The NRL season has just three rounds left and the contenders to take out the premiership are emerging, while others are falling away at the back end. Roarers, This is your chance to have a say on who will win it all in 2016.
We will publish an article on Friday with the results from this early stage.
The Melbourne Storm are undoubtedly premiership favourites given their recent form and outstanding season so far, but other teams are building up behind them ready to strike.
The chasing pack appears to be led by the Cronulla Sharks who went on a famous 15-match winning streak, but have run into a few problems in the last couple of weeks.
They have lost two straight against the Canberra Raiders, and more worryingly the St George Illawarra Dragons, who are mathematically in contention to make the eight but realistically are no chance for the title.
Just on the Canberra Raiders, haven’t they been playing some strong footy in recent times? A drubbing of the Rabbitohs, the win against the Storm; they have crept all the way up to third and have to be taken seriously.
Then there is the Canterbury Bulldogs, and you have to wonder exactly what to make of them. Des Hasler always has his teams primed and ready for September, but whether they can string three or four games of consistency together remains to be seen.
The Queensland duo who contested last year’s grand final – the Brisbane Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys both look on the rocks as well. The Broncos have arrested a massive form slump in recent weeks with wins against the Parramatta Eels and Dragons, although you couldn’t be too sure about anything with wins against them.
The Cowboys rushed Johnathan Thurston back from injury and it hasn’t worked, as they went down to the Sydney Roosters on the weekend. The pressure is well and truly on them.
Then there are the Penrith Panthers, Gold Coast Titans with Jarryd Hayne, the New Zealand Warriors with Shaun Johnson and the Wests Tigers who are all battling to make the eight and while they should cause a surprise, probably won’t win the premiership.
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Roarers, over to you though! Let us know in our poll and the comments below who you think will take out the premiership?
Don’t forget to leave a comment telling us who you think will win in the box below.
MageMat
Guest
Canberra, Melbourne, Cowboys, Maybe Penrith
Officer59
Guest
Anyone other than Cronulla................
Oingo Boingo
Guest
Whoever the NRL wants to be there .
DJ
Guest
Raiders Broncos GF for mine
ChubbzyK97
Guest
Technically the ACT is in NSW
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Anyone in NSW or NZ. Canberra counts as NSW
Damo
Guest
Where's the Melbourne hating? Also,I've lived in Melbourne and noticed that there were no love for those AFL teams outside of Victoria. Same s..t different smell where you live and code you follow. Also if your talking hate, "i hate pies" sounds like a real fun guy to hang out with, i get the feeling he doesn't even enjoy the game calling the game Rugby instead of Rugby League, just wanted to get his hate on. It would be great to see Canberra win, the underdogs...they are also outside of Sydney!
Benedict Arnold
Guest
I will say, this is the time of the year when the contenders are are playing less than stellar because they are having mini preseasons leading up to the semis. The tact is that the training gets tapered off and workload reduced to be fit and fresh coming into the finals. It's no coincidence the sharks and storm have looked ordinary the last few weeks, as well as the cowboys. People are talking up the raiders, quite a bit after the last few weeks and deservedly so but I think we have seen the best they can produce. I don't think they'll peak anymore than what they have right now. Melbourne looked tired on the weekend, so did the sharks, so did the cows. I have heard that the the storm boys are getting flogged during the week, so it's no surprise. I still think the safe money is on storm/sharks/cows. Too much experience in the big games.
Agent11
Guest
I have a feeling its going to be a Raiders vs Broncos GF. The one everyone wanted to see back in 1993!
Agent11
Guest
2009? 2010 was the Dragons, but Storm got docked all their points.
Lachlan Jeffery
Roar Guru
As much as I would sooner see Canberra or Cronulla win, there's no escaping the fact they have two of the best players in the game (Cronk and Smith) with the experience of playing in and winning the big games. They are still trying to win back the other premiership they lost in 2010.
Cugel
Roar Rookie
Melbourne. They just seem to be the most stable when the pressure's on.
Clinen
Guest
Still the Sharks for mine. It's all about timing your run and the Sharks will be raring to go come finals. Storm will be tough to beat though. Raiders to run out of puff (timing their run too early) Bulldogs will stick around for a while, just don't seem likely to win the whole thing. Cows and Broncos look cooked. Sharks vs Storm GF.
I hate pies
Guest
They can't stand the thought of their trophy going to a non-rugby town, because they think the rugby world revolves around them, and shouldn't be any bigger than the city limits of Sydney.
bob johnson
Guest
Yeah what's with all the Melbourne hating?
Baracuda
Guest
Storm, Storm, Storm, Storm, Storm... there's no escaping it...
jamesb
Guest
Ever since Buzz Rothfield's been missing, the code is going well.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
For obvious reasons I tipped the Sharks,but in all seriousness from what I have witness over the last few weeks. Any one of the following could make it on grand final day Storm Sharks Raiders Cowboys Broncos Bulldogs Titans Penrith I have been following rl for nigh on 4 decades,and I cannot remember at anytime witnessing 8 teams at the business end of the season,with the talent on board and the ability ,to win the big dance at year's end . I have seen 4 maybe 5 in the past that had the cattle to do so,but now its 8.If the salary cap is not working,then I didn't type this post. The Roostershad a shocker to start with,yet they could beat any of the 8 on last week's form. The great uncertainty of rl is back on the road again.
John
Guest
Would love to see Titan's win this one, from wooden spoon favourites to premiers wouldn't that be the fairy tale finish? Either that or Sharks.
Mango Jack
Guest
Heart says Sharks, head says Storm