I think we only finished below Wigan and Huddersfield because of our cup hangover. It took a while for the team to get over not being able to beat Leeds, we looked like the second best team in the comp last year and this year we should look like the best.

I do agree that there are more threats outside the big 4...

Huddersfield are a good bet for finishing top as they have the potential to be the most consistent team. They need to get over their big game phobia to do anything beyond the regular season.

Hull FC could have the best pack in the league after having a very poor one. If Radford has anything about him the KC could become a fortress again in 2016.

Castleford were the form team at the end of 2015 and only missed out because they started slowly (3 losses to start the year) without that they are a play off quality team.

Catalan are always dangerous and they only have to travel a bit better to get a top 4 place after the round robin stage. Then 4 more home games and a shot at a top 2 finish and a home semi. Finishing 4th instead of 5th after the first stage is massive for them.

I do disagree about Wire, a few interesting signings, Sandow looked like he was on holiday last year. If they play to their potential they could be a good team but it is hard to see that happening.

I suspect that the top 8 will be the same as last year unless Salford pull themselves together and Wire/Hull FC really fall apart.

Let's hope we don't have cup hangover this year

Agreed, and we think we can beat Leeds

I think we will struggle to make top 4 this unless we improve in the halves massively. We was so easy to defend against last year and come big games you need big players to make things happen. Walsh and Burns was poor last year and a lot will depend on them this year.

If Walmsley or Roby miss games we will struggle big time as we lack go foward. I'm hoping tasi will provide us with some as we depend on big Alex and Robes. Some of our stats for meters gained last year from the likes of mose, amor, Richards etc was poor.

I hope KC isn't thinking of playing percy on wing this year. I know he's been training as winger in practice. I know we have swifty and Tommy injured but don't we have wingers in reserve ? I like players playing in their proper positions.

He's been training there as Makinson and Swift haven't been fully fit. Percival will be our 1st choice centre, without a doubt, as long as we have 2 fit wingers for the start of the season.

Why wouldn't you want to play and train with the best centre at the Club playing in the centre? Why not use Dawson and Bailey/wellington/Grace on the wing and training ?

Percy should be centre no matter what. I just can't believe KC hasn't been puting percy there as that's how players gel and learn new plays in pre season training and practice games, yet we have our best centre getting cold on the wing.

Tbh I'm gobsmacked

I agree with you in that I think he should have kept Percy at centre and played Wellington on the wing for example.

However there's no danger that this is some sort of long term plan to change his position.

But it's this sort of crazy stuff that worries me. He messed players around last year and didn't work. Percy is a out and out centre.

He is. But it's not a normal position to be in to have both of our first choice wingers missing during pre-season. I wouldn't worry mate.

Speaking of wingers, it looked to me like Makinson has bulked up quite a bit. If so, it'll be interesting to see if it adds anything to his game.

He looked big when he came back from injury last year I thought.

Last season we went out in the dying seconds of a game I thought we deserved equally to win against the eventual champions.

I see no reason why we can't do better this season. Of course a lot depends on the fitness of players. Fingers crossed.

I don't read into these friendlies too much, with so many subs and position changes we are not going to hit the heights of team cohesion. We might be undercooked a bit with our 1st 17 but its a long hard season in front of us.

just referencing someone earlier in the thread about the size of the Hull FC pack, yesterday it was outstanding. Watts, Houghton, Taylor, Minichiello, Manu, Thompson. Pritchard on the bench and Ellis still injured.

Very dominant performance, but still, only a friendly.