A new halfback combo (again) was certainly needed and our edge defence and attack has been crap for a few years so Potter had to remedy that. The forwards did get us into attacking positions but we weren't good enough to exploit them.

I think it's phase 2 where the quality and depth of squads starts to tell. We've bit more quality in the backs and halfbacks but not greatly. In the pack we've lost our best forward so I guess we're pretty static in terms of ins and outs.

A lot depends on whether Potter can instil some confidence and enthusiasm so we don't start to give up when the going gets tough like has been the case in recent seasons.

Phil Clarke would never do an analysis without using 'intensity' at least once. Pronounced in-ten-setter, Edder.

Of course I'm looking forward to it. Always got some kind of hope that we'll do well... Plus, surely things can only get better!

Who knows?

I can't seriously imagine being in the top four but it's all up for grabs otherwise. We definitely need a bit more luck than we've had over the last few years though, that is for sure. I guess reality will bite at some stage, like we'll probably lose three halves and a hooker before the start of March and have no props left by the end of April, but heigh ho, at this stage I'll be as confident as I like.........

I personally see Huddersfield dropping down in the league table this coming season.

I think the top 5 of Wire, Wigan, Saints, Leeds and Huds will be hard to break into but I think 6th, 7th or 8th are definitely achievable and missing the play offs again would have to be seen as a failure

Think that's pretty fair comment.

Nope, not with our weak pack im not.

Without any evidence I would expect Catalans to continue their progress under Robinson next season, & Hull's pack looks far superior to Bradford's. So I can't see 6th or 7th.

Should have gone to Specs

avers TT

Every season I've ever seen has had its ups and downs. I'm guessing 2012 will be no different, so bring it on.

Just looked at Hull's squad and they only have 9 forwards with first team experience in the whole squad and one of them is O'Carrol who's barely played in 2 years. So unless they sign a player and they have no overseas space left so they are 1 injury away from kids making their debut.

Yes. A lot of these squads look better than ours on paper, but with a few injuries to key players, who knows.
We can't be as unlucky again with injuries can we? If we keep the first choice squad fit, I think it looks pretty decent.

That's absolutely right, imo. The Huddersfield squad looked much better than ours a few months back, just before we beat them 36 - 0 but games aren't played on paper and anything can happen in reality.

I'm not going to look around the squads at this stage and think they are all better than ours, there's no point, since you never really know how things will work out anyway. Every team has new players and not all will 'gel' as well as their coaches hoped so there are always surprises. Onwards and upwards!!

That's not necessarily a bad thing, especially at a place like Hull where bringing through the kids seems to have slipped off the agenda. It got us to third place in the table and a fifth Grand Final loss on the bounce. Quite an achievement!

I'm looking forward to it I always do but as far as predicting how the club goes I don't know.

I think we'll struggle to finish in the playoffs if I'm honest but I've become resigned to that being the case until we get a change in the ownership of the club and the board of directors.

These are the odds, not sure whether it's GF or league placings, but bookies are saying 8th or 9th which I agree with, possibly 10th:

WIRE 11-4
WIGAN 11-4
ST HELENS 7-2
LEEDS 9-2
HUDDERSFIELD 14-1
HULL FC 16-1
CATALANS 20-1
BRADFORD 33-1
HULL KR 33-1
CASTLEFORD 50-1
SALFORD 66-1
HARLEQUINS 66-1
WAKEFIELD 100-1
WIDNES 150-1

I'm going to say 7th

The odds above are for grand final winners I believe, and I'd need more than 33-1 to put any money on us. As far as predicted position I'd go for 7th or 8th, and I'd be happy with that tbf in our current situation.

I am looking forward to the next season as its another chance, and by the start of the season I'll probably convince myself that we are going to win more games than we lose, like the good old days!

I look forward to every season. Looking at how the season finished and the teams around us, I think we should realistically acheive 24 to 28 points just scraping in the playoffs 7th or 8th.

I'm not looking forward to it as much as I did last year. I would say that I'm resigned to it and am really hoping it's going to be better than recent years.

Join me in aspiring for mid-table mediocrity.

No wish to join you in being a Cas fan...

We are going to win it in 2012 i can feel it

Don't fight it, it is inevitable. And far less disappointing.