League: How the teams rate

BRISBANE BRONCOS

Crucial to their chances, again, are Darren Lockyer and other key players having an injury-free season. The pack will be tough, as usual, with bankable metres from Shane Webcke and Petero Civoniceva. Brad Thorn will be an asset if he can shrug off what he did in rugby. Wayne Bennett may be able to get the best out of Justin Hodges second time round. And Tame Tupou could be a real force on the wing once he learns his trade. At fullback, Hunt should keep getting better with experience. There is talent in all positions but the Broncos don't look to have the all-round star quality of previous seasons, nor the depth.

TAB $10 to win comp; Centrebet Australia $10 to win, A$101 for wooden spoon.

My prediction: 6th.

CANBERRA RAIDERS

The Raiders rely on Tyran Smith at five-eighth despite his inability to see out any of the last four seasons in England thanks to injury. He was once great - "was" being the operative word. They are thin in the halves, the pack is weakened after Ruben Wiki's shift to Auckland and Luke Davico's failed shift to Wigan, as is the midfield with Joel Monaghan going to Sydney City. The team are paying the price for slow entry into the market last June. It's always hard to attract players to the city in the middle of nowhere. The Raiders look likely to struggle at the rear end of the table.

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Prediction: 13th.

CANTERBURY BULLDOGS

The salary cap backlash continues to hit the Dogs as they cull further players and struggle to hold the high-priced trio of Sonny Bill Williams, Braith Anasta and the injured Willie Mason. The Hughes brothers, Feeney and Scott, are the sort of back-up guys who become valuable as injuries wear down the side during the year. Steve Price is a huge loss, in both individual performance and leadership terms, despite replacement Andrew "Bobcat" Ryan's ability in both areas. They have good firepower in the backs and Hazem El Masri's kicking accuracy rate of more than 80 per cent is a huge asset.

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Prediction: 2nd.

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS

The Dragons are the playoffs under-achievers of recent seasons, failing to live up to their own hype and expectation. There have been rumours of discord, with coach Nathan Brown having to lecture the troops. The Dragons look strong on paper but have to lift themselves from a team of potential to a team of performers, something they have been unable to do since the merger. They have been plagued by injury to key stars such as props Luke Bailey and Jason Ryles, captain Trent Barrett, Mark Gasnier and others.

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Prediction: 8th.

SYDNEY ROOSTERS

The Roosters again look like the side to beat - the big question is how they'll handle life without Brad Fittler. It was Fittler who steered them, who got them out of trouble, who took control of big games at crucial moments. Without him they will not be the force they were and the two broken wrists suffered by incoming replacement Brett Finch will not help their start. They have the talent to get to playoffs and perhaps to push into the top four, but not to win it.

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Prediction: 3rd.

WESTS TIGERS

The Tigers have been slowly building strength over recent seasons but still look to be short in key areas. Much will depend on how halves Scott Prince and Benji Marshall shape up - both were hammered by injury last year. In Hodgson they have strikepower from the back, and their three-quarter lineup is strong and fast. But will they get enough ball? The Tigers pack do not look strong enough to compete evenly with the top sides, and the loss of experience from Robbie Mears, Darren Senter and Scott Sattler will hurt. Worth watching are Junior Kiwi Harrison and new Kiwis centre-turned-hooker Dene Halatau.

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Prediction: 11th.

NZ WARRIORS

Steve Price and Ruben Wiki will provide the leadership and stick-to-it mentality that has been missing, provided the two veterans can stay on the field injury- and suspension-free. But the Warriors' season depends on those around them - if the rest stand and watch as they used to, waiting for Stacey Jones to work miracles, they will again be swamped by more professional, more enthusiastic outfits. The Warriors have more talent available than any team in the comp. They have strength and explosive power all over the field. It's a matter of getting the best from confidence players such as Clinton Toopi, Brent Webb, Sione Faumuina and the young up-and-comers, including Epalahame Lauaki, Jerome Ropati and Manu Vatuvei. Head coach Tony Kemp's ability to do that remains in question. The extended coaching team should help.

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Prediction: 4th.

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS

It was fairytale year for the Cowboys last season - keeping their feet on the ground and their heads in the right space will determines how 2005 goes. They have one of the best props in the game in Paul Rauhihi, and have bought wisely with Carl Webb, Souths' centre-secondrower and goal-kicker Justin Smith and Johnathon Thurston at five-eighth. There is some depth of experience in the pack. The team have a good balance, but are a little short on superstar quality out back and explosive presence in the pack. They will not be the easy-beats of previous years after the lift in confidence gained from making the playoffs and pressing through them.

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Prediction: 5th.

PARRAMATTA EELS

The Eels have bought more class than any other team in the competition yet still they look unbalanced. There are half-a-dozen halves yet no specialist five-eighth, multiple hookers and multiple utility players. That could play to their advantage or it may become a major handicap. Coach Brian Smith likes moving people round the field but his game-plan has not worked, the Eels being perennial under-achievers. There is rumour that PJ Marsh is having problems with his neck and will not play this season.

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Prediction: 7th.

PENRITH PANTHERS

The Panthers appear to be the best-balanced team in the comp. They have explosive power up front, guile in the halves, kicking options, strong centres and game-breakers round them in the backs. They have confidence from recent seasons, lots of young local kids keen to come into a winning lineup. The Panthers are unlikely to be as badly affected by injury as other teams will be, given the depth and options they have. Coach John Lang has settled his pattern on the team and it remains largely unchanged. There should be further development from the likes of Frank Pritchard and Trent Waterhouse this season, and if old hands Craig Gower and Luke Priddis can run the game and stay injury-free, the Panthers are the team to beat in 2005.

Prediction: 1st.

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS

Captain Bryan Fletcher was negotiating to end his contract but has stayed, a key for them. New coach Shaun McRae will provide a smarter game-plan and the administration from Shane Richardson, one of the game's best, will provide some stability and a unity that has not been there for some years. But that will not be enough to lift them from wooden-spoon contention because the Rabbits simply don't have enough good players. Years of internal strife, poor buying, poor coaching and lack of confidence will not be reversed overnight. The Rabbits should not be the crumbling defensive bunnies of last season - but nor will they win many games.

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Prediction: 14th.

CRONULLA SHARKS

The Sharks have not had a player to complement Brett Kimmorley but Adam Dykes offers that - another kicking game and second options off the ruck. They have a strong forward pack with experience and rep players bolstered by youthful exuberance. They should be strong in the centres and it will be interesting to see if former Warrior Vince Mellars can push his way into a start. Stuart Raper was a successful coach in England and offers the club some stability and unity after the Chris Anderson fiasco.

TAB $22; Centrebet A$21, A$28.

Prediction: 10th.

MANLY SEA EAGLES

The Eagles' buying shows signs of desperation. They paid over the odds for Brent Kite and Ben Kennedy, both good players but the former still to establish himself and the latter ageing and injury-prone. They have not replaced Andrew Walker in the halves or as specialist goal-kicker, and the five-eighth position remains open. There is plenty of promise from the likes of Paul Stephenson and Chad Randall. The Eagles look ready to fold like a house of cards.

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Prediction: 15th and last.

MELBOURNE STORM

The Storm have significant losses through Stephen Kearney and Rodney Howe up front, but the growing maturity from Smith and Slater provides gains in other areas. It's a matter of whether the pack can get sufficient go-forward for smart halves Matt Orford and Scott Hill. Orford's kicking game is a big plus, while Hill is a brilliant director of play. They have wing power from King and the genius of Billy Slater from the back. The Storm look to have a few too many journeymen and too few true game-breakers to press on at the end of the season, and injury to key players could kill them earlier.

TAB $18; Centrebet A$17, A$61.

Prediction: 9th.

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS

The Knights have paid too much of their salary cap to hold on to Andrew Johns, and suffer for all-round depth as a result. Their losses are significant, Kirk Reynoldson's signing is not. The pre-season fiasco at Bathurst will do their chances no good - how can the 12 players fined for drunken misbehaviour and the ones who went to management to report them repair that rift? It's likely to show on the field.

TAB $15; Centrebet A$18, A$17.

Prediction: 12th.Peter Jessup