sorry mate you are dead wrong...Warrington are a lot stronger this year......a lot stronger.

Based on what exactly? A supposedly weaker Leeds team were camped on Warrington's line last night. Add Sinfield as a kicker and this supposedly 'a lot stronger' Warrington side lose the game.

That's the point Tony, he wasn't and we didn't. Without wishing to de rail this thread or put 'words into Exile's mouth' I don't think he was saying that Leeds were weaker that was a previous poster, he was just saying that Wire aren't weaker, we are stronger and highlighted that part of the post.

We have an organiser and top goal kicker again, Gidley did a Sinfield turning a 4 into a definite 6. Sandow has had a pre season maybe a benefit of having some end of season game time. I think we have recruited pretty well all over the pitch, we were missing a few last night that perhaps would be called first teamers, Ratchford, Atkins, Dodds and Harrison and the young lads who didn't let us down last year can hopefully be counted on to contribute with another year under their belts.

We were also poor for large chunks of last year so not much to beat as a comparative.

You're right, Leeds were camped on our line but that was on the basis of self-inflicted loss of possession and penalties, most of which were correct calls. Despite that, they found it almost impossible to breach our defence. Our team ethos looks very good.

Are we stronger? Well, a half back partnership of Gidley & Sandow looks a wee bit stronger than Myler & O'Brien for a start. We have some great youngsters who are a year older and wiser - see Ben Currie's performance last night for example. We have added Mitch Dodds, NRL Grand Finalist to our pack as well as Joe Westerman & Jordan Cox who may turn out to be a great 'under the radar' signing, as well as Tom Lineham who is 10 years younger than Monaghan with a similar try scoring record last year. Daryl Clark underperformed last year (as did many of our players) but has already looked a different player this year in preseason and last night.

We have also uprated our backroom staff so yes, I think we are far stronger based on an objective view of the assets at the clubs disposal.

1 game in and Wire are world beaters and Leeds are has beens

According to you, as no one has remotely said that.

said nobody on this thread......

Warrington were very good, well drilled in defence and look to have a play or 2 in attack. After the experience of the new format last season I think all teams with aspirations of old trafford are aiming to be very quick out of the blocks and get that platform into the season. Gone are the days of easing your way in and pushing harder towards the end.

Warrington, the way they came out with the robust defence and line speed look like they want to really attack the season early. Last season Leeds started off the back of an early playoff exit the prior year and a long pre season, so really hit the season hard and fast. I see similiarities in warrington with how last season went and how they played last night.

Sandow looks very dangerous, and most of all he seems to be someone who will just play what's in front of him (see the penny try) rather than sticking doggedly to a rigid structure.

It's going to be interesting to see how the other contenders go, I'm expecting them all to really go big and try and gain that early season advantage, which is so important now.

rather than a prediction here's my take on the positions of each club compared to last time out
cas - about the same
catalans - slightly weaker
hudds - weaker
hull fc - stronger
hull kr - weaker
leeds - weaker
salford - stronger
saints - stronger
wakey - stronger
warrington - stronger
widnes - stronger
wigan - about the same

I don't think KR are weaker than last season, We start in a similar vein, we lack two big experienced enforcing props, last year they went before playing a game through injury/personal troubles & have not been replaced.They are just not to be had (with our budget) or we would have signed them. Our star playmaker & first choice hooker are still recovering from injury. Not yet proved but our backs especially in the centres have improved. It will all depend on how our second string players go as we do lack experience outside the starting 17. But I will keep the faith as always.

I'd like to think we (Wigan) are or will be stronger. If Sam Tomkins produces anything like his best form when he returns then we'll undoubtably be in better shape then last year. A signing for us who has flown under the radar is Willie Isa as well. He was superb on Friday night and adds competition to a strong back row.

Add in the extra years experience the likes of Williams, Manfredi and Gildart have got and I'm confident we can improve on last year.

A team that were camped on Warrington's line and only scored as many tries as Warrington did.



Or give Jonathan Thurston to Warrington and they win by more?

I don't think there's anything controversial in saying that wire look to have a stronger squad and more balanced squad this season.

I think they're a far bigger threat than at the start of last season on paper.

i would agree with you but you're losing tomkins for a chunk of the season so that will weaken you until he returns

Of course. It's all about scraping out the wins until his return. If we're in a reasonable position when he comes back I'd expect us to kick on.

Well even in a most unpredictable of seasons there are some right howlers on here



Special mention to this one



and good old roversmad for his reference to Hull FC



At least everyone got it right about Hull KR being rubbish.

This is a bit of a belter also...

Like any team with massive injury problems, we have under performed due to key players missing and never having a settled side. It's no coincidence that your lot have come good with a mainly settled side, take out Minicello, Taylor, Sneyd, Pryce, Ellis, Shaul, and a few of your three quarters and i doubt you'd be anywhere near the top 4.

You can't use injuries. Or so every hkr fan told us for the past few years.

I'm not sure which is the most unbelievable, this years table or Britain leaving the E.U?

I know, even David Cameron couldn't believe Huddersfield came bottom!

Perfect examples on why i decline to post on such threads

I've got this image of you glopping away while trawling through old posts. You really do need to get out more

I get out loads, roversmad. Off to Doncater on Friday.

Surely the whole point of a thread like this is that it's revisited to poke fun at people like yourself that got things hopelessly wrong.

Good for you.
Love Roversmad.