https://m.skybet.com/rugby-league/champ ... t/17103234 We are better than that aren't we?

https://m.skybet.com/rugby-league/champ ... t/17103234 We are better than that aren't we?

Bookies rarely get it wrong.

Don't really care what the bookies have us down as, what's gonna matter is how any team manages injuries through the season to best perform in the super 8 set up. Until we get through the first few weeks of the season deciding on favorites is pointless.
We were so poor last season any higher in the bookies rating would have been a surprise though to be honest.

The key game is against Leigh at the LSV on 1st. March (might go to that one - it's not too bad a journey from chez Chronicler).

Why is Leigh the key game? What about the other 20+?

The journey to Leigh on March 1st roll be even easier and a lot more fun because the Supporters Association is running a coach www.lbsa.org.uk

The journey to Leigh on March 1st roll be even easier and a lot more fun because the Supporters Association is running a coach www.lbsa.org.uk

Deepends on how your new arrivals gel. When I saw London on TV a couple of times last year I thought they looked weaker than several Championship sides (and far, far weaker than Leigh). However, that was in the Rea era and there was clearly improvement under Grima. The ex-Championship players London have signed are all solid at this level without being anything special but I don't know much about some of the Aussies. The big advantage you have along with Leigh and Bradford is being full-time, but Leigh have the added advantage of basically having the same line-up as last season with a couple of notable additions.

I don't think the talent gap between lower SL teams and those at the top of the Championship is all that significant although the full-time aspect clearly is. But I don't think being, say, almost as good as last season will be good enough. This is going to be a competitive league this year and there probably won't be many easy games for anyone.

No game of rugby league is easy, but I suspect that their will still be a gap between the full and part timers, so yep the telling game will be against Leigh early on !
Leigh went through the season last year pretty well unbeatable, if they suffer a couple of losses early on then it's new ground for them and will open up the competition a bit.
If we start strong, spank donny at opening game and see how the squad gels then let's see.
I think the bookies have the top 3 right dont think anyone would argue not sure of the order though.

That's my thinking. I suspect that there's only us, Bradford, Leigh and possibly Fev (although they've had their problems with a dodgy owner recently) who are seriously interested in promotion. Sheffield are waiting on their new ground and the rest don't appear to have the potential support (corporate as well as at the gate) for SL.

Not a suprise that Bradford are odds-on, but a suprise that Leigh are 2/1 and we are 4.5/1

But as said in another post, Leigh had a great season, retained and enhanced. We had a bad season, created afresh with good quality for the lower grades. Still think us and Leigh will be fighting it out, and Bradford have all the pressure heaped on them, whereas we want to earn the right to win football matches and be in the mix at the end of the season.

Full time, good characters, good attitudes, good local talent, vocal support, etc is what we seem to have and Leigh have that two. But they are not leagues ahead of us. I will be putting a sneaky bet on us, just to show my support for our new team.

Any updated thoughts on our 3rd fav prediction

Currently sat 10th after 3 games 2 of which were on the road

I'd give it a couple more games to see how things pan out - there's a long way to go yet.

Very true - winning ( just) against Donnie and losing away at Leigh were not wholly unexpected results. Hopefully a win next weekend and that shocker at Sheffield will start to look more like an aberration!

We still have a 100% home record!