It’s time to kick off my annual NRL ladder predictions and entering its fourth season, they have been fairly successful.
The 2024 season shapes as a tough one to forecast with plenty of players and a few coaches moving around the clubs in the summer months.
Without further ado, the 2024 series begins at the bottom of the table where the Wests Tigers are favourites to end a third straight year of finishing last but one of the biggest names in the game could be handed the unwanted honour.
17. Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers fans have been tortured more than any other fan base over the past decade, and unfortunately for them, their will be no steps forward this season.
They have not reached the finals since 2011, and they have turned to Benji Marshall as a rookie coach to break that drought as soon as possible.
Their fans’ patience ran out many seasons ago and their team has yet to show any signs of improving despite brininging in some high-profile recruits last year.
Api Koroisau took over the captain’s role but he was not able to carry over his success from Penrith. Finishing as wooden spooners after winning back-two-back premierships is a huge turnaround for a player.
They finished with just four wins to their name and suffered defeat 20 times in 2023. Their chances of having a successful season were shattered within the first two months of the season after they lost their opening seven games. When a team begins a campaign like that, they virtually have zero chance of making the finals – they simply must begin the upcoming season by getting some early wins on the board.
Benji Marshall. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
The reason why I don’t see them improving is due to a lack of change. Yes, Luke Brooks has departed, and this might be a positive factor because the halfback was not performing anywhere near his pay rate but one player leaving will not remove the entire problem.
Their gains have not been anything extraordinary, as Aiden Seizer and Jayden Sullivan are their two most high-profile additions.
Due to this, I don’t see much positivity for the Tigers again this season, which is why I’ve predicted them to receive yet another wooden spoon.
16. Gold Coast Titans
There is no reason that is directed at the Titans for why I have them finishing second last. I simply believe this because teams that finished near the Gold Coast’s position in 2023 look to be improving. The Titans are stuck in the mud and show no signs of upgrading their ladder position from 14th.
Their most important gain for 2024 is Keenan Palasia. The losses outweigh the gains, as five players have gone to rival clubs and Patrick Herbert was released. No huge names were removed from the roster but no game-changers were bought into the side either.
Incoming coach Des Hasler faces a massive task to get this team firing.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
There’s no question that the Titans have plenty of talent but they haven’t been able to click. The 2021 season was a successful one when they reached the finals and were a pass away from making the second round. (Apologies for bringing up that game, Titans fans.)
Since then, Gold Coast have gone backwards – they finished 13th and 14th in their past two seasons. Stars like Jayden Campbell and AJ Brimson have shown their potential but that hasn’t translated into consistent success due to injuries or switching in and out of different roles.
Campbell looks set to start the season at fullback with Brimson at centre.
It makes sense to play Campbell in the halves alongside Kieran Foran, who can play five-eighth or halfback. Brimson would then obviously slot into the fullback position. Tanah Boyd cannot compete with Campbell, as Boyd is full of inconsistency and isn’t the man you want with the ball in crucial moments.
KenW
Roar Rookie
After 3 spoons in their 16 year existence, the Steelers fans were given the gift of a team that doesn't win spoons.
criag
Roar Rookie
I'm guessing Dragons fans have graciously rejected the gift of three wooden spoons from the Steelers in the 80s? :)
Nat
Roar Guru
I agree that execution was the main problem last season and that could be a case of trying too hard. If Benji took anything from being under Bennett those few years is that simplicity is key for a young team.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Sorry SM, no amount of stats will convince me that Tigers pack went well last season. And the couple of forwards with some potential to do something this season, Blore & James, they let go to the Storm and Manly? The only stat that counted was their 4 & 20 win / loss results to clinch the spoon. They just beat the Dragons to the spoon, and I suspect these two might be fighting it out again in 2024.
Robbo
Roar Rookie
Wash your mouth out sir. Dragons in the 8
Short Memory
Roar Rookie
the pack are mostly plodders Klemmer, Api, Utoikumanu, Papalii, Bateman. Plodders? 2023 stats say the pack did well. Agree that the Tigers are in the mix for spoon contention. Backline is definitely a work in progress. But Olam was centre of the year a couple of years ago. Charlie Staines scored 4 tries on debut for Penrith and missed most of last season with injury. Tupou is raw but his 23 stats are impressive. Bula is as good as anything Raiders, Dragons and probably Titans have to offer. The big challenge is playmakers to take advantage of the field position the pack is earning them and put these backs through holes and across the line.
Succhi
Roar Rookie
I think the Titans might finish slightly higher. My money is on the two merged teams to finish bottom 2.
Cugel
Roar Rookie
I'm hoping Penriff
Simon
Roar Rookie
I agree, I think the tigers will be doing a bit better this year, but for the titans only time will tell what Des can do with them, but I can’t see them going backwards
Tetley
Roar Rookie
Geez I'm expecting the titans to raise the bar under Des.
Good Grief
Roar Rookie
Really? What 2 agendas?
Albo
Roar Rookie
Just can't see the Tigers scoring enough points not to be in the frame for the spoon ? That is a very ordinary backline and the pack are mostly plodders.
KenW
Roar Rookie
If I'm being honest there already was a first time but the last time was 1938. It's been 85 seasons of a Dragons team without a spoon so I figure we can just say it doesn't happen anymore. :stoked:
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
Those predictions went well. Not exactly “fairly successful”. Reckon the Titans will be somewhere near the bottom of the 8. Mind you there will be a stack of competition between 6th and 14th – with the Eels, Cowboys, Manly & Rabbitohs expected to be back in the frame.
Short Memory
Roar Rookie
I sure hope you're right about the Tigers Nat. They got good field position last year but failed to convert that into points. Sezer won't set the world on fire, but he is a better organiser than Brooks, whose decision making for the past few seasons has been, frankly, abysmal. If Sezer can be a more effective general and Api and Sullivan / Fainu / Galvin / Douehi can create a few more scoring opportunities, they should do better than last season.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Never say never. There’s always a first time . Every club has that opportunity before a season starts. So St.George has as good a chance as anyone else & better than many .
KenW
Roar Rookie
I wasn't keen on either of them due to the turmoil both have wrought over the years. Flanagan's edge would be that he's always been effective - his first stint he took a spoon team to consistent finalists, and then in the 2nd he took a spoon team and won a comp. Where Hasler had a great record early in his career but was basically a passenger at Manly last time around.
KenW
Roar Rookie
Dragons don't get spoons.
Simon
Roar Rookie
I went back through all of your predictions for the 2023 year and based on how far off you were for most of them I will definitely be taking the above with a lot of salt! My humble opinion is both the tigers and titans will do much better than the doggies and dragons ????
Robbo
Roar Rookie
Lost plenty of games by small margins. It will be about the coaching not the players for the mighty Dragons