Posted by Nathan Hoy
Gold Coast Crusade (currently 1st)
Currently Gold Coast is the only team that is assured of making the ASRL top 8, this combined with the return of talented halves combination Laurie Daley (poor form) and Andrew Johns (injury) should allow Gold Coast to cement its number one position for the finals.
Run home
Sydney (H)
Perth (H)
Newcastle (A)
Sydney (H)
Prediction
Final Placing: 1st
Points: 39
Perth Taipans (2nd)
Perth’s form over the last couple of weeks has been inconsistent at best. A big moral boosting win was had against an injury depleted Hobart side before going down to North Melbourne by 10 a week later. That coupled with one of the toughest runs home make it hard to see Perth winning any more then two of their remaining games, without a large form reversal.
Run Home
New England (A)
Gold Coast (A)
Carnarvon (H)
Hawkesbury (H)
Prediction
Final Placing: 5th
Points: 32
New England Ferrets (3rd)
New England has been on a hot streak of late and coming into the finals are one of the dominant teams of the ASRL. With a four game winning streak accompanying them into the last four rounds of competition, the New England Ferrets will find themselves heavily embedded in the top three of the competition.
Run Home
Perth (H)
Central Coast (H)
Country (A)
Hobart (A)
Prediction
Final Placing: 3rd
Points: 34
Carnarvon Cowboys (4th)
Carnarvon returned to the winners list with a hard fought victory over Central last week after three consecutive losses, and should use that victory as a launching pad into the ASRL final series.
Run Home
Adelaide (A)
Sunshine Coast (H)
Perth (A)
Canberra (H)
Prediction
Final Placing: 2nd
Points: 36
Central Coast Falcons (5th)
During the past three weeks the Falcons have turned in two unconvincing victories over lowly placed teams and produced a dismal performance against Hobart last week. On the back of only a moderate run home the Falcon should secure three victories giving them a top 8 birth.
Run Home
North Melbourne (H)
New England (A)
Newcastle (A)
Darwin (H)
Prediction
Final Placing: 4th
Points: 33
Central Phoenix (6th)
With a close loss to Carnarvon last week bring an end to a four game winning streak, Central will be looking to bounce back into winning form before the finals start. With their full complement of players on the park it should allow central to make a run for a top spot in the finals.
Run Home
Newcastle (H)
Sydney (A)
Darwin (A)
Adelaide (H)
Prediction
Final Placing: 6th
Points: 30
Hobart Devils (7th)
With a vital away win against the highly favoured Falcon last week, confidence should be high going into the last three rounds of the season. Hobart has been blessed with one of the most favourable runs into the finals playing three lower ranked teams before taking on New England in the last round which will show if Hobart has what it takes to make it into the later stages of the final series.
Run Home
Canberra (H)
Parramatta (H)
Canberra (A)
New England (H)
Prediction
Final Placing: 7th
Points: 30
Sydney Oilers (8th)
Sydney was on a four game winning streak before they lost to the hot top three side, New England. With a lot of hard work being done to make it into the top eight, it is up to Sydney’s star halves combination Anthony Mundine and Preston Campbell to take them to a birth in the finals.
Run Home
Gold Coast (A)
Central (H)
Hawkesbury (H)
Gold Coast (A)
Prediction
Final Placing: 8th
Points: 30
Adelaide Attitude (9th)
As of late Adelaide has been struggling to find any kind of form that could take them towards a finals campaign. Four straight wins is not the ideal base to be preforming a final four round surge to the finals.
Run Home
Carnarvon (H)
Newcastle (A)
North Melbourne (H)
Central (A)
Prediction
Final Placing: 13th
Points: 25
North Melbourne Maulers (10th)
After a large loss to Sydney in round 21 the Maulers bounced back into winning form with a convincing with over the poorly performed (of late) Perth Taipans.
Run Home
Central Coast (A)
Canberra (H)
Adelaide (A)
Country (H)
Predictions
Final Placing: 9th
Points: 29
Brisbane Bulls (11th)
Brisbane is currently on a two game winning streak and will look to consolidate their current good form into a finals spot. Brisbane has been given a good draw playing all four games against sides that are lower then them selves, which should allow Brisbane to vie for one of the bottom three spots in the final eight. But for and against could be Brisbane biggest problem.
Run Home
Country (H)
Darwin (A)
Manly (H)
Newcastle (H)
Predictions
Final Placing: 10th
Points: 29
Sunshine Coast Wizards (12th)
On recent performances and a tough draw it is hard to see Sunshine Coast Making an impact post season.
Run Home
Manly (A)
Carnarvon (A)
Gold Coast (H)
Parramatta (H)
Predictions
Final Placing: 15th
Points: 22
Hawkesbury Mavericks (13th)
On current form it looks as if Hawkesbury will halve their last four games but it will not be good enough for them to make it into the finals.
Run Home
Darwin (H)
West Sydney (H)
Sydney (A)
Perth (A)
Predictions
Final Placing: 12th
Points: 25
Manly Cannons (14th)
Manly may have turned the corner after their hard fought win last round against Adelaide, but even with perfect form for the rest of the season it will be hard to see them making the top eight.
Run Home
Sunshine Coast (H)
Country (A)
Brisbane (A)
West Sydney (A)
Predictions
Final Placing: 11th
Points: 28
Darwin Cyclones (15th)
Hard to see making the eight on current form. Hopefully a fit Bill Rhyven will provide Darwin with a versatile playmaker that they desperately need.
Run Home
Hawkesbury (A)
Brisbane (H)
Central (H)
Central Coast (A)
Predictions
Final Placing: 16th
Points: 20
Parramatta Vikings (16th)
Almost impossible to make the eight form their position. Will need to acquire some much-needed forward power in the end of season draft.
Run Home
West Sydney (A)
Hobart (A)
West Sydney (H)
Sunshine Coast (A)
Predictions
Final Placing: 14th
Points: 24
The Rest (17th to 20th) in order
Newcastle Fear
Country Diamonds
Canberra Charges
West Sydney Pumas
It is mathematically impossible for these teams to make the final eight.
Projected Season End Table
Gold Coast 39
Carnarvon 36
New England 34
Central Coast 33
Perth 32
Central 30
Hobart 30
Sydney 30
North Melbourne 29
Brisbane 29
Manly 28
Hawkesbury 25
Adelaide 25
Parramatta 24
Sunshine Coast 22
Darwin 20
Newcastle 17
Country 16
Canberra 12
West Sydney 7
Chris' Predictions
Finals Predictions
Gold Coast Crusade (currently 1st)
The Gold Coast Crusade stumbled at their last hurdle, but with Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley back on the field, they should return to their winnings ways. They have a tough run home with Perth and two encounters against Sydney, but with all of these matches at home, should be able to maintain their grip on the minor premiership
Run home
Sydney (H)
Perth (H)
Newcastle (A)
Sydney (H)
Prediction
Final Placing: 1st
Points: 39
Perth Taipans (2nd)
Perth are out of form and running out of time. The former premiership favourites need to find a remedy to their worrying slump before they see themselves slipping out of the eight and out of finals contention. They face an incredibly tough run home, facing four genuine contenders. If Lockyer and Larkhim can take the field, they should scrape in.
Run Home
New England (A)
Gold Coast (A)
Carnarvon (H)
Hawkesbury (H)
Prediction
Final Placing: 5th
Points: 32
New England Ferrets (3rd)
New England are a real force in the 2001/2002 premiership, and no one would’ve expected it at the start of the season. The combination between Walker and Ikin is powerful, but it is the flare of fullback David Peachy that makes the Ferrets the biggest threat to Gold Coast this season.
Run Home
Perth (H)
Central Coast (H)
Country (A)
Hobart (A)
Prediction
Final Placing: 2nd
Points: 36
Carnarvon Cowboys (4th)
The Cowboys are another side that have over-achieved, but their line-up are damn impressive on paper as well. The likes of Kennedy, Harris, Sailor, Blacklock and Riolo make them one of the most potent attacking units in the competition. With a fairly soft run home, the Cowboys should find themselves in a good position come the finals.
Run Home
Adelaide (A)
Sunshine Coast (H)
Perth (A)
Canberra (H)
Prediction
Final Placing: 3rd
Points: 36
Central Coast Falcons (5th)
The Falcons are the real surprise packets of the premiership, sitting in fifth after original predictions placed them in relegation zone. It’s not flashy players or outstanding coaching that makes the Falcons a threat, it’s their ability to work as a unit that has seen them topple sides like Perth, Manly and New England.
Run Home
North Melbourne (H)
New England (A)
Newcastle (A)
Darwin (H)
Prediction
Final Placing: 6th
Points: 31
Central Phoenix (6th)
The Phoenix have returned after their form slump and are in the kind of form that had them ranked as second favourites behind Gold Coast mid-season. Their attack is devastating, but their recent form also shows that they can defend with the best of them. A soft run home (aside from Sydney) should see them in good position come the finals.
Run Home
Newcastle (H)
Sydney (A)
Darwin (A)
Adelaide (H)
Prediction
Final Placing: 4th
Points: 32
Hobart Devils (7th)
The Devils have bounced back with a good away win, but I don’t know if that’ll be enough to see them scrape home. They face a fairly daunting final two games, which means they’ll need to be in good form in their first two to ensure some ‘gimme’ points.
Run Home
Canberra (H)
Parramatta (H)
Canberra (A)
New England (H)
Prediction
Final Placing: 8th
Points: 28
Sydney Oilers (8th)
The Oilers have really burst back into contention after looking like second division starters mid-season. The injection of new coach Roger Bossert has turned the Oilers into the same sort of side that almost scraped into the Grand Final in 2000. A tough run home will really challenge the Oilers though.
Run Home
Gold Coast (A)
Central (H)
Hawkesbury (H)
Gold Coast (A)
Prediction
Final Placing: 9th
Points: 28
Adelaide Attitude (9th)
After looking final certainties a few weeks ago, the Attitude have fallen short at the last few hurdles. A revival in form could see them scrape home, but with matches against Carnarvon and Central, they’ll need to produce at least upset win.
Run Home
Carnarvon (H)
Newcastle (A)
North Melbourne (H)
Central (A)
Prediction
Final Placing: 13th
Points: 25
North Melbourne Maulers (10th)
The Maulers are another side to bounce back into form at the right end of the season, which coincides with the arrival of players such as Paul Wellens and Richard Peleasina. The loss of Rhyven hasn’t hurt them yet, and they should steal some vital points in their final games.
Run Home
Central Coast (A)
Canberra (H)
Adelaide (A)
Country (H)
Predictions
Final Placing: 10th
Points: 27
Brisbane Bulls (11th)
Last year’s Grand Finalists are making a healthy charge for the 2001/2002 finals, and with Matthew Burke calling the shots and a nice easy run home- I can see them doing it. Country, Darwin and Newcastle should all be easy wins, with a home tie against rivals Manly the only real hurdle.
Run Home
Country (H)
Darwin (A)
Manly (H)
Newcastle (H)
Predictions
Final Placing: 7th
Points: 31
Sunshine Coast Wizards (12th)
The Wizards are the surprise of the season, in that they’re still up there despite some horrendous injuries and some poor form. Won’t win many on the way home, and may find themselves much lower come the season’s close.
Run Home
Manly (A)
Carnarvon (A)
Gold Coast (H)
Parramatta (H)
Predictions
Final Placing: 14th
Points: 24
Hawkesbury Mavericks (13th)
The Mavericks have been in and out of contention all season, and they stand a real chance of proving themselves if they can win some of the final matches. They really need to win four from four, although three could work if results fall their way.
Run Home
Darwin (H)
West Sydney (H)
Sydney (A)
Perth (A)
Predictions
Final Placing: 12th
Points: 25
Manly Cannons (14th)
Manly will do it tough if they want to make it back to back, and even making the finals seems a big ask from where they stand. They have a soft run home, aside from fellow Grand Finalists Brisbane, and should make up some face before the season’s close.
Run Home
Sunshine Coast (H)
Country (A)
Brisbane (A)
West Sydney (A)
Predictions
Final Placing: 11th
Points: 26
Darwin Cyclones (15th)
Darwin are out of form and out of options, but the imminent return of Bill Rhyven might spark something which could take Darwin back into contention. An incredibly tough run home is against them though.
Run Home
Hawkesbury (A)
Brisbane (H)
Central (H)
Central Coast (A)
Predictions
Final Placing: 16th
Points: 20
Parramatta Vikings (16th)
A fairly easy run home makes the Vikings a mathematical chance of a finals berth, but I can’t see them doing it, simply because they lack the dedication and consistency to survive this kind of pressure football.
Run Home
West Sydney (A)
Hobart (A)
West Sydney (H)
Sunshine Coast (A)
Predictions
Final Placing: 15th
Points: 24
The Rest (17th to 20th) in order
Newcastle Fear- 17
Country Diamonds- 16
Canberra Charges- 14
West Sydney Pumas- 7
It is mathematically impossible for these teams to make the final eight.
Projected Top Eight Table
Gold Coast 39
New England 36
Carnarvon 36
Central 32
Perth 32
Central Coast 31
Brisbane 31
Hobart 28
Sydney 28
North Melbourne 27
Manly 26
Hawkesbury 25
Adelaide 25
Sunshine Coast 24
Parramatta 24
Darwin 20
Newcastle 17
Country 16
Canberra 14
West Sydney 7
