Its not just Salford fans defending there team who are being slagged off before a ball is kicked. I think you will find on every negative post concerning a particular team you'll get a fan of that club defending their side.

so a saints fan calling another fan clueless for stating his opinion is ok then? Its not just Salford fans mate, we are all entitled to say what we want and also reply how we want. Thats the whole point of a fans forum.

Well I can't find any in this thread - there's a few "I think your underestimating ... " or equally "I think your overestimating ... " but there's only a 2 incidents of "your going to eat your words" and both from Salford fans

As I've said here and elsewhere, I expect Salford to be battling with 2 or 3 other teams for the 7 and 8 spots - and a little lower if they have a bad run of injuries. If they get higher, great for you guys, a little worse than that isn't out of the question entirely (which is as Roy predicted) - that's not "slagging off".

Blimey, I didn't realise some Reds were so sensitive.

It is a thread called "league predictions", so I was just giving some predictions. Let's be honest - if any of us knew exactly what was going to happen, we'd all be picking lottery numbers and laying down accumulator bets, so that next season we could buy our own teams full of NRL stars.

I don't disagree with some of Mike's assessments of Saints players, by the way. I think our threequarters are fairly unexciting, and Hohaia and Laffranchi are clearly unimpressive occupants of overseas spots. But in SL, it's not whether all your players are excellent, it's whether they are better as a group than the other groups you're playing. Saints can carry a competent-but-not-great set of threequarters because at fullback and hooker they have genuine class, while they have a very strong pack with a good replacement bench. Last year a weaker pack, no halfbacks and both class players missing for much of the season, still saw them top 5. Avoid injuries, and nobody has strengthened more.

Salford's pack, on the other hand, are suspiciously weak. Either getting on a bit with best days behind them, or a bit below-average. The threequarters are again either past-it or below-average. The halfbacks are probably above average, but as Chase has found at Cas, you can't win games with just a good half playing alone.

Noble's done some good things with average squads in the past, but he's got his work cut out here. There are some right characters in that squad. It's like throwing sulphur, charcoal and saltpetre into a dressing room filled with pyromaniacs.

Anyway, no need for anyone to get upset. I hope Salford do really well. We certainly need more competitive teams in SL, and for me the best thing about SL 2013 apart from the World Cup was the emergence of Huddersfield as a genuine contender. Maybe this year will be Salford. I just hope no Reds fans are betting the house on it.

Weak pack! You are joking! People are entitled to there opinion so what ever you think pal. By the way I think our pack is stronger that yours. But hey! Opinions opinions.

And before you say it! No I don't think our squad is better than saints, neither do I think we'll win the league or think we will finish above saints!

I'd be chuffed to bits to finish in the playoffs! But starting 2015 in Superleague is what I'd be happy with.

Exactly we can't comment on our new team as we've not seen 95% of the players play before, but you won't see any Salford fans predicting us to get into the top 4 or even 6th 8th would do us all fine, well more than fine actually, from bottom last year to 8th is a massive step for me.

Saints fans predicting to win it this year are IMO just setting them selves up for a fall and a lot of disappointment if you don't perform,

And yeah it is a prediction thread but you can't use that as an excuse to tear opposition squads to pieces as that too will make you look very foolish if your proven wrong, (ala huddersfield).

Saints will be there or there abouts. The only thing stopping them winning will be Nathan Brown.

Nah!
It will be the players or allegedly the match officials.

Widnes are going to beat the lot of you so don't bother turning up.

Loving this Saints Vs Salford match-up. Can I bet Saints finish above Salford in 2014 please.

So 2014 Predictions. Here are mine:-

1 team to win SL - Wigan (can't see past them tbh)
1 team to win the CC - Warrington
2 teams to be relegated - London and Wakefield or Widnes

1st - Warrington
2nd - Leeds
3rd - Saints
4th - Wigan
5th - Huddersfield
6th - Hull KR
7th - Catalans
8th - Salford
9th - Hull FC
10th - Castleford
11th - Bradford
12th - Widnes
13th - Wakefield
14th - London

Saints are the only ones with the remotest chance of finishing top who may actually want to finish there.