You think?

I get Wire have recruited well but I can see one or two gaps still and Hull look weaker without Ellis and Fonua.

They’re both good teams for sure and will be in the mix but especially with Hull, if I judge them against past years line up then it doesn’t look as strong.

The good thing for the league is 6 or 7 teams look just about dead even.

It depends how Faraimo turns out. He has big boots to fill, but he looks the part. I think it was against PNG in the WC, he made 170 metres and 8 tackle busts despite his team getting whacked. He is a handful.

Ellis is irreplaceable, but its still a strong backrow, and whilst we might be a tad weaker for him leaving, his cap space has allowed us to add depth by bringing Hadley, Abdul and Logan back from loans, and bringing in Paea and Miloudi (if he ever stops acting like a d**k). I am confident we have a capable replacement regardless of who might be missing this year.

cuthbo i would expect to be 13 with garbutt starting at prop. Galloway coming into contention after injury. strongest all round Leeds squad for 3 years if everyone fit.

Seriously! That back line is just about ok but the H/Bs are poor, you saw McGuire's last serious attempt at RL in September.

The pack though is a bit dodgy, people were calling Scruton past it and too small at Wakefield and that was 18 month ago and he's the best one in that lot imho.

Your right playing as a team can overcome that and they will need to, I can't see any match winners or game breakers in that team. However you never know, I've seen worse at BV in the last 20 years and we are still here.

Atkin looks alright. But as you say it's a big step up. Hopefully can prove himself. If not only real back up half back is Franck the young half back we've just got from Catalans. So think it probably will be either Blair or Lee.

I actually think the back line is okay (did well in the middle 8's). But there's no real back up if they get injured without moving players out of position.
Agree even the players I've not mentioned (ie the likes of Kavanagh & Clarkson), are solid but not spectacular players. Hopefully a new signing could get us the punch. Otherwise could be a hard season.

i think the team is strong but the quality of the back up players is not so great. We have a lot of ability in the backs and both Mamo and Mcgillvary will be good for 20 tries plus if they stay fit. I just hope we try to play some more expansive rugby. It will be interesting to see how Brough goes in what will probably be his last season. He is not the player he was 2/3 years ago but i do think that without him it would be a real struggle and there is a need to buy a top quality replacement when he finally retires otherwise the club could really struggle.

I dont think the backline is fantastic, but its decent. Quinlan has already shown he is pretty good at this level in his stint at Saints. We know Carney is good despite his idiot streak, as I said I rate Heffernan, the others are more unproven but they have promise. The last time I saw McGuire he was running the show in the GF. His best days are behind him, but he still has plenty to offer. I think we are in agreement that the pack is the problem.

CASTLEFORD TIGERS

1 - BEN ROBERTS
2 - GREG MINIKIN/JAMES CLARE/GARRY LO
3 - JAKE WEBSTER
4 - MICHAEL SHENTON
5 - GREG EDEN
6 - JAMIE ELLIS
7 - LUKE GALE
8 - MATT COOK
9 - PAUL MCSHANE
10 - GRANT MILLINGTON
11 - JESSE SENE-LEFAO
12 - MIKE MCMEEKEN
13 - ADAM MILNER

14 - NATHAN MASSEY/ALEX FOSTER
15 - JUNIOR MOORS
16 - JOE WARDLE/MITCH CLARK
17 - JAMES GREEN/GADWIN SPRINGER/BRANDON DOUGLAS

i think castleford really need to bring in a prop not really replace lynch yet.

Tigers:-

1 Greg Eden
2 Greg Minikin
3 Joe Wardle
4 Michael Shenton
5 James Clare
6 Ben Roberts
7 Luke Gale
8 Jesse Sene-Lefao
9 Paul McShane
10 Grant Millington
11 Oliver Holmes
12 Mike McMeeken
13 Adam Milner
14 Nathan Massey
15 Jamie Ellis
16 Jake Webster
17 Junior Moors

Back-up - Matt Cook, Gadwin Springer, Garry Lo, Alex Foster, Mitch Clark, James Green, Brandon Douglas, Jy Hitchcox, Kieran Gill, Tuoyo Egodo, Declan Sheenan, Jake Truman and Will Maher.

Says it all about Cas when we have so much depth that fans have differences in the team slightly.

1. Ben Roberts
2. Garry Lo
3. Jake Webster
4. Michael Shenton
5. Greg Eden
6. Jamie Ellis
7. Luke Gale
8. Grant Millington
9. Paul McShane
10. Nathan Massey
11. Jesse Sene-Lefao
12. Mike McMeeken
13. Adam Milner

14. Matt Cook
15. Junior Moors
16. Oliver Holmes
17. Joe Wardle

Back-up: James Green, Greg Minikin, Gadwin Springer, Mitch Clark, Alex Foster, James Clare, Jake Trueman, Will Maher, Brandon Douglas, Jy Hitchcox, Kieran Gill, Tuoyo Egodo + U19s.

Lynch was a back-up player last season. Clark and Green offer plenty of cover for him and Patrick in terms of mobility.

Concern for leeds is whether they have enough direction in the halves. Im not convinced with moon and myler together

Huddersfield and Wakefield both have strong 17 man squads but will need to stay injury free to finish in the top half.

Hull kr and Salford look weak, Widnes aren’t a whole lot better, that’s your bottom 3, with 1 other to play in the middle 8’s (subject to Super League staying at 12 clubs)