Good point about supposedly-good sides underperforming in recent years. Picking a long shot for next year's chumps? Maybe red faces at Cas and I'm not just talking Adam Milner here.

I think the travelling will always hinder Catalans to some degree, so I can't see them making the top three. But top 5 is certainly possible.

Could next year finally be Warrington's year? They've made some good signings, if Blake Austin is here to play then they could be in with a shout next season.
Saints will be up there again, as will Cas and Wigan.

Not sure what to make of Hull's off-season, stability and lack of major personnel changes could be good for them maybe? Their terrible form at the back end of last season would worry me though if I was an FC fan.

With all due respect, I don't see why you think Hull Kr are in real danger of relegation with some of the signings they are making and yet to announce? Think they will surprise a few this coming season.

It will depend on who can keep their squad healthiest over the course of the season. Every team looks stronger with the exception of Wigan really, but you can never back against them.
I'd be cautious if I was a Catalan fan, they tend to struggle until the spring time, and they may have too much ground to make up at that point.

The question should be, which one of the 'big' teams will end up in the bottom 4, which seems to happen every year!

If you could base a prediction on who teams sign then we might as well not bother as teams could quite literally buy success and we know that rarely works. Signing players is a fan obsession but in reality it’s just part of team building and certainly not the most important imho.

There is certainly no such thing as a magic player who can turn it all around. Wally Lewis was the best player at BV since the sixties - great to watch but did he turn that team around, no. He improved it by virtue of him being him but that’s all.

So HKR have to rightly be considered as relegation possibilities regardless of who they sign. Because they have not yet built up the resilience and cohesion or depth needed to guarantee winning as many games as required.

Clearly London are miles the faves for relegation but nothing is certain and I wouldn’t want to be too close to them come the end of the season.

Wakefield fans seem pretty cocksure at the moment

They have in the Super 8’s era but didn’t before and might see it revert to that with the new system.

As someone else pointed out the key thing is injuries. I know it can be tedious when it’s repeated especially by Eddie and Co. but it does happen and does effect teams.

Expect Wire to be stronger with Austin but they’ll always be question marks over getting over the line come crunch time. Saints have lost Barba but made a few decent signings, if Walmsley can return the player he was that’ll be huge for them. Not sure on Catalans having the consistency, will no doubt have a purple patch that makes them look contenders but will it last long enough. Hull could be a team that struggles with the way last year ended and not much to lift spirits in the off season. You know what you’re getting with Cas now, wonder if they hit the point where Powell has taken them as far as he can though. HKR have recruited and could be the surprise package. Wakey will struggle to match their 5th place finishes in recent seasons with this new structure, have to hope they have the Brough of 4/5 years ago which I’m not sure they will. Hudds had a real new coach purple patch last season but think that’s fade off now. London will probably be bottom but think they be more competitive than some think. All Salford eggs are in Hastings basket.

Wigan really not sure. Lost key players and really not sure how itll do when players already know the new coach is only there for a year with the new one already lined up.

Leeds again not sure, for all the optimism about Furner and talk of his work as assistant it doesn’t always translate to head coach and it didn’t really work for him at Canberra a few years back. Good chance we’ll be near the bottom after 4 rounds with the tough all away fixtures. But we’ll have gotten 3 of the very toughest fixtures out of the way with way more home games and winnable games to come so good potential to catch up. Headingley feeling more like a home again instead of a building site could help also.

Eh, how do you get to that ?

Is it because we've finished 6th, 5th and 5th in the last 3 seasons and we no longer predict our imminent demise ?
Not exactly cocksure is it and if you ask prety much any Trinity fan, I can't see any predicting something better than last season and most would be delighted to make 5th again, which given the improving stock at Catalan and Huddersfield, would be an excellent sffort.

Having said that, EVERY club will want to try and improve on last season and why should Trinity be any different ?

Out of interest where have they been cocksure? We've had what 2 Trinity posters reply on this thread and neither made any prediction about where we'd finish, we haven't even done a prediction for next season on our own site.

You seem to be reacting to Wrencat not rating your chances more than anything, which is his prerogative tbh but yet he doesn't say anything about how we'll go next season does he - in fact he places teams that finished below us above us. Or maybe it was vastman saying that no matter who you might sign, you as a team are yet to build up the resilience and cohesion or depth needed to guarantee to win as many games as required. If you don't agree put your case forward instead of the sly dig.

Personally speaking, I haven't a clue which teams are going to do what, Saints will be up there, probably along with Wire and although Wigan has lost a few players they'll be up there. Leeds will probably be better as well with the new Coach and a few key pieces of recruitment. As for Trinity I think we can generally improve as a side on last season due to not losing any players and adding a few bits of quality into the mix, we lost 6 games by a try or so loss last season and we failed to finish close games off, it's why Brough with his excellent kicking game has been brought in. Also, the experience of being there or thereabouts the last 2 seasons will have done us the world of good, saying that a top 5 will be a good result for us. Cas no doubt they'll be in the upper half and Powell will do his magic, but can he do it another season, have they signed players that will strengthen then more, who knows?

The teams I'm not sure about are Hudds, they signed a good winger but brought in a half which could go either way, plus I generally don't think they've strengthened that much, but again who knows. Hull could go either way, practically the same side that lost all those games but if they have fewer injuries they'll be competing. Hull KR, they've made a few good signing but I'm not sure how far a move up the table they can make, time will tell. Catalans although some people fancy them to be up there I'm undecided about it. They've made a very good signing in Tomkins but they've lost Drinkwater and brought Smith in, how's that going to work. I also think their away form will always hold them back somewhat especially at the start of the season and are they suddenly go from 8th to top 4, I doubt it personally. Salford has a decent 17 but lacks forward power and depth at the moment, if they could get more power and depth to use those backs they will do alright.

Yeah, it seems every other side just about can talk their team up but Trinity can't even when they haven't on this thread.



Tbh I'm not seeing this Hudds improvement over last season. ho doubt Woolford got them playing to a much better standard but even their own fans have questioned their signings or lack thereof so far. Yes, they've signed Uate and Frawley and a few others but so much will be on an Aussie newcomer to be the playmaker, after years of Brough bossing the show. We know ourselves when we signed Sam Williams that bringing in a decent NRL half doesn't mean that much if he doesn't immediately gel with the rest of the team. They may do well but I'm not at the moment seeing their improving stock tbh.

Anyway, I agree 5th again for us would be a good finish, I don't think it's unreasonable taking into account our last few years and the improvements we've made in the squad, even taking into account other sides and would give us a taste of playoff RL we haven't had in a few years.

Are they! I’ve predicted 4th but that’s my most positive prediction that could realistically be obtained. We could easily be bottom 4 and battling to stay up if we are not careful. I actually can’t see a single team in SL who look totally billet proof.

However basing it on form, team stability and make up and a few signings on paper Wakefield look strong, I think that’s reasonable.

Has Michael Carter made any suggestions as to how much of the cap Wakefield are spending up to this season?
I think that might be why some fans continue to overlook them as contenders. Their final league standings in recent years in combination with their relatively low spend will paint Wakefield as being overachievers in many people's eyes.
I don't know the state of Wakefield's finances so I have no idea how feasible this might be, but if I was a Wakefield fan I'd be wanting to see the club push on and try and break into the top 4. To do that I think the cap needs to be utilised to its fullest.

I think Wakey are spending closer to the cap than Carter makes out, think he/they like to play the underdog role. ATEOTD they have had three top 6 finishes in the last three years so that will attract some interest in their players but they seem to be keeping them and able to add more, that takes money to do that.

WRT to their 5th place finish last year, taking a closer look they were only 3 points ahead of a very poor Leeds team at the split and let’s be honest the others in those 5th-8th position basically gave up in the Super 8’s. That won’t be happening this year I think with the new system and 5th place being a playoff spot so a lot harder to achieve this year.

The only thing Catalans will be leading is the sack race - McNamara shown the door after less than 10 games is my prediction - You heard it here first!!


Now, which one of your 27 different accounts are you going to use to reply to that prediction Jean?????

On paper, I would say Warrington are the team to beat this year. Then it will be between Cas, Saints and Wigan.

At the other end, luckily for Salford and Wakefield, London are terrible and will go down with probably the lowest points total in SL history

the issue for FC next season is that it is the end of a lot of player contracts at the club. if there are no extensions there is likely to be a big turnover of players next year rather than this off season. how well they will do depends on how often the first 17 can take to the field.

I think if we (Trinity) can get 5th again that would be a big season for us - as previous posters have already said it will be much tougher with no teams switching off 75% of the way through to focus on the M8s.

It's also a fair point about us over acheiving in the last 2-3 seasons, despite us being very close in 4-5 games (1 score off winning them) I still can't help think that there has to be a correction somewhere along the line, we can't keep over acheiving and with potential improvement expected from Leeds, Hudds and HKR it could be very congested for 4th-9th. I see 3 or 4 (if Salfod pick up) mini leagues:

Saints
Wigan
Wire

Cas
Trinity
Leeds
Catalans
Hudds
Hull FC
Hull KR

Salford

London

It's probably one of the most open races for play off places I can remember, I think Cas need to be very careful again too - Powells tin of turd polish can't last for ever.

They sure are and have been for quite some time.

Must be down to all those trophies they've been winning plus that world class arena they play in.

They play on a pitch not on an arena, probably the best pitch in SL as it happens

1. St Helens
2. Castleford
3. Warrington
4. Wigan
5. Wakefield
6. Leeds
7. Catalans
8. Hull FC
9. Huddersfield
10. Hull KR
11. London
12. Salford

lucky for us eh

Well, Trinity get part of their funding (IIRC 200k) docked for the state of their ground and we dont have any marque signings and Carter to date has always been happy to say things as they are, even when we were deep in the financial mire.

However, there does seem a fair amount of disbelief from fans of other clubs, particularly those from clubs spending up to the cap and being bang average, which from a Trinity fans perspective is just hilarious



Pound for pound, Trinity are the best side in the comp


(this is for Jonno the Great, so he has a new phrase to recycle 3 or 4 times a week

)

1. Warrington
2. Castleford
3. Wakefield
4. Hudds
5. Saints
6. Hull FC
7. Wigan
8. Hull KR
9. Leeds
10. Salford
11. Catalan
12. London

because this year ITS YOUR YEAR!!! (you can have that chant now wakey fans

)