You're right about where we will finish. 6 would be an outstanding achievement, but 7-9 more likely.

However, I am going to stick my neck out, possibly incur some forum disagreement but hopefully kick-start some debate by saying you're wrong about our pack lacking quality.

Here's my take on our forward squad.

Lunt - quality; Johnny le Pocket Rocket - quality; Walker - quality; Allgood - quality; Green - potential for quality; Tilse - quality in fleeting glimpses; Blair - quality; Clarkson - used to be quality a few years ago at Leeds and likely to be so again at Rovers; Larroyer - flakey quality, poor last year; Horne - average; Lawler, Greenwood and Mulhern - great potential and better quality replacements all 3; Donaldson - too small for LF and needs to convert to hooker; Holker - dunno. We need another quality second rower, similar to Carl Ablett.

IMO Rovers pack needs far more respect than some are giving it for 2016. Allgood for starters and Tilse are better players than we saw last season - top NRL performers who will be better in 2016. In doing so it will allow the back row to be more effective as opposed to being secondary line of defence. The burden on the back row cannot be dismissed in particular the impact of MacD, Horner and Larroyer who stood their ground.

Clarkson is an astute signing who will surprise many with his work ethic and will get amongst the try scorers, something we have missed since the departure of Benny G. If anything, again, it will be Rovers third line defence that will decide where they finish in the table - is THornely better than Welham, I am not so sure?

Who's MacD?

Donaldson

Not MacD then?

He only has to be on the pitch to be better than Welham.

Minns will be the emerging star from this year's newbies, you heard it here 1st.

My Rhino mates and neighbours up here really rate Minns and by all accounts he had a stellar season last year for Fev. He likes to take on the line whenever he can. Defensively sound too. You're right. He will be an emerging star and ever present at centre for us if he stays fit.

I've seen Clarkson play 4 or 5 times for Leeds in SL and he has always impressed me. He used to be quick and had a cracking sidestep and fend on him. I can't understand why we aren't getting more enthusiastic about him on here. He's my tip (just ahead of Minns) to be next year's best newbie for us.

I'm getting a bit worried. Positive comments about our pack and new signings. Am I on the right forum?

I think we will do OK this season based on the fact Schofield has written us off again(Mondays league express) don't seem to rate our half backs?

Your half backs are probably the best in the league, if and it's a very big if, Campese is fit.

As a matter of interest what did he say about Hull?

Thinks they could break into the top 4 but not sure, Fair comment.

If campese knees stay OK imo you will do fine. Bit like Ellis are there injuries catching up with them. Hopefully both have a good run

8th Hull FC

They improved last season but I'm not convinced that they have the players who can take them further up the league. They should still be good enough to make the top 8 though. Some of their signings look great but they may not prove to be the most consistent players. I don't want to sound too pessimistic about them but I can't quite see them overtaking the likes of Castleford, Huddersfield & Warrington.

(he has Rovers finishing 9th but adds they may prove him wrong if they can keep Campese fit all year.)

So, Schofield has Hull in both the top four and 8th place.
One of you is obviously making things up.

Not me - I quoted word for word what Schofield says in League express and he has Hull finishing 8th & Rovers 9th.

Not that it matters what Schofield thinks but he wrote off both Hull teams this time last year and....well he wasn't wrong was he.

For sure I think he has got it right about Rovers we have chosen to go with a very small squad and I think that is a massive gamble. Peacock says he has put things in place so as to reduce injuries and goodness we have to hope that proves to be the case.

Comparing with the squad we finished with last season, 2 forwards have come in (Clarkson & Mulhern) whilst 6 have departed (Puletua, McCarthy, Burke, Ollett, Cox & Esselmont). In the backs we have 2 players who will probably not play a single game (Oakes & Shaw) so really we are running with a squad of 24 or 25. Wakefield have 33.

If we go relatively injury free (including Campese) then we could finish as high as 6th but if injuries bite hard again we'll go into meltdown IMO.