Happy New Year, etc and so on...

1. Leeds
2. Warrington
3. Wigan
4. Saints
5. Huddersfield
6. Catalan
7. Salford
8. Hull
9. Hull KR
10. Castleford
11. Widnes
12. Wakefield
13. London
14. Bradford
Challenge Cup: Leeds
Grand Final: Warrington

Wigan
Huddersfield
Warrington
Saints
Leeds
Catalan
Hull KR
Hull
Salford
Castleford
Widnes
Bradford
Wakefield
London

Challenge Cup: Huddersfield
Grand Final: Wigan

1. St Helens
2. Huddersfield
3. Wigan
4. Leeds
5. Warrington
6. Hull F.C
7. Les Catalans
8. Salford
9. Hull K.R
10. Widnes
11. Castleford
12. Wakefield
13. Bradford
14. London

Leeds beat St Helens in the CC
Wigan beat St Helens in the GF

1.Huddersfield
2.Saint Helens
3.Leeds
4.Wigan
5.Warrington
6.Salford
7.HKR
8.Catalans
9.Wakefield
10.Hull FC
11.Castleford
12.Widnes
13.Bradford
14.London

CC-Leeds beat Warrington
GF-Saint Helens beat Wigan

Bradford to finish in bottom 2

Wigan
Saints
Hudds
Wire
Leeds
Hull FC
Salford
HKR
Catalans
Wakey
Cas
Bradford
Widnes
London

CC: Wigan
GF: Saints

1. Saints
2. Warrington
3. Wigan
4. Leeds
5. Huddersfield
6. Salford
7. Catalans
8. Hull FC
9. Wakefield
10. Hull KR
11. Widnes
12. Castleford
13. Bradford
14. London

CC - Leeds
GF - Saints

Saints
Wire
Huddersfield
Leeds
Wigan
Hull
Catalan
Salford
Hull KR
Widnes
Castleford
Bradford
Wakefield
London

Challenge Cup: Leeds
Grand Final: Warrington

*revised forecast to reflect increased pessimism re Waskefield's financial state*

The waiting is over. Here are my predictions:

*drum roll*

1 - Wire
2 - Wigan
3- Saints
4 - Leeds
5 - Dragons
6 - Hudds
7 - Hull FC
8 - Hull KR
9 - Salford City Red Devilosauruses
10 - Cas
11 - Widnes
12 - Bulls (bit of a punt as current squad is better than that, but...)
13 - Wakey
14 - London

"Please lump all your money on El Diablo's predictions.

Yours in optimism,

Mr William Hill"

1. Saints
2. Leeds
3. Wigan
4. Warrington
5. Salford
6. Huddersfield
7. Catalan
8. Hull FC
9. Wakefield
10. Hull KR
11. Bradford
12. London Broncos
13. Castleford
14. Widnes

CC Leeds beat Salford
GF Leeds beat Wigan

I don't know how the Bulls and Broncos will manage to finish 11th and 12th, but I can't see the RFL letting either get relegated?

Oh, forgot.

CC - Saints
GF - Wire

Interesting how on here most have Wire in the top 2 yet over on their boards they are nowhere near so optimnistic and most have them around 4th/5th. Whilst rightly people are questioning how Wigan will do without Tomkins, have they forgotten how integral Briers has been to Wire?

Also everyone, almost without exception, are predicting a big season for Saints based on Walsh and Masoe (who is currently injured). Is Walsh that good?

The league is likely to be a close contest - perhaps with the leaders losing 7 or 8 games - with most teams being weaker this season than last (excepting Salford and Saints)

FWIW

1. Leeds (best backline) 2. Wigan (lots of depth to squad) 3. Huddersfield (Brough is unlikely to have as good a season) 4. Wire (TS is still a great coach) 5. Saints 6. Catalans 7. Salford 8. Hull 9.Hull KR 10. Widnes 11. Cas 12. Wakey !3. Bulls 14. London

Challenge Cup - any of top 4 depending on the draw
Grand Final Wigan to beat Leeds (it would be nice to see top 2 contest the final)

Hudds
Wig
Warr
Saints
Leeds
Catalan
Hull
Salf
Hull KR
Bfd
Cas
Widnes
Wfld
London

C..C Leeds
G.F Leeds

It would be very similar to the Wigan board at this stage last year, where there was so much disillusionment with the forthcoming season & numerous posters not getting season tickets or only attending certain games. Not so many this year.

That means nothing. The Warrington fans have been sitting in a dark room wollowing in their own self pity since the 2011 playoffs.

Why do you think so many Leeds fans think that Wire will be strong this season then?

If moaning was an Olympic event we'd do pretty well - perhaps along with your annual "McDermott out" brigade!

He's a Cas fan.

McDermott out.

First time entrant

1 Wigan
2 Leeds
3 St Helens
4 Warrington
5 Huddersfield
6 Catalan
7 Salford
8 Hull KR
9 Hull FC
10 Wakefield
11 Bradford
12 Castleford
13 London
14 Widnes

CC Leeds
GF St Helens

because he is one person expressing his opinion

That's why I put Warrington down for 4th. I remember them coming to Headingley last year without Briers or Morley and whilst they could still boast a talented team it look leaderless.

Briers and Morley missed a big chunk of the first half of the season and in their absence Wire went W7 L5 in SL and were floating around 4th/5th place. After they were both back Wire went W11 L1 and finished in 2nd place. That one loss came against Widnes at home and guess which two players Tony Smith rested for that match?

All in all a Wire lost 6 matches during the regular season in 2013. Briers and Morley together missed 5 of those. The other defeat Morley was missing and Briers was making his first start for 3 months.

They have the talent, but do they have any leaders left?

Is not just that though is it?

Amor in, hopefully Roby and lomax playing more rugby (with the latter settled in his best partition of fullback), walmsley with another off season at Saints, the emergence of swift as a genuine try-scoring winger, Beaumont to give some size in reserve at prop.

Plenty to be optimistic about and is not all just Walsh and Masoe.

You don't have to explain. Only a Wigan fan could not see further than their own @r5e.

Your smartass comment doesn't answer the question does it? Every poster is "one person expressing his opinion". Are people not allowed to engage in debate?

On the thread roughly 15 posters had Wire in the top 2. I just wondered why about 40% of the poll felt that Warrington would be as strong this season as last given that they have lost Morley, Briers, Hodgson and Carvell and have Asotasi and some untried (though talented) youngsters in their places.