Toughest season to predict for years
Wigan are slightly weaker with the loss of tompkins and mossop
Huddersfield surely cant repeat last season as i think they over achieved with the squad they have
Saints have recruited well in the forwards but are light and inexperienced in the backs
Hull if they click will be a force and will trouble some teams
Salford have recruited very well and will copmpete with the top 4.
Leeds as always, will be strong, a few players in the last season proberbly so will give it all.
Wire lost players and recruited well so must be up there.
Catalan will be not far away as usual.
I make that 8 teams possible of a top 4 finish.
I cant remember such a competitive season,

Without the tried & tested option of the Briers chip to the corner ,the team will have other exciting ways to score....wouldn't be surprised to see an even more expansive passing game & just hope the handling has improved from some of last season's games.

I am not sure Wigan are weaker as Tomkins has been replaced by Bowen and Mossop by Pettybourne and Clubb. They also have Bateman and Sarginson to add depth.

History suggests settled squads with minimal changes will do best so I expect us, Huddersfield, Wigan and Leeds to be the sides competing at season end. Sintellns will pose a threat but not sure relying on Hohaia on the halves is going to work out. And Salford will implode at some point, if Noble lasts the season I will be amazed.

No reason why Myler and Ratchford can't do the same. These stats might surprise some but top try assists for last season were Myler with 23, Ratchford with 20 and Lee Briers with 13.

And our top five players on the Opta index are all still here with the club; Atkins, Riley, Waterhouse, Hill and Ratchford.

The big improvement this year will be if we can reduce the overall error count which was the worst in SL.

I was a bit worried for this coming season, but after reading the previous comments i am a bit more optimistic. i do think Wigan will be the team to beat and maybe Saints if they can remain injury free.

Wigan will miss Richards' goal kicking as much as we'll miss Hodgson's. Both of us have scored many tries out wide and relied on brilliant goalkickers to make the 4s into 6s.

I don't understand the comment about Huddersfield overachieving as most of their squad would fit neatly into most other top 4 squads.

It's certainly the most excited I've been for a while, still can't work out if that's a good thing or not.

No Morley, Carvell, Briers and Hodgson all bar Asotasi replaced with kids is certainly interesting, the big shadows have gone, time for people to step in to the light.

I'm expecting a mixed start to the season but can see us getting better as it unfolds though Wigan and Leeds have to be favourites for silverware. Still think that we're one or two short in the forwards and any injuries in the early weeks could see us stuggle.

You could say that about any team.

I would say the key man for us to lose this season will be Ratchford. But every team is diminished by the loss of players to injury. Wigan would have a problem without Smith, Saints without Roby, Leeds without Sinfield, Hudds without Brough....

say whaaaaaaaaat?

Padders thinks we have to sign most of the NRL to even be competitive this season.

In my opinion:

The top 5 will consist of the same 5 teams as last year: Huddersfield, Wire, Leeds, Wigan & Saints. In what order though i don't know.

The remaining 3 spots in the top 8 will be anyone from Hull, Salford, Hull KR, Catalans, Bradford & Widnes.

Bottom 2 will be anyone from London, Wakefield & Cas.

If our showings in the friendlies is anything to go by, I'm not confident of making the 8!

Sorry I worded it a bit basic let me rephrase...
We lack (one more) quality prop.
Question marks over Englands ability at top level and Asotasi fitness and his age for recovery.

Yes, in the forwards we basically need three things to happen. All big 'ifs'

1. Paul Wood to have an injury free season (when he gets over his current one)
2. Anthony England to have the same sort of impact coming up from the Championship as Chris Hill did
3. Roy Asotasi bringing over some of the form he had in the NRL when he was right up with Morley as a dominant prop

Get 3 or even 2 of those and we will be alright.
Get 0, which is a distinct possibility, and we will not win a trophy because our front row is too light.

However I disagree with your other suggestion that we have the best halfbacks and backs.
We are behind Leeds for one.