St Helens
Wigan
Wire
Cas
Hull
Leeds
Catalans
Leigh
Hudds
Widnes
Salford
Wakey

Welcome back Kippaxer.

Bit quieter, isn't it?

Jean Capdouze still posting his bilge (preferred him when he was Albert Rosenfeld telling everybody Maxime Greseque was the next big thing) oh and I see Vastman's still as bumptious as ever.

What's happened to the sin bin? It's like a refuge for commies and trots.

I'm one of the few who like to play along with Jean and find him quite amusing. Vasty never changes. Anyway back on topic and here we go:-

Goons
Wires
Cods
Stains
Tigggers
Frogs
Whinos
Polecats
Pitch Raiders
$alford Reds
Ley
Shudds

Do people wanna change their predictions a little now Widnes have lost their best player ? Early signs suggest they won't be replacing him too, opting with Mellor (I rate) and gilmore in the halves.


Wire
Wigan
Hull
Cas
Saints
Leeds
Wakefield
Catalan
Huddersfield
Leigh
Widnes
Salford

I predict that most people will predict 2017 based on what happened in 2016 and not what they think will actually happen in 2017

One I find interesting is that so many are going for Wigan to finish first in the table based on the final few weeks. Now don't get me wrong they should definitely be in the top 4 and favourites for the GF with their experience of winning it. But even a number of Wigan fans would admit that for about 27 Rounds last year they didn't exactly play great so I wouldn't be surprised to see them hang about in 3rd/4th place for a long time.

Has anyone actually said that? I imagine most people are saying it based on the fact that they were there or there abouts with Matty Smith at scrum half and they now have Thomas Leuluai.

Plus a fit Sam Tomkins and McIllorum back at 9.
Thats a fair bit of extra fire power plus, an extra season of experience for some of their youngsters.

Although Wane isn't everyones cup of tea (deliberate under statement), his management of a depleted squad and getting more than the sum of the parts from his players, was superb.
Building them up to believe, protecting them when things didn't go to plan nad coping with the odd spanner being thrown in to the works, was excellent management.

Indeed, forgot about McIlorum. They've basically received a massive upgrade at the two most important positions on the pitch. What sort of idiot would think they might finish top?

Is McIlorum going to be the same after a very serious injury? Sounds like there's some doubt about that. Likewise Tomkins, I can't see him getting back to his best because his speed and agility will keep decreasing with age and injury and in Sarginson at FB at the business end he was a massive difference maker that potentially Tomkins wouldn't have been.

For the criticism of Matty Smith he did help win them a lot of close games and came up with several DG's at key times.

Not saying they'll struggle or anything, they'd still be my choice for GF, but 1st in the league I wouldn't have them as favourites, I don't think they'll be that fussed about getting 1st compared to others.