Where will your team rank at the end of the 2016 NRL premiership season?

IT’S almost impossible to go back-to-back in the NRL nowadays and 2016 is shaping up as no different, writes Paul Crawley. There are 13 teams a realistic hope of making the eight.

Paul Crawley

5 min read

December 21, 2015 - 1:31PM

NRL

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IT is shaping up as one of the closest competitions in NRL history, with an incredible 13 teams realistic hopes of making the top eight in 2016.

While the Brisbane Broncos charge into the Christmas break as the shortest priced pre-season premiership favourite since Manly in 2010, the one guarantee is that this is no one horse race.

What will be considered success or failure for your team next year?

Daily Telegraph senior league reporter Paul Crawley says the odds are stacked against North Queensland Cowboys to go back-to-back while Titans fans need to brace themselves.

Here Paul gives his predictions for season 2016.

Find out where he thinks your club will finish and then have your say in the comments below.

BRONCOS

Predicted finish: 1st

The old saying goes you have to lose a grand final to win one, and the bookies are sticking to that theory.

Not since Manly in 2010 has a team gone into the new year at shorter odds and the likely nclusion of James Roberts will complete Wayne Bennett’s red-hot roster.

In 2015 Bennett’s job was to make Brisbane believe again and they came up agonisingly short in a grand final golden point thriller. In 2016 they are the team to beat, but Origin could be their undoing.

The Roosters will again be a threat in 2016. Roosters hard man Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.

ROOSTERS

Predicted finish: 2nd

Were the best team this year right up until they lost Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Mitchell Pearce. Go into the new year deservedly as the bookies second favourite.

Still, the loss of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and James Maloney leaves behind two big questions marks.

Jackson Hastings will fill the void left by Maloney, but time will tell if Blake Ferguson has the stamina to handle the extra workload that comes with wearing the No 1 jumper.

If he does, look out.

STORM

Predicted finish: 3rd

Plenty didn’t have them in the eight last year and they made the top four without Billy Slater. Have a very good pack led by Jesse Bromwich, some exciting backs and absolute superstars in key positions.

Craig Bellamy has indicted it could be his last season and he will make that call before the season starts.

Either way, something tells me this could be another strong year for Melbourne if they get through Origin unscathed.

SEA EAGLES

Predicted finish: 4th

The best backline in the comp bar none and the inclusion of Nate Myles and Martin Taupau among others give them more power in the middle.

While everyone keeps talking about young Tom Trbojevic as the game’s next big thing, his brother Jake showed this year he is also destined to be wearing a NSW jumper in the very near future.

The TAB has them equal fifth in betting.

“Manly are actually our worse result at the moment and have been backed in from $15,” TAB’s Matt Jenkins said.

SHARKS

Predicted finish: 5th

They are 10th in betting and paying $17 to win the comp. That’s about as good a bet as there is.

Have a tough pack and exciting backs.

Valentine Holmes will star in his new role wearing the No 1 jumper and the inclusion of James Maloney and Chad Townsend give Cronulla a quality set of halves.

Wade Graham is ready for Origin.

COWBOYS

Predicted finish: 6th

The record for reigning NRL premiers speaks for itself. No team since Brisbane in 1992-93 has won back to back comps.

And no team relies on their star player as much as the Cowboys do Johnathan Thurston.

If Thurston stays healthy, they are a top four team again and will

challenge for the title.

If he goes down for any period of time they would struggle to make the eight.

RABBITOHS

Predicted finish: 7th

It could go either way for Souths in 2016. Boom or bust.

Equal with the Bulldogs and Manly on the fifth line of betting but Dylan Walker’s exit has left them skinny in the backs — and that’s not even mentioning Issac Luke and Chris McQueen are also gone.

No doubt Sam Burgess will make a huge impact and a fit Greg Inglis will be the key.

Trent Hodkinson is a huge buy for Newcastle. Picture: Peter Lorimer.

BULLDOGS

Predicted finish: 8th

A Des Hasler coached team hasn’t missed the finals since 2004. That’s enough to get them a spot here. The departure of Trent Hodkinson means young Moses Mbye has mounting pressure on him. Always hard to beat, probably don’t have the strike power of some of the better rosters but never write them off.

RAIDERS

Predicted finish: 9th

Were unlucky not to make the eight this year. Played some of the best attacking football in the game but have to improve their defence significantly. If they do find room for them in the eight.

A good young side with a giant pack and plenty of strike.

The new combination of Blake Austin and Aidan Sezer in the halves should be exciting to watch.

WARRIORS

Predicted finish: 10th

No more excuses for this mob, not after adding Tuivasa-Sheck and Issac Luke to a roster that also includes Shaun Johnson.

Have the talent to finish top four and that’s where they are placed in the betting market.

But the travel is always one of their toughest challenges, and there is massive pressure on their coach Andrew McFadden after the Warriors bowed out this season losing their last eight games.

Could finish anywhere from second to 13th.

DRAGONS

Predicted finish: 11th

The TAB has the Dragons 13th in the betting market yet they made the eight this year.

Don’t let them tell you that doesn’t fire them up.

Russell Packer will give them added respect upfront and their depth is far better than it was this year.

Wouldn’t be surprised if they finish better than we have them here but, again, you can’t have them all playing finals football.

Manly made some huge off-season buys. Martin Taupau will add much-needed grunt upfront. Picture: Gregg Porteous

EELS

Predicted finish: 12th

Plenty of expectation at the Eels next year. They have spent up big and Kieran Foran will carry a lot of it on his shoulders. Beau Scott is another key with his experience sure to give their young forwards much needed guidance.

But they still lack the overall depth of the premiership heavyweights.

Need to stay at full strength to push for the finals.

PANTHERS

Predicted finish: 13th

Had no luck this year with so many injuries limiting the amount of footy their key playmakers Jamie Soward and Peter Wallace played together along with Matt Moylan. Have bought smart and boast some exciting young talent ready to make their mark in the NRL. Could surprise like they did in 2014.

KNIGHTS

Predicted finish: 14th

Last year’s wooden spooners who have it all ahead of them. Just don’t have the depth or experience overall but plenty of people underestimate some of the young unknowns in this squad.

Names like Danny Levi and Joe Tapine will be stars of the future.

Trent Hodkinson’s partnership with Jarrod Mullen will also prove crucial.

Not without a chance of fighting to be closer to the eight if injuries and luck go their way through the year.

TIGERS

Predicted finish: 15th

Have a talented young side but again don’t have the experience to match the better teams.

The club would like us to believe everything has settled down between Robbie Farah and Jason Taylor for now.

But let’s wait and see how that pans out once the season starts and the pressure builds.

They still don’t have the depth in the forwards.

TITANS

Predicted finish: 16th

Unfortunately one side has to come last and the Titans are the popular pick to do that.

They don’t have the money to compete with the best teams when it comes to buying players and losing Sezer, Myles and now Roberts is a huge blow. Their challenge is to fight their way as far up from the bottom of the ladder as they can.