NRL Crystal Ball: Expert predictions for the 2022 season
Are the Broncos on the way up or set for another year of disappointment? We asked 17 experts for their top eights to see if anyone is predicting finals.
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The 2022 NRL season is almost upon is, which means it’s time for our experts to put their reputations on the line and answer the biggest questions heading into the new year.
Penrith swept aside the competition last year, but have been left behind by the Sydney Roosters for 2022 – with our expects predicting Trent Robinson’s men with reclaim their place at the top of the NRL this year.
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There’s still plenty of love for the Panthers, however, who alongside the Melbourne Storm are the next-best backed team to lift the Provan-Summons Trophy.
But Panthers superstar Nathan Cleary has been favoured to add a personal honour to his growing collection, tipped to pip Manly’s Tom Trbojevic to the Dally M Medal by six of our experts.
The news is less good for the North Queensland Cowboys, who are the overwhelming favourites to land this year’s wooden spoon – with the Wests Tigers also jagging more votes than they’d be happy with.
Phil Rothfield
Premiers: Roosters
Top eight
Roosters
Panthers
Rabbitohs
Storm
Sharks
Eels
Sea Eagles
Titans
Wooden spoon: Cowboys
Dally M Medal: Tom Trbojevic
Ken Irvine Medal (most tries): Alex Johnston (Rabbitohs)
Rookie of the year: Tolutau Koula (Sea Eagles)
Bold prediction: Craig Fitzgibbon wins Dally M coach of the year in his debut season as head coach.
Peter Badel
Premiers: Panthers
Top eight
Panthers
Roosters
Storm
Sea Eagles
Eels
Rabbitohs
Sharks
Broncos
Wooden spoon: Tigers
Dally M Medal: Nathan Cleary (Panthers)
Ken Irvine Medal (most tries): Ryan Papenhuyzen (Storm)
Rookie of the year: Jeremiah Nanai (Cowboys)
Bold prediction: Rookie Maroons coach Billy Slater to bring the Origin shield back to Queensland
Paul Crawley
Premiers: Roosters
Top eight
Roosters
Storm
Panthers
Sea Eagles
Eels
Sharks
Rabbitohs
Dragons
Wooden spoon: Warriors
Dally M Medal: Nathan Cleary (Panthers)
Ken Irvine Medal (most tries): Jason Saab (Sea Eagles)
Rookie of the year: Xavier Savage (Raiders)
Bold prediction: Kalyn Ponga quits Newcastle
Brent Read
Premiers: Storm
Top eight
Eels
Roosters
Storm
Panthers
Sea Eagles
Rabbitohs
Titans
Broncos
Wooden spoon: Tigers
Dally M Medal: Ryan Papenhuyzen (Storm)
Ken Irvine Medal (most tries): Joseph Suaalii (Roosters)
Rookie of the year: Tolutau Koula (Sea Eagles)
Bold prediction: Billy Slater leads Maroons revival — Queensland sweep Origin series
Michael Carayannis
Premiers: Roosters
Top eight
Roosters
Eels
Panthers
Sea Eagles
Storm
Rabbitohs
Sharks
Knights
Wooden spoon: Cowboys
Dally M Medal: Kalyn Ponga (Knights)
Ken Irvine Medal (most tries): Jason Saab (Sea Eagles)
Rookie of the year: Xavier Savage (Raiders)
Bold prediction: Two coaches sacked before the Origin period
Paul Kent
Premiers: Storm
Top eight
Storm
Panthers
Roosters
Rabbitohs
Sea Eagles
Eels
Sharks
Raiders
Wooden spoon: Cowboys
Dally M Medal: Nathan Cleary (Panthers)
Ken Irvine Medal (most tries): Brian To’o (Panthers)
Rookie of the year: Terrell Kalo Kalo (Rabbitohs)
Bold prediction: Queensland defy Brad Fittler’s Blues to win Origin
David Riccio
Premiers: Eels
Top eight
Storm
Eels
Panthers
Roosters
Sea Eagles
Titans
Sharks
Rabbitohs
Wooden spoon: Cowboys
Dally M Medal: Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles)
Ken Irvine Medal (most tries): Xavier Coates (Storm)
Rookie of the year: Izack Tago (Panthers)
Bold prediction: Kalyn Ponga quits Knights.
Jess Yates
Premiers: Eels
Top eight
Eels
Panthers
Storm
Roosters
Rabbitohs
Sharks
Sea Eagles
Titans
Wooden spoon: Tigers
Dally M Medal: Nathan Cleary
Ken Irvine Medal (most tries): Xavier Coates
Rookie of the year: Lachlan Ilias
Bold prediction: NSW to clean sweep Billy Slater and Queensland 3-0 in the Origin series.
Hannah Hollis
Premiers: Storm
Top eight
Storm
Eels
Panthers
Roosters
Sea Eagles
Sharks
Raiders
Titans
Wooden spoon: Tigers
Dally M Medal: Cameron Munster
Ken Irvine Medal (most tries): Xavier Coates
Rookie of the year: Brad Schneider
Bold prediction Every club to finish the 2022 season with the same coach with whom they started. No sackings.
Ben English
Premiers: Sea Eagles
Top eight
Sea Eagles
Eels
Roosters
Panthers
Storm
Rabbitohs
Titans
Sharks
Wooden spoon: Tigers
Dally M Medal: Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles)
Ken Irvine Medal (most tries): Jason Saab (Sea Eagles)
Rookie of the year: Tolutau Koula (Sea Eagles)
Bold prediction: Sea Eagles to avenge the 1982/83 grand final defeats to the Eels to win their first premiership since 2011. Go Desmond!
Cooper Cronk
Premiers: Roosters
Top eight
Roosters
Storm
Eels
Panthers
Sea Eagles
Rabbitohs
Sharks
Knights
Wooden spoon: Warriors
Dally M Medal: Cameron Munster (Storm)
Ken Irvine Medal (most tries): Xavier Coates (Storm)
Rookie of the year: Xavier Savage (Raiders)
Bold prediction The Billy Slater era as Queensland coach will deliver the Maroons a 3-0 Origin series win.
Chris Honnery
Premiers: Sea Eagles
Top eight
Sea Eagles
Panthers
Storm
Rabbitohs
Eels
Roosters
Titans
Broncos
Wooden spoon: Tigers
Dally M Medal: Payne Haas (Broncos)
Ken Irvine Medal: Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles)
Rookie of the Year: Ezra Mam (Broncos)
Bold prediction: Ezra Mam claims Broncos No.6 jersey and helps Broncos to a finals berth
Travis Meyn
Premiers: Storm
Top eight:
Storm
Roosters
Panthers
Eels
Sharks
Rabbitohs
Sea Eagles
Knights
Wooden spoon: Tigers
Dally M Medal: James Tedesco (Roosters)
Ken Irvine Medal (most tries): Xavier Coates (Storm)
Rookie of the year: Xavier Savage (Raiders)
Bold prediction: Broncos improve but miss NRL finals for third straight year.
Nick Walshaw
Premiers: Eels
Top eight:
Eels
Panthers
Roosters
Storm
Rabbitohs
Sea Eagles
Sharks
Dragons
Wooden spoon: Cowboys
Dally M Medal: Nathan Cleary (Panthers)
Ken Irvine Medal (most tries): Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles)
Rookie of the year: Lachlan Ilias (Rabbitohs)
Bold prediction: Eels fans burn down CommBank Stadium, then disappear into the night with Ray Price’s statue, after ending that longest of NRL premiership droughts.
Fatima Kdouh
Premiers: Roosters
Top eight:
Panthers
Eels
Roosters
Rabbitohs
Sea Eagles
Storm
Sharks
Titans
Wooden spoon: Cowboys
Dally M Medal: Nathan Cleary (Panthers)
Ken Irvine Medal (most tries): Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles)
Rookie of the year: Xavier Savage (Raiders)
Bold prediction: Roosters whiz kid Sam Walker to be picked in the halves for the Maroons
James Phelps
Premiers: Panthers
Top eight
Panthers
Roosters
Storm
Sharks
Eels
Rabbitohs
Knights
Bulldogs
Wooden spoon: Cowboys
Dally M Medal: Nathan Cleary (Panthers)
Ken Irvine Medal (most tries): Josh Addo-Carr (Storm
Rookie of the year: Declan Casey (Bulldogs)
Bold prediction: The Bulldogs to storm back into finals, which might be wishful thinking from a long-suffering Doggies fan after their trial form, but I am sticking solid. For now. At least for a round or two anyway …
Dean Ritchie
Premiers: Roosters
Top eight:
Roosters
Eels
Sea Eagles
Panthers
Rabbitohs
Storm
Raiders
Dragons
Wooden spoon: Cowboys
Dally M Medal: Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles)
Ken Irvine Medal (most tries): Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles)
Rookie of the year: Lachlan Ilias (Rabbitohs)
Bold prediction: Buzz will require a second full time makeup artist before appearing on NRL 360 each week
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