We should be used to being written off by the so called RL experts in the press and given 3 years of failure who can blame them?

I've not seen 1 prediction/review that has us in the top 8 for the forth-coming campaign with some even suggesting we will finish as low as 12th!

Surely with the improvements made to the player roster we can crack the top 8 this year? Yes we've lost arguably our best forward in Lynch along with Ah Van and Herbert but i believe the players recruited (Lulia, Purtell, Gale, Sammut, Pryce, Manoukafoa, Kear) improve us especially at half and in the back-line where we were previously very weak.

The question is who can we displace or finish above to make the top 8? i'd say we should be stronger than Cas & Hull KR and on a par with Hull FC squad wise (no disrespect) maybe its just blind optimism? be interesting to hear the opinions of others on here?

I'm glad we're being written off and in many respects we deserve to be. This needs to permeate to the players and we need to develop that 'mongrel' that's been so sadly lacking of late. This is why I'm not bemoaning the loss of Lynch. Whilst a good player in many respects he typified our total lack of aggression and we weren't very good when he was here. To put it bluntly he never really seemed like a Bradford type player to me.

With lack of depth at Hull I could see them finishing in the bottom 4. Green is massive loss for HullKR and Cas under Millward could be a disaster.

I agree about Hull KR and Cas but can't see Hull FC finishing in the bottom 4, they have too much quality for that. As for Lynch, whilst he is non-stop i take your point, although i'd still have preferred to have him stay at the Bulls.

Look past numbers 18/19 in the Hull squad and its under 20s making their debuts. No matter the quality of these kids it's a massive step up physically and put 5/6/7 in a 17 man squad as is not an uncomon amount of injuries and you could see the wheels fall off.

I have down as 9th with a chance of the playoffs ([url=http://www.rlshop.co.uk/article/2012-super-league-prediction/www.rlshop.co.uk/article/2012-super-league-prediction/[/url) . You have 6-7 clubs who should defienlty finish in the playoffs but for everybody else it is just down to injuries, form and luck, it's incredibably close.

I feel that this year we will finish in the top 8 with ease, but it will depend on how the team starts the season, as it will be difficult to stop any downward spiral.

Even with the current injury list, not many are 1st team players, so we should be positive about Sunday.

with players like Elima and Whitehead returning, these should further strengthen the pack. I really want to see Scruton have a good year as we all know he can be one of the best, but injuries have seen his progression dip slightly.

I'm optimistic, the fact that gale is ordering the team around (instead of Herbert) is an immediate improvement, and I think Gale could be a real find this year.

I reckon we can make the 8 but it will hit hovering around the 7-10th places for most of the season! I can see the point with Hull if they keep their 17 fit they will be top 5 but if they have some bad luck with injuries then the depth could be called on and they could struggle to make the 8!

We have definitely a better squad than last year so we have to be higher than 10th...

I'm not sure about this "which team can we oust" business. Talk of it is pretty pointless tbh. Just few short years ago, supporters of other teams would never ever have even considered that hey would finish above the Bulls - but several now routinely do. Things can change.

There will always be one or more teams that end up having a poor or unexpectedly poor season but it's often hard to say who or why - look at us!

The way I see it, we just need on average to pick up a significant number of points more than we drop, and we will finish in a reasonable position. Often, and more often with us, we'll end up picking up points at unlikely places and dropping points against mugs.

Better to be written off than overhyped IMO.

Personally it looks like we have made huge improvements to the side (esp at halfback) and my personal choice of Kear, Lulia, Purtell and Pryce in the Centre/Wing positions is a HUGE improvement on last years powder puff back line.

Right, I'd consider myself abit of an optimistic Bulls fan, and I'd agree with ME and others that the top 8 is perfectly attainable this year. But am I just too optimistic or is Angela Powers anti-Bradford? She's tipped us to finish bottom!! www.code13rugbyleague.com/2012/0 ... edictions/

Right, I'd consider myself abit of an optimistic Bulls fan, and I'd agree with ME and others that the top 8 is perfectly attainable this year. But am I just too optimistic or is Angela Powers anti-Bradford? She's tipped us to finish bottom!! www.code13rugbyleague.com/2012/0 ... edictions/

Bottom!!! that is **in ridiculous! sorry but that is a complete insult to suggest we will finish below Widnes, Salford, London and Wakefield although one of them could have a good season and finish above us.

Quote ="AaronBull"Right, I'd consider myself abit of an optimistic Bulls fan, and I'd agree with ME and others that the top 8 is perfectly attainable this year. But am I just too optimistic or is Angela Powers anti-Bradford? She's tipped us to finish bottom!! www.code13rugbyleague.com/2012/0 ... edictions/'" I bet even the most pesimistic Bulls fan can't see that We probably don't have decent baby changing facilities

Quote ="AaronBull"Right, I'd consider myself abit of an optimistic Bulls fan, and I'd agree with ME and others that the top 8 is perfectly attainable this year. But am I just too optimistic or is Angela Powers anti-Bradford? She's tipped us to finish bottom!! www.code13rugbyleague.com/2012/0 ... edictions/'" I bet even the most pesimistic Bulls fan can't see that We probably don't have decent baby changing facilities

If anyone is going to this forum on Wednesday it might be worth printing all these predictions off, give them to Peter Hood and ask him to plaster the dressing room walls with them.

Considering 2 players who we have let go over last few years are now unattached and unable to find clubs Herbert (degree) Halley (football) we can't possibly be as bad as last few years. But bottom is ridiculous, clearly demonstrating her lack of knowledge, how can she get a job at the countries biggest sports broadcaster when there are journalists who have forgotten more than she will ever know with out a opportunity. Shows all thats wrong with sky sports broadcasting and needs freshening up with people 'in the know'

Thought you would appreciate that

But seriously, shes a daft so and so, Lulia would make any team top 8 material

They should post Angela Powers' article on the dressing room before Sundays match

If we cannot aspire to finish above Widnes, Salford and Wakefield this year then we might as well pack up

bookmarked the page. what a silly prediction. London are her dark horses? who's she shagging at london?

Haha, haha, hahahaha. 14th. That's funny as fudge.

I'm sorry but that is laughable...yes granted you have had an awful few seasons but bottom??

Just shows how much she knows....Awful comment.

She's most probably been listening to her "Friend" Phil Clarke

#RugbyGods

My cynical side suggests she's just gone for something different deliberately to stir up some interest.

Even I don't think we will finish bottom...

I've no idea how Angela Powers gets work as an RL journalist. The section on Boots n All where she found whereabouts in each ground you could change a baby's nappy is about her level.

Sky news last night had the latest sky odds and we where 40/1 to win finish 1st and they had us placed in top 8

Interesting. I'd have said that of current injury list are first team. Olbison and o'brien are currently fringe players. Pryce and manase could be starters or fringe depending on how they apply themselves. I'd have thought all the other players potentially unavailable for Sunday ( l'estrange, diskin, Langley, Lulia, koppy, elima and whitehead) would feature in our strongest 17.

Regarding the predictions our new captains first job should be pinning these up on dressing room wall and using them for motivation.