It seems that a few have already written off next season simply because of Radford.

Personally I recon that we could be a close top 3 team, if we can stay ''reasonably' inury free, and get a decent defence coach.

Bookies have 3 clear groups.
Saints, Wigan and Wire 11/4 to 4/1
Us, Leeds, Cas, Catalan 9/1- 16/1
Everyone else 33/1+

With a fair run of injuries we could finish in the 4-7 group - think this is a fair appraisal. Wakefield and Salford could easily push into that middle group IMO.

5th and a CC final loss

However if Radford leaves then we could win the whole Lot ... the treble

Need to turn the KC into a place the opposition fear to come if we are to achieve anything at all.

Squad is the best we have ever had in SL IMO, Saints, Warrington and Wigan also look very strong, in fact I'd say with the NRL signings clubs have made and having Toronto, the standard should be the best it has been for a number of years and certainly the tightest for a while (I don't see Saints running away with it this year).

I think we will finish 3rd and make the GF.

No excuses and I honestly think Pearson (Despite what he has said) will pull the trigger if we don't complete this year.

I want to be positive. The recruitment has been really good. We should be competing for top 3 and a GF appearance. Unfortunately I don't have any faith in Radford.

We will have a few fantastic performances. A few crushing defeats, and ultimately finish 6th. I really hope I am wrong and that the new coaching appointments breathe new life into our play. Time will tell.

Top 4

For me as good as the recruitment has been the most important factor is whether LR & AL will allow Purtill to have a big say in terms of the way we play and attacking structures. Think he is probably the most significant signing and certainly an area that needed improving.

Hopefully the new season will see us using and playing to the strengths and talent in the squad & 17 as a whole and not putting square pegs in round holes.

Consistency for me has to be the major area of improvement, with a better basic skill set.

Think we will be better than last season but so we should be as think this is probably the best squad we've had in the SL era and with coaching addition.

Think top 4 is very much achievable and should be minimum requirement with a huge reduction between the good and bad performances.

The single most important aspect is getting the attitude/team spirit sorted out. We can have a fantastically well oiled attack with the most beautiful attacking patterns in the league, but it won't mean a thing if we aren't prepared to fight for eachother. Our attitude in defence was dreadful last year.

If he doesn't, he will be out of a job.

I think the fact that a experienced assistant has been brought in tells you Radford wants and needs some help.

I think bringing him, could be our smartest piece of recruitment.

Still think we are short of an experienced tough prop.
That said when the team settles we should be challenging for the top spot.
Just hope Radford lets the new forwards play their natural game rather than battering rams.
Certainly the most exciting Super league season for a long time.

I’ll just be happy with no ridiculous humiliations, consistent, aggressive, high intensity rugby with this squad, should see us go well

Think top 4 and realistically challenging for the finals has to be the aspirations for the club.
The cap spend and quality of recruitment both with staff and players has to dictate this now.

Consistency is key.

We don't have the turnover to be in the top 4 so 5th at best I'm afraid folks

Sorry, I forgot the obvious

but couldn't we be the anomaly this year?

SALFORD?????? You are Mrs B and I claim my £5.
Still no mention of defence coach but we’ll be competing for everything next year, especially a cheeky GF.

Whoosh



Mate, he was taking the Michael

This

So was I but doing a bit of trolling, she’ll be back as a Terminator said.

There have been 22 Grand Finals in the SL era I think. Of the 44 participants, 41 (93%) have been clubs of a size that means they don't get accounts exemptions like we do, ie they have greater resources - turnover/assets/employees - specifically Leeds, Saints, Wigan, Warrington and Bradford. The other 3 are us, Cas and Salford who are all "small" companies.

To reach a GF for a club like ours is exceptional, hence the media fairytale narrative of Salford this year. To "expect" us to do so? Well, you can understand how accusations of arrogance from other clubs' fans would arise. There are 4 clubs justifiably ahead of us in the queue from an expectations perspective, and all have benefactors of considerable personal wealth. We have a good fanbase but this is disproportionately important to us, as we have neither their size, nor the benefactor model of Huddersfield or Rovers.

I am looking forward to this season - we have a good squad particularly in the back row, and 3 decent halves. We are missing a Walmsley type prop however and I am concerned about Kelly's fitness with his concussion challenges. I see us as the bookies do - in the pack with Leeds, Catalans and Castleford but not in the top banding with Saints, Wigan and Warrington.

How can we be in the same group as one of the big 4? Surely that's a typo?

They've adjusted for Agar, silly. And obviously we have Radford

Or we'd have better odds?

He's won 2 cups. Extraordinary.