Castleford have no chance of making the top 5 without Lucas Gale. Even with him playing they will struggle to make the top 5.

It appears to many objective observers that the top 5 will be:

1. Warrington
2. St Helens
3. Catalans
4. Leeds
5. Wigan

Then:

6. Castleford
7. Huddersfield
8. Wakefield
9. Hull FC
10. Hull KR
11. London
12 Salford

Cas finished 3rd last year with gale missing for over half the year. Jacob Trueman will be the main man. I've no idea where we will finish but I don't think we will fall off a cliff.

Out for all 2019.
Then again, he didn’t play much in 2018 and wasn’t fit when he came back towards the end of the year.

1-Saints
2-Warrington
3-Leeds
4-Wigan
5-Castleford
6-Catalans
7-Hull
8-HKR
9-Wakefield
10-Huddersfield
11-Salford
12-London

i think regardless of Gale or not Cas 5-6 i reckon, think y=there bubble has burst, they had their big chance in 2017 and blew it, don't think they will be up there again this year, there average squad over achieved and peaked, and good for them but other sides look stronger this year.they may get a shot in CC if draw is favouable.

Warrington
saints
Wigan
Leeds
Catalan
Cas
Hull Kr
Huddersfield
Hull
Wakefield
London
Salford

1-St Helens
2-Warrington
3-Wigan
4-Wakefield
5-Catalans
6-Castleford
7-Hull KR
8-Leeds
9-Hull FC
10-Huddersfield
11-Salford
12-London

As much as Cas and Wakefield have competed well in the last 2 years, when other teams have got it right they’ve done better. Wigan and Warrington got it wrong in 2017 but when they got it right in 2018 they won a GF and reach both finals between them. Leeds and Hull got it wrong in 2018 but when they got it right they won the GF and CC between them. Whilst one bad year each their best was still better than 2 5th place finishes and the worst GF showing ever.

Can these smaller clubs rely on 2 of the bigger clubs flopping every year? Unlikely, when the bigger clubs get it right they do better and for various reasons they’ve had their problems in recent seasons, don’t think they will this year.

Warrington
Saints
Wakefield
Wigan
Cas
Leeds
Hull Kr
Catalans
Huddersfield
Hull
Salford
London

Saints
Wigan
Wire
Leeds
Catalans
Cas
Wakey
Hull KR
Hull
Hudds
Salford
London

Pies GF winners, Wire CC winners

What are you talking about rely on other clubs flopping? They finished above those teams because they played better than them teams throughout the year? You can talk about clubs flopping all you want they are facts... This is a salary capped sport, meaning that on the field every team is on a level pegging throughout (Yes we spend below the cap, but that is our own clubs fault so in my eyes we cant moan about that).

I can see how you might come up with that argument for Wakefield, even if I do disagree with it but to Cas have been playing quality rugby for the past 4 or 5 years and building.. seriously? Get of your pedestal, throwing a shed load of money at a few aussies has brought you back out of the wood work all of a sudden, outside of those players your squad is bang average imo, your 2 best players last season were Hall and Moon and they have gone leaving you heavily reliant on 3 overseas players and a new coach... the likelihood is you wont be as good as Cas next year, I dont think you will be anywhere near them if I am honest, and there is a good chance you wont finish above Wakefield either.

Moon wasn’t anywhere near our best 2 players last year and Hall whilst a great player didn’t get any service.

You and others can claim the Leeds squad is bang average.....YET most of them have Grand Final rings and that’s a FACT and reality is only Wigan can match that claim.

Of our top 20...12 of them are Grand Finals winners and of the other 8 you have 2 Tongan internationals and an Aussie international and NRL GF winner......does your or other teams have that proven ability to win the main prize?

What does a grand final tell you about individual players? Before you answer that question just remember Ryan Bailey has 6 of them... A very successful team carried by the likes of Danny Mag, Robbie Burrows, Sinfield etc... Now you are panic buying, throwing cash around hoping to fix something up.... Throwing money at a player that didn`t even want to come to England in the first place! That would ring alarm bells for me. I rated JJB now he is getting old and slowing down, Stevie Ward is a great player if you can get him on the field and playing, It is a risk putting a lot of hope and pressure on 3 big signings for me when you could have taken a whole different approach.