Yes I would say it is slightly weaker, there are a lot of if's IMO and I think next year we really have to rely on a few players to have storming season's if we are to be in finals. I'm worried about our right side defence, because we saw how much it was targeted towards the end of last season.

Also a few questions I have is...

Can Richards find his old form?
Can Carmont last a whole season?
Most importantly for me, can McIlorum direct us at hooker? That will be key!

No, we needed a 9 desperately, I have said it the whole off season.

That is my main concern. Hopefully we will see Mellor get some time in the halves to enable Tommy to go to hooker.

1. Warrington
2. St.Helens
3. Wigan
4. Leeds
5. Huddersfield
6. Catalans
7. Hull FC
8. Hull Kr
9. Bradford
10. Castleford
11. Wakefield
12. Salford
13. London
14. Widnes

Winners of either trophy Wire,Wigan,Saints.

Hopefully, butwhat about the big games? The Warrington, Saints games? Would you still play Mellor?

Im concerned about Micky Mac as a starting 9, he doesn't have the rugby brain IMO and that leadership you need from a 9 i.e Buderus and Monaghan. I dont feel as though he takes us around the pitch at all. He's good at coming off the bench and helping us win the forwards battle defensively but as an out and out 9 it worries me. We have never replaced Riddell.

I'd still play Mellor in the big games. Hopefully he will have the same sort of impact as Gaskell did last year for Saints. At the start of the season Gaskell wasn't playing well, was making mistakes and I wondered how he would fit in the Saints, but come the end of the season he had grown as a player and put in some quality performances.

I agree regarding Riddell, we never really did replace him and I reckon if we had a Buderus or Monaghan type player then we would be head and shoulders above the rest. What worries me is soon people will be calling for Logan Tomkins to be brought in, when IMO he offers just about us much as McIlorum.

Wire
Saints
Wigan
Leeds
Catalans
Huddersfield
Hull
Hull KR
Bradford
London
Castleford
Wakefield
Salford
Widnes

We are slightly weaker in squad terms, my main concerns are like some of the above mentioned. For example, can Richards regain his great form (thought he was good last year but nowhere near MOS season)? Can Carmont last a whole season? Will Lauaki be superb or abysmal? Will McIllorum be able to lead us around the park consitently, I feel Mellor needs to be given a bench spot, from what I saw from him at Widnes he looked a very clever player. We have got good depth in our squad with players like Flower, Dudson, Tuson, Roberts, Hughes and Russell all backing up. 2nd/3rd is where we should be aiming for.

Pretty much spot on.

We will have to see how Mellor goes early in the season if he gets his chance, if he doesn't impress I feel we may be in trouble. Who would go to 7 whilst Tommy was at 9? Finch at 7 and Lockers at 6 is the most likely outcome, and that partnership would severely lack pace. I would have liked the 9 situation to have been sorted but then again, who is available??

That is the most likely outcome, but as you say it lacks pace and its too much changing around for me.

If Roberts could regain his early form of 2010 I would get him in at FB, Sam back to the halves and get him involved more at the PTB, because he could play anywhere really, he's that good! Highly unlikely though and it's better having Sam at FB.

We should of gone for Sam Obst, think he was the only one available!

Sam Obst, jesus christ, that would be scraping the barrell.

I cant see Sam going to 6, he's prefered coming into the line wherever he wants and attacking the holes. Id say he's an established number 1 now.

Wire
Saints
Wigan
Leeds
Hull
Catalans
Huddersfield
Bradford
Castleford
Hull KR
London
Salford
Wakefield
Widnes

Warrington
Saints
Wigan
Leeds
Catalans
Huddersfield
Hull
Hull KR
Bradford
London
Castleford
Widnes
Salford
Wakefield

We've got some developing to do and we need to make sure our transitional phase is like one of those that Saints have where they still manage to stay around the top and challenge for finals.

I could see us going trophyless for a year or two tbh but we should have one hell of a side in a couple of years.

i'm surprised that some wigan fans have picked either a first or 2nd place finish,
i would have thought thats it's clearly far easier to win the grand final from 5th than it is from 2nd


That will not happen again for a very long time

1- warrington
2- saints
3- rhinos
4- wigan
5- giants
6- catalan
7- hull kr
8- hull fc
9- castleford
10- bradford
11- salford
12- wakefield
13- broncos
14- widnes

1. Warrington
2. Leeds
3. St Helens
4. Wigan
5. Hull FC
6. Catalans
7. Huddersfield
8. Hull Kr
9. Salford
10. Castleford
11. Bradford
12. Wakefield
13. Widnes
14. London

Can't really see us finishing any higher than 4th to be honest, i hope i'm wrong but i think we will struggle this year to maintain the standards we have set over the past 2 years..

I would say you are weaker. Ratchford can't compare to King, you will miss King towering down one side. Plus the problem lies with Warrington's squad age. Briers, Morley, Carvell, Monaghan, Solomona, Hodgson are all within a season or two of retirement. An ageing squad is never a good sign, last year you ran out of steam I would be worried about the same happening this year. However I do still think you will still be there or there abouts because you have a very good side.

I don't think Ratchford is a replacement for King. King will be missed but we have a lot of great centres and wingers (Bridge, Evans, Atkins etc) Wire have improved with the Waterhouse for Anderson move and the Hill aquisition and Clarke departure is an obvious bonus.

The age thing is a nonstarter. You can't tell the future and so it isn't worth debating 'a season ro two''s time. This season is being discussed.

And finally, are you sure you arne't mistaking warrington for Wigan? LAst year Wigan well and truly ran out of steam. The saints playoff games being a personal highlight. Warrington underestimated a side and lost a must win game. Wigan stumbled through three of them.

1. St Helens
2. Wire
3. Wigan (not sure on the signings yet so dont want to be too optimistic but we shall see you never know in RL)
4. Catalans
5. Leeds
6. Huddersfield
7. Hull FC
8. Hull Kr
9. Bradford
10. Castleford
11. Widnes
12. Salford
13. London
14. Wakefield

1. Saints
2. Wire
3. Wigan
4. Leeds
5. Hudds
6. Bradford
7. Hull
8. Catalan
9. Hull kr
10. Cas
11. Salford
12. Wakey
13. London
14. Widnes

GF- Saints
CC- Leeds

Sadly the SL is like that every year.....theres essentially 4 mini leagues going on with big gaps in quality between each.

The Contenders / The Outsiders who on their day can beat those in the top group but are generally well behind / The mid table battle for the mediocracy of a 7th/8th play off place only to face an inevitable hammering in week one / and finally the battle to avoid the wodern spoon.

Its why our competion will never match the intensity of the NRL

Predictionwise Id say as follows;

Wire

(
Saints


Wigan
Catalans
Leeds
Hull
Huddersfield
Bradford
-------------
London
Hull KR
Castleford
Salford
Wakefield
Widnes

Wire will walk the league this year unfortunately- us and saints are both far weaker but I think saints just edge us with alot of youngsters a yard or two ahead of us currently. wire saints and us are still a way ahead of the rest of the pack and cant see any of the chasers breaking into the top 3.

Motor mouth SCHOEY says we will only finish fouth.
Warrington
St Helens
Leeds
Wigan
Catalans
Huddersfield
Hull KR
Hull
Salford
Castleford
Bradford
Lon Broncos
Wakefield
Widnes
Could he be right as I think our forwards will struggle

Wigan
Saints
Dire
Leeds
Catalans
Huddersfield
Hull
Hull KR
Bradford
Widnes
Cas
London
Wakey
Salford

saints
wire
wigan
cats
leeds
hull
hudds
london
hull kr
brad
widnes
cas
salford
wakey


Going to back Widnes on the handicap coupon.

we also have alot of youth starting to come through they are all replacable except the biggest losses will be briers and moz.

now we have a few good young halfbacks in myler, ratchford, o'brien but whether any of them will have the cheeky edge and the rugby brain briers has is yet to be seen.

Moz is harder they dont make forwards in the same aggressive mould anymore but again we have plenty of young props coming through.

Kingy will be a massive loss however we can be comforted with the fact that we have joel monaghan on one wing (some of his finishing is out of this world) and good in the air. on the other wing we have a few we have riley he got a bit disillusioned last year but came back with a bang at the end and was highest scorer 2010 season, we also have Rhys Evans he is a very promising youngster quick with good feet prepare to see alot of him this season my tip for a star of the future and we also have rhys williams so we have cover in those spots.

the only position i see us as being understrength is hooker we have monaghan who is an outstanding hooker but his replacement is one trick mick (higham) and nothing else we get an injury at hooker its not going to be pretty!

I think Wigan are stronger in some departments this year, plenty more forwards, a fitter Finch & Richards, a maturing Tomkins, no Joel playing out of position at centre but an outright selection headache of centres, an aspiring fullback in Russell, another Tomkins who adds to the depth in hooker. It's quite promising.... Just need some luck and maybe a big name signature boost in the replacement of Tommy at the half way stage of the season. Shame about the magic weekend fixture against the stains but the RFL always like to annoy us..remember last years challenge cup run in?

1. Wire
2. Saints
3. Wigan
4. Leeds
5. Hull
6. Catalan
7. Huddersfield
8. Hull KR
9. Widnes
10. Bradford
11. Cas
12. London
13. Wakey
14. Salford