General 2022 Ladder Predictions

[Ever Hopeful]

Think you’re underselling a couple of them.
Sami and brimsom were both carry injuries all last year- both gun plays- apparently Sami has been killing it at preseason and is back to full speed- I reckon those two will surprise u and moe is a very good prop but otherwise a pretty fair assessment.
I’m backing them to make the 8 because of Holbrook- I think he’s a great coach.

You'd have to think Campbell still has the odds stacked against him on size alone.

 

[Defence]

You'd have to think Campbell still has the odds stacked against him on size alone.

I was shocked they played him in first grade last year for that reason.
He’s a rare talent tho- I’d take those odds.

 

[Mr Brownstone]

My Analysis of Gold Coast's Round one starting line up as posted in sporting news

GOLD COAST TITANS​

1. Jayden Campbell - He is awesome
2. Corey Thompson
3. Patrick Herbert - worst centre in the NRL
4. Brian Kelly - Pretty poor centre but he is experienced so makes few errors
5. Phillip Sami - Both Titans wings are in the bottom quartile or even bottom decile
6. AJ Brimson - Will be a poor mans Ash Taylor
7. Toby Sexton - Real Good
8. Isaac Liu - Big signing
9. Erin Clark - Should have kept Mitch Rein
10. Moeaki Fotuaika - Budget prop
11. Kevin Proctor - Flatters to deceive. Doesn't give away many penalties but when he does they are at crucial back breaking moments.
12. David Fifita -Best second rower in the NRL maybe
13. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui Best lock in the NRL maybe at least the best up and coming lock anyway

14. Tanah Boyd - useless
15. Jarrod Wallace - Not worth writing home about
16. Sam Lisone - Playing well for Titans
17. Jaimin Jolliffe

How did these kents beat us by 40 points in round 25?
2022 gains: Isaac Liu (Roosters), Paul Turner (Warriors), Aaron Booth (Storm), Will Smith (Eels)

2022 losses: Jai Whitbread, Sam Stone (both Centurions), Tyrone Peachey (Wests Tigers), Jamal Fogarty (Raiders), Ash Taylor (Warriors), Mitch Rein (Eels), Jonus Pearson (unsigned)

Titans team news​

Jayden Campbell is expected to start the season at fullback, with AJ Brimson moving to the halves alongside Toby Sexton.

Geez not too sure about a lot of that, however think we might reach a similar conclusion. If their wingers are bottom decile then I hate to think where you rank ours! Fotuaika a budget prop… I think he’s quality. However that spine worries me a lot - Sexton very inexperienced and unproven, Campbell clearly has potential but also very inexperienced, Clark likewise but probably a low ceiling & Brimson is a very good player but again largely unproven in the halves. I’m also concerned that big Tino is a bit overrated, don’t think he delivered on expectations last year however again very young. Agree on Fifita & think he’s being unfairly targeted by the media on his inconsistency. But overall I’m worried about the Titans in 2022, think they might struggle.

 

[Wrighty]

Think you’re underselling a couple of them.
Sami and brimsom were both carry injuries all last year- both gun plays- apparently Sami has been killing it at preseason and is back to full speed- I reckon those two will surprise u and moe is a very good prop but otherwise a pretty fair assessment.
I’m backing them to make the 8 because of Holbrook- I think he’s a great coach.

Has Brimson played standoff in Age group / juniors? Genuine question?
Yes agree Holbrook is a top coach probably just below the super coaches Bellamy etc in the rankings of the coaches.

 

[Worried2Death]

round one St George predicted team according to sporting news round one:

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS​

1. Tyrell Sloan
2. Cody Ramsey
3. Moses Suli
4. Zac Lomax
5. Mikaele Ravalawa
6. Talatau Amone
7. Ben Hunt
8. Blake Lawrie
9. Andrew McCullough
10. Jack de Belin
11. Jaydn Su’A
12. Tariq Sims
13. Jack Bird

14. Moses Mbye
15. Francis Molo
16. Aaron Woods
17. Tyrell Fuimaono

2022 gains: Jaydn Su’A (Rabbitohs), Francis Molo (Cowboys), George Burgess (Wigan), Moses Mbye (Tigers), Moses Suli (Sea Eagles), Aaron Woods (Sharks), Jack Gosiewski (Sea Eagles), Tautau Moga (Rabbitohs)

A few guns in that team, some good signings. The Hunt/Johnson battle will be interesting. Should be a tight one.

 

[Jaffa J]

Has Brimson played standoff in Age group / juniors? Genuine question?
Yes agree Holbrook is a top coach probably just below the super coaches Bellamy etc in the rankings of the coaches.

He did in the lower grades and debuted in the halves before being shifted

 

[Defence]

Has Brimson played standoff in Age group / juniors? Genuine question?
Yes agree Holbrook is a top coach probably just below the super coaches Bellamy etc in the rankings of the coaches.

Played a lot of 5/8 in the age grades and actually started his first grade career as a 5/8 including one game where he absolutely killed us.
I’d actually say he was a natural 5/8 who was converted to fullback- not the other way around so I don’t think it’ll be an issue.

Edit: Jaffa J beat me to it.

 

[Wrighty]

Geez not too sure about a lot of that, however think we might reach a similar conclusion. If their wingers are bottom decile then I hate to think where you rank ours! Fotuaika a budget prop… I think he’s quality. However that spine worries me a lot - Sexton very inexperienced and unproven, Campbell clearly has potential but also very inexperienced, Clark likewise but probably a low ceiling & Brimson is a very good player but again largely unproven in the halves. I’m also concerned that big Tino is a bit overrated, don’t think he delivered on expectations last year however again very young. Agree on Fifita & think he’s being unfairly targeted by the media on his inconsistency. But overall I’m worried about the Titans in 2022, think they might struggle.

Great analysis...
Titans Wings didn't do great shakes last year- here is Wrighty's ranking of the wings as published in the starting line ups of the sporting news for 2022 for round one

I am going to make this objective by ranking them by number of tries scored last year in 2021. This rewards wings who had more appearances but so be it as getting selected and not getting injured means you are a better contributor.

Ranking	Team Wingers/2021 tries	Total 2021 Tries
1​	Manly Garrick 23 tries and Saab 26 tries	49​
2​	Souths Alex Johnston 30 tries Jaxson Paulo 9 tries	39​
3​	Panthers To’o 15 tries 14 tries Staines	29​
4​	Bulldogs Okunbur 5 tries and Addo Carr 23 tries	28​
5​	Tigers Nofoaluma 13 tries Ken LOL Maumalo 15 tries (how did that happen)	28​
6​	Cowboys Taualagi 10 tries Feldt -12 tries	22​
7​	Storm Xavier Coates 11 tries Nick Meaney 10 tries	21​
8​	Dragons Cody Ramsay 6 tries Ravalawa 14 tries	20​
9​	Sharks Sione Katoa 9 tries Mulitato 10 tries	19​
10​	Knights Tuala 13 tries and Hymel Hunt 4 tries	17​
11​	Roosters Suaali (listed at wing) 1 try Tupou 15 tries	16​
12​	Canberra Rapana 12 tries Cotric 3 tries	15​
Bottom Quartile
13​	Gold Coast Titans Sami 6 tries and Corey Thompson 8 tries	14​
14​	Warriors (adjusted to their round three starters) Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 9 tries and Montoya 5 tries	14​
15​	Eels Hayze Dunster 3 tries Bailey Simonnson 6 tries	9​
16​	Broncos Cobbo 2 tries and Corey Oates 4 tries	6​

 

[Wrighty]

Played a lot of 5/8 in the age grades and actually started his first grade career as a 5/8 including one game where he absolutely killed us.
I’d actually say he was a natural 5/8 who was converted to fullback- not the other way around so I don’t think it’ll be an issue.

Edit: Jaffa J beat me to it.

Jaffa J and @ Defence

Thanks for that lads. Will be interesting to see how he goes there. Sounds like his natural position. Maybe they had that in mind when they let Fogarty go.

 

[Wrighty]

A few guns in that team, some good signings. The Hunt/Johnson battle will be interesting. Should be a tight one.

St George $1.40 odds and Warriors $2.25 odds if I were setting them at the TAB.

 

[Defence]

Jaffa J and @ Defence

Thanks for that lads. Will be interesting to see how he goes there. Sounds like his natural position. Maybe they had that in mind when they let Fogarty go.

Definitely did, plus there's high hopes for sexton.
another guy id mention that I just noticed wasn't named in that line up is beau fermor- good footballer- very strong and I'm told one of the quickest at the club- I wont be surprised if he plays rep footy in the future.

 

[Wrighty]

Definitely did, plus there's high hopes for sexton.
another guy id mention that I just noticed wasn't named in that line up is beau fermor- good footballer- very strong and I'm told one of the quickest at the club- I wont be surprised if he plays rep footy in the future.

I have always liked the Titans.
Titans, Bulldogs, Tigers and Warriors all get shitty dud calls from the refs because the refs, in my opinion, pick on cellar dweller teams. Titans and Titans fans take their crap calls on the chin and just get on with it. They play an expansive brand of rugby league and they seem like a team that works hard to get their wins.
If the decision to let Fogarty go proves astute then they are genisues. Sometimes you gotta gamble and he who dares wins.
I guess you could rather rudimentarily say they exchanged Fogarty for Liu and if so that is smart. They needed to toughen up their front row,

2022 gains​

Isaac Liu (Roosters), Paul Turner (Warriors), Aaron Booth (Storm), Will Smith (Eels).

2022 losses​

Jai Whitbread (Centurions), Sam Stone (Centurions), Tyrone Peachey (Wests Tigers), Jamal Fogarty (Raiders), Ash Taylor (Warriors), Mitch Rein (released), Jonus Pearson (released), Anthony Don (retired).

From that list Mitch Rein loss will hurt them as I liked him a lot.

Do you have knowledge or thoughts of why they let him go Defence or your thoughts on how they will go without him.

 

[Jaffa J]

From that list Mitch Rein loss will hurt them as I liked him a lot.

Do you have knowledge or thoughts of why they let him go Defence or your thoughts on how they will go without him.

They've been training Tanah Boyd at hooker and signed Aaron Booth they might view both as better replacements

 

[BA-AD Luck]

1. Sea Eagles
2. Panthers
3. Roosters
4. Storm
5. Warriors
6. Eels
7. Sharks
8. Broncos
9. Raiders
10. Rabbitohs
11. Bulldogs
12. Tigers
13. Knights
14. Dragons
15. Titans
16. Cowboys

 

[Defence]

From that list Mitch Rein loss will hurt them as I liked him a lot.
Do you have knowledge or thoughts of why they let him go Defence or your thoughts on how they will go without him.

I heard one of the titans hierarchy talking about that on the radio at the time because rein was a very popular player- they had a petition going to keep him and everything but he basically said with the balance of the squad they couldn’t keep both him and Erin Clark and they just felt Clark was a better fit- I think they’re planning to use him the way the storm do Brandon smith.
I think he’d be fantastic in that role- he’s built like a tank now- skillful, aggressive- actually I always liked him as a player- wasn’t silky enough to nail down a spot in the halves but always thought there was good utility value there.
Apparently tannah Boyd has been a stand out at preseason so that will likely be their dummy half rotation.
My bro coaches Holbrooks kids (he’s got twin boys) and I’ve seen him chatting to Cameron smith a couple of times down at the fields- would be interesting to know if he’s picked his brains on the subject.

 

[Wrighty]

I heard one of the titans hierarchy talking about that on the radio at the time because rein was a very popular player- they had a petition going to keep him and everything but he basically said with the balance of the squad they couldn’t keep both him and Erin Clark and they just felt Clark was a better fit- I think they’re planning to use him the way the storm do Brandon smith.
I think he’d be fantastic in that role- he’s built like a tank now- skillful, aggressive- actually I always liked him as a player- wasn’t silky enough to nail down a spot in the halves but always thought there was good utility value there.
Apparently tannah Boyd has been a stand out at preseason so that will likely be their dummy half rotation.
My bro coaches Holbrooks kids (he’s got twin boys) and I’ve seen him chatting to Cameron smith a couple of times down at the fields- would be interesting to know if he’s picked his brains on the subject.

Mitch Rein >>> Erin Clark
Here is Rein's highlight package. Clarke doesnt have a highlight package yet,

 

[the borg]

problem is we're a bit undermanned to start the season- no lodge, harris or walsh- 3 key players.

Yep.. that's why Aitken needs to go back to the centres not enough experience out back.. besides we have enough forward cover unless injuries occur in the trial games...

 

[AlexM]

Mitch Rein >>> Erin Clark
Here is Rein's highlight package. Clarke doesnt have a highlight package yet,

And we all know
Highlights package = Amazing player

....
I do get your point though
But a lot of that has to do with Fan Perception as well. They're the ones who make the packages usually.

 

[Defence]

Mitch Rein >>> Erin Clark
Here is Rein's highlight package. Clarke doesnt have a highlight package yet,

Haha that’s because rein is 30 odd, maybe Clark will have his own one in 10 years time too 😁
Reins had a good career but it’s a young man’s game mate.
The average age of an nrl player last year was 24.

 

[Tonbridge (Swanley)]

someone, not me, should accumulate the predictions for a most popular ladder.....