Too early to pass informed judgements yet, so this is only a bit of fun. But here are my thoughts on who the main threats to us are likely to be this year, based on what I've seen so far.

Toronto - Another example of what a Brian McDermott team looks like without Sinfield, McGuire, Peacock, Burrow etc. Sonny Bill, though quiet by his own standards, certainly showed a lot more than George Burgess. But they looked weak and disorganised almost everywhere else. I don't hold out much hope for them.

Castleford - Could be a menace in 2020. Showed typical early-season rust but while not devastating, it was a solid, robust show even without a couple of star players. Richardson and Trueman will certainly bring energy to the halves. Powell makes me laugh - how such a dour man ever inspires anyone I'll never know - but there is something relentless about Cas's ability to challenge the top of the table and I have a feeling this year will be no different.

Hull - Appear to have recruited well, and looked physically strong and very businesslike, a lot more so than at the end of last season. But we have seen this from them before, and then, suddenly it's all petered out and their heads have dropped communally. They'll need to maintain it for a few weeks before they put genuine fear into anyone.

Leeds - Look to have picked up where they left off, unimpressively. They're a bunch of willing lads, but so many of them are physical lightweights. Not sure where their main attack is going to come from; I don't rate Robert Lui and Luke Gale is notoriously injury-prone. Agar was only appointed as a caretaker, so not sure why he's still in charge now.

St Helens - Anyone predicting a fall-away because Holbrook has gone look like they're going to be disappointed. The smooth, well-oiled machine got back into motion fairly effortlessly. Granted, they weren't challenged much this weekend, but with so little disruption to one of those first teams that can probably coach itself, it's now hard to see why the bookies didn't make them favourites, though they'll be put to a much sterner test this coming weekend.

Salford - I've got a bad feeling that last season was a Jackson Hastings-inspired blip, and that 2020 will see a return to lower-table mediocrity. Everyone is very keen to see Ian Watson installed as the new home-grown super-coach, but he'll have earned that title if the Red Devils achieve success after losing quality players like Hastings and Jones and replacing them with lesser talents like Dan Sarginson and a past-it Kevin Brown.

Warrington - Always an uncertain quantity. On paper, Wire are well up there, but ridiculous indiscipline contributed to them losing a game last Thursday during which their strong and aggressive pack was on top for long periods. Even so, it would always be a risk betting against them. Lots of attacking prowess, and in Austin and Clark two very crafty pivots. But 'where is Widdop?' could become a mantra in 2020, and they may also be without Chris Hill for the next few weeks.

I'd be amazed if the top 5 wasn't St Helens, Wigan, Warrington, Hull and Castleford.

Leeds, Catalans and Wakefield picked up from where they left off last year.

Toronto are newly promoted and will struggle. Hull KR just dont have enough quality in their squad. Salford will be mid table after losing their two best players.

Huddersfield are the team I'm a little unsure of.

Hard to see past that as a top 5

Saints and Hull looked the teams to beat. Warrington came out of the defeat against us with a lot of credit. As for us, it was tough to pass too much of a judgment with us being down to 15 fit players for 60 minutes (looking at big George, we started with 16 fit players) but it was a scrappy start.

The top four should be a formality really (Saints, Hull, Wigan and Wire) with 2 or 3 teams battling for 5th spot.

I've never been great at predictions, but one golden rule has always stood me in good stead: Catalans will always do worse than predicted!



I wouldn't be putting my shirt on Hull, either.

Correct, too early to make judgements, especially with clubs making many new signings!

oh aye, and Wane was a real barrel of laughs.

Having said that I'll agree he does come over like that in interviews but away from the camera he's one of the funniest men you could wish to meet.

Toronto are ruing what they’ve sewn. By that I mean they clearly have bang average players on astronomical wages which is taking up their cap space and therefore preventing them from signing anybody half decent to give them a fighting chance of staying in SL.

I’m all for Toronto, I think they’ll be great for RL but they’ve managed their recruitment poorly. Targeting their name in lights rather than their name in SL 2021 by their signings. I do worry for them and for the whole project should this season be a disaster. It’s all well and good selling out Lamport when they’re tonking part time Oldham or Batley, but it’s a different matter altogether selling out Lamport when they’re getting their backsides handed to them by SL teams.

I’ve been surprised by their lack of recruitment. I admire that they’ve stuck with the majority of the squad that brought them up but a number of those players have always fell in to the ‘not quite good enough for superleague’ category. I expected the old Salford approach of firing and hiring in abundance but it’s actually been quite refreshing. On the downside of that I’d say they’re favourites for relegation. The squad is exceptionally thin on numbers and their big money is tied up in non pivotal positions, with Leutele and SBW taking the big bucks, when they really need it in the halves or the other spine positions. Their pack looked a horror show on paper on Sunday and SBW isn’t super human. There was never any way in the world he could be anything but past his best.

I think Toronto had done everything right up until their recruitment this off season. A squad of 23 players is going to be very difficult for them 'when' they suffer injuries.

Let's hope by the time we play them in April they have put together a few good wins. I'm making the trip across and whilst I am hoping Wigan get the victory over there I would like to see them do well this season (ie. Not bounce straight back down).

With the exception of Sonny Bill Williams, their squad is average compared to other squads and twenty three players is insufficient for the Super League, no Reserve or Academy teams and then there is the problem of playing fixtures on regular home and away fixtures.

You only have to look at the way, Wigan season ticket sales have been affected by the period every season of playing away for 5/6 weeks every season.

Never mind, it is a nice trip to Canada while it lasts!