Not if it's 4th from bottom.

You just couldn’t resist could you, you silly happy clapper you (there you go, a few emojis slung in as well)

We do love our emojis

Wigan
Saints
Catalan
Hull KR
Wire
Huddersfield
Leeds
Leigh
Hull FC
Salford
Cas
London

Wigan
Saints
Catalan
Leeds
Warrington
Rovers
Hull
Huddersfield
Leigh
Salford
Cas
London

Wigan
Catalans
Saints
Leeds
Leigh
Hull
Rovers
Warrington
Huddersfield
Salford
Castleford
London

Find it quite hard to predict to be honest. Think Wigan/Saints/Catalans are set for top 3. Leeds I fancy to have a much improved year and push on for top 4. Leigh pretty similar to last year. And then after that I can see any of the next 5 been in any order. Castleford and London to be a few wins adrift at the bottom.

Wigan
Saints
Cats
Warrington
Rovers
Leeds
Leigh
Hudds
Hull
Salford
Cas
London

I've tried to be optimistic but I can't see us improving much on last year (hope I'm very wrong) most predictions have us from 6th-9th which shows how badly wrong we've got Recruitment and retention over the last few years. One more season of clearing players out and adding some real quality combined with great youth prospects should hopefully see us kick on back into the top 6.

If we were to finish 8th or worse, would people see this year as another transition year and accept it or would fans begin to become a bit restless at the lack of success? Particularly if rovers were to have a good season

I think barring some miracle I think we have to accept it until we can get some real quality in the squad, whether that be from the youth systems or from outside the club.

Problem is we keep giving the past it/average players new contracts

Likes of carlos, houghton, fash, cator, Lane, brown aren't better than many players in their positions in the league

Carlos is past it

If we could have team in 2025 something like this looks a world of difference genuine quality and players we could realistically sign imo

Hoy
Mitch
Lafai
Sutcliffe
J Burgess
Trueman
Fages
Ese ese
Brown
Sao
Okunbor
Currie
Ben garcia ( out of contract )

Pele
Philbin
Balmforth
Ashworth

I'm not sure any of those are realistic signings, maybe Lafai, but the rest very little chance.

Not wanting to pick holes in your post you say Carlos is finished but then have Mitch in your 17 for 2025. No offence but Mitch has hardly played for us due a succession on injuries and Scott for one is a far better player than Mitch.

Agree that we need some quality signings adding to the squad for 2025 particularly an out an out 7. Question marks are certainly on the some players with the likes of Lane really needing to show something to get in to the 17. The likes of players such as Cator and Fash are needed and valuable to the squad, the issue isn't their ability its how we've had to over use them every week with a light weight 17. With additions of size in Ese ese, Pele, Ashworth, Okunbor etc for me Fash & Cator will be of much greater use and benefit next season.

Salford money problems so why wouldn't burgess come

Fages went to Huddersfield last 2 years

Garcia out of contract

Currie would be hardest one to get out of them listed

For me cator isn't good enough you replace him with someone like Ben garcia huge upgrade

Ese ese , Pele, Okunbor and ashworth are basically been swapped for Taylor, satae, Griffin and Savelio

Garcia will be 32 come 2025 and the club were moving away from signing players the wrong side of 30 and has invested in its youth policy for good reason. Fingers crossed we will see some of the youth transition successfully in to very good SL players over the next 12-24 months.
The way the sport in heading in the UK a strong youth development at a club will be one of the key facets to achieving success.

As I said Cator was played last season along with too many players that were lightweight as we just did not have any real size. Any squad that has a 17 that consists of players the size of Fash, Cator etc on a regular is going to get beat up and look poor as we often did.
I'm not saying Cator or Fash are world beaters but they are valuable squad players and if used correctly will be much better and more affective in a 17 that is a bigger physical one.

Not many would argue we still have a lot of improvements to be made to the squad due to the poor retention/recruitment/management of the squad under the two previous Head Coaches.