Personally I don’t think that they will. Wigan took everyone by an element of surprise last year by punching above their weigh and it worked really well. That element of suprise won't be here this season because everyone always gets themselves up for the defending champions. I just don’t think this Wigan side will able to grind it out because this Wigan Squad is pretty much the same as it was under Brian Nobel bar a few player changes.

They will p*** it but rather them than you or Warrington.

I HOPE they win it. But it will be a close season in my opinion. Not too sure either way. Could win it. Hope we win it. Don't know if we'll win it.

of the four or five teams expected to be at the top the one with least injuries will come closest to winning it

Not sure to be honest.
There are a few teams this year who could win the league.
For me it's between Wire,Wigan,Hudds and even Saints if they can stay mostly injury free.

Well, if the ref's continue to clamp down on the slow ptb as they have done during friendlies, then Wigan may struggle.

much better imports this year with maguire getting many of his old buddies from melbourne who will know his coaching methods inside out and already champions? wigan in a canter

Same squad as it was under 'previous coach' bar a few changes? You could say that about every team in the league.

Our dominance is due to Ian Lenegans great management of the club as a whole, Michael Maguire, Shaun Wane and the rest of the coaching staff getting the best out of the players, Mark Bitcon making them stronger, fitter and faster and us fantastic fans turning out in our thousands cheering them on.

Mainly I put our success in the league down to having a large squad but a really good large squad with up and coming juniors more than capable of playing Superleague such as Lee Mossop, Liam Farrell, Chris Tusson, Josh Charnley, Stefan Marsh plus the like of Sam and Joel Tomkins still very young, Darrell Goulding and although they have been around for a while Hansen and Leuluai are still under 25. The backbone of our Grand Final winning squad will be around for the next 5 to 10 years so I expect a peroid of title contention for the next 5 to 10 years ala Saints 1998 - 2006, Leeds 2004 to 2010, Bradford 2000 to 2005.

Can we back it up this year?

I think winning the league and another grand final is on the cards, Challenge Cup I'm not so sure, I predict Huddersfield to beat Warrington for the CC.

Yes, Wire could compete maybe. Can't see Leeds under McDermott competing, and Saints won't do it playing out of Stobartville -and who else is there?

Wigan will walk it this year. I think we might be seeing the first league and cup double for a while and i would not be surprised if they went through the season unbeaten.

On Preseason form Lima and Hoffman looked a massive improvement of Feka and Bailey. Few more good youngesters coming throughout.

Adds to a already good squad



Although Warrington Saints Huddersfield and Leeds (think they'll start slow but hit form towards the playoffs when Mcguire and JP return) could win the GF

Funny thing is I think they'll lose in Cardiff.

As a biased opinion I'm obviously going to say Wigan.

BUT I think Saints/Wire will push very very close.

They do, however Wigan have no also lost the pressure on themselves of not having won a trophy for a long time. That was huge on us last year especially after losing at Leeds in the cup and at home to Saints, Warrington, Huddersfield and Leeds (play offs) during the second half of last year. Many people said we'd bottle it come the crunch but we actually went to Leeds and won comfortably and beat Saints pretty well in the final. How did we do that? By grinding it out when it mattered.



Not sure what that has to do with anything. Noble massively under-achieved here at Wigan. 6th place in 2009 (especially in hindsight after 2010) was a disgraceful return. The difference between his era and us now is vast. Our standards won't slip back. I think we proved that last at Warrington. We wern't that good in attack but in defence we were all over Warrington and 24-18 was a bit flattering in the end for Wire.

As for whether we'll win this year - I think our massive squad depth will see us retain first place. The Grand Final is all down to the performance of the day itself.



On this weeks results I can't see it. They'll have to improve a hell of a lot defensively from their two pre season displays so far. But we'll see.

I'd love nothing more than a league and cup double (or treble if you count the WCC provided we win it!) but to go through a full season unbeaten in all competitions is an extremely tough ask in SL. We will be beaten this season, thats a guarantee. I just hope it's not too many times!

Like Bilko I am confident we are still the best squad and I believe we will finish top in the league table, however, this means little when it comes to the play-offs and all the tops sides are capable of beating us even when we are playing well so you just never know but I would expect us to be in the final after finishing top. Last season our top of the league finish was down to two results in the end.... we beat both wire and saints away. This gave us a lead throughout the year and we never looked back.

The challenge cup depends on the luck of the draw and how you turn up on the day but I think we have a good shout in that as well, I think we would have reached the final had we sneaked past Leeds (which we should have done).

Just one comment how was the score flattering towards us, we had 1 perfect try ruled out, and countless we bombed due to a bad pass or knock ons.

Granted Wigan played well, your defense was good, you just took your chances, i wouldn't look much into the game, by the comments of some of players they didn't play at full level due to Smith telling them "to go out there and enjoy it"

My only gripe, what was with Wigan players constantly trying to slow the play the ball right down, but the ref pick up on this well so not too bothered there.

What a pointless thread, Wigan are rightly favourites, but any number of things could cause them not to retain their crown, think saints in 2005 and 2007. Massive favourites, but got unfortunate injuries for one, and bottled the other

TBH we are suffering from injuries at the moment with Gleeson, Richards, Finch, Fielden and Hansen.

5 of our first 13 are out and we beat Warrington on their patch, if it were another team it would be called a crisis but due to our squad depth and quality in that depth I don't really see injuries as a setback, plus the return of Hock in May/June I see us doing really well in the league and either winning the GF or CC.

Some people always think last years champions will walk the current seasons title and it rarely pans out as easy as that. I remember watching Saints 4 or 5 years back and thinking they had the title sewn up for years to come and then watching Leeds play over the years you wondered who could give them a run for their money but it's never easy and alot just comes down to who turns up on the night at Old Trafford.

I'm confident the Wigan squad has enough quality and depth to take a top 2 spot but then after that anything could happen in the play offs as the top 4 or 5 are all pretty similar in terms of ability.

It should be a cracking season.

As with most other supporters I would hope the club I support will be in with a chance, Wigan set a high standard last year & I hope whoever wins does it by matching or bettering that rather than Wigan slipping up. Good luck to all for the new season & lets all hope for injury free teams.

Well said.

Saints look a lot stronger than I thought they would, but I think it will be a couple of years that they and Leeds will have a lull while they redevelop younger players and restructure. I think Wigan and Warrington will be the dominating teams for a couple of years.

Wigan have strengthened this year. Leeds are weaker and unless McDermot proves to be this seasons Michael Maguire, which I doubt, will struggle for a top 4 place. Saints, as long as they get Price and Eastmond playing every week will do well but not seriously challenge. Warrington are capable as long as they don't get to Wembley. I think if Hull weren't held back by Agar, then it could really be their year to do something.

Overall and I'm not being biased, Wigan have the squad, coaching staff and back room set almost to perfection.
Not saying we aren't going to get beat at some stage but I'm having a bet that we will win everything.

Go home your milks boiling over.