Dream on mystic dream on.

It's hardly an unlikely prediction now is it?

Our squad isn't a whole lot worse than it was last year and without the 6 point deduction we would have finished above all the aforementioned teams and Huddersfield to boot. Finishing in a similar position is by no means unattainable. If we finally learn to close out games we'll win more than we did last season too.

Agreed. Our back line looks better with Foster coming in and Blythe who can play centre. Purtell is back from a long time out. Gale and Sammut are more settled. Foster offers a kicking alternative. Whitehead is not starting with a five match ban. Evans and Sidlow offer more than Kopczak and Burgess IMO. Bateman another year older and Donaldson at full fitness is like a whole new signing. We won't concede as many penalties too now that Elima is away.

Add to the fact that the uncertainty is over then I would argue we are a bit stronger. Scruton returning also seems to have been overlooked too.

I wasn't too worried about the forthcoming season, but your unbounded optimism is a cause for concern, I put it down to your burgeoning friendships with TT &FA!

We're considerably weaker in the forwards. We lost 3 out of our best 4 props plus our biggest and best second rower.

We've recruited a kid who hasn't played Super League plus a lad they're happy to release at Salford. There are positives - Blythe and Purtell is potentially very strong on the right side but the pack is a shadow of last year.

you missed from your analysis the superior tackle and missed tackle rates of Sidlow compared to Mason, another reason for preferring him given the pack does look weak but FC commenting in the tna article about Sidlows offloads may be an indicator of his priorities, offence the best form of defence. His tackle bust rate is much much higher than Mason too.

Blotto, I have never waivered. I say it as I see it. Some agree, some don't. It is all about opinions TBF.

We have lost Burgess, Hargreaves and Kopczak, not Fielden, Peacock and Anderson in all fairness. Hardly irreplaceable. More game time from Scruton will more than make up for Kopczak, Sidlow should offer more than Burgess and we also have the addition of Evans too.

As for Elima best second row? Matter of opinion of course but I cannot agree. Penalty machine cost us more yards than he made last season. Bateman is a more than capable replacement.

I think a lot of this season will come down to luck on the injury front. We've got a decent starting 17 but a few injuries, particularly in the pack and we'll struggle. That said we're in a better position that I thought we would be in after last year, which is a credit to the efforts of the club.

Elima and Hargreaves will be big losses to our pack in my opinion. Overall the pack is weaker but we're probably slightly improved in the backline with Blythe and Foster replacing Ainscough/Pryce/Crookes. Get our strongest 17 out and we look well in the mix for the 8, but 3 or 4 injuries to the key players and we look in trouble. Lets not forget BJ either, he was in superb form for us at times during last season.

Ideally I'd love to see another Prop brought in and perhaps another option at halfback but I just don't think they quality is out there right now. Perhaps some players will unexpectedly become available but if not we'll just have to be patient and get through the season the best we can.