Nobody will seperate Leeds and Saints.
Wigan will be closest.
Is it certainly an 8 team play off system?
If it is then Warrington, Catalans, Hull, Hull KR and Bradford will be the other play off teams.
Cas will finish above Salford and Celtic.
Once again Leeds will set the standards and Saints will have a slow start and everyone will be saying it's a Leeds triple. But Saints again will comeback strong. Probably win the CC. It will again be St Helens v Leeds final with Saints saying this time is the time, we're not cocky. But you know the outcome will always be the same.[/list

Ooooh, touched a nerve?

LEEDS
SAINTS
WIGAN
WIRE
Then a mixture of Bradford, hudds, Quins, Both Hull clubs and Catalans.
WAKEY
CAS
SALFORD
CELTIC

Can someone explain why Wigan are so consistently high up the expectation list? Looking at [url=http://www.wiganwarriors.com/Squad.asp?teamid=1&team=First+Teamtheir squad[/url so far I can't see much more than 'low playoff place' myself.

As an aside, there's a genuinely nice touch in the link above... putting the fans at No.18. But how can they be 'fully fit' when they only ever last 60 minutes?

Leeds
Saints
Wigan
Catalans
Wire
Bradford
Hull
Hull KR
Huddersfield
Quins
Wakefield
Cas
Salford
Celtic

Only because of extra time.

Out of the five game we played last year it was 2 wins apiece and a draw.

Gives a different meaning to 'they went walkabout in the last quarter'.

One thing is for sure you won't see us doing the walk at Murrayfield Magic as it is a bloody long walk home.

It's only a stroll down the road for the rest of you in comparison.

I would hate to walk to Perpignan

I like Saints

Just a good stretch of the legs, you spouthern softie

1. Leeds
2. St Helens
3. Catalans
4. Warrington
5. Wigan
6. Hull FC
7. Bradford
8. Hull KR
9. Castleford
10. Harlequins
11. Huddersfield
12. Salford
13. Wakefield
14. Celtic (Hope not though!!)

Idea nicked from Reading FC, fans have been number 13 for years and even have a large shirt which is passed around the ground before kick off.

i think its boring same old teams in top 4 again hopefully we can prove our pundits wrong and finish in the top 4 we have a good team and hopefully if they stay fit we shud be up there dnt think hull fc will finish much higher than last year they lost a few good players and signed one good one shud make a intresting season all round though

why 13?!?!! that doesnt make any sense for a soccer club?!

A pure guess, but it could date back to the time when football clubs could only have one substitute (and that would be a number 12, with 1-11 for the starting line-up). There could also be an element of reluctance of superstitious players for wearing number 13, leaving it available for the fans.

Saints
Leeds
Warrington
Wigan
Hull FC
Huddersfield
Bradford
Hull KR
Castleford
Wakefield
Catalan
Harlequins
Salford
Celtic

saints
leeds
warrington
wigan
bradford
hull
catalan
huddersfield
hull kr
castleford
quins
wakefield
celtic
salford

im just looking for a bit of improvment from my team cas,i think we have signed well and if we can continue with the same style of rugby as this year ill be happy and we will take a few more big scalps at home,the majority of the team are starting pre season tuesday with only two players missing and thats something of an added bonus for us while the majority of teams still have players in australia.


does anyone think that the world cup and players returning late will have any bareing on the season ?

Now I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion which is fine but (and I never wanted to get into one of these [i"Ohh how can you say that about my club[/i arguments) I'm just curious as to how you can have Salford below Celtic. We have just won everything on offer in the same competitions as them, thus having the better team, and have since recruited, at this stage, better players than Celtic (I suppose that's down to opinion). At this current time I'm not sure how you can believe that.


I suppose it depends on how we do over the next few games in that I mean if we do well certain players may come back with great confidence and fly into next season. On the other hand if we get battered then confidence will be low and I think if they feel week in mind then body will follow and it could effect certain players performances.

Without wanting this to devolve into yet another inter-Hull argument, and just trying to offer reasoning for the predictions, I think it's because most people don't expect us to have half a team missing for the majority of the season again.

1.saints
2.leeds
3.wigan
4.wire
5.catalans
6.hull fc
7.bradford
8.huddersfield
9.hull kr
10.wakey
11.quins
12.salford
13.castleford
14.celtic

Wow, it's actually impossible to even attempt to predict. Teams like Bradford IMO seem to be going backwards steadily. Wire really have to deliver the goods but probably won't do as well as they SHOULD. Wigan may miss Barrett's influence but still look promising IMO. Hull KR could and should be competitive and aiming for the playoffs this year. Quins are going to miss some influential players this year. Cas seem to have recruited very well but may need time to gel. By the end of the year they'll be a good side and COULD sneak into the playoffs. Wakefield may be galvanised by the passing of Adam Watene and want to play their best for his memory which, along with the Kear factor, could allow them to again punch above their weight, but the depleted pack and continued discipline issues are going to be damaging in the long run (in three years I see us finishing bottom). I predict that Huddersfield will go well, and Hull will be average/unlucky with injuries again/lacking spark in the halves. I can see Salford starting well but fading, and Celtic may struggle. No idea how Catalans will do, either very well or not very well. Very tough year to call. This whole analysis is guesswork.

1. Saints
2. Leeds
3. Wigan
4. Catalans
5. Warrington
6. Huddersfield


7. Hull KR
8. Bradford
9. Castleford
10. Wakefield
11. Hull
12. Harlequins
13. Salford
14. Celtic (hopefully not but can't see past it at this stage)


Saints to bottle the final.

So the rest of the year didn't happen?



Stapleton has been here a year (Not including his year with Leigh) so not new and for me and most he was the best in NL1 last year, so if he "[ihas the belly[/i" there, then I'm sure he's up for SL. Paul also, he's a a pro and will give it his all (But I get your point), Talau, if Cas had have signed him you'd think the same? I'm not sure the Saints fans wouldn't have been too gutted if he'd had the chance to stay with them. As for the others well they don't appear to be at the end of their careers Ray Cashmere (2icon_cool.gif (who I'm led to believe has had a great year in Oz), Jeremy Smith (27), Mark Henry (27), Luke Swain (26), Rob Parker (27) & Dean McGilvrey (20) (OK not the biggest signing in SL this year) are all decent signings for a promoted team.

I believe at this stage we are stronger than Celtic (That could change depending on any future signings) but I do think we'll finish in the bottom 2.

What is this 'Kear factor'? Do you honestly think that John Kear is a good coach?

To get what he does out of what he's got and with our poor financial situation, to have saved us from a hopeless situation, and to get us punching above our weight on paper in the last couple of seasons, yes. Yes I do.

Admittedly neither of the last two seasons have finished as well as we'd have liked, but taking ALL things into account, I believe Kear is a good coach. In future, I just hope for more consistency. With things as they are, we're going to start struggling.

I just believe my club is falling apart at the seams. And that's not Kear's fault. We could have any coach and the same problems would still be there.