I'm not looking forward to it as much as I did last year. I would say that I'm resigned to it and am really hoping it's going to be better than recent years.

Join me in aspiring for mid-table mediocrity.

No wish to join you in being a Cas fan...

We are going to win it in 2012 i can feel it

Don't fight it, it is inevitable. And far less disappointing.

the good thing is that we have improved our biggest and most embarrassing area, the backline. our new recruits would have to be major flops for the backline to be anything other than a major improvement.

If we can keep this team fit and without injury:-

Kearney
Ainscough
Lulia
Purtell
Kear
Gale
Briggs/sammut
Manuokafao
Lestrange
Scruton (If can find form from couple years ago)
Whitehead
Elima
Langley

Bench: Diskin, Burgess, Sammut/Briggs, Hargreaves

I think we could go ok. I'm excited about the speed we have on the wings for next year and I'm hoping we will play a lot wider than this year and take advantage of it! Really looking forward to seeing how the new signings go. Purtell and Lulia from what I have seen are a big improvement on this year. All I want to see this year is more belief from the players when times are tough. A few wins where we need to come from behind would be nice to see too instead of a capitulation....

yeah unfortunately we don't have much quality to cover for injuries. I think keeping L'estrange and Diskin fit all season will also be key to us making any improvment.

yeah I was unsure about whether to go with koppy or hargreaves but I really want hargreaves to go well next season. I like the guy. Also re having another half on the bench. I really can't see us not using sammut next year....I think he will make a big impact coming off the bench for us. If im honest i think the most likely scenario anyway will be him and gale starting with briggs having to fight for a place. It's not that I dont like briggs its just that I think sammut will be a lot more dangerous. It's just whether sammut and gale can form a decent partnership. Will be interesting to see where potter goes with it.

I didnt say we wouldnt use sammut. I'd imagine the strongest pairing out of gale,sammut,briggs and jeffries (turning into the forgotten man) will feature each week. Given both jeffries and sammut are only on 1 yr deals it seems likely that their there more to take some pressure of the other two in the short term. But I only think we'll see two featuring in any one match. Just dont think we can justify having an impact half on bench ( unless you leave out the 2nd hooker).