CASTLEFORD TIGERS
INS: Lewis Bienek (Hull FC), Niall Evalds (Salford Red Devils), Suaia Matagi (Huddersfield Giants – Loan), Gareth O’Brien (Toronto Wolfpack), Jordan Turner (Huddersfield Giants).
OUTS: Matt Cook (Widnes Vikings), Bailey Hodgson (Newcastle Knights), Junior Moors (Released), Joe Summers (Featherstone Rovers), Calum Turner (Newcastle Thunder), Mike McMeeken (Catalans Dragons)

CATALANS DRAGONS
INS: Gil Dudson (Salford Red Devils), Mike McMeeken (Castleford Tigers)
OUTS: Lucas Albert (Carcassonne), Remi Casty (Released), Antonia Maria (Lézignan), David Mead (Released), Sam Moa (Lézignan), Mickael Simon (Carcassonne), Lewis Tierney (Leigh Centruins), Gavin Marguerite (Villeneuve)

HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS
INS: Jack Ashworth (St Helens), Jack Cogger (Canterbury Bulldogs), James Cunningham (Toronto Wolfpack), Joe Greenwood (Wigan Warriors), Josh Jones (Hull FC), Ricky Leutele (Melbourne Storm) George Roby (Warrington Wolves), Luke Yates (Salford Red Devils)
OUTS: Reiss Butterworth (Dewsbury Rams), Paul Clough (Widnes Vikings), Tom Holmes (Featherstone Rovers), Suaia Matagi (Castleford Tigers – Loan), Aaron Murphy (Bradford Bulls), Innes Senior (Wakefield Trinity – loan), Ukuma Ta’ai (Released), Jordan Turner (Castleford Tigers), Adam Walne (Barrow Raiders), Dom Young (Newcastle Knights)

HULL FC
INS: Josh Reynolds (Wests Tigers)
OUTS: Lewis Bienek (Castleford Tigers), Kieran Buchanan (Batley Bulldogs), Gareth Ellis (Retired), Liam Harris (Halifax), Albert Kelly (Released), Ratu Naulago (Bristol RU)

HULL KINGSTON ROVERS
INS: Ryan Hall (Sydney Roosters), George King (Wakefield Trinity), Muizz Mustapha (Leeds Rhinos – loan), Korbin Sims (St George Illawarra Dragons), Brad Takairangi (Parramatta Eels), Albert Vete (Melbourne Storm), Luis Johnson (Warrington Wolves)
OUTS: Ryan Brierley (Leigh Centurions), Jamie Ellis (Leigh Centurions), Weller Hauraki (Released), Mitch Garbutt (Toulouse Olympique), Matty Gee (Leigh Centurions), Harvey Livett (Loan expired), Dan Murray (Halifax), Will Oakes (Dewsbury Rams), Nathaniel Peteru (Leigh Centurions), Adam Rooks (Bradford Bulls), Robbie Mulhern (Warrington Wolves)

LEEDS RHINOS
INS: Zane Tetevano (Penrith Panthers), Bodene Thompson (Toronto Wolfpack)
OUTS: Wellington Albert (Keighley Cougars) Dom Crosby (Retired), Adam Cuthbertson (York City Knights), Tyler Dupree (Oldham), Rhys Evans (Bradford Bulls), Muizz Mustapha (Hull Kingston Rovers – loan), Ava Seumanufagai (Released)

LEIGH CENTURIONS
Ins: James Bell (Toulouse Olympique), Ryan Brierley (Hull Kingston Rovers), Jamie Ellis (Hull Kingston Rovers), Matty Gee (Hull Kingston Rovers), Joe Mellor (Toronto Wolfpack), Nathaniel Peteru (Hull Kingston Rovers), Lewis Tierney (Catalans Dragons), Blake Wallace (Toronto Wolfpack)
Outs: Sam Brooks (Swinton Lions), Callum Field (Featherstone Rovers) Liam Forsyth (Swinton Lions) Nick Glohe (Released), Gregg McNally (Whitehaven), Ben Reynolds (Toulouse Olympique), Martin Ridyard (Swinton Lions), Jarrod Sammut (London Broncos), Ryan Shaw (Barrow Raiders).

SALFORD RED DEVILS
INS: Danny Addy (Leigh Centurions), Joe Burgess (Wigan Warriors), Matty Costello (St Helens), Morgan Escare (Free Agent), Harvey Livett (Warrington Wolves), Sam Luckley (Newcastle Thunder), Darcy Lussick (Toronto Wolfpack), Elijah Taylor (Wests Tigers), Jack Wells (Wigan Warriors)
OUTS: Ed Chamberlain (London Broncos – loan), Niall Evalds (Castleford Tigers), Mark Flanagan (Retired), Connor Jones (Featherstone Rovers), Joey Lussick (Parramatta Eels), Luis Roberts (Swinton Lions), Kris Welham (Featherstone Rovers), Luke Yates (Huddersfield Giants)

ST HELENS
INS: Sione Mata’utia (Newcastle Knights), Dan Norman (London Broncos), Agnatius Paasi (New Zealand Warriors), Joel Thompson (Manly Sea Eagles)
OUTS: Jack Ashworth (Huddersfield Giants), Matty Costello (Salford Red Devils) James Graham (Retiring), Joseph Paulo (Toulouse Olympique), Dom Peyroux (Toulouse Olympique)

WAKEFIELD TRINITY
INS: Mason Lino (Newcastle Knights), Innes Senior (Huddersfield Giants – loan)
OUTS: Ryan Atkins (York City Knights), Connor Bailey (Newcastle Thunder – loan), Danny Brough (Bradford Bulls), George King (Hull Kingston Rovers), Danny Kirmond (York City Knights), Craig Kopczak (Featherstone Rovers), Romain Navarette (Loan Expiry)

WARRINGTON WOLVES
INS: Rob Butler (London Broncos), Greg Inglis (Free agent), Robbie Mulhern (Hull Kingston Rovers)
OUTS: Anthony Gelling (Released), Ben Murdoch-Masila (New Zealand Warriors), Luis Johnson (Hull Kingston Rovers)

WIGAN WARRIORS
INS: John Bateman (Canberra Raiders), Jai Field (Parramatta Eels)
OUTS: Joe Burgess (Salford Red Devils), Joe Greenwood (Huddersfield Giants), Chris Hankinson (London Broncos – loan), Ben Flower (Leigh Centurions), Sean O’Loughlin (Retiring), Harry Rushton (Canberra Raiders), Jake Shorrocks (Newcastle Thunder), Jack Wells (Salford Red Devils), Josh Woods (Newcastle Thunder)

Our pack will be quality next season and every other clubs signings are very uninspiring.

The three-peat is most definitely on

My take on the above if it is fully complete is below.
Balancing players leaving with those arriving makes some teams stronger rather than weaker.

There are obviously some anomalies as with Wigan I would see O’Loughlin as a big loss although with his injuries in recent years he may not be as a big a playing loss as I scored


CASTLEFORD TIGERS. Stronger

INS: Lewis Bienek (Hull FC), Niall Evalds (Salford Red Devils), Suaia Matagi (Huddersfield Giants – Loan), Gareth O’Brien (Toronto Wolfpack), Jordan Turner (Huddersfield Giants).


CATALANS DRAGONS weaker

INS: Gil Dudson (Salford Red Devils), Mike McMeeken (Castleford Tigers)


HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS. Stronger and will be better coached and fitter

INS: Jack Ashworth (St Helens), Jack Cogger (Canterbury Bulldogs), James Cunningham (Toronto Wolfpack), Joe Greenwood (Wigan Warriors), Josh Jones (Hull FC), Ricky Leutele (Melbourne Storm) George Roby (Warrington Wolves), Luke Yates (Salford Red Devils)


HULL FC. Weaker. But I would be positive about improvements under Hodgson

INS: Josh Reynolds (Wests Tigers)


HULL KINGSTON ROVERS. Stronger

INS: Ryan Hall (Sydney Roosters), George King (Wakefield Trinity), Muizz Mustapha (Leeds Rhinos – loan), Korbin Sims (St George Illawarra Dragons), Brad Takairangi (Parramatta Eels), Albert Vete (Melbourne Storm), Luis Johnson (Warrington

LEEDS RHINOS. Weaker

INS: Zane Tetevano (Penrith Panthers), Bodene Thompson (Toronto Wolfpack)


LEIGH CENTURIONS. Stronger than last season but seem to lack some quality

Ins: James Bell (Toulouse Olympique), Ryan Brierley (Hull Kingston Rovers), Jamie Ellis (Hull Kingston Rovers), Matty Gee (Hull Kingston Rovers), Joe Mellor (Toronto Wolfpack), Nathaniel Peteru (Hull Kingston Rovers), Lewis Tierney (Catalans Dragons), Blake Wallace (Toronto Wolfpack)


SALFORD RED DEVILS. Same as last year

INS: Danny Addy (Leigh Centurions), Joe Burgess (Wigan Warriors), Matty Costello (St Helens), Morgan Escare (Free Agent), Harvey Livett (Warrington Wolves), Sam Luckley (Newcastle Thunder), Darcy Lussick (Toronto Wolfpack), Elijah Taylor (Wests Tigers), Jack Wells (Wigan Warriors)


ST HELENS. Stronger
INS: Sione Mata’utia (Newcastle Knights), Dan Norman (London Broncos), Agnatius Paasi (New Zealand Warriors), Joel Thompson (Manly Sea Eagles)


WAKEFIELD TRINITY. Weaker

INS: Mason Lino (Newcastle Knights), Innes Senior (Huddersfield Giants – loan)


WARRINGTON WOLVES. About the same

INS: Rob Butler (London Broncos), Greg Inglis (Free agent), Robbie Mulhern (Hull Kingston Rovers

WIGAN WARRIORS. Weaker in depth but I guess they will have some good players coming up from academy etc

INS: John Bateman (Canberra Raiders), Jai Field (Parramatta Eels)

For Hull FC people are missing the fact we have gotten rid of Club Hull, Radford and Last gone, Ellis on the coaching staff and disinterested Jones gone. We will be better next season than some think.

Stevie Ward has also retired from Leeds' ranks.

That inglis signing was the most uninspiring.

Patron has also been confirmed as leaving warrington now, id say we're (slightly) stronger, as we've got a couple of decent actual props now, though there's still the chance price might not play them, ever.

Cas brought in 2 fullbacks which is good, probably need to get at least one more to be on the safe side.

I wouldn’t say that. There are plenty more ahead of him.

Gary Schofield's analysis for the finishing spots puts a Weak Wakefield easily bottom place next year.

Leigh's survival may only need them to see off Wakey. Do they play each other in the "loop" fixtures??? These would be "4 pointers"....

Who between Leigh and Wakefield are better placed to bring in players to cover injury and poor form mid season?? Mr. Beamont or Mr. Carter??

Seems to be quite a number of players leaving Catalans and heading to French clubs.
Surprised by that when I read on here about NRL and M62 players signing for Catalans to boost their retirement fund.

LEIGH CENTURIONS
Ins: James Bell (Toulouse Olympique), Ryan Brierley (Hull Kingston Rovers), Jamie Ellis (Hull Kingston Rovers), Matty Gee (Hull Kingston Rovers), Joe Mellor (Toronto Wolfpack), Nathaniel Peteru (Hull Kingston Rovers), Lewis Tierney (Catalans Dragons), Blake Wallace (Toronto Wolfpack)

plus Ben Flower.

But who are Catalan replacing those leaving with? Young talented french lads or are they making way for some more ageing players and NRL castoffs?

They have "promoted" 3 of their under 19's but, no doubt, they will add some "quality" from overseas and with many of their recent signings, they are likely to have a Wigan accent



Donny wont be happy that their reserve side have been playing Lézignan in the last few days.

I'm certain that for for over 2 years, he has told everyone on multiple occasions that they dont have a reserve side



Full of young French lads too

It's not about me not liking the French, that is just silly goading isn't it? Deal with the points made and cut the baiting Your making stuff up to have a personal go, The fact is that Les Catalans are a big club with money yet they do not have player development systems duly aligned with other top SL clubs.

You know as well as I do they dig heavily into the player pool here. They very understandably do this because they can't put a French Superleague squad together that would have any chance of competing in Superleague. Originally they were charged with providing the French national side, but that turned out to be unfair on them and impossible to do.

The tests were pulled and they were at least left to be a conduit for what little Superleague level talent France could provide. If you have observed the facts on this you will find that sadly they can't even do this and just about have a first pick side that isn't French at all.

Yet you think because .they wear French jerseys RL in France is doing great and you think that Toulouse should also go in Superleague to maintain this "Expansion"

So let me ask you this, if we progressively remove English clubs from Superleague and allow the available players from these clubs to go sign up for French clubs and demote the English clubs to a part time Championship what exactly will expand?

Is it A. The pro player pool? B, The TV deals or both??

Or alternatively will Professional English Rugby League contract??

So over to you to explain the benefits such a policy will bring or maybe (if i have missed it) has already brought to the game here?.

Huddersfield have a squad of 32 apparently

Why is Wakefield weak?

I'd say Wakefields squad is as strong tas HKR and Salford and miles above Leigh. I don't mind people thinking that, helps us but where the idea baffles me. Take a look at Trinity's backline for a start, one of the best in the League, has that somehow altered?

We have two current Internationals in TJ and Lyne and the best backrower in SL in Tanginoa and if he gets his head together with the best Prop in Fifita.

What has wrecked us was injuries, current reports state all players now fully fit.

As Oscar Wilde said, reports of our death are premature. I wouldn't bet on us to do the double but relegation, unless the injury bug bites again, no chance.

If you want me to predict, then I predicy we will sneak top 6, as we have done most time Schofield predicts us to be bottom

LOOKING at who you have lost and who you have brought in the squad looks smaller and weaker

WAKEFIELD TRINITY
INS: Mason Lino (Newcastle Knights), Innes Senior (Huddersfield Giants – loan)


OUTS: Ryan Atkins (York City Knights), Connor Bailey (Newcastle Thunder – loan), Danny Brough (Bradford Bulls), George King (Hull Kingston Rovers), Danny Kirmond (York City Knights), Craig Kopczak (Featherstone Rovers), Romain Navarette (Loan Expiry)

Apart from Koppy and perhaps Navarette these players hardly stepped foot on the field for us, where we really needed to strengthen was at 7 and it looks like we have done that. I think we are missing a couple of bodies down the middle but we are still recruiting for a couple of props as the club has said.

Where we really have strengthened that no one seems to mention is off the field, bringing in Andy Last and Willie Poaching as assistants will provide Chester with the support he has lacked since Monaghan and Kear left the club.

Garry Schofield put Trinity a distant last in his predictions for 2021.....

Sad but if he's right at least Leigh will stay up...

If schofield has tipped trinity to finish bottom then they will be fine. His knowledge about RL ended the day he retired as a player

Tough one for me to accept is that



Look at his career and what he achieved? OK many other greats of the game did the same but Schofield has gone on to hold down a position as an analyst of and commentator on, the game. League express give him a whole page weekly, and I find it a quite interesting read week on week, moreso because he played at the very top.

With respect it's too too easy to bash players, Mike Stephenson used to get it big time, another absolute legend.

What's your choice for best ex-player commentator(s) on the game??

I do find it interesting how people can argue that a team can finish bottom or top 6 before a ball has been kicked.

This coming season is going to be interesting due to covid. I could be wrong but I’m sure I read that the league will be based on points percentages again. Could we have an issue if say Huddersfield (no offence giants fans - picked at random as a team that should be safe from relegation) ended up in danger of being relegated because they failed to play enough games due to covid?

Have you been living under a rock? Unfortunately as far as a rugby league "Pundit" goes, Schofield is the worst one out there by far that is given any sort of airtime.

He has become a joke, even amongst his own colleagues at 40/20 but more so amongst the wider rugby league community.

I am sure that some of the things he says must be to get a reaction.

Exactly this! The only one that could be argued a loss for me is Koppy but even so he didn’t break many pots at trinity.

We struggled through most of 2020 And end of 2019 with a number of our best players injured or benched due to Covid. Look what happened when we got a few bank last few games 3/4 wins.

We only needed a half and we have strengthened there. What’s point in replacing players who never played last year if you already have better options. The club want a prop and that’s all that’s needed.

From just Chester we have strengthened the back room considerably with Last and poching. Also we have added a trainer/nutritionist in a part time capacity so I believe there’s been significant bank room moves.

I’m happy for people to underestimate trinity but we were hit hard with injury and Covid. I’m not saying we will win the grand final but I wouldn’t rule us out if being anywhere from mid table and sneaking into the 6.

Of course nobody knows till the season gets in swing. Leigh for me on paper look really weak and so does Hull kr bank line (forwards on paper look better) but you just don’t know how it’ll go.

Covid makes it so unpredictable.

It's OK if you don't like the fellow but somehow he manages to predict Saints, Wigan, Wire and Leeds top (is that contentious in your book?)

Wakey managed to finish above HKR last season, so I suspect he chooses Wakefield on the lack of any quality recruitment.

Seems fair enough to me?