So, a new season beckons.

First up are the noisy neighbours. Who's going and what do we expect/hope will happen?

I think it will be a big crowd (maybe 10k+) so should be a cracking atmosphere.
I don't think Cas will pose the same threat around the quick PTBs as they did last season without Clarke.
Hopefully our Forwards can lay a good platform and we can snatch the result.

Att 10,235
Res Cas 16 24 Wak
MOM Godinet

followed by a few in the Glassblower, and everyone's happy

Weirdly, and maybe completely without substance, but I have a hunch Trinity will do the business here. I usually expect defeat so victories come as a pleasant superseded.

Cas have done well with selling season tickets so I expect a 9k+ crowd.

We'll do 'em !

The pre-match entertainment will be poor. An entertaining game as always. Normal service resumed from cas's one season wonder year with a tightly contested affair until last quarter when Wakey smash out a few trys.

Score will be 18-40. Hopefully cas can pick themselves up after losing their best players from last year.

Wakey to take a good following contributing to a 9k + crowd.

I'll have a beer or few pre game. Probably kronenbourg.

It makes me laugh how a lot of people (not just Cas fans) think they are a shoe in for a top 4 spot again. Why ? The standout players from last season have jumped ship, the rest of the squad over-performed on the back of the likes of Clark and Sneyd; It happens occasionally. My money is on them to be bottom 4 pushing for a top 8 spot, the same as us. The same as every other season therefore this fixture is a flip of the coin, whichever team wants it more will win.

No, whichever team has more points will win

This..

On paper this should be a very easy win for Cas, they have a very strong defence, our defence pre season has been very poor. Defence wins matches. If we try and play the same style as in the pre season games ie trying to play an attacking game even in our own half then I fear we get a hammering.

Cas also have a few first teamers in doubt for the game.

I agree with belly we have to be much better defensively but if we are, we can surely win our first game of the season as we did at Widnes 2 seasons ago. I predict a close affair but think we will just edge it by 6 to 8 points. They did us 3 times last season, time to notch a win against our nearest and dearest and I'm really looking forward to witnessing it. Come on Trinity!!

I hope the optimistic predictions on here are proved right!
It's very hard to judge our team at this stage because, yet again, we have a few new players in pivotal positions.
The pack does however look as good as we've had for years.
My worry is at half back, we know Tim can win a game but he has to work well with Miller.
I know Cas' have lost some good players but they have a coach who seems able to motivate 'ordinary' players.
Too close to call for me, could go either way.

Cas will be one season wonders trust me, teams at the end of last season Sussed them out, a narrow victory for the Jeremy Kyle regulars.

As a Cas fan, Mash Poatoes, I would be seriously interested in who these people are outside Cas who think we will finish in the top 4, because I have scoured everything and have not seen one. The very best I have seen are Schoey who has us finishing sixth and the Sporting Life seventh. The bookies obviously think it is going to be very tight for us getting a top EIGHT finish as they have us at evens to do so. Victor Chandler have marked up an over and evens for the number of games each SL team will win in the initial 23 game season and they have marked us up at 7.5, over and under both being 5/6. So they have estimated that we will win either 7 or 8 games, which would almost certainly put us in the bottom 4. In the group betting we are in Group C along with yourselves, Widnes and HKR. so they obviously believe we will come in the bottom 4.

I say this because I am one of the few fans that thinks we will do better than commonly thought and I honestly believe we will definitely make the 8, but even I am not so optimistic that I think we'll make the top 4. Looking at all our boards / forums, our own fans opinions is that we'll finish anything between 6th and 10th. Sure there will be some rose tinted, one eyed fans somewhere that think we'll make hay again, but lets be right we all have them. But I reiterate I have not seen even one neutral cum independant cum media pundit, or other teams personnel that has us coming anywhere near the top 4. So you must have access to opinions that I have not yet come across.

I haven't seen anyone tip us as a "shoe in" for top 4 nor do I know any fellow Cas fans who've said the same so I don't know where you've got that from! Anyone who genuinely thinks Cas will be in the top 4 is either mad; knows very little about rugby or has the most tinted of glasses known to man! I think it will be a very tight affair for 60+ minutes then one team (could be either as there's not much to choose between the two teams in my opinion) will pull two scores clear.

That's right we have Cook, Jewiit and Mariano definitely out and Junior Moors and Oliver Holmes doubtful. Even if Moors makes it, there will be a doubt surrounding his match fitness as he has only played about half an hour and that was on Boxing Day, when he obviously took it easy anyhow.

If the latter two are both fully fit and ready to go then I will fancy our chances but think it will be very tight. If both miss, then for me it will be an almighty struggle, as all five are forwards and that will leave a huge chunk missing in that department.

Which brings me to the pivotal point that luck with injuries is going to have a massive bearing on the coming season. It is fair to say that none of the usual suspects of Warrington, Leeds, Saints and Wigan will come in the bottom 4, but I seriously believe that any of the other eight are definite contenders for it, even Catalans. Le Cats have some real good quality this year but in terms of numbers they are small, and a spate of injuries particularly to any key personnel could make life very difficult for them. Depending on this they could easily come top 4 but possibly struggle otherwise. For me it's those that have most luck with injuries that will come out well amongst those teams. Same with the actual bottom slot, there are a number of teams that could finish there, depending on injuries and luck etc.

I also actually think Huddersfield may struggle somewhat and do not see them being anywhere near the top 4 this coming season. That's my head speaking as I have absolutely nothing against them whatsoever.