As we have now seen a few results and had early indications of teams strengths and weaknesses, thought it might be a good time to gauge the opposition before the league starts.

Obvious choices for me seem to be Fev and Leigh, don't know much of Fax so far but I dare say they will be driven by the SL application to do well. Might Batley be the dark horse this year though, not impossible!

At the other end of the league might we see Barrow suffer as the club implodes?

Any thoughts?

Halifax
Fev
Leigh
Barrow


The usual suspects and less we forget Batley who have already beaten Fax twice.

Leigh
Fax
Widnes
Fev

That's my top 4 league finishing places by the way

Surprised Fax rate so highly

My predictions for the year

Leigh (good attacking style)
Fev (not many will win at the Big Fellas)
Widnes (hopefully an injury free season but still bringing thru alot of youth)
Fax (the older heads at Fax are another year older and that little bit slower)
Batley (seem to be going from strength to strength)
Barrow (will be in CC1 within the next 5 years)
Sheffield (kings of the bonus point)
Dewsbury (Branbini in a very good SH and will win them a few games this season)
Toulouse (will only just stay up due to home form)
York (dont appear to have the sqaud to survive)
Hunslet (see above)

Leigh to win the NRC
Fev to win the GF
Widnes Promoted
Swinton and Keighley Promoted from CC1

Well thats us jinxed, finishing 5th and out in the 1/4's of the NRC

Not sure on Fax this year, they've lost a few and don't have much strength in depth as previous, losing Royston/Gleeson were big losses to them.

Think it's pretty even so far between Fev, Widnes and Leigh, with Fax behind and Barrow looking very average. Batley will always be tough as long as Harrison is there.

Don't think there is much, if anything, to call between Widnes, Leigh, Fax and Fev this year. With Barrow and Batley just slightly behind and making up the 6.

Promises to be another great year in the championship. Hope you all enjoy it (but not too much

) as it will almost certainly be your last in this league for a while.

NRC - Fev
GF - Leigh
Promoted - Widnes

Promoted - Swinton and Oldham

2 main points I keep see coming up...

1) Why do people think Halifax will be that bad?
2) Why do people think Leigh will be that good?

At the start of the season I personally looked at Fev & Barrow to struggle from the top sides. Fev have lost key players and squad isn't the biggest, they were excellent last season, but will sides no more about them now? Barrow have also lost some hard grafters and seem to have a lot of issues I don't think Schofield is the man to sort. I still think Fev will be in the top 4/5 I just mean not top 1/2.

Halifax have lost Gleeson (didn't play a lot last year) & Royston but they have Greenwood back who is a very good championship full back and also Danny Jones replacing Barnighan with Holyroyd wtill knocking about. Gleeson was part of a trio of hookers that didn't fit in great anyway so no real loss. They have a 23's so a bit more depth and should do as well as the last few years IMO. Standard slow start.

Leigh may be 5/5 (but aren't we?) who have they played? Sheffield? Who did no pre-season and always start off slowly and then pick later on. Fev is the big test of where they are at.

To add I think Leigh have started well with some impressive results but to claim dominance before the season starts with little to base it on is OTT IMO.

GF: Widnes Vs Halifax
NRC: Widnes Vs Leigh
Relegated: York & Hunslet
Promoted: Swinton & Keighley

No one knows, it's all guess work.

2007 we started like a house on fire until the Northern Rail Cup win and we disappeared. Halifax did it 2 years ago when Barrow won it. Everyone mentioned will be in the mix, although it seems Fax and Fev have lost key players and Widnes and Leigh haven't. Leigh's strength is their coach, as much as I don't like the guy, his rugby league knowledge isn't bettered by many, their squad has stayed together and been added to.

Widnes have started very well under a new coach, defended well in games against Crusaders and Featherstone (Leigh have conceded a few against everyone but Sheffield) and more importantly have kept key players, especially Thackeray who looked like leaving at some stage last year. Adding more game time for the likes of Allen, adding Finnegan, l'Anson, Sculthorpe (if fit) Ropati and the emergence of younger players, Craven, Gore, Lunt etc. it seems like we're set up for a decent year, just depends whether the coach can get the best out of them, our main problem for years.

1 Fev
2 Leigh
3/4 Fax and Barrow

I'm interested to see how Leigh go.

1.Widnes
2.Leigh
3.Fev
4.Fax
5.Barrow/Batley

I think Widnes have more strength in depth in all postions.Players can also revert postions like Craven at fullback and Standoff.Varkulis plays prop,Secondrow, and centre if needed.Our youngsters are a year older with more experience. Fax will miss Royston,Branighan,Maloney,Tamghart, and Gleeson as they where key players last year. Jones,Greenwood,and others are no patch on them.Other players like Aizue and Gannon are passed their best.Widnes are also thinking of dual registration from Wigan and i feel confident this year of our prospects.

Only conceded 4 points away at Batley. We shipped more points against the CC1 sides for some reason. Possibly due to lack of intensity.

I think there was slightly more to it than that though AJ. Who knows how that season would have ended had the players been paid properly throughout the season and without the threat of administration hanging over the club once Vaughn pulled out.

I'm feeling very positive this year with the squad that has been assembled. I think we went about it in a very understated way but there appears to be genuine ability all over the park and quite a bit of depth in the squad.
SH has been the one position that for a while we have struggled with. I'm hoping that l'Anson can keep fit and make the position his own or that the younger players like Gilmore and Gore can push for a place.

Very few games under anyone's belt yet but the signs are promising that Betts has them well drilled and disciplined.
I'm going for a run to one of the top two positions.
As for who finishes where else? I have absolutely no idea, but I don't expect Leigh to drop away as poorly as they did towards the end of last season if they can keep Millward. Shaun looks certain to leave the Willers very shortly and Salford will be looking around for a new coach!

i played against hunslet the other day in the challenge cup and no offence to them teams like fev, fax, widnes etc should put 40 points on them they just look an average side.

Betts is from Salford originally.

Just sayin...

TBF I think he'd be MUCH better staying put, for numerous reasons anyway.

Fax look a bit weaker i would say but then again i dont think any team looks stand out either. I think we lost 3 key players from last season, Maloney, Royston, and Branighan. Obviously we can replace Royston with Fieldhouse and Greenwood, not forgetting that Greenwood was the best full back in the Championship before he got injured and kept Royston out of his prefered position. It will take a bit of time for him to get back to his best though. Maloney is a massive loss, probably the best prop in the league and in Gannon i dont think we have come close to replacing him but on the plus side we have a full season with Sam Barlow this time. Branighan im pretty meh about as Holroyd was prefered to him at the end of last season but on the other hand Jones isnt half the player Branighan is and the sooner MC sees that and has Holly and Black at halfs the better. Ive no doubt we have the best set of backs in the league but feel our forwards may let us down but maybe they will prove me wrong. As for the other teams Fev will be up there and still look pretty strong. Leigh talk the talk every season but will they ever walk the walk. Barrow and Schofield is a match made in ......erm.......hell. Widnes didnt impress me against Siddal and i wouldnt be happy with the amout of times Siddals hookers broke your line. But it was a nothing game so its hard to tell. I think Widnes will be in the top 6 but dont look as good as the main teams but you never can tell.

Siddal hooker never broke the line. He made a few good darts but was always tackled so half break at best, considering no Thackeray and a few others rested you can't really judge against a very strong and well organised Siddal unit we still beat by 50!

I saw Mr Fax comparing our score and yours

what divisions are they in? You only had to look at players physique to tell the difference. Also heard a lot of 'this is our reserve side' Hmmm... Seemed a similar mix to ours tbh.

Widnes are MUCH stronger than last year. Signed Tyrer & Ropati to cover weak centre area. I'Anson for 7 and at prop have brought Sculthorpe in plus have Puckersgill fully fit. You maybe in for a shock I feel!

Both hookers made a couple of good breaks where all it needed was someone on their inside when they went to pass. But like i said it was a nothing game anyway. Yes we had a lot of players out as did Widnes but i wouldnt go as far to say it was our reserve side and say it was a lot closer to our starting line up than i wished.

I know you mention those players but have you signed anyone good?

You mention weak centre area and i cant help but feel sad for Varks what the move to Widnes has done to him.

Varkulis has come a better player under Betts and is doing very well at prop.Widnes have improved in all postions with Centres a big one with Ropati and Tyrer.Fullback we dont have Ford and Yates anymore as choices, as Ford is more accomplished at centre.Jack Owens is only 16 and is a revelation, and we have Danny Craven and Flynn.Props we still have Scully and Gaz Haggerty to come back.I,Anson at halfback and Gore.Nobody has a postion guaranteed under Betts,and he is even looking at Dual from Wigan so watch out Fax.If Fax get major injuries to Black,Barlow, White or Greenwood again i think Fax will struggle. Widnes have more depth this year .