We take a look at your team's premiership chances

Andrew Moore | rugbyleaguelive.com | 28/08/08 | 0

VIDEO - The NRL contenders: can your team win it?

So – as we approach the playoffs in the NRL – who’s looking good, and who’s struggling?

Ask players who have won grand finals, and they will talk about momentum and fitness being the absolute key at this time of year to finals success.

It would seem to me Melbourne has lifted a couple of notches as the sniff of September becomes more potent.

The way they have dismantled Manly, the Sydney Roosters and Penrith in recent weeks has shown they are in great shape two weeks out from the finals – more than justifying their favouritism for just about anything.

Manly has seemingly quickly recovered from back-to-back losses to the Storm and South Sydney with a crushing win over the Wests Tigers, and they still have Jamie Lyon to return from injury.

I would rate the Sea Eagles in good shape.

Likewise Cronulla, who just keep on winning, playing with a finals intensity just about every single time they take the field.

Only time will tell how the players will cope being without one of their best for the rest of the season in Greg Bird.

The Sharks have been in the top four all the way, and I now expected them to be very hard to beat next month.

The Sydney Roosters are gone in my view, and won’t make the top four.

They’ve really fallen in a hole. The forwards aren’t dominating anyone, and the halves – Braith Anasta and Mitchell Pearce, so dominant for most of the year – have started to look very, very tired.

Now many think they can quickly turn things around. I doubt it, and I can’t see them challenging for the title.

Brisbane is continually spoken about as a threat to Melbourne and Manly, but their form isn’t all that flash after back to back losses.

They needed extra time, at home, to get over the top of a courageous, but under-strength Gold Coast team.

I’m still not convinced they’re going well enough, but they do have several match winners in their side, so I would rather be in the Broncos’ boat than the Roosters.

Canberra are the revelations of the season, who continue to be outstanding despite an injury toll which beggars belief.

On their day, they are capable of beating anyone, and I would love them to finish in the top four.

Whether they can compete in the finals without a halfback is a huge question, but maybe the brilliant form of Terry Campese negates that.

St George Illawarra is a dangerous floater, although you’re never quite sure what to expect from them. If they finish seventh or eighth, I can’t see them advancing beyond week one of the finals.

Newcastle is eighth, but without Danny Buderus might not win again, and miss out.

Parramatta has won three in a row to be back in the frame, but I don’t know whether they can beat the Dragons and the Warriors.

The New Zealand team plays Penrith at home, and Parramatta away. I don’t think they can win the away game.

I think Penrith and the Wests Tigers are gone, but someone has to finish eighth and make the finals. The good news is, I wouldn’t have the faintest idea which team that would be.

We’re in for a great final couple of weeks of the season.

The Sydney Roosters are gone in my view, and won’t make the top four... Andrew Moore