League: Your team-by-team guide to the NRL

Peter Jessup

With the toughest league in the world kicking off tonight, Peter Jessup looks at the teams chasing glory in the NRL. Here's the nuts and bolts on every squad and all the big names.

Brisbane Broncos

For the first time since the Broncos' inception in 1988, Wayne Bennett is not the coach. The Broncos have a star-studded backline - can new coach Ivan Henjak unlock their potential and will Darren Lockyer and Justin Hodges remain injury-free? More to the point, do they have the forward power to make the necessary ground-gain and serve up good ball? They rely on PJ Marsh as the only experienced hooker and look doubtful at prop where Joel Clinton has failed to regain test form. Sam Thaiday is damaging but erratic and Ashton Sims was inconsistent last year. They may struggle for depth if injury bites.

Clearly their attacking play will revolve around Lockyer. But with their two big defenders David Stagg and Tonie Carroll gone, will the defensive glue be lacking?

Likely finish: Ninth

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Canberra Raiders

A coaching change threatens to derail what was achieved at Canberra under Neil Henry, who developed young players capable of putting his fast-play game plan into action. Club stalwart David Furner takes over with former Super League coach Ian Millward, unwanted as a head coach, his assistant. The loss of Neville Costigan's hardness in the pack and Colin Best's try-scoring from the midfield and wing will hurt. After punting the wayward Todd Carney in mid-2008, they rely on junior Marc Herbert at halfback and will shift Terry Campese to five-eighth. They lack depth in those positions.

The Raiders are always tough at home but it seems they will struggle to get the necessary wins away from home, as usual.

Predicted finish: 13th

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Canterbury Bulldogs

Another club running with the son of a long-serving administrator. The Dogs lost their way in 2008 with SBW walking out and the team losing heart and outgoing coach Steve Folkes losing interest.

Can Kevin Moore, son of "Bullfrog", turn that around? Not in one season he can't.

They rely on the ageing Brett Kimmorley at halfback and rookie Ben Barba at five-eighth. The squad does not have the menacing look of the past, particularly in the forward pack - SBW and Reni Maitua under-performed in 2008 but were still their best. It looks like they will struggle for ground up front and incision in the backs. Also the wholesale changes are likely to result in a rusty start from which they may struggle to recover.

Predicted finish: 15th

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Cronulla Sharks

The Sharks have major financial problems and this is likely to play on players' minds. They hired Ricky Stuart to attract players but he blew his top after losing the World Cup title to the Kiwis - it remains to be seen whether his abrasive attitude gels or melts the Sharks. Greg Bird is gone and fellow Origin player and captain Paul Gallen plus Dogs buy-in Reni Maitua will miss the season start with leg injuries.

Their playmakers are all changed - new hooker Corey Hughes, new halfback Brett Seymour and Trent Barrett returns from England at number six. The Sharks' defence will be good but it's unlikely they'll match the scoring of others.

Predicted finish: Sixth

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Gold Coast Titans

The Titans have lost nothing in the post-season player trades and with two seasons behind them in the NRL they look likely to push on to become regular play-off contenders. They lost co-captains Luke Bailey and Scott Prince to injury last season and it cost big-time. Those two need to stay on the field as do Mat Rogers, Preston Campbell and Anthony Laffranchi.

Ex-Canberra fullback William Zillman adds punch in the backline and after two seasons sidelined by injury surely former Origin wing Chris Walker will see this one through.

The Titans promise to play an entertaining style using the ball early in the tackle count. They need a better away record but the huge home crowds at Robina should give them a very good home record.

Predicted finish: Eighth

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Manly Sea Eagles

The Eagles have lost significant firepower and experience with Steve Bell and Steve Menzies heading to England. They retain a solid core and are unlikely to change their gameplan despite Jamie Lyon shifting out from five-eighth to centre and Chris Bailey coming into six.

The big problem for them may be off-field distractions, with the sexual assault allegations against Brett Stewart and the owners scrapping very publicly plus the loss of financial backing at a time when they need a major ground rejuvenation. Matt Orford and Steve Matai carry long-term injury into the season.

The finals series experience of the past two seasons will serve them well and the huge Tony Williams will add punch on attack.

Predicted finish: Fourth

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Melbourne Storm

The losses due to salary cap pressure are significant, especially in the second row where the hardness of Michael Crocker and Jeremy Smith will be sorely missed. Matt Geyer was a very useful utility.

The State of Origin commitments will hurt them again. But in the right positions at hooker, half, five-eighth and fullback they have world-class game-breakers in Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk, Greg Inglis and Billy Slater.

The forward pack is tough, they enjoy good depth and they have one of the most astute coaches in the game in Craig Bellamy, with able assistance from Steve Kearney. It's impossible to see them missing the top-four but perhaps they will miss the Grand Final this year.

Predicted finish: Second

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Newcastle Knights

Coach Brian Smith had a clean-out in his first season in 2007 and has had time to shape his squad but has added little. With inspirational hooker and captain Danny Buderus gone to Leeds, much falls on the young shoulders of Kurt Gidley who was a star for them in 2008 and takes the skipper's role. Lacking depth up front, the Knights just do not look big enough or good enough to trouble the top sides.

Their forwards lack real class, Ben Cross a disappointment so far since shifting from Melbourne, the rest (bar Steve Simpson) are basically journeymen. The backline lacks star game-breakers.

The aura of Newcastle's home stadium has gone after the departure of Andrew Johns and others and now Buderus too. They'll struggle.

Predicted finish: 14th

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New Zealsnd Warriors

The Warriors look to have more depth than any other NRL side, especially given the great performance by their under-20s in 2008. For once there is competition in the halves, no walk-up start for the great Stacey Jones!

Joel Moon promises much at five-eighth - he has good upper-body strength to break tackles and get off-loads away and is an elusive runner with pace and acceleration. Denan Kemp adds real gas out wide. State of Origin second-rower Jacob Lillyman brings a toughness in defence and adds to the pack attack.

They proved last year they can win without line-breaker Wade McKinnon and skipper Steve Price - with those two, Jones and three good buys from Queensland they look particularly balanced and threatening.

Predicted finish: First

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North Queensland Cowboys

The new coach Neil Henry promises much.

The Cowboys had a huge pack in 2008 and, despite the departure of Ray Cashmere who was the NRL's largest unit, they have boosted their overall size with Manase Manukuafoa and Antonio Kaufusi. The losses are minimal.

The finals run last year ground to a halt in the face of injuries to star playmaker Johnathan Thurston and finisher Matt Bowen. If these two recover the form they had before leg and shoulder problems the Cowboys can beat any side.

Depth remains a problem, their under-20s last in the Toyota Cup and few looking likely to come through to the NRL in 2009.

As usual, they will be well-nigh unbeatable in Townsville where others struggle with the heat and humidity and the big home crowd.

Predicted finish: Third

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Parramatta Eels

The Eels have described their time under Michael Hagan as lazy and have vowed to lift in training and on the field. New coach Daniel Anderson has a winning record elsewhere and he's astute and determined. The halves is where they struggled in 2008 and Anderson has quickly shifted the elusive Jarryd Hayne to five-eighth and given the erratic Brett Finch confidence by confirming him as halfback. The Eels look strong across the field and if Hayne and

Krisnan Inu hit form they'll trouble everyone. They need a big season from veteran forwards Nathan Cayless and Nathan Hindmarsh and those two should be determined to turn on hot form given that the Eels have been the under-performers of recent seasons and they are coming to the end of their careers.

Predicted finish: Seventh

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Penrith Panthers

The westerners are in trouble financially, have made no buys of significance after losing a heap of talent and are reliant on local juniors stepping up.

The Junior Kiwis hooker Masada Iosefa carries a lot on his shoulders after making a big impression from the bench in 2008 but he'll have to play a lot more minutes after the departure of Luke Priddis.

Much also runs on the form of Jarrod Sammut who transfers from fullback and junior Wade Graham.

Frank Pritchard didn't have his heart in it for half of 2008 - he's a key for them. They do not look to have the balance required to go all the way and early losses will see big pressure come on the coach Matt Elliot.

Predicted finish: Last

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St. George-Illawarra Dragons

Wayne Bennett will instil discipline and you can bet he will build a harder defence and a more-determined attitude that will get them over the line in close games.

Bennett has placed Ben Hornby at halfback and named him captain; he's also shown faith in the brilliant but sometimes wayward Jamie Soward as five-eighth. The backrow is particularly strong and they have good strikepower wide in the backs, provided Hornby and Soward can deliver clean, quick ball.

The Dragons have under-achieved in recent seasons and suffered from the continual focus on coaching change away from Nathan Brown. There will be no excuses under Bennett.

Predicted finish: Fifth

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South Sydney Rabbitohs

This season will determine whether coach Jason Taylor will be around in 2010. The wealthy owners are scrapping - no surprise given the money poured in and the lack of return on the field - and they'll be after major change if the Rabbitohs produce another mediocre season.

They have placed their faith in Aboriginal junior Chris Sandow, signed as halfback for three years after discarding Kiwis Eddie Paea and Jeremy Smith.

They have a good pack with star quality in captain Roy Asotasi, hooker Isaac Luke and secondrowers John Sutton and David Fa'alogo. They have pace out wide and a good kicker in Craig Wing.

They should trouble many teams but it's hard to see them maintaining the consistency that wins premiership titles.

Predicted finish: 10th

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Sydney Roosters

The Roosters have not fired as they should, suffering with injury to stars Anthony Minichiello and Willie Mason, lack of stability in the halves and a brittleness that resulted in some serious canings in 2008. They appear to lack commitment.

Much rests on new star Mitchell Pearce - will he suffer the "second-year syndrome" that afflicts many newcomers, both because they are watched more closely by opponents and because expectation weighs on them?

The former Bulldogs Mason, Nate Myles and Mark O'Meley have failed to dominate as expected and the Roosters' attack has suffered as a result. A lack of depth will trouble them if injury intercedes.

Predicted finish: 11th

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Wests Tigers

The Tigers rely heavily on Robbie Farah at hooker and Benji Marshall in the halves to make their game breaks. They will miss the scintillating attack and goal-kicking of 2008 skipper Brett Hodgson.

The pack looks small so they'll have to play an up-beat game and hope they can run bigger sides off their feet.

The Tigers have a multitude of players coming off contract this season so there is incentive to perform. But they do not look to have the depth nor all-round form required to push on as they did to the title in 2005.

The interruption to routine with coach Tim Sheens' involvement with the Kangaroos squad won't help.

Predicted finish: 12th