Agree with that, along with hoping some of the bigger teams have similar struggles to last year then they could push higher but neither have enough to be top 4 imo. Mamo could be really good if he can stay fit.



Those 3 and Catalans would be my tip for bottom 4 at the moment.

Fact is it's a stronger squad than last year and we went through injury problems then, so we'll see. Also looking at those outside of the starting 17, I wouldn't call players like Arundel/Lyne, Hirst, Jowitt, Caton Brown, Baldwinson, Batchelor, Annakin, & Crowther a big step down from who they'd have to replace. Plus there are some big wraps on a couple of the former U19's in Hooley & Ackroyd that are making the step up.

Looking at the squads I think it’s going to be a top 5 of Saints, Warrington, Leeds, Hull and Wigan withSalford and Wakefield occupying the bottom 2 places

Regards

King James

I don’t get this. We look weaker with the loss of Hardaker. However, the only other players to leave are the ones we were happy to leave.
Given that we finished 10 points clear of the team second and 18 points clear of the the team in 5th last season, I don’t see us finishing with 18 less points and someone else finishing with 18 more.
I don’t think we’ll win the league at such a canter, but I just can’t see such a drop.
However, this is Sport so you never know!

With Cas this year they got off to a great start and momentum and confidence just was through the roof. If they start well in 2018 they could carry that on again. A steady or slow start and I think they'll find themselves fighting to be in the four.

A few used the Leicester City comparison with them and as you saw with them the following year they couldn't follow up a dream season.

Perhaps, but in Leicester’s case one of their rewards was a further 10 games in the Champions League, which isn’t the case in RL.
I’d be happy with 4th. Anyone in the top 4 is 80 minutes away from the Grand Final.

Ellis was mostly ineffective going forward the last two years and was never ever anything like what he was in the NRL, also a liability injury wise.
I think psychologically players needed his leadership and that was the difference at times not his actual play, the coach really needs to ensure we have leaders on the field. Fonua was great going forward, shocking in defence, this was highlighted in his run out in the WC were time and again he was caught out.
I think getting Hadley back to compete for the 13 spot if not second row whilst being cover for Houghton plus Jordan Abdul to compete for the halves is great for us. Washbrook should be nowhere near the 17, disappointed that we yet again let go on loan an up and coming hooker and insist on flogging Danny Houghton week in week out.
Mickey Paea is a good bolster to our already strong pack and we should be better than last year IF the coach can get our defence sorted as time and again we shipped points far too easily and mentally we were weak far too often.

When Ellis missed the middle part of last year with injury Hull went W6 L6 and cost them the chance to have a home playoff. They've dropped a level when he's been missing or just subbed off, his absence will be big for them.

We missed a few important players during that period tbf, it can't all be attributed to Ellis, and a few of our best performances came without him. I think knockersbump has a point. Its his leadership that will be missed more than his rugby, but he will still take some replacing.

The team I named at the start of this thread probably wouldnt be my pick, rather the one I think Radford will go for. I would like to see Abdul start at loose, with Minichiello on the bench and Washbrook out of the 17, although I think you are very harsh on Washbrook there, he is a useful guy to have in the team.

Also Houghton's biggest strength is that he can play 80 every week and take that workload away from the big guys and save on the interchanges. Litten is highly thought of at the club and his time will come. He is still very young.

Cant disagree enough about being mentally weak. We had too many games where we just didnt turn up with the right attitude, but that's not the same thing. We showed great mental toughness at times. The games against Cas and Wigan with 12 men were hugely courageous performances. The slog that was Wakefield away and the Cas cup game in possibly the hottest weather I have ever watched rugby in. They are not the performances of a mentally weak team.

I said far too often we were mentally weak and if you look at how we folded at times, panicked ridiculously, it was the complete reverse to those performances you mentioned, consistently inconsistent. At times we just fell to bits, had no gumption, no idea, the Saints tragic w/e game, Salford at home, Leigh and a few others (Hudds in the play-offs) are examples of mental weakness. Even that Wigan home game we blew it at the start of the second half, why Radford didn't instil in the players coming out after half time not to chuck it about like headless chickens is anyone's guess but that is exactly what they did, Wigan scored within a minute or two and even then we had chances but kept being our own worst enemy. That is yet another reflection of a team that isn't well drilled/mentally strong.

Our best and worst performances were the widest apart of any team in SL IMHO, that was something Radford said he was going to address two or more seasons back, last season was the worst in that sense, why are we so far apart when our injuries were not the biggest part of the results.

That seems to make sense (although I guess Grix would still be 1st choice FB). I prefer Arundel as he's the type of centre you need if you've got pace outside (England take note). Arona also seems to be making the LF position his own. Also, it is the norm to spell hookers (and life's easier if you agree with Vastman )

However, going on the squad numbers (which means nothing really), it would be interesting to see that 1-17 take the field.

1. Grix
2. Johnstone
3. Tupou
4. Lyne
5. Jones-Bishop
6. Miller
7. Finn
8. Fifita
9. Wood
10. England
11. Ashurst
12. Kirmond
13. Randell

14. Horo
15. Pauli
16. Arona
17. Huby

Keeping both 'hookers' on the field for 80 minutes and sharing acting half-back duties and just rotating the forwards off the bench. Having all the playmakers on the field all the time with a big pack and speed outside could be the way to go?

1st team quality backup outside that is pretty good too: Arundel, Batchelor, Hirst, Jowitt, Caton-Brown and possibly Annakin/Baldwinson.
Injury crisis permitting, that's a side that can challenge for top 4 again.

Could this be the first time that 2 teams go up from the middle 8's should the format not be changed ?

Salford and Widnes need to recruit quick, or they are certs in my opinion

Super League is likely to be 14 teams in 2018 IMO so Salford, Hull Kr and Widnes should be ok. This should be decided before the start of the season, so clubs know the likelihood of promotion and relegation, very poor if this is decided mid season.

Think your wrong there. Plenty in reserve in the forwards. When Hirst, Kirmond, Anakin and Baldwinson are your Back ups things are not to bad and I'm sure I missed one.

Halfbacks are thin on the ground but that's endemic in SL at present. Can Cas replace Gale long term? Same for most clubs.

Nope we are strong up until 25 - then its youngsters, just like most teams. Truth is a severe injury crisis would destroy every team in SL.