Saints have two massive changes that tower above all others

Simmons in - being highly rated by Tim sheens should mean that we've got a gooddun, but some hold a question mark regarding his long tenure as an assistant and a less than impressive head coach record (albeit a while ago and with an apparently poor team). Could a coach, fresh from the NRL give us the boost that McGuire gave Wigan?

Cunningham out - Has been the glue that's held us together some weeks, with us being noticably less effective when he's not on. What will we do without him?

Now, hopefully Royce will give us enough to more than counter act KC's departure, but I can't acuraately make any predictions on where exactly we'll finish.
Best I can say is that our pack strength will mean we finish in the top 4, deffo.

top 3 will be decided on injuries, IMO. But they'll come from what was once lancashire

Only the very top sides will be able to live with our pack next year if we keep our props fit. It's back to almost 2006 levels. That won't necessarily win us any trophies, but it will mean that we'll be there or thereabouts. Hopefully there's still a signing or two to be announced in the backs.

Wigan will be stronger on paper. It'll be interesting to see how a lot of their players being involved in the internationals affects them, and also how they get on after the initial McGuire novelty factor has worn off slightly. Whatever effect that has, they'll still be competing for honours.

Warrington have the best squad on paper, I reckon. Big front row, mobile and aggressive back row, strike in the threequarters and guile in the halves. They've sorted out their one obvious weakness by getting rid of Mathers, and got themselves a top class goalkicker in the process.

The top three will be those clubs, but in what order who knows? Leeds will have to do some recruiting if they want to join in, otherwise they'll be in a slightly lower tier with Hudds and HKR in my opinion.

We have sold more season tickets for Widnes than we did for the last season at Knowsley road.

We normally have around 6000 season ticket holders So i think your expectation of only 4k is way off the mark.
I suspect it will end up more like 7-8k on lesser games, with an average of probably around 9k for the year as a whole.

I'm not normally a season ticket holder, but I intend to get one for next year for two reasons

1) Widnes is easier for me to get to, since I live in south liverpool.
2) I want to try and support the club through this difficult period of homelessness.
(I also missed more games than I'd have liked this season, due to other commitments).

Well, I'm a first time season ticket holder even though I haven't missed a home game in four years. I wanted to secure a seat at Widnes, it being smaller than Knowsley Road.

As for my prediction:

1. Saints
2. Warrington
3. Huddersfield
4. Crusaders

I know its stating the obvious, but finishing in the top four will be highly dependant on teams coming through the season with minimal injuries. But i`ll go for:-

1) Wigan.
2) Warrington.
3) Saints. [size=50(I do think that playing in an atmosphere that stinks of poo will have an adverse affect on your players).[/size


4) Leeds.

Also have a sneaky feeling that if their new signings can gell in the first couple of games, Salford will be up there at the business end of the season, (not in the top Four though)

1. Wigan
2. Leeds
3. Warrington
4. Bradford

Saints/wigan
saints/wigan
warrington
hudds

I think our pack next year will be the best in super league even tho we could do with a good loose forward.

The backs will be alot better if we can get pryce and kyle on the field together for most of the season. Shenton will also add much needed speed outwide.

I can't see gardner being first choice winger next year so i'd expect lomax to be on wing so the backs look to have more speed next year than this year if all stay fit.

Look at this
Fielden
Tommy
Coley
Hansen
Tomkins
Lockers
Lima
Mickey Mac
Prescott
Hock
Hoffman
Mossop
O'Carroll
Farrell
Tuson


Add in Ben Davies and I would think that is the best pack squad by in Superleague.

And?

Do YOU think that Saints can match that strength in depth?
Wasn't that what I intimated, or do I have to spell everything out for you?

Your pack was well beaten on Saturday night, now add Lima, Mossop, Hock & Hoffman to that pack and it will take some beating.