I think this side we have should finish top 2 easily. I don't think you will hear wigan saying we want to finish 4th! We will be going for the top spot and rightfully so. Every team bar catalans are weaker next year! We've kept a solid back bone to our side and I know we will aim for top spot, we've got great youngsters coming through and I will be more than confident seeing them play for us next year.

I think it will go

1. Wigan
2. St.Helens
3. Warrington
4. Catalans
5. Leeds
6. Huddersfield
7. Hull FC
8. Hull Kr
9. Bradford
10. Castleford
11. Widnes
12. Salford
13. London
14. Wakefield

Grand Final- Wigan
Challenge Cup- St.Helens

I'd go with the above.

I know we're slightly weakened on previous years. But it's worth taking note of the clubs we'll be competing with, and to be fair they are no stronger than we are IMO.

Is it really that much weaker?
Hock for Hoffman
Fielden for Coley
Luaki for O'Carroll

Joel wasn't really a centre, and hopefully we can get Roberts back to his early 2010 form.
Deacon wasn't playing towards the end of the season.

Dudson looks promising, Gelling, we don't know.

I honestly don't think that we are much weaker, if at all providing the likes of Fielden and Roberts are fit.

For me the challenge has to be to find a centre and halfback to be ready for 2013.

Warrington weaker??? Waterhouse,Ratchford,Hill to replace King,Clarke and anderson i would put Warrington about evens

Of course Wigan won't be saying we want to finish 4th, but there are at least 3 clubs, maybe 4, in SL that can finish top, so someone will have to come 4th. I think it will be between us and Leeds for 3rd and 4th places, with hopefully us taking 3rd on the basis Leeds are focused on WCC at the start of the season.

No, we needed a 9 desperately, I have said it the whole off season.

That is my main concern. Hopefully we will see Mellor get some time in the halves to enable Tommy to go to hooker.

1. Warrington
2. St.Helens
3. Wigan
4. Leeds
5. Huddersfield
6. Catalans
7. Hull FC
8. Hull Kr
9. Bradford
10. Castleford
11. Wakefield
12. Salford
13. London
14. Widnes

Winners of either trophy Wire,Wigan,Saints.

Hopefully, butwhat about the big games? The Warrington, Saints games? Would you still play Mellor?

Im concerned about Micky Mac as a starting 9, he doesn't have the rugby brain IMO and that leadership you need from a 9 i.e Buderus and Monaghan. I dont feel as though he takes us around the pitch at all. He's good at coming off the bench and helping us win the forwards battle defensively but as an out and out 9 it worries me. We have never replaced Riddell.

I'd still play Mellor in the big games. Hopefully he will have the same sort of impact as Gaskell did last year for Saints. At the start of the season Gaskell wasn't playing well, was making mistakes and I wondered how he would fit in the Saints, but come the end of the season he had grown as a player and put in some quality performances.

I agree regarding Riddell, we never really did replace him and I reckon if we had a Buderus or Monaghan type player then we would be head and shoulders above the rest. What worries me is soon people will be calling for Logan Tomkins to be brought in, when IMO he offers just about us much as McIlorum.

Wire
Saints
Wigan
Leeds
Catalans
Huddersfield
Hull
Hull KR
Bradford
London
Castleford
Wakefield
Salford
Widnes

We are slightly weaker in squad terms, my main concerns are like some of the above mentioned. For example, can Richards regain his great form (thought he was good last year but nowhere near MOS season)? Can Carmont last a whole season? Will Lauaki be superb or abysmal? Will McIllorum be able to lead us around the park consitently, I feel Mellor needs to be given a bench spot, from what I saw from him at Widnes he looked a very clever player. We have got good depth in our squad with players like Flower, Dudson, Tuson, Roberts, Hughes and Russell all backing up. 2nd/3rd is where we should be aiming for.

Pretty much spot on.

We will have to see how Mellor goes early in the season if he gets his chance, if he doesn't impress I feel we may be in trouble. Who would go to 7 whilst Tommy was at 9? Finch at 7 and Lockers at 6 is the most likely outcome, and that partnership would severely lack pace. I would have liked the 9 situation to have been sorted but then again, who is available??

That is the most likely outcome, but as you say it lacks pace and its too much changing around for me.

If Roberts could regain his early form of 2010 I would get him in at FB, Sam back to the halves and get him involved more at the PTB, because he could play anywhere really, he's that good! Highly unlikely though and it's better having Sam at FB.

We should of gone for Sam Obst, think he was the only one available!