Many thanks

I honestly don’t get the depth bit as for me it’s our strong point. I’m not saying we are the strongest but unless we are seriously unlucky we are well covered.

If I were to pick a weakness for us it’s a lack of experience or in other words winners. As far as I’m aware the only players with winners medals or even final appearances under their are Brough, King, BJB and maybe Kopczak and Huby none of whom have been consistent.

None of our overseas players are in that bracket, not so much as a SOO player.

This is where we are weak and where imho we are most likely to get caught out. In a way it’s the same problem that seems to catch Cas out and they are currently better than us.

It’s a big problem but one day one team that hasn’t spent a fortune will crack it.

Reads more like a fan writing on a forum than a journalist.

He’s definatley a fan but a journalist’s cousin.

The Wakey pack that slapped 72 points on them? Just reads like the guy is a bit desperate. Follows on from yesterday's article saying they have a whole host of injuries for the Derby and KR in rude health. Ignoring Quinlan Lunt Jewitt Scruton out and a couple of doubtfuls. The local rag has become FC propaganda pamphlet since rank B&W James Smailes became Sport Editor.

They've got a better pack than Wigan as well, honest...

That was another barmy statement.Lumping Wakey and Wigan as poor packs Even ourselves have let go smaller forwards and brought in bigger aggressive players but are dismissed as beneath Radfords superstars? Very strange article from a professional journalist

think he names 4 packs that are stronger than them the rest are nowhere near. couple this with their talented backs they are in for a great season . maybe . but seems to dismiss a lot of very competitive sides very strange reporter this kid ,to biased needs a bollocking of the daily rag

Anybody who takes anything written in the Hull Daily Mail serious, sport related or otherwise, is as much an idiot as the people who write the articles. Very poor paper in my opinion.

Anybody who cannot foresee Catalans Dragons making the top 5 is oblivious to certain important facts:

1. Catalans form, though it started out poor, improved greatly in the last third of the season, to make them a side competitive with the best in Super League.

2. Catalans thrashed St. Helens in the Challenge Cup semi-final.

3. Catalans defeated a strong Warrington team in the Challenge Cup Final.

4. Catalans have acquired Samuel Tomkins, probably to play in the halves, thus giving Catalans one of the strongest spines in Super League (Antoine Gigot, Samuel Tomkins, Matthew Smith, Michael McIlorum), playing in a side that already has a powerful pack of forwards.

5. Catalans is surely a stronger side in 2019 than in 2018.

Sorry to disappoint but Matthew Smith is garbage

Neither were they [ithat[/i good towards the back end, conceding 30+ points against Wire, Wigan, Cas and Wakey.

They should be competitive this time but the same could have been said for the majority of their SL years. How often did it ring true?

you probably would have beat warrington in the semi if he'd been playing.

True story.

I liked him in Doctor Who

Not too sure how you work that one but ok and still going about the semi final win which led to more Grand Final embarrassment I see.

When I started this thread, no pre season friendlier has been played. Now they have I would like to swap Warrington with Leeds and Wakefield and Salford

Feel free on both counts

Is that what you'd call a change of face leeeBron.

Its going to be tough to break in to the top 4, Saints, Wire, Wigan, Cas in no particular order.
Can't even wild stab till a few games have been played.

Castleford can't possibly make the top 4 without Luke Gale. Leeds and Catalans are much better guesses.

Well, anything could happen, its not a given that any of those top 4 will actually finish there, but we are talking most likely.
Leeds and Cats don't appear on my most likely list, I think they'll be happy to have a building/consolidating season.
But ya never know.
Cas will be just fine without Gale if they stay relatively injury free across the rest of the squad.

Top 5 play off, I'll be happy if Leeds make it and reckon we'll just scrape in. 2020 and we'll hopefully be a bit better balanced.

The same Leeds we just beat in a pre season friendly without Gale?

PS: we played without Luke Gale last season for 16 games and we made the top 4. Plus upto 9 others across the season too.

You do realise one man doesn’t make a team. You don’t half talk some tosh at times.

Looking at recent seasons I’d say you’ll need around 32 points to get 5th. The exception was last season when it was 27 points but can see things being much closer with teams in the mix all able to beat one another and no Super 8 fixtures which teams in 7th and 8th would give up on. Granted one less fixture but for the aforementioned reasons I still think 32 could be the mark.

So you’re looking at maybe 10/11 home wins and 5/6 away wins.

Preseason friendlies are meaningless. Everyone is trying to avoid injury.

Once Konrad Hurrell, Tuimoala Lolohea and Kallum Watkins have achieved match fitness Leeds will be a force to be reckoned with.

Samuel Tomkins is going to be a great attacking asset for Catalans along with Antoine Gigot and Michael McIlorum.