???

I'm just thinking with a new coach, playing at Widnes and doubts about the fitness of key players such as Eastmond and Pryce that 2011 will be abit of a transitional season for Saints.

yes,can see your points and have to agree with some of them regarding key players but I believe we will still be in the top three - I can't see playing at Widnes as a disadvantage,you can't afford to be sentimental at this level of RL.I can't see anyone touching Wigan with the Wires a distant second - I believe the 'transitional' clubs will be Leeds, Bradford & the Dragons - I just worry about Brian Mac plus JL at Leeds,both great players but can they gel as a coaching force with an ageing squad for example ?

People have said this about saints for years

of course - it's the old adage that in sport,success is cyclicle - Wigan are back for a few years then someone else comes back and it goes on....that's life Dico

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

Almost everyone seems to feel that

Wigan
Saints
Leeds
Wire
Hudds
Hull FC
Hull KR

Will make the playoffs. I would be surprised if more than one (if any) of these failed to make the 8. Hopefully this will mean some good competition for the others to try and make the play offs. My money is on those 7 plus Bradford.

Likewise, I'm not knocking the Cats and fully appreciate the injuries you had last season. I do, however, think the top 7 are already set, and the rest of us are playing for that final spot. Bradford have signed even more players than Salford, although I would question the quality of some of their squad, but yourselves seem to have lost a few of your better players. Salford have, maybe, signed one too many older players, and the course of our season hinges on the development of our young props and the plugging some of the holes in our leaky defence. If we can manage that, then we'll steal the march on the remaining teams.

can't disagree with much of that - the final place will be the most difficult to predict - speaking of older players,Robinson signed Steve Menzies for a season which is either madness or sheer genius ! I'm looking forward to seeing him play along with all the other new recruits - Greenshields is back to full fitness which is a major boost but the Bosc injury is a great concern - he should have had an operation last season but delayed it apparently until the end of the season - he's a quality act when fit - Joel Monaghan is considering a move to Perpignan which will be great for the Cats IMO - I think the future is positive in Perpignan.

Monaghan, playing wise, he would be quality signing. We'll have to wait and see if Menzies can still hack the pace, can't say I saw enough of him last season to comment. Steveo and Eddie could be right next year, it really could be the closest super league season ever.

Im expecting the top 7 from last year to be in there and then a battle for 8th which im backing salford to take.

1.Wire
2.Wigan
3.Leeds
4.Saints
5.Huddersfield
6.Hull
7.Hull KR
8.Salford
9.Catalan
10.Bradford
11.Castleford
12.Crusaders
13.Wakefield
14.Quins

The only nailed on dead cert places are first place Wigan, last place (if they are still going) Crusaders.

Bazza have you forgotten about the losers who play at the moon surely they will be bottom

1.Wigan
2.Wire
3.Huddersfield
4.Saints
5.Hull KR
6.Leeds
7.Hull
8.Salford
9.Catalan
10.Castleford
11.Crusaders
12.Bradford
13.Wakefield
14.Quins

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

1. Wigin
2. St. Helens
3. Warrington
4. Huddersfield
5. Leeds
6. Hull FC
7. Hull KR
8. Bradford
9. Catalans.
10. Salford
11. Castleford
12. Wakefield
13. Crusaders
14. Harlequins

Wigan to finish top by a distance!

Wigan - Add Hoffman, Lima, Finch, Hock and a fully fit Amos Roberts to the team that won the GF and its all looking good.
Wire - Hodgson massive improvement on Mathers, however they must keep their ageing stars (Briers, Morley etc) fit
Saints - Big changes this year, new ground, new coach, new captain. Lucky for them they got Roby to soften the blow of KC leaving, with the quality additions they should go alright.
Leeds - Having a good squad should still seem them in the Top 4. Not impressed by the new coach though.
Hudds - Very strong, well coached team. Good pack and young fast backs should see them challenge for the top 4
Hull - Similar to Wire, if they can keep there older players fit for the majority of the season, they will be a tough team to beat.
KR - Mason is a good signing if he comes here with the right attitude, gives them more size in the forwards
Salford - Added experianced super league players to there squad and should go alright

agree with most of that but I thought Mathers had a very good season generally with Hodgson being relatively dissappointing for the Giants - and what of the Bulls ?

Spot on. Anyone who watched Wigan last year will tell you of the games we lost we either tuck our foot of the gas or were out muscled in the pack. Like you say with Lima and the man mountain that is Ryan Hoffman, being out muscled won't be a concern.

=#FF00001. Leeds - Still strong all over the park and have good youth coming through.

=#FF00002. Wigan - Will be strong again and could easily win things as long as the new imports settle in well.
=#FF0000
3. Warrington - Good, solid and strong squad.

=#FF00004. Saints - Fantastic pack but will need both half backs to stay fit, playing at Widnes may cause a small disruption.
=#FF0000
5. Hull KR - A good settled squad, if Dobson and Green gel, then who knows! Looking forward to seeing a mature Willie lol
=#FF0000
6. Huddersfield - Strong pack will lead the way for them.
=#FF0000
7. Bradford - It feels like for the first time in a while, the club have a fresh lease of life.

=#FF00008. Hull - Once again a real problem in the halves which seems to have been going on for years now. Berrigan can be key if he is given a full time centre spot but not sure Agar will see it like that. O'Meley has to stay fit as he lead the pack superbly last season.

=#FF00009. Salford - Same as Bradford.

=#FF000010 . Catalan - If they can produce the goods on there own turf then they may climb higher
=#FF0000
11. Castleford - The loss of Shenton and Westerman will hurt, I also think some still question Matterson.
=#FF0000
12. Wakefield - Cant see Kear being able to get something out of this season with the current squad.
=#FF0000
13. Quins - Club dont seem to be going anywhere apart from backwards.

=#FF000014. Celtic - It going to be a long hard season!

Wigan
Warrington
Saints
Huddersfield
Leeds
Hull
Hull KR
Castleford
Bradford
Salford
Catalans
Wakefield
Quins
Crusaders

If it wasn't for the Crusaders being docked points before the season has already started I would have said Quins.

Personally I don't think Leeds will do much next year. Too many changes happening. Transitional year I think.
Hull FC will be hit and miss.
Bradford will be vastly improved (can't be too hard!).

Can't see past Wigan.

I think Wigan will dominate the league yet again (and for years to come imo). Wire won't be too far behind, Leeds n Saints will finish in the top four but won't be as dominant as in recent years. Hudds, Hull, Rovers and Bradford will make up the 8 but I couldnt predict the order, and as for the bottm half, well I dont really care. I always like to see Cas doing well, but the loss of Shenton and Westerman is a massive blow to them and they will need to keep Rangi Chase fit to stand any chance of making the play-offs.