late into the finals, almost single-handedly and as such he’s my tip for the Dally M Medal.

He tends to run Penrith’s side, so whether Te Maire Martin or Nathan Cleary are prominent or not, will prove a big factor.

State of Origin:
NSW decide this.

Whether or not they can find a settled backline will be a decisive factor in the series. I’ll settle with my heart and say QLD to win it in Game 3.

Buy of the year:
Nominees include:
Kieran Foran (Warriors)
Blake Green (Manly)
David Taylor (Raiders)
Robbie Farah (Rabbitohs)
Jamal Idris (Tigers)
Josh Addo-Carr (Storm)

Winner: Robbie Farah (Souths)

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He’s got a new club, so Farah will be a new man. He’ll take his Blues jumper back.

Most improved team:
I’ll go with the Warriors.

They will make 5th spot, and charge into the finals on a winning streak.

Biggest sliders:
Cronulla have lost Michael Ennis and Ben Barba over the off-season. They’ll struggle to replace those two, but not disappear completely.

Team of the year 2017:
1. Matt Moylan
2. Corey Oates
3. Konrad Hurrell
4. Jarrod Croker
5. Bevan French
6. Corey Norman
7. Cooper Cronk
8. Jesse Bromwich
9. Cameron Smith
10. James Tamou
11. Wade Graham
12. Elliot Whitehead
13. Trent Merrin

NRL ladder after Round 26:
1. North Queensland Cowboys
2. Penrith Panthers
3. Melbourne Storm
4. Canberra Raiders
5. New Zealand Warriors
6. Brisbane Broncos
7. Gold Coast Titans
8. Parramatta Eels
9. South Sydney Rabbitohs
10. Canterbury Bulldogs
11. Cronulla Sharks
12. Manly Sea Eagles
13. Sydney Roosters
14. Wests Tigers
15. Newcastle Knights
16. St George Illawarra Dragons

There we go. Prediction done. Your thoughts?

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