yes, because its not always possible to spend your way out of an injury crisis now with salary cap constraints. this is why the salary cap should be encouraging clubs to invest more in their own youth, this is not being done to the same extent at all clubs

2005 grand final saw a Leeds side that included McGuire, Sinfield, Burrow, Ellis, McKenna, Bai, McDermott, Lauitiiti take on a Bradford side that included Peacock, Morley, Hape, Vianikolo, Fielden, Vagana, Radford, Paul, Harris, Deacon, Pryce,

That 2006 Saints side included Sculthorpe, Graham, Roby, Hooper, Lyon, Wellens, Long, Pryce.

Super League simply doesnt have that quality of player in it at the moment. Not in depth nor in first teams. Put together a dream team of SL players from this year and id take any of those Leeds, Bradfords or Saints squads against them.

The competitive clubs didnt spend their way out of an injury crisis, they were the ones with the you development systems that were bringing through players (and largely still are). The injuries have their effect because A) there are too many games. More games = More injuries. and B) the salary cap excludes any real reserves of specialist talents. Teams can't afford to have 2 fullbacks or 3/4 or 4 halfbacks or 4 hookers. What this means is that you are replacing a fullback with a utility back, with 2nd rowers, halfbacks with fullbacks or looseforwards, hookers with utilities. 2 or 3 injuries in the wrong positions and suddenly squads are all over the place.

This also impacts on youth development as specialists are less valuable than utilities. If a club has a choice between a decent young or an ok one that can play 2nd row, they take the inferior player and jettison the specialist.

Not a chance of beating the Leeds, Bradfords, Wigan's and Saints team in there prime, the quality, skill level and intensity was much higher in the first 12 years of Superleague. We are only 18 games into the season and no major honours achieved so far so thats a pretty big statement to make that Cas would be the best of the best superleague champions. Looking good for the hubcap though.

Ah ... nostalgia!

But even that is not what it used to be!

Is not having the best talent spread evenly across twelve teams not better for the game than having them clustered in three or four teams? Given time this will (in my opinion) raise the overall standard of the game in the UK.

It does, of course, mean that the 'big four' concept is defunct... a situation that the traditional 'big boys' and their fans will not like as it seemingly reduces the quality of their team by not being able to 'Hoover up' all the best talent.

Im not saying over a season we would beat them but in a 1 off game when we are on top of our game playing the free flowing rugby we do.... Our skill level when we are like this is second to none and not many can complain on that part.

Its something we can never compare so its a pointess conversation anyway.

Smokey TA has the great example above with the Bradford side, no way is the current Cas side anywhere near the power, skill level and mental toughess of that squad of players, didn't they go 20+ games undefeated similar with the Saints side both these teams had the "invincibles" tag from what I can remember. Its far too early to blow the Cas trumpet they havn't won anything at all yet and will be tested when we come to the business end of the season, thats probably the best time to claim bragging rights.

The best Wigan, Leeds, Bradford and Saints sides just wouldn't allow Cas the advantage of free flowing rugby and the Cas defence would be seriously tested. However if there was a cup for entertaining rugby over a season they would certainly win that.

But it isn't that those players are spread across the 12 clubs. These players simply aren't in SL.

Name me a prop I'm SL right now who is as good as Peacock Fielden or Morley were in 2005? I can't think of one even close and those three played for one side.

Name me a playing now who was in the class of Senior, Lyon or Hape? There's probably only a couple who would compare to Chris McKenna who was Leeds 3rd choice.

Danny McGuire in 2005 was unstoppable. In 2017 he can't run, is Leeds only halfback and we are joint 2nd

And that doesn't even mention the likes of Cunningham, Lauitiiti Graham. Sculthorpe.

Im not sure how you can say we dont have the skill level..... we are clearly the most skillful side superleague has had for a long time. I know we would have to improve in other areas but skill....

Sorry this is Bull $hit, you run really good set plays and are really well coached. You are getting great return out of some very average players and all credit to the club, players and coach for that! But you have Shenton tearing it up who is garbage. Ben Roberts total garbage and Eden who in a team like Wire or Widnes would be as $hit as he always has been. That's just a few players.

Fair play to you, it's great to see Cas up near the top, but you have got well ahead of yourself.

Watching old games the standered hasn't changed much. The only things that are frustrating now in the game in comparison to back in the day is the wrestling in the tackle and shoulder charges.

The officials don't bully the weaker sides more than they did.
Our England side doesn't ignore form as much so isn't half Leeds and half saints.
More competitive games make a season. Who wants to see Wigan, Leeds & Saints cruise into the top 3 every season and make the most grand finals.
Our sport in that respect is better.

I completely agree. Agreed, they play some really good rugby, but it was noticeable when we beat them at the KCOM, that an effective defensive side, caused them to just panic, go offload crazy, which wasn't skill it was headless chicken stuff

On the main topic though. Can only see Leigh, Widnes and Catalans as bottom 4 certainties. I suppose the Giants should be favourites for the bottom 4 too.

Haha! That sums it up really, nothing more needs to be said.

I think it's difficult to predict the winner of SL at this point in the season. Leeds were average during the regular season in 2011 and 2012, Wigan were falling apart at the back end of the 2013 regular season, as were Saints in 2014, and Wigan were really struggling with injuries throughout 2016. Yet they all went on to win at OT.