Toronto are asking for dispensation to go over the salary cap even sign a 3rd marquee player. Their squad is small and asking to be able to sign more players, il be annoyed if it’s allowed I’ve read that it’s going to be up to SL clubs to vote on. If your the chairman of one of the other clubs why would you vote to allow it.

Grand Final will contain, and likely to be won by, Wigan/Saints/Leeds

Lot of people tipping Wigan and Leeds for glory it seems. What is it about Wigan that makes you think they'll be competitive this year? They weren't last season, they were a complete joke. Leeds too will have to have a drastic jump in performances to be challenging.

No one is mentioning Hull really, they have signed well but you can never tell with them.

I'm just basing it on the 22 years of track record. The final always contains one of them, the final has been won by one of them in 19/22 times (86% due to 3 Bradford wins). Why would that change in 2020?

Hull have signed well but I think they need a top quality coach to be challenging.

1. Saints
2. Wigan
3. Wire
4. Hull Fc
5. Castleford
6.leeds
7. Catalans
8. Salford
9. Wakefield
10. Toronto
11. Huddersfield
12. Hull KR

Interesting point about quality of coaching. Usually you can look at the table and expect to see the top clubs being the ones with the best coaches. But currently in SL there seems to be little correlation between the perceived quality of the coach and where teams are expected to finish.

Eg here's a rough categorisation:

Coaches with a proven track record of doing a good job in SL:
Toronto (McDermott)
Hull KR (Smith)
Castleford (Powell)

Coaches who have won stuff but the jury is still out:
Hull (Radford)
Catalans (McNamara)
Warrington (Price)

Coaches who have achieved more than expected with limited resources:
Salford (Watson)
Wakefield Trinity (Chester)

Coaches who are unproven/unknown:
St Helens (Woolf)
Wigan (Lam)

Coaches who haven't done particularly well in SL:
Leeds (Agar)
Huddersfield (Woolford)

Doesn't really map over to expectations about where the teams will finish? Is quality of coaching really a decisive factor in the current SL?

Hull will be up there and their squad is arguably better than Warrington's. But completely agree that Radford isn't the man to take Hull to that next level. And yes, I'm aware they've won a few Challenge Cups last few years...

There are a lot of variables and with the exception of Saints, a couple of injuries could torpedo some of the so-called big clubs.

Wigan lose Hastings they are going to lose a lot of attacking impetus.
Leeds lose Gale or Hurrell, same applies.
Hull lose Kelly, Connor or Sneyd they struggle

There doesn't look a bang on going to struggle certainty either. Moat people seem to think HKR and Toronto but HKR have a very shrewd coach and intimidating home crowd and Toronto have a big advantage at home.

Although Ive tipped them for 11th I wouldn't be surprised to see Toronto finish top 7 and I think Salford's season may be a case of after the lord mayors show.

Wigan
Saints
Hull
Cas
Leeds
Warrington
Catalan
Salford
Wakefield
Toronto
HKR
Huddersfield

Stains
Wire
Hull
Wiggin
Castleford
Leeds
Salford
Wakefield
Catalans
Toronto
Hull KR
Huddersfield

Here here well said...the money I've won based on this fact...saying that the bookies have slashed there odds on Wigan and challenge cup runners up moaners so winnings won't be as huge.on years gone by the favs are usually at 5s this season they are 3s at best but it will be the 2 most likeable teams that lift the end of season trophy... Biggest cert going

Whilst Hull’s squad is strong, where is the evidence that it is stronger than Warrington’s, as previously mooted?

Man for man it’s only really in the centres that I’d consider swaps.

I don’t really have a problem with our squad overall, just the ability and style of the coach to realise that potential. I guess we’ll find out this year whether Price is the answer to our long-running problems.

As for Radford, why has his stock suddenly risen after some very mediocre league campaigns?

First 17s:

1. Jamie Shaul (The Geddes Boys)
2. Bureta Faraimo
3. Carlos Tuimavave (Prime Processors)
4. Josh Griffin (WCM)
5. Adam Swift (Revamp Builders)
6. Jake Connor (Humber Street Distillery)
7. Marc Sneyd (SS Testing)
8. Scott Taylor (TC Accounts)
9. Danny Houghton (HI Commercial)
10. Chris Satae (Bad Rhino)
11. Josh Jones (Kaygee Engineering)
12. Manu Ma’u (Prime Processors)
13. Ligi Sao (Conceptus)
14. Albert Kelly (The Empress)
15. Joe Cator (Elecplant)
16. Jordan Johnstone
17. Matty Dawson-Jones (Jane Brooks Law)

Versus:

1; Stefan Ratchford
2; Tom Lineham
3; Anthony Gelling
4; Toby King
5; Josh Charnley
6; Blake Austin
7; Gareth Widdop
8; Chris Hill
9; Daryl Clark
10; Mike Cooper
11; Ben Currie
12; Jack Hughes
13; Ben Murdoch-Masila
14; Jason Clark
15; Joe Philbin
16; Leilani Latu
17; Jake Mamo