Wigan will miss Richards' goal kicking as much as we'll miss Hodgson's. Both of us have scored many tries out wide and relied on brilliant goalkickers to make the 4s into 6s.

I don't understand the comment about Huddersfield overachieving as most of their squad would fit neatly into most other top 4 squads.

It's certainly the most excited I've been for a while, still can't work out if that's a good thing or not.

No Morley, Carvell, Briers and Hodgson all bar Asotasi replaced with kids is certainly interesting, the big shadows have gone, time for people to step in to the light.

I'm expecting a mixed start to the season but can see us getting better as it unfolds though Wigan and Leeds have to be favourites for silverware. Still think that we're one or two short in the forwards and any injuries in the early weeks could see us stuggle.

You could say that about any team.

I would say the key man for us to lose this season will be Ratchford. But every team is diminished by the loss of players to injury. Wigan would have a problem without Smith, Saints without Roby, Leeds without Sinfield, Hudds without Brough....

say whaaaaaaaaat?

Padders thinks we have to sign most of the NRL to even be competitive this season.

In my opinion:

The top 5 will consist of the same 5 teams as last year: Huddersfield, Wire, Leeds, Wigan & Saints. In what order though i don't know.

The remaining 3 spots in the top 8 will be anyone from Hull, Salford, Hull KR, Catalans, Bradford & Widnes.

Bottom 2 will be anyone from London, Wakefield & Cas.

If our showings in the friendlies is anything to go by, I'm not confident of making the 8!

Sorry I worded it a bit basic let me rephrase...
We lack (one more) quality prop.
Question marks over Englands ability at top level and Asotasi fitness and his age for recovery.

Yes, in the forwards we basically need three things to happen. All big 'ifs'

1. Paul Wood to have an injury free season (when he gets over his current one)
2. Anthony England to have the same sort of impact coming up from the Championship as Chris Hill did
3. Roy Asotasi bringing over some of the form he had in the NRL when he was right up with Morley as a dominant prop

Get 3 or even 2 of those and we will be alright.
Get 0, which is a distinct possibility, and we will not win a trophy because our front row is too light.

However I disagree with your other suggestion that we have the best halfbacks and backs.
We are behind Leeds for one.

We'll win the league and grand final and the challenge cup this season..... After all it's always our year.

Our starting 17 will be a match for anyone, but I have some concerns over the depth. The influx of youth will freshen us up, bring plenty of enthusiasm and stamina but when the tough moments come and they start to look around for guidance & inspiration I hope Waterhouse, Westwood, Asotasi & Myler grasp the nettle.

One thing I would say is that with some fortune with injuries there should be plenty of tries in that backline .... provided they get the supply with Hodgson & Briers missing.

On the form 2011 Sally. I would say Bridge is the best 3/4 in SL and Atkins the next best and Myler was the stand out halfback.

Unfortunately they have all fell short of that form over the last two seasons.

So I guess were both right.

Yes I completely agree.

One of the reasons why I am apprehensive about this season is that it's not just a case of us losing four major senior players (Briers, Carvell, Hodgson, Morley) but on last seasons form there was evidence of a decline in a number of the other senior players:

Riley
Bridge
Atkins
Waterhouse
M Monaghan
(Morley and possibly Briers were in this category)

Against that we had a couple of others who I would say were improving:

Ratchford
Higham
Grix

And then others that were more or less maintaining their high levels:

Westwood
Wood
J Monaghan
Harrison
Myler
(Carvell and Hodgson were in this category)

The worry is what will happen to that top group of players this season, and thats why I'm worried about our backs where at the moment I'd only say Joel Monaghan was really top class. Compare that to a few years ago with guys like Hicks, King, Hodgson and co in there, we were shredding teams out wide.

Was it just a random dip in form from which they will recover? We have seen that in players before (eg Paul Wood). I'm most hopeful about Riley and Atkins re-emerging, but time will tell.

Atkins seems to be strapped up constantly, maybe he's carrying a niggle that's holding him back.

I for one am excited about the new season, a freshened up squad makes it more interesting. I hope the team can deliver, there is no reason why not. No team really jumps out for me this season. It's all to play for.

I see the re-building process continuing and us being the dominant force next year but there is no reason why we couldn't win a pot this year as well.

Perhaps, but the more I see of him the more I fear it's what's in between his ears that is holding him back.

He has all the athleticism in the world, but god he needs a dollop of Cullen-esque gumption.

I agree with pretty much all the brackets you had the players in there.

I'm most hopeful that some of the other players come good...Rhys Evans needs to stay injury free and deliver on all the promise he has shown as a youngster. This could also be a great year for Ben Currie, who should firmly establish himself in the starting 13.

It would be great to see the Atkins of 2 years ago for sure.

The 2 players that frustrated me the most last year were Waterhouse and Riley... im hoping they both have great seasons this year... Waterhouse especially needs to step up in light of the forwards we have lost.

if currie establishes himself as a regular starter whos place will he take? waterhouse? surely not grix he was immense last season.

Currie will be a ball playing Loose Forward in the Sculthorpe mould.

I was using the same reasoning as you and think that's why I said 17 unlike Morley's Deckchair who's already got him in/pushing the regular 13. Nothing wrong with that and all things being equal by this time next year Currie must be one of the first names on our team sheet.

For my money when we have a fully fit squad and I know that I will be slaughtered on here, but, I'm expecting a bit more from Waterhouse so yes his place is the one under threat for me

duckie at least you're consistent you were one of the ones that agreed with me about us being light in the front row before the season started

have you come round on the other points though.....best halves and backs, I think some of the other teams are better than us here to be honest

Atkins and Bridge seem to be staying fit so far then so perhaps a season of sweeping the board is still a possibility

No without direction SC.

Without a physical presence, that we have had since mainly Paul Cullen put that pack together, we cannot pull the opposition outside backs and cover in.
The 3/4 backline of Atkins amd Bridge were both 1st choice England internationals as proof they were and still can be the best in SL.

Atkins form isn't there but I said our season with rely on the form both of them.

I said this because they have to be at their peak because the backrows and cover will be all over them because our props aint up to taking the sting, zapping the energies, drawing the cover of the opponents!!

Ratchford is elusive but not a 1 6 or 7.
He for me is the ideal bench back to bring on to cover all back positions when defences have tired from having a pack that are menacing enough, they just are not.

I have confidence of only Hill and Wood have the physical mind set of softening up opposition but without another prop there presence is required for a full 80 minutes.

Asotasi may have it in him but he doesn't want to show it.
England already proved my fear that he is crocked. He joined when he was going through should reconstruction and he out already. Does anybody know the nature, perhaps I've had my head in the sand!

I believed Asotasi wasn't our first choice, I think as the rumours said we were after a big name. It went pair shaped and we bought him late in haste.
I've seen nothing from him to prove otherwise.

And there's nowt worse than having to watch and learn the results of all the weekend fixtures after we've already played and gotten beat on a Thursday night.
Its like having your face rubbed in it on a Friday Saturday and Sunday until the week is behind you.

Baaaa humbug.