The Phantom Horseman wrote:Agree with just about everything in the above.
Not necessarily predicting like GFB that Fev will finish top as there are definitely a few questions to answer - can Webster be more effective as a Championship coach than he was in SL, how will the veteran forward signings Ferguson/Ferres perform, how close to his best and how often will Chisholm be etc - but on paper we have a squad that should challenge for top 3. Yes we will use DR extensively, and if we get McLelland for extended periods that will be a big boost, but as GFB says it's wrong to say we are very much dependent on DR - some of the fringe Leeds players would struggle to get a game if all our alds are fit.
I'm not as down on London as I was a few weeks ago as the starting pack looks really good but the backs and, especially, depth are big question marks. Ward clearly remains a positive though.
Leigh have done a fair bit of recruiting but they looked a bit iffy defensively sometimes last season yet seem to have concentrated more on attack (Sammut etc).
I watched Toulouse in their pre-season game yesterday and they looked the better side for chunks of the game against Catalans. Toulouse are sure to be up there again, they do seem to lose form somewhere along the way though every season, but if they play to their potential with consistency they might be the team to beat.
York have recruited well and what's more they have done it in positions of weakness. Teams will see them as a "big game" this year that they have to get motivated for, but I'd still be surprised if they aren't top 5.
Forget last season, that's gone. We will be fine in defence, my worry is in the halves, I'm not convinced with them yet.
