2016 #NRL Predictions - let's throw some darts...

NRL PREDICTIONS 2016
National Rugby League Premiership
By W D Nicolson - February 29, 2016
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Not long now!#HistoryHappens #NRL
Posted by NRL - National Rugby League on Sunday, February 28, 2016

The NRL Tweet's picks for the upcoming NRL season.

Last year I had the Roosters v Cowboys in the GF - but had the Chooks winning, so while I wasn't way off - I didn't get the Premiers right.

But hey I wasn't alone.

So here's my effort for 2016... keep the hate mail to a minimum please.

1. North Queensland
• They've got JT, Morgan and a pack to behold - plus I expect Townsville to be a fortress all year.
2. Brisbane
• Hard to believe they'll go backwards - Roberts could score 22+ tries outside Hunt/Milford.
3. Melbourne
• Haven't written off the Big 3 yet despite their advancing age - and won't start now.
4. Easts
• Trent Robinson demands so much from his men and yeah the personnel losses suck, but there's enough here still to be a force. 
5. Canberra
• They've got some great depth this season... but they've now got quality in a lot of positions so they get back in the frame this year. 
6. Cronulla
• Very nearly left them out but Maloney is a great pickup and that veteran forward pack has the kind of 'you won't beat us' mentality coaches crave. 
7. Warriors
• I'm not convinced at all... but if that forward unit shows up enough times - RTS, SJ and Luke make this a fantastic team to watch. 
8. Manly
• Too many good recruits (and maybe too many) but how they mesh is always the question - do like them for a spot in the Top 8 even though I've only got them at 8th.
9. Penrith
• Moylan plays most games and they are in the race up to their eyeballs... horrendous 2015 road record (2-10) didn't help last time out. 
10. Canterbury
• Dogs fans have every right to hate this fall but hey look at #11 - it could be worse. Mbye-Reynolds worries me as does BMoz's injury. Sorry Canterbury fans. 
11. Souths
• See above Souths fans... my worry is the void on the depth chart that getting Sam Burgess created... don't get me wrong - I reckon I'll be wrong but hey I might be right...
12. Dragons
• Better team than 12th but seriously - all 11 teams above them are better than them in my view - so even with Benji and Widdop - 12th it is. 
13. Gold Coast
• Believe it or not - I think they could be a fun team to watch and be better than nuisance value. But even so they only get one rung up the ladder from last year.
14. Parramatta
• Parra have recruited a lot of players but how much better will they be? I have no idea... so even with Kieran Foran there I have them dropping down to 14th. 
15. Newcastle
• Nathan Brown's youth kick is intriguing... but this will be a tough year in Newcastle on the ladder - however not necessarily in regards to building for the future.
16. Tigers
• Someone has to finish last... but Tigers fans I had Saints in 16th last year and they made the Top 8 so take it as a good sign! 

Top Tryscorers: Roberts 22, Feldt 21, Trbojevic 21, Radradra 20, Vatuvei 19.
Top Pointscorers: Croker from Hastings from Thurston.
Dally M/Player of the Year: Thurston from Hunt from DCE. 

Oh and my 2016 Grand Final?

Broncos v Raiders... 

Yep, we might get a genuine Cinderella story this year but the Broncos will win the comp. 

There's my thoughts - got your own?
Comment below or reply on Twitter.

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NOT The Footy Show Episode 154: 2016 NRL Recruitment Special

2016 RECRUITMENT SPECIAL 

Join DC and Waz to kick off your 2016 footy feast with a new episode!

We talk 5 day footy weeks, best and worst recruitment classes for 2016, our anticipation factor for the Auckland Nines and NRL All Stars... plus limited listener feedback and the debut of Open Mike with Mr DC!

Stream the Podcast below:

Subscribe to the show on iTunes 

Download the mp3 version 

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Catch up with us on Twitter: @NRLTweet

2016 #Origin bolters? Don't hold your breath...

Which players named in Emerging Origin squads could debut in 2016?

National Rugby League Premiership

By W D Nicolson - January 13, 2016
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We were going to overhaul our wdnicolson.com creative style but hey slightly dodgy is our thing right? 

The NRL Tweet takes a quick look at a handful of players who might be a chance of debuting for NSW or QLD in the 2016 Series... but there may not be many openings on either team so don't hold your breath potential debutants! 

Now we're talking genuine debutants - so Blake Ferguson doesn't qualify.

#1... Dylan Napa, QLD.

Big, mean and red-headed - he starts 2016 the way he finished 2015 and he'll likely oust Jacob Lillyman for a spot in the 17. Although Josh Papalii replaced Josh McGuire for Game 3 last year (the latter will come back in if healthy you image) - Napa almost made his debut last year anyway - so he's the most likely guy for mine to get a call up from this list but he's no slam dunk.

#2... Matt Moylan, NSW.

If NSW decide they need creativity in the fullback job then (you'd hope) a fit and firing Moylan will get the call ahead of James Tedesco. That moves Josh Dugan into the centres (and either drop or move one of Michael Jennings or Josh Morris to the wing) and although we have no idea what NSW do in the halves - Moylan at fullback at least makes the Blues look moderately dangerous in attack... but there's no guarantee NSW go this way (as in be willing to move Dugan to the centres again) or if Moylan will be running free after an awful ankle injury midway through 2015. And that's not even bringing him playing at #6 into the discussion...

#3... Anthony Milford, QLD.

QLD have never been afraid to pick an outside back on the bench for Origin and though Michael Morgan's NRL form at the end of 2015 gave the Maroons every reason to pick him again - I could see Milford or Cherry-Evans getting the call up again ahead of him potentially. That said QLD are pretty loyal so you'd think Morgan gets first crack - but Milford and DCE for that matter are pretty special. He's #3 on this list on likelihood of getting a run at some stage of the 2016 Series - it's not a case of ranking him 3rd best talent or anything. 

#4... Tyson Frizell/Tariq Sims, NSW.

If Frizell back comes good in time for the first few weeks of the season (he just had surgery) and his form is good thereafter - he looms as a Laurie Daley favourite to come in for a bench role for either Ryan Hoffman or Beau Scott (should either be omitted or step down from Origin contention). I'll add Tariq Sims as 4b here as I think both are firmly in Daley's sights. 

#5... Blake Austin and Adam Reynolds, NSW.

Look - these two could actually be the first two picked if Daley decides to move away from Trent Hodkinson and Mitchell Pearce entirely. But I'm not convinced Pearce is done at Origin level so Daley has to decide what he wants at five-eighth for mine... is it Austin, Reynolds or even Moylan? Then there's Aidan Sezer, Jarrod Mullen and remember that Josh Reynold's character?  

There's my thoughts and I could be way off - so have you got your own?
Comment below or reply on Twitter

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