Review of Early NRL Season Views

Responding to Wests Tigers Wankers Dirty on their Pathetic Club

Recently A View from the Top was attacked for reminding a distraught Wests Tigers fan about his Early Season views and opinions on ‘Teflon’ Tim Sheens. Considering the unwarranted and unsubstantiated nature of the claims AVFTT has decided to fire back by addressing the claims and definitely pointing out just how accurate the Round 2 views on the unfolding of the NRL season.

"I question whether the Warriors are capable of such football and tip them to finish in the bottom half of the top eight again this year."

At the time of print the New Zealand Warriors were on the fourth line of betting at $9 and tipped by many a pundit to take on the mighty Wests Tigers in this year’s Grand Final. A View from the Top has gone against the popular belief at the time and tipped a bottom half of the eight finish for NZ, which they were on track for until going winless in a disgraceful last 8 weeks.

"Canterbury at least twelve months from a title challenge."

A statement A View from the Top continues to stand by. If you take away Canterbury’s stunning 12 game winning streak their record stands at six wins and six losses. They enjoyed a spectacular run on the back of the brilliance of Barba and Reynolds but were underwhelming in the opening 10 rounds of the competition and inept against Canberra a fortnight ago. Expect Manly to edge them in week one.

"The Roosters have a powerful forward pack and youthful exuberance and will struggle at stages this season. Will probably scrape into the eight and be one of those sides that the top sides fear most, struggling with consistency but capable of brilliance."

In flogging Wests Tigers in round 25 with the Tigers season on the line, the Roosters showed just what they are capable of. Against a side jam packed with stars and representative players the Roosters forwards bashed the Tigers through the middle and put 40 points on a side not only playing for the two points but for points differential as well. Add that to a record that reads WLWLWWLLWLLWLLLLWLDLLLWLLWL including victories at various stages over top 4  and top 8 sides and declarations of a struggle with consistency certainly hold weight. The biggest problem for Easts was not week to week consistency as I expected but set to set and half to half consistency for the young side. Have definitely underachieved but the loss of Braith Anasta will surely aid their recovery in 2013.

"The Cronulla Sharks have recruited wisely this season but are still two quality centres short of the top eight."

Made the eight by a point, purely because Wests, St George, Gold Coast and Newcastle couldn’t string wins together in the last month. Making up the numbers, due mainly to their weak backling

Just some pearls of wisdom from your FIGJAM blog.

Stating that three of the top four favourites at the time were making up the numbers and couldn’t win the title AND then that happening, not a bad record. To refresh your memory on the 12^th of March, at the time of print Wests were $6 favourites, Newcastle and New Zealand both on the third line at $9. AVFTT stated these teams could not win the comp and all three teams have gone on to miss the semis. I certainly welcome any constructive feedback or discussion, but only if you can present an argument with some sort of credence and not motivated entirely by a case of sever sour grapes.