We haven't got the forwards to get anywhere near the top 4 imo. The props will get dominated by most teams in SL.

I reckon Agar will stick to Radford at 13 and have Tickle partnering Crocker with Manu off the bench. This will mean a really unbalanced back row. We need a ball player there otherwise we will carry on using Tony as a pivot when that is one of his weaknesses imo. Don't think Thorman has ever shown he is good enough for a top 4 side, so I will be suprised if that changes.

Agar didn't change our tactics much when he took over and with him seeming to have some sort of thing against Hall, we won't be able to use Calderwood to his full effect in attack and Raynor will only show glimpses. Yeaman is our only hope of getting tries in that backline if tactics stay the same.

I really, really hope I am wrong though and Agar changes the style we play dramatically, and also sign a prop or two (and a 7+centre, but can't see any of that happening)

I've always said that I don't rate Tony when he is trying to be a pivot/halfback. He is much better at running with the ball. He runs fantastically when returning kicks but we don't give him much opportunity to run at the line

I'd not disagree with that. I think Tony's big strength is his kick returns - he runs the ball in like an extra prop at times and always makes good yards.



He's also a good broken field runner, and we maybe don't exploit that as much as we could.

1.Leeds

2.Saints

3.Warrington

4.Hull

5.Wigan

6.Bradford

7.Huddersfield

8.Rovers

9.Catalans

10.Quins

11.Castleford

12.Salford

13.Wakefield

14.Celtic

I think this season will be very close right trhough the top 6 positions and I don't think Leeds and Saints will get it all their own way although if Leeds can sign a centre they will be clear favourites for me.



Leeds

Saints

Wigan

Wire

Bulls

Hudds

Hull FC

Catalans

Hull KR

Quins

Wakefield

Castleford

Salford

Celtic



Tbh I think 3rd-8th could be a lottery, Wire always flatter to deceive, Wigan lack props and will miss Trent, Bulls are not the team they were, Hudds could do well if Carney settles in, Ctas will be under pressure this season which they might stuggle with, FC are an unknown quantity just now and so on.



Will be a really tight season I reckon.

These threads always make me laugh and just to prove it......





How anyone can predict final league standings before a ball has been kicked is beyond me. Salford and Celtic will be unknowns, Catalans have a new coach as do Saints and Hudds (who also have some very good new signings) so who knows how they will go. Rovers might go bankrupt and FC might have far better luck with injuries and play to the form they have shown in the past.



FWIW at this stage I would say Leeds are strong favourites for the title with Saints about 4-6 points further back and the rest could literally end up anywhere. If putting money on it I would be backing Salford, Celtic and Cas for the bottom 3 obviously but the rest could finish anywhere depending on circumstances.

Jan 2nd and the best post I've read this year.

leeds

saints

Hull

warrington

catalans

wigan

bradford

huddersfield

cas

hull kr

harlequins

wakey

salford

celtic

Ever the optimist

Always am mate!

Leeds

Saints

Warrington

Catalans

Wigan

Huddersfield

Bradford

Hull FC

Hull KR

Wakefield

Castleford

Quins

Salford

Celtic



I hope that I'm wrong and that RA and JS have some seriously big white rabbits in a hat somewhere but I really can't see anything other than a finish of 7th - 9th.



In reality, our front row IMO is one of the weaker/most average in SL and certainly weaker now that it has been for a while and most packs will dominate us with ease, even more than they did last season.



We still haven't got a SH and no matter how many times we call Thorman "our new scrum half" he isn't and never has been one. Whether he is good enough at all, is yet to be seen but IMO he is a good SO or a very poor FB. His signing and the subsequent release of Webster still doesn't make any sense at all to me.



We are going into the season with only one recognised centre of any quality at all and, for me, this is utter madness.



Until RA and JS have the opportunity to get rid of the 6 or 7 squad players that are clearly not good enough for Hull FC (whether they're "local lads" or not) and go out and get TWO PROPS, A SCRUM HALF AND A CENTRE, we can expect nothing more than mid-table mediocrity.



I'd really like to see JR's table prediction because he keeps telling us how fantastic our squad is. It would be very interesting to see if he really believes it or whether it's just "spin" for our benefit.



RANT OVER !!!