1 MANLY
We are going to have to wait and see how all of this Brett Stewart drama pans out, but they did win the grand final 40-0 and they backed that up by recording a rare Australian win in the World Club Challenge. Testing times ahead, but there is no doubt they should start the season at number one.

2 CRONULLA
They bought well, but needed to because of the quality of players they lost. They don't particularly excite as a team, but their ability to keep churning out wins must be respected. Under coach Ricky Stuart, they should be up there again, but whether they can take that extra step is the question.

3 MELBOURNE
The salary cap has bitten down on them and they have lost out when it comes to the player gains and losses columns for this season. But they still have multiple superstar quality with the likes of Billy Slater, Greg Inglis and Cameron Smith, so they remain quite capable of snatching the crown

4 WARRIORS
The hit performers of last year's final series, when they became the first eighth-ranked team to win a game and then backed it up with another win before finally being eliminated. Stacey Jones coming out of retirement to play halfback for them is a huge boost. They are genuine title contenders.

5 NORTH QUEENSLAND
Last season should be forgotten when it comes to assessing them. They had a massive injury toll and a fractured relationship with coach Graham Murray, whom the club split with mid-season. Now they are fit again and have a new coach in Neil Henry. They can rocket back up the ladder.

6 ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA
They end up slightly in the negative when it comes to player losses and gains, but bigger than that is the arrival of Wayne Bennett as coach. If he can't get the Dragons to find the grit and establish the consistency that it takes to be genuine title contnders, then no-one can.

7 BRISBANE
For the first time in their history, the Broncos go into a season without Wayne Bennett coaching them. That puts enormous pressure on new coach Ivan Henjak. Even allowing for Israel Folau's young superstar status, they have lost more good players than they have gained for this season.

8 SYDNEY ROOSTERS
The heat is really going to be on coach Brad Fittler this season. The Roosters finished last year's regular season in fourth, but then went straight out the back door in the finals with back-to-back losses and have lost several good players. They will find it hard just to stay in the top eight.

9 CANBERRA
They stormed home to make the finals last season, but now rookie coach David Furner has to try to continue the good work done by Neil Henry. People like to write them off, but they keep performing above expectation. They have some hot young players and a great home-ground advantage.

10 SOUTH SYDNEY
The Rabbitohs were knocked rotten by Craig Wing's injury in the first round of last season. They have since established Chris Sandow at halfback and made key buys for this year in fullback Rhys Wesser and centre Colin Best. They have a big, tough pack of forwards and can make the finals.

11 PARRAMATTA
They haven't done anything significant on the recruitment front and have lost several good players, but the key is their appointment of Daniel Anderson as coach. He has a no-nonsense approach and whatever is the best of the Eels, he should extract it. Capable of sneaking into the finals.

12 BULLDOGS
They have bought very well, but they had to, after losing a few good players. The key buy is halfback Brett Kimmorley. The Bulldogs were eventually crippled by a huge injury toll last season, but had no on-field direction to start with and Kimmorley will at least point them in the right direction.

13 NEWCASTLE
Coach Brian Smith has an undoubted ability to rebuild a club and he did well to get the Knights to finish just one win away from a top-eight spot last season. But now he has to try to get the team to win without star hooker Danny Buderus, who has gone to play in England. That's a big challenge.

14 GOLD COAST
They have some big-name players, but there is still a question mark over their depth. If they have even luck with injuries, they can make the finals, but if they are hit hard again they could fade over the second half of the season, just as they did in their first two years. Touch wood, Titans.

15 WESTS TIGERS
They had better have some good young players coming through to add to their depth, because their signing of English forward Gareth Ellis is outnumbered by the loss of several forwards and star fullback Brett Hodgson. If they get into injury trouble, their season could be torn apart.

16 PENRITH
They desperately need to start the season well. If they start poorly, the spotlight will shine hard on coach Matthew Elliott amid speculation about whether he will be sacked, and no club needs that sort of distraction. They have some good young players, but lack experience in key positions.