Inevitability it was coming. Now the playing squads are close to complete how do you see the top 4 looking?

HKR- Squads looking solid but with lots of change They must go in as favourites
London- Squads looking good across the field. Have we the power up front?

I'm just not sure who next

Batley- Can they repeat last year without Kear and the Capt
Fev and Fax have financial issues so unlikely to strengthen
Bulls - who knows if they will even be in the league
Toulouse- the unknown
Eagles probably wont fully recover from last year
Swinton, Rochdale, Oldham, Dewsbury ???

My Top 4
Broncos
HKR
Feth
Toulouse

1. Hull KR
2. LONDON
3. Bradford (Subject to pts deduction)
4. Featherstone

1. HKR
2.London Broncos
3. Fev/Bulls (if they survive)
4.Fev (if bulls survive)/Tolouse

My expectations are that Hull KR and ourselves will fill the first two places, probably in that order. Bradford whatever happens are probably out of it.
Sorry to say, the poor state of the league leaves third and fourth really up for grabs.

Have to agree with the last post, not sure Bradford could recover from a points deduction of 6 points never mind 12.

3 4 spots are any body's to be honest. Am not convinced that toulouse will be as successful as they were last year, the step up for one or two games is OK but to sustain it all season will be hard for them.
Would be surprised if Batley keep up last year's momentum so for me fev and fax

Losing Kear will hurt Batley's chances.

I think Tolouse will prove difficult on their own ground, hence i think they will do well

I think we'll still make the 4 but we're too lightweight up front ( again) and we'll miss the experience of Wes and Nick Slyney.
Dixon will probably be top try scorer for the division, Barthau will miss most of the season with injuries.
I'm reckoning 3rd place
KR will storm it, and then it'll be out of us , Fev, Batley - with Toulouse being a bit of a surprise package.

There's always one

Forgive me for not being blindly optimistic!
Also we'll miss Thacks up front.




Come on Broncos, prove me wrong!

Getting the feeling he does not like Bartheu? Looking at he squad we have 2nd spot should be ours, we could be challenging for top, in reality that should be the target.
Still don't think toulouse will sail through this league like championship 1
Agree with the batley thing, losing JK as coach will mean they will not be the same team

Taken it with a pinch of salt, but I heard a rumour Barthau may be heading over the Atlantic. Hope its not true

My thinking on Tolouse is that they will prove very hard to beat at home? The vast majority of championship teams, London included, will not be used to playing in the heat of France in mid-summer? Allied that to the travel, hostile sorroundings/crowd etc 11 home games, 18/20 points, a couple of away wins and they will be there?

He can be THEIR Andy Carroll then!!

Heat of france in high summer? Average temperature in July in toulouse is 22 deg so it's not really an excuse is it? July being the hottest on average.

The "average" temperature in June is 24, July and August 27. That is the average. Averages are meaningless many days in each of these months are nearer 30, and i believe that is a factor, along with travel etc (as championship clubs will try to fly in and out to save money). i believe it will be a factor, ask SL clubs

Not sure how the average is meaningless but hey.
I think clubs using the excuse of its a bit warm when they go to france is pretty lame. Hope toulouse do well though however I still doubt they will get top four the change of pace will hurt them, but let's see what happens.

Actually mathematically in this sense they are meaningless the average of a week could be based on 7 days 20, 20 , 20 ,20 ,20, 30, and 30 average is 22, if you play on one of the days at 30, its a significant difference. i have a house near Perpignan, trust me temperature averages are meaningless, the difference between a 12.00 temperature and a 16.00 temperature can be huge. Its why some SL games in Perpignan have been played in June/July/August with temperatures of over 100 and there are unofficial drink breaks - not saying its an excuse but 99% of Championship players will never have played in anything like that.

I hope they do well and think, given the lack of quality in the championship

Toulouse are an unknown so I can;t factor them in.

So I'll go with KR', Us, Fev & 'Fax for the top four, I think even if Bradford survive, their huge support is'nt making any dint in their financial black hole. that often gets translated onto the pitch.

Fax are in financial strife. That will hamper them.

Both Featherstone and Halifax will be heavily reliant on dual registration.

Bulls liquidation on Friday

Really do hope they get someone to step up and take them on.
Makes you look at us and Mr Hughes in a different light possibly, it's maybe a Good job we are the rich man's hobby

RFL trying to shift the blame early now I think:
[urlhttp://www.rugby-league.com/article/39089/rfl-statement-bradford-bulls[/url

Amazed they would risk Bradford going under rather than having a private chat with the interested parties about what they want for the lease and what the points deduction will be. Can't see anybody with enough cash to buy in being happy with a deal where you are told after the purchase what the value of your investment is.