Welcome to part two of the four part series looking at the hopefuls and the no hopers in the upcoming NRL season.
South Sydney Rabbitohs (preliminary finalist – second – 18-6)
The physical wounds have healed, but the mental scars from their failed 2013 season will haunt them for a long time.
It may seem a bit harsh to call a season a failure when the team came second in the minor premiership on for and against and made it to within a half of playing in the grand final, however Souths had both premierships in sight before choking.
Were leading the competition before a 1-3 run, including a loss to the pathetic Dragons, saw them be run down by the Roosters and leaving the Minor Premiership up for grabs in the final regular season game.
Souths rebounded and beat their nemesis Melbourne in the semis, then the qualifying final saw them leading Manly 14-0 and 14-6 at half time only to collapse and lose 20-30 in a regression to bad old days of weak mental lapses.
Expectation and pressure will again be high this season, although at least we can stop hearing about Nathan Merritt being ripped off for Origin, now that he got his shot and got torn to shreds. There are also rumours that Sam Burgess will be leaving the club at the end of the season and going to play rugby for a stack of money.
Burgess would be a big loss on the field, but that may be part of the problem. Sam has turned into a bit of a thug and getting quite a reputation at the judiciary, so that even minor misdemeanours will now see him missing games.
Choked like Greg Norman
Time on the therapists couch
To heal mental wounds
2014 Tip: Top four – Can they conquer their mental demons?
Newcastle Knights (preliminary finalist – seventh – 12-1-11)
After a surprisingly good end to the season, it’s been a very eventful off season for the Knights – for all the wrong reasons.
New recruit Russell Packer didn’t even last to the start of the season and instead got sent directly to gaol without collecting $200 after being found guilty of stomping on someone’s head in a drunken assault.
Dane Gagai who has already been sacked from one club missed training at an emerging Queensland Origin camp following a boozy night out.
Willie Mason was found to be over the limit, caught drink driving to training the morning after Australia Day.
Ex-player Ben Rogers, now employed by the club as a community and charity support manager, has also been embroiled in controversy when he was charged with two counts of assault following an incident at a taxi rank late last year. That’s one way of engaging with the community!
You’ve heard the saying “running on old knees”, but Timanu Tahu has taken it a step further; receiving an ACL from a deceased donor in an attempt to prolong his career and get him back on the field as soon as possible.
He now wants to seek the donor’s family so he can thank them personally. He said ”I want to find out because it could be something special for the family if I can go and say thanks”.
Really? Special?
I’m guessing the bereaved family would feel some consolation should they find that a kidney had gone to save the life a terminally ill child, but is it really going to relieve their pain to learn that their loved ones death gave an over the hill thug one last hurrah?
Off-season shocker
More time spent in custody
Than on training field
2014 Tip: Top eight – Time running out for Benny and the Vets?
Melbourne Storm (Semi Finalist – third – 16-1-7)
The defending premiers started the season on fire with eight straight wins, suffered through the Origin period and ran out of puff finishing the season with two straight losses in the finals. The final ignominy; being beaten by Newcastle in Melbourne for the first time in 10 years.
The story in Melbourne remains as it has for a number of years. It’s all about Smith, Cronk and Slater supported by a band of mostly unheralded toilers. That formula may need to change as the years stack up and as the injuries take their toll.
There has been a big effort to try and entice Smith to the Broncos, however that appears to have been thwarted.
Smith, Slater and Cronk
Plus any fourteen others
Still a threat to win
2014 Tip: Top four – If the Big three stay healthy
Cronulla Sharks (Semi Finalist – fifth – 14-10)
Well the club still exists which appeared to be a long shot in the lead up to the first game when the peptides issue exploded.
Amidst coach suspensions, support staff being sacked, no jersey or stadium sponsor for much of the year, two years suspensions hanging over players heads, legal action from ex-players, the league installing an interim CEO, ASADA interviews…it was a minor miracle the players were able to perform at all.
The football gods even felt some sympathy for the Sharks, by allowing them one more tackle than usual in their finals victory over North Queensland.
The off-season hasn’t been much better for the Sharks with the NRL hitting them with a million dollar fine and suspending Shane Flanagan for the year.
The most surprising thing is that the Sharks are planning to appeal against the sanctions – which really seems to be pushing their luck and would be better off just copping it and moving on.
On the field both 2012 and 2013 seasons ended for the Sharks losing finals with Todd Carney sitting on the sideline and the Sharks will be relying on him to provide the spark again in 2014.
If they are lucky full time commentator and media personality, part time boxer, part time NSW Captain, Paul Gallen might find time to play for the Sharks this year.
In line with their thrill-seeking (odd) behaviour the Sharks have shown that they are serious about going all out for the cash on offer at the Auckland Nines by selecting both Todd Carney and Paul Gallen – two players that the Sharks can’t afford to lose to injury.
Given Gallen’s heavy workload throughout the Origin period, and his admission that he’s felt spent towards the end of the year, his selection is even more baffling.
Perhaps Eric Grothe Jr returning to the game after a number years in retirement can be their saviour…yeah – or maybe not.
Season to forget
Peptide circus ruined year
New season no coach
2014 Tip: Top eight – Not quite the quality to crack the Top four
Join me tomorrow for part three!
@Armchair_Guru
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