The new year is upon us which means that the NRL season is not too far away. It’s time to take a look ahead at what’s to come in 2017. From coaches being fired, to records being broken, and a shift in the face of the game, 2017 is set to be one of the most significant seasons this decade.
Young sides in battle for top prize
2017 will see the old guard change as new heroes of the game come to the fore. The likes of Matt Moylan, Nathan Cleary, Jarrod Croker and Blake Austin will be the stars of the 2017 season with the Panthers and Raiders in ripe contention for the Provan-Summons Trophy.
Anthony Griffin’s side continues to go from strength-to-strength by recruiting Tim Browne, Mitch Rein and James Tamou to complement their plethora of young stars.
Now that Nathan Cleary has adjusted to the rigours of NRL, the mountain men will be in a good position in 2017, especially given Bryce Cartwright will move back to his favoured second row with the return of Kiwi international Te Maire Martin at five-eighth.
Tamou will mix with Cartwright and veteran Trent Merrin to add even more power to the forward pack. Meanwhile, the chocolate soldiers’ backline will be fully fit with Peta Hiku and Dean Whare returning from injury, slotting in alongside Matt Moylan and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.
Ricky Stuart has arguably the strongest roster in the competition with Joey Leilua, Jordan Rapana, Josh Hodgson, Jarrod Croker and many more all calling the nation’s capital home in 2017.
Leilua and Rapana lit up the competition at the back end of 2016, the centre of a strong Green Machine backline also featuring Jack Wighton and Edrick Lee, and supported by halves pairing Blake Austin and Aidan Sezer.
Their forward pack will be even better in 2017 having gained experience in last year’s Four Nations. Shannon Boyd (Australia), Josh Hodgson, Elliott Whitehead (England), Jordan Rapana and Joseph Tapine (New Zealand) all took part in the tournament off the back of a successful 2016 campaign that saw them come 80 minutes shy of a grand final berth.
With Stuart’s squad looking bigger and better than ever, 2017 could mark the beginning of a new dynasty in the capital.
The first Sunday of October may well be contested between two of the NRL’s youngest outfits if Griffin and Stuart can evolve the way the game is played, however don’t be surprised if Craig Bellamy’s Storm are there once again on grand final day.
Sharks, Cowboys to fall
The NRL’s last two premiers the Cronulla Sharks and North Queensland Cowboys could be in for a long 2017.
Both teams have lost players in key positions with the Sharks looking thin at hooker following the retirement of Michael Ennis while Ben Barba has slimmed down their options in the backline.
The Cowboys, on the other hand, have lost both James Tamou and Ben Hannant, leaving a massive gap up front and prompting questions as to whether they have the power to be a reckoning force once again.
Regardless of their lack of depth, the Sharks and Cowboys will still be in the mix for the finals however, they won’t quite look as good as they have in previous years, playing part in a tight tussle for spots at the bottom of the eight.
Roosters to re-gain their crow
The Roosters struggled to settle into the 2016 season, marred by a cocktail of injury, controversy and key player losses.
They will be better for it in 2017 with a number of young guns such as Latrell Mitchell and Connor Watson having made the transition to first-grade football.
Trent Robinson has a host of quality players to choose from, meaning 2017 will likely be the year that the boys from Bondi return to the top eight.
If they can overcome a tough start to the season which sees them drawn against 2016 finalists the Titans, Bulldogs and Panthers, they will be in a favourable position going into the State of Origin period.
The Warriors and Eels will also be looking to return to September football. Despite both boasting strong rosters, they will likely fall short of the top eight, being forced to sit out another year of the playoffs.
Neither side has finished in the top half since they both made grand final appearances from tough circumstances in 2011 and 2009 respectively. No team in the NRL has been absent from the finals as long as these two teams.
Axe to fall on Hasler
The coaching merry-go-round will only continue in 2017 with a number of mentors in the hot seat.
Des Hasler remains in troubled waters at Belmore, and will struggle to get the best out of his Bulldogs in 2017. This will lead to his exit from the Bulldogs, Dean Pay succeeding the man who coached Manly to two premierships.
The Dragons will finish 2017 with the wooden spoon, prompting Paul McGregor to leave out the back door. Hasler will move south to Wollongong where he will take over the helm at the Red V. He will bring a host of changes to the club, overhauling their player roster with 24 players off contract at the end of 2017.
The pair won’t be the only ones who will be fired from their current clubs with Jason Taylor’s Wests Tigers to finish the year in the bottom four. It will lead former Warriors and Panthers head coach Ivan Cleary to Concord, the joint venture’s third coach in five years.
Profound shift in leadership ranks
Club captaincy will be a big talking point at the conclusion of 2017 with many heads to be on the chopping block as coaches look to new blood.
Early in 2017, Darius Boyd, Josh Jackson and Jake Trbojevic will be announced as captains at their respective clubs however, a number of rising stars will take over going into 2018.
Paul Gallen’s role as Sharks captain will be relinquished by Wade Graham while the Wests Tigers will axe Aaron Woods as skipper in favour of Mitchell Moses. Meanwhile, Adam Reynolds will join Greg Inglis as co-captain at Redfern while Joel Thompson and Tyson Frizell will link up for the Dragons in place of Gareth Widdop. Elsewhere, Trent Robinson will make the call to replace Jake Friend with Boyd Cordner while Dane Gagai and Jamie Buhrer will take pressure off the shoulders of Trent Hodkinson at the Knights.
Moylan, Croker to shine
It will be a two-horse race between Matt Moylan and Jason Croker for the Dally M honours in 2016, the pair both looking to steer their respective teams to an historic premiership.
It could be a big year for Croker who needs just 7 tries to surpass Brett Mullins for second most tries at the Raiders. Meanwhile, after scoring 296 points for the green machine in 2016, he will be going after Hazem El Masri’s 342 points in 2004 for most points scored in a season.
El Masri’s records will be chased by a host of other stars with Johnathan Thurston and Cameron Smith set to move past Andrew Johns’ modest tally of 2176 points to sit behind the Bulldogs legend on the highest point scorers list.
Smith is also poised to beat Darren Lockyer’s 355 matches for most NRL appearances in what will be his 16th season in the top grade.
The rookie of the year award will be contested by a host of young guns in 2017. Jayden Brailey will have a convincing case for the gong, given he can beat out Manaia Cherrington and Daniel Mortimer for the Sharks’ starting hooker spot vacated by Michael Ennis.
Kangaroos to remain world champions, minnows to put up a fight
Australia will continue their domination of the Rugby League World Cup by claiming their 11th title with an emphatic win over England in the final at Suncorp Stadium.
The World Cup will mark the year that second and third tier nations step up and contest with the ‘big three’ as the likes of Lebanon field Mitchell Moses and Robbie Farah in upsetting France and pushing Australia and England, while Samoa, Scotland and Tonga will all place serious pressure on New Zealand in the battle for first place in Pool B.
Laurie Daley to put the spotlight on young guns
Shock horror, Queensland will win yet another State of Origin series. However, the series will be used a stepping stone by New South Wales coach Laurie Daley.
The co-captaincy will be awarded to Boyd Cordner and Josh Jackson while James Tedesco, Matt Moylan and the Trbojevic brothers will come into their own.
In addition, rising stars Nathan Cleary and Latrell Mitchell will be introduced into the squad as 18th and 19th throughout the series.
Big change in Super League
St Helens will fight tooth and nail for the premiership with arch rivals Wigan but their battle for supremacy in English rugby league’s premier competition will be overshadowed by international franchises.
The Canadian-based Toronto Wolfpack will blow the League 1 competition out of the water and gain promotion into the Championship, winning the hearts of fans all around the globe.
Meanwhile, the Salford Red Devils will make way for Toulouse Olympique in the Super League introducing a second French team into the first division.
Roarers, what do you think will happen in 2017?
Jacko
Guest
And Taylor blames his halves for not connecting well with his hooker
Renegade
Roar Guru
You're claiming that the refs showed bias towards a team in the GF as FACT.... do you not see how ridiculous that comes across? get a grip of reality. "P.S. I don’t dribble, I only offer facts and offer readers my extensive experience and I always do my research and due diligence before I press that button" Really??.... you're clearly very insecure about your actual knowledge on the sport as you continually try and justify your extensive experience to suggest your comment has more weight than others - from what I've read its quite the opposite apart from when you're talking about Souths.... which no one cares about apart from you anyway.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
hehe
BigJ
Roar Guru
Dogs ain't got anything for 2017 I'll think they fall to 12th this year. It will be fantastic to watch them go splat!!!
BigJ
Roar Guru
Your right the Knights are shooting off in all directions praying that they hit something, can't see them getting above 14th this season
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
You tell me Hats, wasn't my comment, i was hoping you were the ref or knew of an incident that could explain it. I had the pleasure of attending the '14 GF, Fabulous occasion, electric atmosphere. I enjoyed their success, mind you thats how long it took me to get over Manly's semi final loss to your mob in '84. Hopefully the Sea Eagles plunder your stocks again just like the old days...there'd be nothing better on the Roar than 3Hats blowing his whistle off the long run!! Cheers mate
Jacko
Guest
The reason a 4 gamer is a losss is because the Dragons put all their eggs in his basket. Now the lot are broken
bearfax
Guest
Souths are a good side. Last year they seemed to lack direction. More of the same will see them out of the 8. The big game changer for them I believe will be Farah. If he can do what Ennis did for the Sharks, then they'll be in the 8
3_Hats SSTID 2014
Roar Rookie
Yes, Jason, the Refs do enforce the rules more stringently in the Juniors but my comment was directed more towards the Men. If you were in the U11s what has that got to do with is a Ref supporting any one particular club? Which club do you and your father support? In first grade in the 80s, Manly, Parramatta, St George and Canterbury always seemed to get the rub of the green the most. Souths didn't get many favours at all from the Refs in any era. but it is true that most of the better teams always seemed to get the rub of the green. In the games that I officiated in, there were probably way more upsets as I didn't go with the flow as the other refs did. I believed in refereeing on what I saw on the day whether they were running first or last on the ladder.
3_Hats SSTID 2014
Roar Rookie
Thanks, Max, I have been copping it from many other Roarers on here. I am probably a bit pro-Souths but at least I let others know exactly where my loyalties lie. I don't try to hide from it. I am proud of my heritage. My club and its members and true fans have gone through hell over the last 40 years. It is a shame that too many non-Souths fans are jealous of our 2014 effort and the pitiful thing is they believe that Souths didn't deserve it, which is rubbish. It is a shame that many fans pre-judge a club because of 1 bad year through all those injuries. Before that was Top 4.
Adam
Guest
Dragons won't finish with the spoon, they won 10 games last year and have recruited well. Knights are a basket case and are in a battle with Sea Eagles for the spoon. Also don't see how a 4 game player is a big loss. Roar always good for a laugh
3_Hats SSTID 2014
Roar Rookie
No one seems to give the Rabbitohs any chance at all. We will have to just fly under the radar. It is curious as Souths have a well-balanced team. It is extraordinary to think that many think the Roosters will make the Top 4 after finishing second last yet has bought basically only other clubs rejects. I can't wait to play them in Round 4.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
Haha - who throws a pass forward from dummy half...honestly!! Mate, I remember as an 11 year old in the early 80s getting pinged for inside the five at first receiver. Our coach blew up from the sideline and I'll always remember he accused the ref of supporting Souths, I'm still to understand the significance. I recall the transition from 5 to 10m - preparation involved the most taxing off-season I ever battled through. I suspect the refs were lax because they couldn't KEEP UP!!
3_Hats SSTID 2014
Roar Rookie
I can see the Tigers in the Bottom 4, that is all
3_Hats SSTID 2014
Roar Rookie
I am an older bloke in my day capital letters were used to highlight a subject. Maybe I will use this BOLD type. It was not used as swearing or being outraged or being arrogant. The problem with people today is they are uneducated and soft and fickle and they always believe that their opinion is correct and everyone else is WRONG. There you go Andrew, I highlighted again. P.S. the Panthers have no hope! Walker will make minced meat out of Cleary.
kk
Roar Pro
Most appreciated 3Hats and really enjoy your insight off all matters Rugby League. I have taken the liberty of copying your informative post for future reference. From memory that 2/92 was a night game at Allianz. My Souths crazy relatives went bonkers. I had to admit it was one of the most exciting games ever. It costs north of $10M to put a Rugby League team on the paddock and I get distressed when referees seem to award soft penalties simply because they can.
3_Hats SSTID 2014
Roar Rookie
Well, Renegade, I have been looking up your History and as a so-called guru who has written 25 articles and read 66,642 articles yet only commented on 3,551 of those I would expect you to have more restraint By the way, how the hell are you a Guru anyway? You are rude and have belittled me on no less than 5 occasions now. I will write a letter to the editor and see if he can bring you into line! P.S. I don't dribble, I only offer facts and offer readers my extensive experience and I always do my research and due diligence before I press that button Add Comment. I suggest you do the same!
3_Hats SSTID 2014
Roar Rookie
I did referee at the end of the 5m Rule but I don't recall ever penalising players. I always used to remind the players before and during games and if they came close to that mark to remind them again. I always tried to allow the game to flow. At the beginning of the 10m rule, even though that rule wasn't changed straight away it was generally agreed upon to not enforce that particular Law. I will tell you this, though, there weren't any missed forward passes from dummy half.
3_Hats SSTID 2014
Roar Rookie
If you like Max I will but I don't get to see every game but there has been plenty of poor performances by the Refs in 2015 and 2016. I have had that same view many times watching games. When I watch games even involving Souths I always have a neutral view on the Refs performance and judge it accordingly.even if Souths play Hated Enemies such as the Rorts or the silver spooners. What I look for is a consistent approach, you can't always notice it watching it on TV but many times a Ref will get one team back a flat 10 but get their opposition back 12 or 13m. This happens regularly. Another one is I count the time the refs allow a team to lie on a tackled player. Some clubs get plenty of latitudes while they are quick to Penalise others, in the same game! An example the Broncos and Titans Semi Final, the Titans were ripped off against the Broncos and also I think the same thing happened to the Dogs against the Panthers. Anyone who says Referees do not favour certain clubs lives in fairyland. They all do. There are stats on how teams go under certain Refs. I also think that the Sharks were allowed far too many luxuries playing against the Raiders as well. My biggest gripe is when a Referee Penalises a team for a certain breach then totally ignores the rules when the opposition team does exactly the same thing... And in the same game! 10m, jumping early, holding down in tackles, forward passes out of dummy half and markers not being square are the main issues. The Bulldogs are the best of getting away with their markers not being square. I remember one particular game when Souths scored 2 trys in 92 seconds to beat the Roosters. On 5 occasions out of 7 Souths were pulled up for forward passes out of dummy half. The Roosters were pulled up only once out of 9 occasions.
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
Did you ever penalise the attacking side for inside the five?