Eight oh so brave predictions for the 2014 NRL season

Bit over a week out from the kick off to the NRL season I thought it would be an appropriate time to dust off the crystal ball and see what’s in store for us footy fans in 2014.

Which one is on the money and which one is way off?

8. Wooden Spoon
I couldn’t split the Tigers and Knights.

My biggest concern for the Tigers is their halves and for the Knights, the retirement home crashing down and an injury prone former representative half.

You can’t win a premiership without quality halves and although the Tigers will have good players wearing the six and seven they simply won’t be good enough to carry them very far this season. Luke Brooks will be a star of the future but now is not his time.

Your only hope Tigers fans? If Robbie Farah is still standing come Round 26.

Only then will you be good enough to hold on to 15th spot on the ladder.

Knights fans, buy a Wests Tigers membership and support ‘your’ team because failing a Robbie Farah injury your mob will be returning with nothing more than a large wooden spoon.

Why you ask?

An injury prone half, old legs and a Dragons reserve grade team are not good signs. Hey, at least you have the best utility player in the game.

7. The Blues to finally beat the Cane Toads
The past three years has seen me give many reasons why the Blues will finally win a State of Origin series.

From no Darren Lockyer and Petero Civonceva to Queensland having very little to play for. I’m done with words this year.

I have no reasons as to why the Blues will finally win the 2014 State of Origin series.

This is the year. It simply has to be.

6. End of the hoodoo in the nation’s capital
The Blues winning the State of Origin series is not the only streak that will be finally broken in 2014.

Long suffering Dragons fans will be sweating like a gypsy with a mortgage until Round 21 when they get their chance to break the hoodoo.

Dragons have brought half of Canberra and Canberra brought Ricky Stuart. The hoodoo is all but over.

5. Buy of the year
Brad Arthur. This guy will not only lead the Eels back to the glory days he will be stepping up onto the podium at the Dally Ms receiving his gong as coach of the year.

And if he doesn’t, I hear Ray Price is in the market for a new gig.

4. No club to chase Wayne Bennett
Speaking of coaches, don’t do it. The finish product is shoddy defence and attack not seen since Paul Carige was forced to flee after a barrage of verbal abuse following the 1998 grand final qualifier.

3. First coach sacked
I don’t like wishing failure on people but let’s face it, coaches come and go. It’s the nature of the beast.

I can only suspect that we will be reading the below ‘breaking news’ come Round 14.

“Robbie Farah has told the Wests Tigers board that he didn’t like the tone of Mick Potter’s voice when discussing team selection. He also said he couldn’t hang out with Tim Moltzen.” Farah says Mick can’t tell him who he can and cannot hang out with.

Benji Marshall’s manager flatly denies his client was at the meeting.

2. Dally M winner
Greg Inglis will torch the field to win the 2014 Dally M. This despite the fact he signs for rugby union just after NSW defeat Queensland in the State of Origin series.

1. Cowboys to win the premiership
Despite losing quite a few players from their 2013 roster the Cowboys didn’t lose too much quality.

Their forward pack led by Matt Scott and James Tamou is world class and with Tariq Sims, Jason Taumalolo and the underrated Gavin Cooper in the backrow, the Cowboys have a nice blend of attack and defence.

The injury to new recruit Lachlan Coote will dampen spirits but word on the street is they will acquire a replacement in the very near future.

Ashley Graham is a key loss but if Antonio Winterstein can replicate his Nines form there is plenty of reasons for Cowboys fans to expect John Thurston and co to shift the ball out wide.

As always, how they navigate the Origin period without Thurston, Scott and Tamou will go a long way to deciding where the Cowboys are placed heading into the all-important back-end of the season.

In saying that, they have plenty of depth in the halves with Robert Lui, Ray Thompson and Michael Morgan. Former Dragons dummy half, Cameron King will provide plenty of assistance as well.

The Cowboys have the best squad on paper, and although this doesn’t always prove to be the catalyst for a successful season, I’m convinced this is the year of the North Queensland Cowboys.