How will the league look in 2011?

I'm not as confident to be honest, teams like Wigan, Saints, Leeds, Warrington and Huddersfield are all probably better than we are. Hull FC do actually have a good squad and have had on paper for the past few years, their problem comes when they cannot handle injuries and relying on injury prone and ageing half backs. If however Hull keep their squad fit they have the potential to be around the mix as do we but 6th and 7th are likely finishing positions for both clubs, in which order I do not know. Hopefully HKR will surprise me and perform way above last seasons standards.

I would say HKR have one of the best packs in the league (letting myself in for another Aussie debate here!) Vella, Fisher, Clinton, Mason, Newton, Galea, as starting choice while Lovegrove, Hodgson, Watts, Cook, Taylor, Murrell are the up and coming pack with Wheeldon, Netherton, Beaumont and Peterson to all come into contention too. The depth and quality this pack has with a good mix of ages I'd say could perform within the top 3 of the league, even more so if the hooking role had more quality to it. What I think brings us back into mid table is the backs, indevidually Briscoe, Fox, Webster, Welham and Colbon are high standard players, get the best out of all of them on a regular basis and it is a quality back line, the problem is they have never seemed capable of playing like the top 4 or 5 that I mentioned. Saints never say die attitude, Leeds bullying their way down the field before McGuire or Burrow turn on their blistering pace, Wigans flowing passing movements, Warringtons size out wide with speed to match and Huddersfields resolute defence and astute kicking game. These are the things HKR do at about 75% while these teams are around the 95% mark most weeks.

For me Salford will be the surprise package this year and are the one team I am not looking forward to playing. They have signed some good players with Patten being the pick of the bunch while it will take them around a third of the season to gel their back end to the year could see them fight for 8th spot and potentially throw up a surprise in the playoffs.

League Leaders and GF Winners I honestly think Wigan will do it, their three Melbourne stars coming in are improving on the dead wood that they got rid of (that most other SL teams would have in their 17 every week!) and although Finch is injured it will be a massive boost for the team when he comes in mid-season and what teams had been preparing for will completely change once he settles in.

Challenge Cup Winners I'm going to go for St Helens, not because I think they have the best squad anymore but because the players there know how to play in last chance saloon games. Eastmond will be a massive boost when he gets back from injury as will Pryce but while those two are out injured it could be a slow start so aiming for silverwear elsewhere is what I think they will do.

Wooden Spoon, It all depends if Wakefield can afford to pay their players through the season, if they cant and they start releasing their top earners then I'd say them, if they can keep afloat then Harlequins are probably my bet.