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Opinion
With the start of the NRL season looming, I can’t help but wonder how the league will be shaping up come September.
And with teams such as the Broncos, Sharks and Bulldogs landing some massive signings, 2022 should be much less lopsided than the last few seasons.
In light of that, here are my predictions for this year’s ladder.
16th – Wests Tigers
Unfortunately, someone needs to take the wooden spoon every year – and the Wests Tigers are most definitely front-runners for the bottom of the ladder.
After finishing in the bottom four last season, they’ll be aiming to start this campaign well, but will struggle to do so with the absence of powerhouse Adam Doueihi and hooker Jacob Liddle, as well as their young guns Shawn Blore, Asu Kepaoa and Tommy Talau.
With coach Michael Maguire sitting high on the pressure gauge and their season set to start with an absence of personnel, I can’t see Wests breaking their 11-year finals drought. Sorry, Tigers fans.
(Photo by Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
15th – North Queensland Cowboys
With the recruitment of the 2016 premiership-winning halfback Chad Townsend to join young speedster Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and veteran lock Jason Taumalolo, the Cowboys should be able to notch up a few wins this season.
However, their lack of an established spine combination could prove to be the back-breaker for them. They’ll finish 15th, just as they did last year.
14th – Newcastle Knights
Any team with Kalyn Ponga is destined to win games. But with their hooker Jayden Brailey out with a torn achilles for up to the next five months and a combined total of just 80 first-grade games between their halves – none of which have been played with each other – there are going to be problems.
Despite these issues, a relatively solid forward pack should keep them clear of the wooden spoon.
13th – Brisbane Broncos
A shopping spree has seen the likes of legendary halfback Adam Reynolds and 2022 premiership-winning back-rower Kurt Capewell touch down in Brisbane, equipping the Broncos with masses of much-needed experience.
With Patrick Carrigan returning from his ruptured ACL to rejoin Payne Haas in the forwards and a back line boasting the young talents of Kotoni Staggs, Herbie Farnworth and Selwyn Cobbo, it should be a decent season, although I can’t see them pushing for the top eight.
12th – Canterbury Bulldogs
As multiple newcomers such as Josh Addo-Carr, Matt Burton and Matt Dufty have landed in Canterbury, the Dogs are set to climb up the ladder in the coming years.
With the return of Phil Gould to Belmore, the sky’s the limit for the future of this massive Sydney club as they revitalise their systems both on and off the field.
In saying that, the players will take time to gel, so it won’t all fall into place in an instant. However, they will most definitely improve on last season.
(Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
11th – Canberra Raiders
Following their sudden drop out of the top eight in the 2021 season, it was evident that something had to change in Canberra.
They filled the halfback-shaped hole in their squad with the signing of Jamal Fogarty from the Titans, but after suffering a torn meniscus in the off-season and being set to miss up to three months of footy, it could be a rocky start for the green machine.
Despite boasting a quality team on paper with the likes of 2019 Dally M medallist Jack Wighton and superstar fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad set to return after neck surgery, the Raiders haven’t given us much of a reason to believe that they will perform to their potential.
Unless they change this, they’ll miss out on finals footy.
10th – New Zealand Warriors
The king is back – Shaun Johnson has returned to the New Zealand Warriors, the club he debuted with in 2011.
With young gun Reece Walsh at fullback and a monster forward pack with Addin Fonua-Blake, they are looking set for action this year.
However, with their captain Tohu Harris injured until May and uncertainty about who will partner Shaun Johnson in the halves, it could potentially be a rocky start to the season for the Warriors.
Despite this, they should be able to improve on last year’s 12th-place finish.
9th – St George Illawarra Dragons
After winning their first Charity Shield match in ten years, the Dragons will be looking to build upon their pre-season victory with a consistent season of footy.
With one of the most dangerous young trios in the league consisting of Jayden Sullivan, Tyrell Sloan and Talatau Amone linking up with veteran halfback Ben Hunt, they are shaping up to be a formidable force and are likely to achieve beyond what many believe they are capable of.
In terms of big men, they have bolstered up their forward pack with the signatures of Jaydn Su’A, George Burgess and Francis Molo joining NSW Blues representative Tariq Sims and prop Blake Lawrie, who is still searching for his first NRL try.
In his ninth year of coaching as an NRL head coach, Anthony Griffin should lead them far, although I’m not sold on them making the eight.
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
8th – Gold Coast Titans
Following the departure of Mitch Rein, Ash Taylor and Jamal Fogarty, the Titans are set to shape up with a new-look spine for the 2022 season.
With AJ Brimson moving into the halves and young stars Toby Sexton and Jayden Campbell occupying the seven and one respectively, it’s easy to imagine that they will put together some scintillating attacking footy this season.
As their forward pack now boasts the fifth-youngest captain of all time in Tino Fa’asuamaleaui as well as the top try scorer of any forward in 2021 with David Fifita, there’s no reason that they can’t clinch a finals spot just as they did last season.
7th – Cronulla Sharks
After splashing the cash on big names including Nicho Hynes, Dale Finucane and Cameron McInnes as well as the recruitment of Craig Fitzgibbon at the helm, Cronulla have high hopes heading into 2022.
Narrowly missing out on finals footy last year, the men from the shire will be aiming to go one step further and secure their spot in the eight, and I’m sure they will do exactly that.
6th – South Sydney Rabbitohs
The departure of both their coach and halfback would hurt absolutely any club – but when it’s Wayne Bennett and Adam Reynolds, those scars run even deeper.
However, Souths still boast two of the most potent attacking players in the competition in Cody Walker and Latrell Mitchell, and led by their new captain Cameron Murray, they will still play to a high standard this year.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
5th – Manly Sea Eagles
Following a record-breaking season from the generational talent that is Tom Trbojevic, Manly will be looking forward to another year of brilliant attacking footy.
With their captain and Queensland Origin halfback and Daly Cherry-Evans working with super coach Des Hasler, the Sea Eagles have the pieces in place for another great year.
However, I can’t quite see them finding a spot in the top four.
4th – Parramatta Eels
As their premiership window seemingly closes after this year with the departure of key players such as Reed Mahoney and Isaiah Papali’i, Parramatta will be aiming to end their 36-year premiership drought – the longest of any active NRL club.
After bowing out in controversial fashion in a semi-final game against Penrith last year, the time is now for their new co-captain partnership of Clint Gutherson and Junior Paulo to step up and lead the blue-and-golds all the way.
Behind such leadership, they should edge their way into the top four.
3rd – Melbourne Storm
New year, same Melbourne Storm.
They’re the one club that never seems to fall out of touch with the top of the table, no matter how many players they may lose.
Leading into the 2022 season with their usual superstars of Ryan Papenhuyzen, Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes, it’s looking like they’ll put on another year of dominance.
The only headache remaining is about who should start at hooker – Brandon Smith or Harry Grant?
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
2nd – Sydney Roosters
After defying all odds to make it to last year’s semi-finals through their plague of injuries, the battle-hardened Chookies have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with as their big names are back heading into 2022.
The return of Luke Keary in the halves to partner the reigning rookie of the year Sam Walker as well as NSW Blues fullback James Tedesco could prove to be the most lethal of attacking combinations this year, and they’ll definitely make a push for the minor premiership.
1st – Penrith Panthers
As a surprise to nobody, I’m tipping the Panthers to back up their premiership-winning season with another spectacular year of footy and take out their second minor premiership in the last three years.
With the usual stars of Nathan Cleary, Jarome Luai and Apisai Koroisau shaping the game and three of the competition’s most dynamic forwards in James Fisher-Harris, Isaah Yeo and Viliame Kikau controlling the engine room, there’s no reason that Penrith can’t go all the way once again in 2022.
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