2014 Super Rugby preview

Chiefs

2013 finish –  1^st

Predicted 2014 finish – 1^st

Despite winning the title the last two years, the best is likely still to come from this Chiefs team. Their young core of Aaron Cruden, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Sam Cane , Ben Afeaki, Ben Tamifuna figure to be integral parts of the All Blacks for a long time to come. They have lost some talented, experienced names in players like Richard Kahui,Lelia  Masaga, Craig Clarke, but have recruited very well to address these departures, bringing in players like Tom Marshall, Robbie Fruean, Jamie Mackintosh along with former All Black Mils Muliana.

Reds

2013 finish – 5^th

Predicted 2014 finish – 2^nd

After the combination of Quade Cooper and Will Genia rediscovered their magic throughout the Wallabies 2013 campaign, I’m high on the Reds returning to the level of play that saw them capture their first Super Rugby title in 2011. That year, Cooper and Genia unleashed a beautiful display of attacking Rugby that the rest of the competition could not compete with.  The Reds say goodbye to Digby Ioane, but welcome Lachlan Turner from the Waratahs as a replacement.

Bulls

2013 finish – 2^nd

Predicated 2014 finish -3^rd

The Bulls have had a lot of player turnover for this year, but welcome back one of the all-time greats of world Rugby in Victor Matfield. Matfield personified the tough, brutal game the South Africans like to play and despite being 36 I have no doubt that Matfield will make a huge impact especially at the lineout. Fortress Loftus remains one of the toughest places for an opposing team to play in world Rugby.

Brumbies

2013 finish – 3^rd

Predicted 2014 finish – 4^th

The Brumbies lose Wallaby great George Smith, but should see the return of possibly the worlds best number 7 David Pocock after a knee reconstruction in 2013. Jake White has returned to South Africa, replaced by another great Wallaby, and Brumbies great Stephen Larkham. Several young Brumbies elevated their games in 2013 resulting in Wallabies selection for the likes of Nic White, Matt Toomua, Christian Lealiifano, Jesse Mogg. Expect this group to once again strive to monopolize the Wallabies jerseys.

Cheetahs

2013 finish – 6^th

Predicted 2014 finish -  5^th

2013 marked the first time the Cheetahs ever made the playoffs in Super Rugby competition, achieving this without mercurial young fly-half Johan Goosen. 21 year old Goosen, who has already made his Springboks debut back in 2012, showed many flashes of being one of the next great stars in world Rugby, but had his 2013 decimated by a knee injury. If Goosen can rediscover his pre-injury form, he should have no trouble leading the Cheetahs to another playoff appearance, along with winning back his Springbok jersey.

Crusaders

2013 finish – 4^th

Predicated 2014 finish – 6^th

The greatest franchise in the history of Super Rugby once again figures to be amongst the best teams once we hit the business end of the season. The Chiefs may have eclipsed them as the current New Zealand powerhouse, but make no mistake this team is still full of All Blacks all over the field. Their forward pack would stand up to any international side, and despite the losses of Robbie Fruean and Tom Marshall, their backline still packs plenty of punch. Former All Black Colin Slade joins the team to help with their depth at fly-half and the acquisition of Fijian flyer Nemani Nadolo could prove a genius stroke.

Waratahs

2013 finish -  9^th

Predicated 2014 finish – 7^th

The Waratahs are another team who have seen plenty of player turnover for this season, including key names like Berrick Barnes and Lachlan Turner but they welcome home the enigmatic former Waratah Kurtley Beale, as well as Wallaby Nick Phipps.  Israel Folau enters 2014 with a fantastic first year of Union under his belt, the scary thing with Folau is that he likely hasn’t hit the peak of his powers at only 24 years of age and having played just one season of Union, I expect the young phenom to obliterate everything in his path in 2014.

Sharks

2013 finish – 8^th

Predicted 2014 finish – 8^th

IRB Hall of Fame coach Jake White returns back to South Africa to take the reins with the Sharks. They retain the brutal pairing of Jannie du Plessis and Bismarck du Plessis, alongside Willem Alberts and “The Beast” Tendai Mtawawarira alongside exciting backs in the likes of Patrick Lambie, JP Pietersen, Odwa Ndungane.  With the monster boot of Francois Steyn the Sharks can punish infringements from areas of the park that other kickers simply can’t reach. The Sharks should once again be in the thick of things and could force their way into the playoffs again if White can work his magic.

Hurricanes

2013 finish – 11^th

Predicted 2014 finish – 9^th

Throughout their history, the Hurricanes have had some of the most lethal backlines in the competition and 2014 looks to be no different. Beauden Barrett has emerged as a real contender to Aaron Cruden as the future number 10 for the All Blacks, they’ll be boosted by what will hopefully be a full season of star wing Cory Jane on the opposite side of the destructive Julian Savea, and players like TJ Perenara and Andre Taylor are great young talents who could easily find themselves in the All Blacks mix in 2014. Keep an eye on 20 year old flanker Ardie Savea who, although he didn’t play, was taken on the 2013 All Blacks European tour, expectations are huge for this guy.

Stormers

2013 finish – 7^th

Predicted 2014 finish – 10^th

The Stormers lose former IRB player of the year and one of the great attacking players of modern times in Bryan Habana who heads to Toulon, along with talented young fly-half Elton Jantjies but may see the long awaited return of former Springbok star Schalk Burger after a gruelling two years sidelined with knee injuries and bacterial meningitis. Jean de Villiers remains one of the games elite talents and Newlands is never high on the list of grounds teams wish to visit.

Blues

2013 finish – 10^th

Predicted 2014 finish – 11^th

Whatever the results, the Blues are going to generate a lot of interest on both sides of the Tasman with the introduction of former League superstar Benji Marshall. At his peak, Marshall was one of the most entertaining and skilful players either code has ever seen, but his last year at the Tigers left a lot to be desired and Marshall’s inconsistent play even saw him dropped to the bench. The big question is whether this was an indication of the decline in Benji’s talents, or a reflection of the stress Benji was under in relation to his contract dilemmas and eventual decision to leave his beloved club. The Blues have lost talisman Rene Ranger but bring back All Blacks Tony Woodcock and Ma’a Nonu along with All Blacks World Cup hero Jerome Kaino. A backline of names like Saili, Nonu, Halai, Pitau has the potential to be the most explosive in the competition, but they need direction, can Benji be the one to provide that?

Force

2013 finish – 13^th

Predicted 2014 finish - 12^th

Since their entry to the competition in 2006, success has been hard to find for the Force and 2014 looks to be no different. A lot of player turnover will give fans some fresh faces to tune in for, but it will be a long year for stars like Nick Cummins and Ben McCalman to will this team near the playoffs. The Force had by far the most anaemic attack in Super Rugby last year scoring just a meagre 267 points, but they were a respectable defensive outfit with their 366 points allowed just 2 more than the champion Chiefs. Expect more of the same from the Force this year, a team big on heart and determination but lacking the skills to compete beyond that.

Rebels

2013 finish – 12^th

Predicted 2014 finish – 13^th

Going toe to toe to avoid with the force to avoid the wooden spoon in the Australian conference are the Rebels who have lost a lot of, at times troubled, talent in Nick Phipps, James O’Connor, Cooper Vuna and Kurtley Beale with their best new recruit being former Highlander Tamati Ellison. The 12^th place finish in 2013 represented the best year in the Rebels short history, but their attempts to assemble what looked to be quite a talent roster have not panned out. With the exodus of talent, the Rebels may save themselves a few headaches, but there’s a clear step backwards in skill also.

Highlanders

2013 finish – 14^th

Predicted 2014 finish – 14^th

A star studded list of departures from the 2013 squad show a cast of failed experiments for the Highlanders. Tony Woodcock, Andrew Hore, Ma’a Nonu some of the most experienced All Blacks in history all depart after disappointing stints, along with Colin Slade, Hosea Gear, Jamie Macktinosh, Tamati Ellison, Kade Poki, Buxton Popoali’I, on paper this was a very talented side but it was not to be.  Little was done to replace these departures, though Patrick Osborne is an exciting young talent that has slipped under many peoples radars. Aaron and Ben Smith give the Highlanders two great young All Blacks, but they won’t have nearly enough support to be competitive this year.

Lions

2013 finish – Absent

Predicted 2014 finish – 15^th

Replacing the last place Kings, the Lions return to Super Rugby but look prone to being cannibalized by the South African conference. After being loaned to the Stormers, Elton Jantjies returns to the side to provide a small glimmer of light. Jantjies, a 23 year old fly-half, has won numerous awards throughout age group representation in South Africa, with two caps for the Springboks Jantjies is thought by many to be a future international star but will really have his work cut out for him coming back from a much better equipped Stormers outfit. The South African conference is incredibly competitive and they’ll likely feast on Lion throughout the year.

Full 2014 NRL Preview

Rabbitohs

2013 finish – 2^nd

Predicted 2014 finish – 1^st

The Rabbitohs endured a successful but frustrating 2013. They finished regular season play losing to the Roosters in a game that decided the minor premiership, bounced back to beat the Storm in the first week of the finals earning a week off, then were tipped over in the preliminary finals by the Sea Eagles. On paper the Bunnies are arguably the best team in the competition. Their strength and skill in the forwards is unmatched and they have a dream spine that is bested by perhaps only the Storm. Bunnies fans haven’t enjoyed a premiership since 1971, they’ve had their team taken away, endured multiple wooden spoons, they now have a team that is built to win, it’s premiership or bust for the Bunnies in 2014.

The dream headline – Mystery fifth Burgess brother unveiled.

The nightmare headline – Greg Inglis succumbs to knee injury.

Additions – Joel Reddy, Joe Picker, Chris Grevsmuhl, Kirisome Auva’a, Lote Tuqiri.

Losses – Nathan Peats, Roy Asotasi, Matt King, Michael Crocker, Andrew Everingham, Justin Hunt, Dylan Farrell, Josh Starling, Christian Hazard, Jeff Lima, Mitchell Buckett, Tyrone Phillips, Daniel Smith, Fetuli Talanoa

Sea Eagles

2013 finish – 4^th

Predicted 2014 finish – 2^nd

Despite going down in the grand final, Manly showed an incredible amount of grit and determination throughout a gruelling 2013 finals campaign. The second best defense and fourth best attack in the NRL in 2013, the Sea Eagles have retained the majority of their core for another attempt in 2014. They’re battle hardened and know the demands what a premiership requires with many of their stars being on board during the Sea Eagles 2011 premiership success. The young halves pairing of Cherry-Evans (24) and Foran (23) are continuing to blossom into the most complete halves combination in the NRL and they’re surrounded by veteran stars all over the field.

The dream headline – Cherry-Evans form cements Queensland number 7 jersey

The nightmare headline – Cherry-Evans wants to be closer to home

Additions – Cheyse Blair, Josh Starling, Delroy Berryman, Jayden Hodges, Tyson Andrews, Dunamis Lui, Jack Littlejohn, Mark O’Dare, Manaia Rudolph.

Losses – Brent Kite, George Rose, David Gower, Joe Gaulvao, Jacob Gagan

Roosters

2013 finish – 1^st

Predicted 2014 finish – 3^rd

 The Sonny Bills enter 2014 retaining the core of their team that won the minor premiership and then the Grand Final in 2013. The best attacking and defensive team in 2013, the Roosters maintain one of the best halves pairings in the game, a young star studded backline and one of the strongest and most skilled forward packs. After a finals campaign followed up by a World Cup, they may start things a little slow, but by the end of the year they’ll be in the top at least. Prepare for the onslaught of SBW coverage before he heads back to Union.

The dream headline – Tuivasa-Sheck blossoms with move to custodian role.

The nightmare headline – Channel Nine takes you inside the head of SBW as he plays his last game at ANZ stadium, his last game at Mt Smart, his last game against the Broncos, his last game against the Tigers….

Additions – Remi Casty, Jackson Hastings, Jonathon Rueben, Sio Siua Taukeiaho, Heath L’Estrange, Curtis Naughton, Kem Seru

Losses – Josh Ailaomai, Martin Kennedy, Adam Henry, Henare Wells, Jack Bosden, John Asiata, Tinirau Arona, Michael Oldfield, Luke O’Donnell

Storm

2013 finish – 3^rd

Predicted 2014 finish – 4^th

Every year we hear about age creeping up on “the big three” and yet they continue to perform at all levels of the game. Until they show me otherwise, I’ll continue to back a team with Smith, Cronk and Slater to finish in the top four. They’ve lost a couple of key pieces, but Bellamy has shown time and time again that he can turn rocks into gold, as long as his three key pieces are on hand the Storm will be amongst the elite of the competition.  They may start a little slowly, but come the business end they’ll be right there. Ben Roberts has all the talent in the world but is incredibly frustrating to watch, if Bellamy can work his magic with him, watch out.

The dream headline – Smith signs new deal with the Storm

The nightmare headline – Smith agrees to deal with Broncos

Additions – George Rose, Travis Robinson, Cody Walker, Hymel Hunt, Felise Kaufusi, Cameron Munster, Dayne Weston, Ben Roberts, Joel Romelo

Losses – Gareth Widdop, Maurice Blair, Jason Ryles, Brett Finch, Junior Sa’u, Lagi Setu, Jurusine Auva’a, Matt McGahan

Titans

2013 finish – 9^th

Predicted 2014 finish – 5^th

The Titans missed the top eight by just 2 points, if not for a couple of key injuries things could have easily turned out differently. The Titans put together a new halves combination in 2013 that very swiftly became one of the better pairings in the NRL. Sezer and Kelly, each just 22 years of age, bring the full compliment. Sezer provides the structure, precision kicking to navigate a team around the park, Kelly provides a game-breaking spark that few in the NRL possess. They have some of the fastest backs in the competition in Mead and Gordon and are led by three of the premier Origin forwards of recent times in Bird, Myles and Harrison and while they’ve lost the enigmatic Jamal Idris, Maurice Blair could serve them very well.  The Titans are my surprise package for 2014.

The dream headline – Sezer and Kelly cement themselves amongst the NRLs best

The nightmare headline – Cartwright shown the door

Additions – Maurice Blair, Kalifa Faifai Loa, Siuatonga Likiliki, Paul Carter ,Christian Hazard, Bad Tigher

Losses – Luke O’Dwyer, Hymel Hunt, Marmin Barba, Jordan Rankin, Mark O’Dare, Matthew Russell, Jamal Idris

Warriors

2013 finish – 11^th

Predicted 2014 finish – 6^th

We’re all familiar with the typical clichés when it comes to the Warriors consistency and 2013 only reinforced them. While their 11^th place finish is somewhat deceptive, they were actually only 2 points away from tying for the 8^th spot however they were handed multiple big floggings during the year and let several games get away from them that they should have wrapped up. They lose one of their linchpins in Elijah Taylor, but bring to the NRL perhaps the biggest UK superstar in fullback Sam Tomkins. If Tomkins can come anywhere close to replicating his performances in the Super League, he’ll be amongst the elite of the competition. If Shaun Johnson can deliver consistently each week, he could get them to the top 8 on his own, Chad Townsend could be the ideal foil for him.

The dream headline – Tomkins lives up to the hype

The nightmare headline – Ben Matulino wants out

Additions – Sam Tomkins, Jayson Bukuya, Chad Townsend

Losses – Elijah Taylor, Steve Rapira, Russell Packer, Todd Lowrie, Sio Siua Taukeiaho, Pita Godinet

Cowboys

2013 finish – 8^th

Predicted 2014 finish -7^th

The Cowboys have lost three big names for 2014, fortunately none of those are Thurston and they have some great young kids on board. Club legend Matt Bowen departs leaving some giant boots to fill for new recruit Lachlan Coote, but Coote has some talent of his own and should raise a few eyebrows. Kyle Feldt came into top grade with a lot of hype and he delivered on it big time. Once again they bring arguably the best prop combinations in the competition to the table with Kangaroos Scott and Tamou while Tariq Sims and Jason Taumalolo are big, brutal young players who continue to evolve. After the way the Cowboys have been eliminated from the playoffs in the last two seasons, Thurston and the Cowboys are going to have a huge point to prove.

The dream headline – JT and the Cowboys spoil dream Sydney final

The nightmare headline – JT fined after conspiracy theories run wild

Additions – Lachlan Coote, Cameron King, Hezron Murgha, John Asiata

Losses  - Matt Bowen, Dallas Johnson, Ashley Graham, Jayden Hodges, Felise Kaufusi, Chris Grevsmuhl, Kalifa Faifai Loa, Clint Greenshields, Scott Moore, Wayne Ulugia

Bulldogs

2013 finish – 6^th

Predicted 2014 finish –8^th  

After the Ben Barba show that was a 2012 grand final run, the Bulldogs crashed back to reality in 2013. Off court issues saw Barba out of the team to begin the season while James Graham served a 10 week suspension. Injuries plagued many of their stars throughout the year, including Barba once he finally returned. When healthy, the Bulldogs have one of the most damaging forward pack in the NRL, and a savvy leader in the halves in Josh Reynolds who knows how to lift his team when needed, but they need to find a solution at fullback, and the likes of Morris, Inu and Lafai are going to need to be a consistent threat if they are going to put points on the board.

The dream headline – Hasler brings the T-Rex back from extinction

The nightmare headline – Fullback carousel yields poor results

Additions – Reni Maitua, Chase Stanley, Pat O’Hanlon, Kayne Brennan, Damien Cook, Tyrone Phillips,

Losses – Ben Barba, Dene Halatau, Steve Turner, Martin Taupau, Danny Galea, Kris Keating, Paul Carter, Leilani Latu, Jack Littlejohn, Joel Romelo

Panthers

2013 finish – 10^th

Predicted 2014 finish – 9^th

The Panthers are generating a lot of buzz for this year after they made some great strides in 2013 and some great recruits for 2014. After things looked bleak with superstars like Jennings and Lewis out of the squad, Gus Gould and co have done an excellent job of putting together a strong looking squad in a hurry. What prevents me from getting fully on board with the Panthers like so many are doing is the issue of the halves. Isaac John remains from last year while Luke Walsh departs, meanwhile they bring in Soward and Wallace. John is a young player with a lot of talent who is still finding his feet in first grade, Soward ended up in England last year and Wallace arrives from a team who are struggling in the halves themselves.  

The dream headline – Idris storms back into NSW side

The nightmare headline - Soward on the fast track to Super League.

Additions – Peter Wallace, Jamie Soward, Elijah Taylor, Brent Kite, Kevin Naiqama, Tyrone Peachey, Shaun Spence, Will Smith, Leilani Latu, Wellington Albert, Jamal Idris

Losses- Lachlan Coote, Luke Walsh, Mose Masoe, Clint Newton, Danny Galea, Travis Robinson, Blake Austin, Cameron Ciraldo, Toby Evans, Mosese Pangai, Dayne Weston, Kyle O’Donnell, Brad Tighe

Knights

2013 finish – 7^th

Predicted 2014 finish – 10^th  

The Knights made an interesting run to end the year and finished the season with one of the better defences in the competition. But an already old team grows another year older. The inspiration of Buderus is gone, speedster Kevin Naiqama is gone and while they age the Knights have done little to improve their side in terms of recruitment. They’ve already had a troubled start to the year with one of the few signings they did make Russell Packer now in jail and veteran Willie Mason being done for drunk driving. The Knights still have a lot of great players and a very underrated backline, but they only scraped into the playoffs last year and while I don’t see them making progress I do see other teams making the leap.

The dream headline – Kurt Gidley makes it through the year injury free.

The nightmare headline – Bennett to return to Broncos.

Additions – Clint Newton, Michael Dobson

Losses – Danny Buderus, Neville Costigan, Kevin Naiqama, Peter Mata’utia, Siuatonga Likiliki, Will Smith.

Tigers

2013 finish – 15^th

Predicted 2014 finish – 11^th

The end of the Benji era and the beginning of the age of Brooks should be an exciting time for Tigers fans. As one of the games most entertaining players leaves, a young man heralded as the next Andrew Johns steps into the frame. If Brooks lives up to the hype, and his single NRL effort so far gave every indication that he would, then he could lead a very quick resurgence for the Tigers. The Tigers struggled mightily in 2013, but their place on the ladder does not tell the whole story with the team facing an unreal injury toll that few teams if any would be able to overcome. When healthy, this team has some serious young talent, a backline full of young stars like Koroibete, Simona and Nofoaluma has the potential to be as deadly as any in the competition. If the Tigers can stay on the park, I expect them to make a lot of noise this year and be really fun to watch.

The dream headline – Brooks quick to justify Joey comparisons

The nightmare headline – Robbie Farah done for the year

Additions – Pat Richards, Dene Halatau, Cory Paterson, Martin Taupau, Blake Austin, Keith Lulia, Yileen Gordon.

Losses – Benji Marshall, Blake Ayshford, Lote Tuqiri, Joel Reddy, Eddy Pettybourne, Matt Groat, Jacob Miller, Brenden Santi, Shaun Spence, Mosese Pangai, Manaia Rudolph

Sharks

2013 finish – 5^th

Predicted 2014 finish – 12^th

The Sharks went through the 2013 with a massive cloud over their heads, the ASADA scandal a constant looming threat to derail their season. That threat remains and already the Sharks 2014 campaign has suffered multiple interruptions. The Sharks have made some useful acquisitions, but also seen some valued contributors leaving the Shire. They continue to have an amazing forward pack with the likes of Gallen, Fifita and Lewis and one of the games best halves in Todd Carney, but another year of controversy may prove too exhausting for this unit to handle with some of their better depth players no longer around to pick up the slack when stars go down or leave for Origin.

The dream headline – Investigation into the Sharks comes to an end

The nightmare headline – Gallen becomes ASADAs biggest scalp

Additions – Blake Ayshford, Matt Prior, Eric Grothe Jr, Daniel Holdsworth, Jacob Gagan, Tinirau Arona.

Losses – Jayson Bukuya, Jon Green, Tyrone Peachey, Ben Ross, Mark Taufua, Chad Townsend, Stewart Mills, Ben Pomeroy.

Broncos

2013 finish – 12^th

Predicted 2014 finish – 13th

2013 saw the Broncos finish with their lowest ever placing on the ladder finishing 12^th and missing the playoffs for just the second time. The Broncos have now gone 7 seasons without a premiership, the longest drought in club history. Mustering only 434 points last year, good for 12^th in the NRL, the Broncos will hope that star recruit Ben Barba’s days with the “Epic Bender Crew” are behind him and he can find the magic that made him a Dally M winner in 2012. The halves remain a huge question mark that will play a vital part in the Broncos chances in 2014.

The dream headline – Magic man Ben Barba is smiling once more.

The nightmare headline – Broncos attempt to lure back retired Prince.

Additions – Ben Barba, Martin Kennedy, Todd Lowrie, Daniel Divot, Stewart Mills, Marmin Barba, Jon Green

Losses – Scott Prince,  Peter Wallace, Corey Norman, Luke Capewell, Lama Tasi, Delroy Berryman, Kurt Baptiste, Scott Anderson, Dunamis Lui, Claeb Timu, Nick Slyney

Dragons

2013 finish – 14^th

Predicted 2014 finish – 14^th

A real changing of the guard for the Dragons with many long serving members retiring or venturing elsewhere, the Dragons have made some acquisitions as they begin their first full season of the Josh Dugan era. The Dragons will need to improve drastically on their anaemic attack that put up just 379 points on the year, an average of 15 points per game, only the Eels achieved less. If Gareth Widdop can show he is more than just a product of Bellamy and the Storm, it will go a long way towards helping the Dragons be competitive but it’s going to take a while for the Dragons to rekindle some combinations that can put points on the board.

The dream headline – Widdop stands tall out of Melbourne shadow.

The nightmare headline – Dugan and Ferguson start roofing company.

Additions – Gareth Widdop, Sam Williams, Joel Thompson, Mike Cooper, Dylan Farrell, Josh Ailaomai, Matt Groat, Peter Mata’utia, Michael Witt, Willie Mataka.

Losses – Michael Weyman, Matt Cooper, Nathan Fien, Chase Satnley, Cameron King, Matt Prior, Kayne Brennan, Jackson Hasitngs, Daniel Vidot, Damien Cook, Evander Cummins.

Eels

2013 finish – 16^th

Predicted 2014 finish – 15^th

The Eels have acquired some interesting recruits for 2013 and finally welcome young potential superstar Will Hopoate to the fold, but from a team that had only 5 wins last year big improvements are going to take a while. Hopoate left the NRL as a young Origin player taking the competition by storm, how long will it take him to reacclimatise after 2 years out of the game? Nathan Peats looked great at the Rabbitohs playing behind Issac Luke as part of a giant Bunnies outfit, how will he fair as a possible go to man at hooker on a struggling team? Corey Norman has showed a lot of talent at the Broncos, but was punted out of top grade last year and will be part of a big question mark in the halves. The Eels forward pack is lead well by Mannah and Moimoi but are lacking in skill, experience and depth.

The dream headline – Elder Willi Hopoate makes instant impact

The nightmare headline – Hayne seeks release on compassionate grounds

Additions – Will Hopoate, Lee Mossop, Nathan Peats, Corey Norman,  Justin Hunt, David Gower, Brenden Santi, Toby Evans, Evander Cummins, Liam Foran.

Losses – Reni Maitua, Chese Blair, Jake Mullaney, Pat O’Hanlon, Matt Keating, Taulima Tautai, Matt Ryan.

Raiders

2013 finish – 13^th

Predicted 2014 finish – 16^th

When the biggest news of the year is the drinking habits and release of your star fullback and sexual assault charges against your star centre, your season doesn’t usually go too swimmingly. Such was the case for the Raiders in 2013 who, once again, saw a world class talent risk throwing his career away at the club. Now the Raiders enter 2014 with their shining light of 2013 Anthony Milford getting his bags packed to head to the Broncos. The Raiders still have some strong contributors in the likes of Fensom, Papalii and Robinson, but the Raiders will be fighting an uphill battle all season long. They’ll fight hard, but the points won’t be there, instead the Raiders will need to find satisfaction in watching the progress of players like Cornish, Lee and Wighton.

The dream headline – Milford tells the Broncos to take a leap.

The nightmare headline – Shaun Fensom joins long list of drunken Raiders larrikins

Additions – Lagi Setu, Kyle O’Donnell, Kurt Baptiste

Losses – Blake Ferguson, Joel Thompson, Shaun Berrigan, Sam Williams, Joe Picker, Jonathon Reuben, Hayden Crockett, Dimitri Pelo, Michael Picker 

5 players to make an impact in 2014

Will Hopoate – Eels

He’s only 21, he hasn’t played in the NRL for two seasons, and yet he’s already won a premiership and played State of Origin where he scored a try on debut as the second youngest player to ever play for NSW. Now after his two year Mormon mission, he returns to the NRL having left a Manly outfit that was on top of the NRL he now joins a team that has claimed back to back wooden spoons and last made the top 8 when Hopoate had not even entered first grade. For Elder Will Hopoate, he was unable to watch the horrid last two seasons the Eels have endured, accessing media isn’t permitted throughout his mission. But according to the Eels strength and conditioning team, it’s all systems go for Hoppa. He has the potential to be one of the truly elite players in the game, big, strong, fast, skilled, a great leader and he has his head very firmly screwed on. The Eels are going to be turning to him often so he’s going to be seeing plenty of ball and plenty of opportunities to show his skill surrounded by a young and improving Eels backline cast.

Elijah Taylor – Panthers

After three seasons and 67 appearances for the Warriors, the 23 year old Kiwi international makes his way to Penrith to join past coach Ivan Cleary and the Panthers. Taylor’s 2012 campaign got off to a rocky start playing at hooker in place of the injured Nathan Friend and also doing a stint off the bench, but once he was shifted back to a more natural spot of lock, Taylor blossomed. A fantasy NRL players dream, Taylor has a huge motor and eats up a tremendous number of tackles while also having a good level head and a few nifty skills with the ball to go with it. Taylor brings a no nonsense, workman like approach to the field and should continue to improve if he is afforded some stability in his selection to make the Penrith 13 jersey his own. If that happens, expect a lot of people to start taking a lot more notice of Taylor than they have in the past with Penrith likely drawing a lot of spotlight this season. He is a player that you can trust to bring it all every week, a former Toyota Cup captain, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see Taylor grow into a great captain in first grade as well.

Adam Reynolds – Rabbitohs

I’ve chewed many peoples ears about this guy and that won’t be stopping anytime soon. As far as I’m concerned, Adam Reynolds is already the third best player wearing the number 7 in the NRL behind only Cooper Cronk and Daly Cherry-Evans. The 2012 NRL rookie of the year and leading points scorer, Reynolds made an immediate impact in the top grade helping lead the Bunnies resurgence to being one of the elite teams in the competition. Reynolds toolset is excellent, his short and long range kicking is precise and he’s a master of helping the Bunnies earn repeat sets. He’s not a big bloke at 173 and 85kg but he’s as hearty and tough as anyone else on the field. For years NSW have cried out for a long term solution in the halves, making futile changes year after year with no success, it’s time for Reynolds to be given the keys. In this his third year I expect him to continue to evolve, to continue to prove that he should be mentioned whenever the top halfbacks are being discussed and to show that he is the Blues halfback of the future.

Ben Barba – Broncos

We all know the ability of Barba. 2012 leading try scorer, Fullback of the Year, Provan-Summons medal winner, Peter Frilingos headline moment of the year and, most importantly, the Dally M medal winner. In 2012 Ben Barba was the toast of Rugby League, playing the best football we’d seen since Jarryd Hayne’s magical 2009 season, every minute he was on the field was can’t miss football you never knew what was going to come out of his bag of tricks next as he helped lead the Bulldogs to the Grand Final. Fast forward to 2012 and Barba’s radiant light was reduced to a mere flicker. Stood down indefinitely to begin the season while he entered a facility to assist him with gambling and alcohol issues, his family life fell apart in the public eye amongst plenty of rumour and speculation, and to make matters worse when Barba returned to the field he was hampered by injuries. At just 24, Barba now joins the Broncos, closer to home with presumably a clearer head and hopefully recovered from his injury woes. He may not quite hit the dizzying heights of 2012, to play at that level was never going to be sustainable, but I expect Barba to spring back to being one of the real treats to watch in the NRL. 

Greg Inglis – Rabbitohs

Well everyone will predict this one, but this is the man I see winning the Dally M unless injuries get in his way. Greg Inglis is the LeBron James of the NRL, he’s the prototype of what the perfect Rugby League player should be, scientists are trying to engineer another one of this guy. 195cm 105kg, lean, mean, fast, powerful and yet so talented that he’s won both Five-eighth of the year and Fullback of the year while being the Queensland and Australian centre and having the most tries in Origin history. At 27, we may still be yet to see the peak of GI’s powers, and he’s no doubt going to have a point to prove after his Rabbitohs flamed out in the playoffs. Whether you like the Bunnies or not, whether you like Queensland or not, whether you like Australia or not, try to enjoy the spectacle that is possibly the greatest athlete to have ever played Rugby League.

5 youngsters to watch out for in the 2014 NRL season

Toka Likiliki –  Prop Knights

If you haven’t seen Likiliki on the field, you’ll notice him pretty quickly the first time you watch him as the guy that’s 186cm tall and 127kg. A monster with the ball in hand, Likiliki is deceptively skilled and versatile for such a mountain of a player with fantastic explosiveness that can be used off the bench in short, brutal dosages but has even been used on the wing at times throughout his Under 20s career. A member of the junior Kiwis and former Warriors junior, it’s a beauty watching this big boy in action, don’t be surprised to see him very quickly become a fan favourite once he brings his hulking frame and destructive runs to first grade.

Luke Keary – Halfback/Five Eighth Rabbitohs

A member of the 2012 Toyota Cup player of the year squad, Keary has already became a familiar face to many NRL fans having played 10 games for the Rabbitohs in 2013. But many of these games came off the bench as the Rabbitohs sought to slowly blood the young half behind their top pivots Adam Reynolds and John Sutton and so has yet to really be able to show his wares. From what we have seen of him, Keary hasn’t looked out of his depth at all in first grade and will give the Rabbitohs a real conundrum this year trying to find a place for him with two such classy halves already on deck. Keary has a fantastic all around skill set that would be great for an off the bench utility role if the Bunnies desired, but Keary’s talent demands much more.

Michael Chee Kam – Second row/centre Sea Eagles

Big things were expected of the Kiwi born, Australian School Boys junior Michael Chee Kam in 2013 having been snatched up by the Eagles from the Raiders system. Another from the 2012 Toyota Cup team of the year, fans were hoping that the 189cm 103kg youngster would help fill the void of the departing Tony Williams. Unfortunately, injuries robbed Chee Kam of his 2013 season and all of the pre-season hype was left unfulfilled, but at just 22 years of age there’s no reason to think that with a strong build up to 2014 that Chee Kam can’t bounce back and make the impact that so many were expecting from him last year. Chee Kam has plenty of strength and the potential to be very damaging with the ball in hand, with Manly he’ll need to put in a lot of work to earn minutes at such a deep club, but they have a fantastic culture for a young talented player like this to play with.

David Klemmer – Prop Bulldogs

The 2012 Toyota Cup player of the made 4 early season appearances for the Bulldogs in 2013 and quickly showed he was more than up for it. So high are the wraps on Klemmer that the Dogs locked him up to a 3 year extension last year worth nearly $1 million as a 19 year old who was yet to make a first grade appearance. A towering 200cm tall and tipping the scales at 120kg, Klemmer has shown an incredible engine, capable of carting his huge frame around the park for the best part of 80 minutes.  In the 2012 Toyota Cup campaign, Klemmer ate up 4208 metres for an average of 180 per game, while making 137 tackle busts and 55 offloads. It’s a big step up from the Under 20s to the NRL, but his gigantic size makes almost everyone else in the competition look like his junior.

Luke Brooks – Halfback Tigers

Granted a one off exemption by the NRL due to salary cap constraints, the Tigers unveiled wonder-kid Luke Brooks to the Rugby League in round 24 at the Sydney Cricket Ground and Brooks proved worthy of the hype, turning in a try scoring man of the match performance as the Tigers took care of the Dragons. Brooks is deemed by many to be not only a superstar, but one of the generational talents to come through the sport, drawing several comparisons to the legendary Andrew Johns. Brooks has a great short and long range kicking game, knows how to steer a team around the park and doesn’t shy away from the tough stuff on defence. Heading into 2014, no youngster brings with him higher expectations than Luke Brooks.

Early tips for the 2014 NRL season

Top 8 finish – Titans 3.25 @ Bet365

The Titans finished 2013 in 9^th places, missing the playoffs by just 2 points with the 8^th best attack in the competition and 9^th best defence but injuries to several key players hamstrung them throughout pivotal points of the season. On paper the Titans are a much better team than a lot of people give them credit for. Their halves pairing lacks experience, but on talent the combination of Aidan Sezer and Albert Kelly is matched by few other pairs in the competition. During their first season together they meshed incredibly well with the calculated kicking game of Sezer beautifully complimented by the gamebreaking ability of Kelly. Up front the Titans pack is led by three of the best representative forwards of recent years in Nate Myles, Greg Bird and Ash Harrison. They pack plenty of size and muscle in the likes of Big Dave Taylor, Ryan James, Luke Douglas, Luke Bailey, Matt White while young hooker Matt Srama has shown he can punch well above his weight during his time in first grade. In the backs while they’ve just lost the enigmatic monster Jamal Idris, they’ve added former Storm strike weapon Maurice Blair who they’ll be hoping doesn’t suffer the same fate as so many others who have departed Melbourne. They also possess one of the fastest pairs of backs in the competition in David Mead and Kevin Gordon while Will Zillman is a very talented and versatile option who flies under the radar. This team has a lot going for it, if they can stay healthy then I have them pencilled in to my top 8.

Dally M – Greg Inglis 8.00 @ Bet365

The hot tip of many to walk away with the award last year, Inglis claimed the Dally M Fullback of the Year and Provan-Summons award in 2013 but fell short of the top prize. Prior to his late season knee injury, Inglis was unquestionably the most destructive attacking weapon in the competition. A former five-eight of the year, Origin and International centre and now playing at fullback and deemed the best in the competition there, Inglis has all the talent in the world and a herculean build to match. At just 26 with a birthday around the corner, the strapping Rabbitoh won’t likely be slowing down this year surrounded by a star studded Bunnies team. Inglis is arguably the greatest athlete the game has ever seen and looks to be at the height of his powers, it’s going to take an incredible effort for anybody to beat him this year.

Grand Final Winner  - Rabbitohs 6.50 @ Bet365

Many, including myself, thought 2013 would be the year the Bunnies went all the way. The third ranked attack and fourth ranked defence led Souths to finishing the 2013 tied at the top with 40 points winning 75% of their games. After flaming out in 2012 after star halfback Adam Reynolds picked up an injury against the Dogs, things were shaping up nicely for the Bunnies as they took down the Storm in their qualifying final but Manly put a halt to proceedings in the preliminary final sending them home 30 to 20. While the Bunnies certainly had a few old heads at the club, this team still has plenty of room to grow with key players like Adam Reynolds and George Burgess just 23 and 21, the Rabbitohs also spent last year blooding boom young half Luke Keary into the first grade side and they’re lead by some of the truly elite talents in the world with Sam Burgess, Greg Inglis and Issac Luke who show no signs of slowing down. The perfect script for 2013 that so many spoke of was a Bunnies vs Roosters final, the Bunnies could not do their part but so often in sport we see teams need to lose like that before they can cross the final hurdle, now is the time for Souths to finally bring the glory back to South Sydney.

Early tips for the 2014 Super Rugby Season

Winning Nationality – New Zealand $1.90 @bet365

Call me a biased Kiwi but since the conception of Super Rugby, New Zealand teams have accounted for 12 championships compared to just 3 each for Australia and South Africa and New Zealand Rugby showed little sign of slowing down throughout the 2013 year. The back to back champion Chiefs come in favourites once again and with good reason with several core players still young and developing despite having already achieved such great success. Players like Aaron Cruden (25) Ben Afeaki (25) Ben Tameifuna (22) Tawera Kerr-Barlow (23) Sam Cane (21) are already world class talents who still have plenty of room to grow. It’s scary to think that this Chiefs outfit that has already won two titles in a row could still just be scratching the surface, but they account for a significant portion of what is looked to be the future of the All Black side. But you aren’t just betting on the Chiefs, you’re betting on the always threatening Crusaders and with the talent at the Blues, Hurricanes and Highlanders there’s always a chance they put all the pieces together as well.

Top Australian Team – Reds $3.50 @bet365

In an up and down year for the Wallabies, it came as no surprise to me that when the Australian side once again opened their arms to Quade Cooper that things started to head in a better direction. One of the most polarising players in the Southern Hemisphere, there’s little debate that when he puts it together he’s a world beating talent, and combined with Will Genia in the halves they have the potential to be as good as any halfback/first five combinations out there. It was only 2011 that we saw this tandem help lead the Reds to a Super Rugby title with an exhilarating brand of Rugby that left defences clueless and fans out of their seats. Well supported by the likes of Mike Harris, James Horwill and the Fainga’as if Cooper and Genia continue their march back into form then there’s no reason why they couldn’t once again set Super Rugby alight.

To make the top 6 – Cheetahs $3.50 @bet365

Since their return to the competition in 2006, the Cheetahs had failed to finish any higher than 10^th on the ladder, until last year when they dashed in to 6^th place and earned themselves their first post season appearance. While they were lost in that qualifier, it was a huge accomplishment for a team that for so long had been one of the running jokes of the competition. Despite a 10 win 6 loss record, many pundits failed to acknowledge the improved play of this young Cheetahs outfit after being acclimatised to seeing them as the easy beats for so long. The Cheetahs represent an exciting outlook for the future of South African Rugby, determined to move away from the confined, 10 man style game that the South Africans have grown accustomed to. The Cheetahs, led by dynamic young five eight Johan Goosen, have plenty of flair and love to toss the ball around, an exciting attacking game that countless Super Rugby teams have proven can be very successful at this level. After an injury riddled 2013 campaign, Goosen, who at 21 has already notched 4 caps for the Springboks, will be desperate to stamp his authority quickly in his quest to make the South African number 10 jersey his own. The Cheetahs play in such a positive fashion and have proven they’re capable of being amongst the top of this competition, this year the pressure is on for them to show they can do that consistently and I expect them to rise to the challenge.

Five players to watch at the Rugby League World Cup

As much as the World Cup is about watching your nation go to battle to achieve the status of the best in the world, a huge part of the enjoyment for spectators stems from the chance to watch a wide range of players, some of whom we are familiar with and watch every week, some we may have never seen before. It presents an opportunity to see who those on the other side of the world get to watch each week, who are their stars and how do they stack up to ours, while also a chance to see familiar faces of our own teams in different environments facing different challenges. Roosters fans who have cheered the likes of Sonny Bill Williams and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves now find themselves on the other side of the fence as they turn out in black and white to take on the Australians, while Warriors fans who have developed a longstanding rivalry with the Melbourne Storm now find themselves cheering the likes of Jesse Bromwich. There’s a vast array of interesting and exciting talents who will be on display at this tournament, here I identify five in particular to keep your eye on.

Danny Brough – Five eighth, Scotland

Huddersfield Giants five-eighth Danny Brough embraced his first year as captain by leading the Giants to their first league leader’s shield in 81 years.  The thirty year old amassed 323 points in 28 Super League games in 2013, eclipsing the club record for both goals and points in a season. Brough’s exploits were recognised with an abundance of post-season awards, capturing the Albert Goldthorpe medal for the second time in his career, Rugby League Writers Association player of the year and the most prized individual award in Northern Hemisphere Rugby League, the Man of Steel award. Serving as captain for the Scots, Brough made his international debut back in 2004 and also served as captain for Scotland’s 2008 World Cup campaign. Scotland will fancy themselves a strong chance of coming out of Group C and they’ll be looking to the fantastic kicking game of Brough to direct them there.

Petero Civoniceva – Prop, Fiji

When the 2012 NRL season wrapped up, many thought it would be the last time they’d see this all-time great run around a footy field. After debuting in the NRL all the way back in 1998 and for Australia in 2001, Petero called it quits on what was an incredible career spanning 309 NRL games, 33 Origins for Queensland and 45 appearances for Australia. But not quite ready to give the game away, Petero turned out in 2013 for the Redcliffe Dolphins in the Queensland Cup and will now roll the dice one last time playing for his country of birth Fiji for the first time. He won’t be one of the most exciting players at the tournament and his prime has long passed, but few things will bring me more enjoyment than watching one of the best players to ever take the field, and a top bloke to go with it, have one last dance. Those old legs held up for a long time when people expected them to give in, don’t be surprised if Petero at the ripe age of 37 still has enough tread on the tyres to show the kids how it’s done.

Sonny Bill Williams – second row, New Zealand

Always in the headlines, SBW’s World Cup campaign was a hot topic long before the tournament had even begun. Initially ruling himself out of Kiwis selection, only to declare himself available once the Kiwis had named their squad, it came as little surprise that the defending champions quickly made room for him, unfortunately at the expense of standout Melbourne rookie Tohu Harris. Returning to the NRL after a lengthy hiatus that saw him become a Super Rugby and Rugby World Cup winner, SBW immediately contributed to a Roosters campaign that eventuated in a minor premiership and Grand Final victory, he now looks to achieve these exceptional feat of being a World Cup winner in both League and Union to compliment his NRL and Super Rugby championships. One of the most polarising figures in the game, the impact he made in returning to the sport after such a log absence was incredible. Perhaps the biggest “star” in the sport, Williams is a gigantic boost to the Kiwis chances of pulling off a successful title defence despite the fact the Kiwis have never actually won a game in the seven contests he has played for them.

Sam Tomkins – Fullback, England

24 year old English sensation Sam Tomkins is a name NRL fans have grown increasingly familiar with after a season of rumours about his potential excursion down under culminating in the Warriors locking up his services for the next three years. The man known as the “British Billy Slater” has long been heralded as the crown jewel of Super League, leading the Wigan Warriors to two Challenge Cups and a Grand Final, winning the 2012 Man of Steel award and amassing an incredible 144 tries in 150 appearances.  His strike rate in internationals is even better; at just 24 Tomkins is England’s all-time leading try scorer with 16 tries in 15 appearances. The World Cup will prove a fabulous opportunity for those in the Southern Hemisphere to get a look at what all the fuss is about when the electric fullback tries to deliver glory for the host nation.

Johnathan Thurston – Five eighth, Australia

The only man to turn out in every single game of Queensland’s incredible eight straight Origin series victories, Thurston winner of numerous Dally M halfback and five-eighth of the year awards was on hand when the Kangaroos went down to the Kiwis in 2008. While already a huge star on his own, it was still Darren Lockyer who was seen as the leader of the halves, including a man of the match performance in their losing final effort. This time JT enters the tournament as the man in the 6 jersey after a frustrating NRL campaign that saw his North Queensland Cowboys once again eliminated in dubious circumstances. Spurred on by the loss in 2008, there’d be no better way for Thurston to wash out the foul taste of the Cowboys playoff exit than by returning the World Cup to Australia for the first time in his career.   JT always rises to the occasion, countless times he’s stepped up when his rep sides have needed him and his supreme goal kicking especially in clutch situations could prove the difference between Australia and their perceived biggest threat New Zealand.

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