Looking at last years top 5

1. London - Hopefully go up to SL with the NRL deal. Englands performance vs Tonga will put more pressure on the deal to be pushed through as Samoa and Tonga have now both overtaken England. Being full time London are much too good for the Championship and need to go up.

2. Newcastle - scaling back operations, going back to being part time. Head coach Steadman has departed. See them being lower mid table.

3.Oldham - released 11 players, the SOC coach and assistant coach. Only signed 4 players so far, and only 1 (Russell) on a par with the player released (Drinkwater) Other signings are from Rochdale, Sheffield and Keighley.

4. Doncaster - be interesting to see how many of the squad they can keep. Not announced a full list of who is leaving yet. 2 first team players retired. Lyne and Briscoe  and 2 signed elsewhere, Baldwinson, Hunslet and Pauli, Dewsbury. No new signings so far.

5. Widnes low player turnover, 4 players, majority of squad retained. Only really Connell you would say leaving with us not wanting him to go. 2 Aussies signed looking to have potential. Winger probably like for like but younger and a half back with more of a running game that we have been missing.

Normally you have to strengthen to move forward, but with the new cap this time standing still is actually a bonus. For me looking at the above, London have to go up, if Doncaster somehow manage to retain the rest of the squad, we are looking at 2nd place, moving ahead of Newcastle and Oldham.

Below us, Salford have signed 3 good players but not enough to jump to the top. Fax, Barrow and Sheffield the same.

With SL having 15 teams, the odd number doesnt work long term, its an opportunity to expand to 16 rather than decrease to 14 and we need to be in the shop window. A good opportunity to win the GF and apply some pressure to put us in.