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

)

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

The conclusion of Round 13:

Warrington Wolves 20 pts
Catalans Dragons 20 pts.
Leeds Rhinos 18 pts
St. Helens Saints 16 pts
Castleford Tigers 16 pts

Wigan Warriors 12 pts
Hull FC 12 pts
Wakefield Trinity 12 pts

Huddersfield Giants 10 pts
London Broncos 10 pts

Hull Kingston Rovers 6 pts

Salford Red Devils 4 pts

So Catalan are playing all of their home games straight up then and they still wont have 20 points after 13 rounds.
Do you fancy a wager for charity Jean.

Dunno about wakey, I think saints are starting to look a good fit for that template these days

You'll have to sober him up first.

Not obvious at all, King James.

Warrington
Saints
Cas
Wakefield
Leeds
Wigan
Catalans
Huddersfield
Hull FC
Hull KR
Salford
London

Based on the regular season winner odds the bookies are going for this:

Saints
Warrington
Wigan
Cas
Leeds
Hull
Catalans
Huddersfield
Wakefield
Hull KR
Salford
London

My personal prediction is:

Saints
Warrington
Cas
Hull
Wigan
Wakefield
Catalans
Huddersfield
Leeds
Hull KR
Salford
London

Its a really tough one though. Catalans, Huddersfield and Leeds (and to a lesser extent even Hull KR) have the potential to do much better than that if things go right for them. Whereas Cas, Hull, Wigan (big transitional year), and Wakefield could all find themselves struggling if things don't quite go right. I am confident about my top 2, and bottom 2, but the rest could be in any order really.

Not disbelief just common sense that any squad (and ESPECIALLY their agents) who have managed to take a team to a few top 5 finishes will expect/ask for improved money. You think Cas are still paying some of their players the same amounts they were on in 2015/2016? Can see you building that squad over the last few years for a chunk under the cap but if Carter is still saying you’re well under the cap that would mean a lot of your squad is still getting paid much less than what they’ve achieved in league placings and ATEOTD rugby players have mortgages to pay and careers are short so will always hope to make improved money.

I think it'll be

Cas
Stains
Pies
Huddersfield
Dire
Whinos
Dull FC
Cats
HKR
Salford
Wakey
London

If you had just put this is my selection and left it at that then it would have been fine, it's the underlined bit at the top what makes it hilarious

Ok if no one else is going to be the chippy championship fan I'll have to do it.

THE competition?

Indeed and this is probably the most difficult aspect cor coaches and CEO's to get right and is also one of the factors in Wigan, Leeds and Saints success over the years, in that they have been able to fill their squads with "home grown" youngsters who, typically, dont have the same wage demands (until they reach international status).
As I say, a really tough part of squad management and you are right. The more successful any side becomes and the more that the players start to believe that they are world beaters and will consequently demand higher wages.

I suppose that the clever managers will make being part of a certain club, more than just playing on Sundays and if their squad are generally happy, they may be a little less likely to keep wanting a pay rise, no different to the outside world.

The one huge aspect of Trinity's relative success is that they have a large number of players who perhaps couldnt get game time or were down the pecking order at other clubs and maybe, they respect what they have at Trinity.

Thankfully there is more to life than money and in an era where clubs generally dont pay transfer fees, there is some relief for clubs like ours.

Back in the day, whenever Leeds were short of players, they would be along with their cheque book and buying up the best players from their local rivals. Again, thankfully, this doesn't happen quite as often these days but, I'm sure that they are still sniffing.

And on the flip side, down the years local rivals have not done bad taking on players deemed dead wood at Leeds.