To be honest I am happy with the fact that we are now 'up there'.... anything else is a bonus.

I think we're more confident than usual with these signings as firstly they are coming over in a group, which should hopefully help them settle in, as well as coming over to join a coach which they know well, and in turn knows their strengths, weaknesses and personalities already.

Everybody has Saints down as being improvers next season but I'm not so sure. If Tony Smith was leaving and we were getting Royce Simmons in as coach we would be a bit concerned, fans of other clubs would be writing us off saying we were getting in a coach who got sacked nine years ago for finishing last at Penrith who then went onto win the Grand Final 2 years later under a new coach (John Lang). Simmons is a great unknown. Saints have got enough quality that you know they are going to be good but at this stage I couldn't forecast confidently how they will do, or if they will finish above us.

I reckon Wigan will be the team to beat next year. Us, Saints and Leeds will be contenders. The Grand Final will be contested between two of those four teams. The Challenge Cup final probably will be as well, with an outside chance of Hudds, Hull or Hull KR making the Challenge Cup final.

As for finishing position I'm not that bothered about whether we finish 2nd, 3rd or 4th in the table, this year we were crap in the playoffs, next year we need to be better. I would rather we ended up 7th or 8th and winning a few playoff games.

But overall my main hope for 2011 would be the third Challenge Cup in a row. If we have a carbon copy of this season, win the Challenge Cup and crap in the playoffs, that will do me.

It's all just ifs and buts at the min. Who knows where wat team is going to finish. Ijust want to see us improve,year after year.Winning two C.C is just the start,to hopefully a long and successful period. In Warringtons rugby league history.

I think we'll have to show improvement again next year. Then again, that's true every year. At the level we compete at, it's a relatively even playing field. In those circumstances, more than ever, it will come down to coaching, preparation, attitude to make the difference. The same level of performance may well see us 4th (which is practically 3rd in the current play off system anyway). I'm certain that's how the coaches will be looking at it.

I don't understand where this concern about the age of the squad is coming from. Granted, on a long enough time frame, it will be fatal to our chances as players will retire sooner or later. The age is only an issue relative to the length of the contract. As long as players can perform at the require level for the length of their deal - who cares how old they are?

We just have to trust the head coach and his staff to spot when it's time to move a player on. As Smith has shown in the way he dealt with Gleeson, Mathers and, on a slighlt different angle, Myler, he has the balls to do whatever is needed.

ISWT.

Next year will be interesting. We obviously improved a lot on last year but there was plenty of scope to do that. There is less room for improvement next year and it's going to be harder for us to improve by that smaller amount.

For me (all things remaining equal) its the composure in big games we need to improve on. Saints is a prime example. We would put ourselves in a position to be in with a shout of winning the game but would make poor decisions. Not necessarily howlers but just not doing the right things at the right time.

That's a good call....If 2009 was 4 out of 10, then 2010 was 8 out of 10.....As Ulster points out, it then becomes harder to better that and become a 9 or a 10.

Personally, I'm not concerned with how Wigan or Saints do, or who they may or may not have signed. I just want to see improvement from Wire and then we can go from there and let everybody else worry about their own results.

One thing is for certain is that if we get a relatively full season from Brett Hodgson then we will be significantly improved....We had 2 'weak' spots in the side, full-back and loose forward. We have signed arguably the best full back in our league....I think we need a loose forward urgently to finish it off and make us complete. In an ideal world it would be O'Loughlan or Sinfield. In the real world it wouldn't surprise me if Westerman has been enquired about at some point and ultimately, it won't shock me to see Jon Clarke filling that role more regularly next season, when Smith has the conundrum of fitting Myler/Monagan/Clarke/Higham in the same 17.

I think we'll improve on this season because there's plenty of competition for places and some of the younger players have got another year's experience.

I'm more than happy with the squad and - regardless of stats - with Hodgson we have a very good strike player and goal kicker.

TS will be working on consistency and the mental side of things to make sure we improve - particularly at the end of the season.

League leaders odds 2011:

Wigan 7/4
Saints 2/1
Wire 4/1
Leeds 6/1

Plenty of money to be made for those of you who are confident about next season.

Spot on. Improvement does not only equate to recruitment, in fact, recruitment is often a gamble with new players to settle in a new contry and team. For me, the measure of TS is how he can get an extra 5% from a settled and confident squad with one very high quality addition. That is the measure of a great coach.

I think wigan will dominate RL for the next few years but your lot should be next best. Youve made the signing of the last few years in Hodgson. Saints and Leeds are on the slide. Hudds are the biggest danger with (it pains me to say it) Hull KR - both got top coaches and improving sides.

You should wish you were on Saints slide Not out of the top 2 in the league for the last 6 years, 10 consecutive CC semi finals, 5 consecutive Grand Finals, 4 League leaders shields and 3 Challenge cups (on the bounce), and all this whilst loosing Sculthorpe, Long, Now Cunningham, Newlove and Joynt.

Two years ago Saints were pilloried for having an ageing squad it appears that you have picked up the mantle.

...and a record 4 losses on the trot

And Leeds coach Brian McClennan worked with Eastwood with the kiwis, he gave him his international deyboo

didnt stop him from being a homesick rubbish fat lump

I dont recall Warrington being there????

So an international coach knows a player as well as a domestic coach? Who works with him most days of the year compared to 3 or 4 weeks when he's joined with 25 other randoms?

And for what its worth, whens Eastwoods played this year after injuries I think he's been quality. He was the sole reason why Leeds won at the DW in the playoffs.

Saints are on the slide - you cant argue against it. The trophies are simply not coming in and the loss of Cunningham is beyond words. I'm not knocking Saints, they have done everything right in rugby league for years but wigan will now dominate. Leeds's squad is not what it was (very fortunate to grab top 4) and I agree that when he was on his game that Eastwood was superb and therefore a loss. Sinfield and Mcguire can't carry the loiners for ever and Senior aint getting any younger.

Agree completely.

we can win it, and thats being realistic. we now have a goal kicker so theres no excuses

I think you're confusing a pathetic showing by Saints at the Grand Final with being on the slide. We had three other pathetic showings at the Grand Final, but still managed to win two Challenge Cups and two League Leaders Shields in that time - in consecutive years.

Although I'm a Saints fan and so I'm not going to be objective, I think we did very well to make it to the Grand Final at all given the degree and persistence of injuries we had all season. That achievement certainly went beyond any Saints' fan's hopes for 2010 even though it ended in the usual disappointment (although we did actually win one in 2006!). And to get there without our first choice halfbacks and indeed just one halfback in Matty Smith in the playoffs, I think says something other than we are on the slide, don't you? Yes, we have lost Cunningham, but we will get over it, just as we got over losing all our other elder statesmen. We will just play differently and other players will step up.

As for Warrington, I don't see why they can't be aiming for the top next year. You won't have Cunningham or Longy to haunt you at Saints so I would imagine the hoodoo will finally topple and then you won't have any psychological barriers to reaching the top.

And just because Wigan won the Grand Final doesn't mean to say they will dominate! They might, but it isn't by any means automatic.

Personally i don't think that you have got over losing some of the players from your glory era, Talua has never really been replaced, Gilmore`s pace and tries on the fringes havn't really been replaced, Sean Long hasn't really been replaced either. Don't say that Kyle Eastmond has replaced him lol, you don't have a general in the half backs to lead you round the pitch anymore.

Eastmond is a runner and a free spirit, he's certainly not a player that takes you round the pitch like Long did and neither is Pryce. Sculthorpe is another player thats not been replaced, Flannery is no Sculthorpe and not even close.

So i'm not really sure how you can say that you have got over losing all your elder statesmen as you put it, recent history and the lack of silverware says you havn't got over losing the quality players above.

Saints may not be what they were five or six years ago but they will top Wire in the League and the Cup next year.
Wire have 10 or 11 out of their first 17 over 30 and during the next three years will have to replace them all.
At some point next season one of those players, or more, will find out it's a season too far. Smith needs to get his recruitment on track.

1 Wigan,
2 Saints,
3 Hudds,
4 Wire/Leeds

........2 of the most promising youngsters signed up for big money, Myler & Atkins, youngsters coming through, Riley, Harrison, various others, Eastmond being signed when Briers retires....the future is a lot brighter than you believe....

You're right they weren't. Well done.
[size=1I'm not a wire fan[/size

i don't recall the pies at wembley this year either! goodness it must be hard for you getting through the day!