Wire
Hull
Saints
Cats
Wigan
Leeds
Hudds
Bradford

Meh.

Lots of people underestimating Whinos imo.

Basically, there will be groups of teams fighting for certain spots e.g.
1-3 out of: Warrington, Wigan and Saints
4-6 out of: Leeds, Catalans and Huddersfield
7-10 out of: Bradford, Hull FC, Castleford and Hull KR
11-14 out of: Wakefield, Salford, London Broncos and Widnes

If I were to guess:

Warrington
Saints
Wigan
Leeds
Catalans
Huddersfield
Hull
Bradford
Hull KR
Castleford
Salford
Wakefield
Widnes
London Broncos

fair enough, it will be interesting to see how Wigan fare this year. I still think having a fit Sam Tomkins in your team will probably get you in the top 3.

As mentioned, Wigan will be weaker without Joel Tomkins and Ryan Hoffman, and dare I say it, Deacon. The players they have brought in could be good but look a bit risky. They have also lost Maguire, who was the extra factor in their 2010 GF win.

I think Leeds are marginally stronger with Peacock and McGuire fit from the start of the season and some more forwards added, although Buderus will be a big loss. Saints will miss Graham, but have made a few good signings as well. Warrington look marginally weaker.

Lots of other teams have new coaches, which is a difficult element to account for. Reckon Bradford, Catalan and London look most improved in terms of players.

1. Warrington
2. Saints
3. Leeds
4. Wigan
-----
5. Catalan Dragons
6. Huddersfield
7. Hull KR
8. Bradford
9. Hull FC
10. London
11. Castleford
-----
12. Salford
13. Wakefield
14. Widnes

A couple of suprises in there perhaps. I'm certainly planning on defeating fate by insisting that Bradford will finish about 10th. There, can you hear me you gods of sod? I said tenth. What are you going to do about it you fatheaded buffoons?

1. St.Helens
2. Warrington Wolves
3. Leeds Rhinos
4. Sausage, Egg & Beans
5. Wigan Warriors
6. Catalans Dragons
7. Huddersfield Giants
8. Hull FC
9. Hull Kingston Rovers
10. Castleford Tigers
11. Bradford Bulls
12. Berwick Rangers
13. London Broncos
14. Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
15. Salford City Reds
16. Widnes Vikings

1. Warrington
2. Wigan
3. Saints
4. Catalans
5. Whinos
6. Hull FC
7. Huddersfield
8. Bulls
9. Hull KR
10. Cas
11. Salford
12. Quins
13. Wakey
14. Widnes

I've judged this based on fully fit squads, obviously some teams will have more luck than other when it comes to injuries and this will no doubt affect how teams end up.
Can't see why Warrinton won't breeze it again like they did last season, no real significant losses other than Matt King and with Waterhouse coming in they will be stronger than ever.
Leeds will suffer as a result of not replacing Buderus, McShane is a good prospect but isn't of the same standard.
Not sure how Saints will go really. Despite their terrible injury run last season they were still up there so who knows. Obviously Graham will be a big loss and I'm not convinced about playing Hohaia in the halves but time will tell.
Catalans to be the most improved side, injuries permitting. Keeping Bosc and Pryce fit is vital to their success.
I'm being optimistic and putting us 8th, but we'll need some good fortune on the injury front and sides like Hull KR could easily finish above us. Not too sure about Cas though, apart from a few players their squad looks pretty poor.

1. Wire
2. Saints.
3. Leeds
4. Wigan
5. Catalans
6. Huddersfield
7 . Bradford Bulls
8. Hull KR
9. London
10. Hull
11. Cas
12. Wakey
13. Salford.
14. Widnes

The top 5 pick themselves although Wigan do look weaker despite having the best player in the comp. I'm going for a significant improvement in us by virtue of the fact that we'll start a season with proper halfbacks the odd centre and a conviction that losing Lynch will not be that damaging. Fom outside the top 5 I think HullKR will kick on as Dobson and Green are decent and they've signed a couple of forwards who might actually play unlike Mason. I don't see the Giants improving as Griffin is a big loss and they were going backwards anyway. Hull's squad has far too much money in far too few players. Look past the first choice 17 and you're into the under 20s which means a couple of injuries and suspensions a and you're in trouble. London have recruited well and credit to their chairman while it will take Wakey and Widnes another year to buid squads from pretty much nothing. I'd like to see Cas do OK but Salford look a mess.

1 Warrington (the best side last yr and not much weaker)
2 Leeds (will be more consistent than last yr)
3 St Helens (will miss Graham but have some good kids)
4 Wigan (may struggle under Wane and have lost some players)
5 Catalans (will be just as good as last year)
6 Huddersfield (strike me as getting a bit stale)
7 Hull KR (should improve but coach an unknown quantity)
8 Hull (have signed some decent players but coach unknown)
9 Bradford (could get in the 8 but still lacking a bit of quality and mongrel in the pack)
10 London (should be improved on last year and could be dark horses for the
11 Castleford (Decent side but suspect Millward might be bad for them)
12 Salford (signed some lame ducks prior to last year, needs a new broom)
13 Wakefield (the usual stuff from them, the odd good result but lacking quality)
14 Widnes (will struggle, good results for them will be early in the season only)

Despite these predictions I can see the positions from 6th to 10th being almost interchangeable. The bottom three are pretty certain as are the top 5 albeit maybe not in the exact order I've put above.

1 Warrington (Wembley winners, title will elude them again)
2 St Helens (will win it - )
3 Leeds (out in the play-off final eliminator)
4 Wigan (will lose to Saints in the final)
5 Huddersfield (there or thereabouts)
6 Catalans (another solid year)
7 Hull (much better on paper than last season)
8 Bradford (will scrape the eight, injuries permitting)
9 Hull KR (backward steps)
10 Wakefield (surprise package but top 8 will evade them)
11 London (a bright start but fading from mid-season)
12 Castleford (good squad but will struggle if Millward loses the plot)
13 Salford (no progress in the close season)
14 Widnes (a rocketing start, a rickety finish)

Other than the signing of Lynch, why are Hull much better on paper for next season? Can't see it myself.

Tony Martin SL 2012 top try scorer

we were strong on paper last season, but very weak in the head coach!

although unprooven, having peter gentle as head coach who was recently the australian assistant coach and next in line to be the west tigers coach is a major improovement on agar the terrible!

having looking through numerous 'prediction threads' around the boards, many people are quite happy to write hull fc next season not to finish top 8! i would be highly suprised and dissapointed if, a) we didn't make the 8 and b), teams like bradford, cas, wakey, london finished above us!

TBH think how well hull go this year is largely dependent on their luck with injuries. The first choice 17 looks pretty good but outside that their pretty much into relatively unproven youngsters. Think that lack of squad depth could come back and bite them. Bit like happened to us in 2010. We lost key players like orford,kearney and langley and season imploded big style.

end of season table:

1 Warrington Wolves
2 Saints
3 Catalan Dragons
4 Wigan Warriors
5 Leeds Rhinos
6 Hull FC
7 Bradford Bulls
8 Huddersfield Giants
9 Hull KR
10 Cas Tigers
11 Wakey
12 London Broncos
13 Salford city reds
14 Widnes vikings

Grand final winners - Warrrington wolves
challenge cup winners - saints
wcc - manly