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.
I'm on board!
A very big opportunity for Widnes looking at that Dan. It will all depend how all the Aussies get on, and I do think Max Banditt will be helped by a full pre season too. Doncaster probably favourites but have lost 2 key players.
Agree with the summing up, injuries may again play a massive part as with the new SL a reserve team league playing weekend fixtures and more of them, loaning players will be much harder.
with regard to Donny, I assume they can keep a lot of their squad as they may have been on 2 year contracts ?
Had a look and 7 of the Oldham team that beat us in play offs have left.
FB Walker Released
Wing Bibby Salford
Stand off Smith Released
Scrum half Drinkwater Retired
Hooker Geyer Catalans
2nd Row Ashurst Released
Loose Forward Milner Released
One way for clubs to meet the cap is to run with smaller squads, 24 players rather than 25/26 for example, so quite a few Championship players could be available.
Doncaster have issued a released list now. 7 released and 3 retired. No new signings yet.
If, as likely, London are promoted to SL in 2027, there is a chance that it will be increased to 16 in 2028 (probably without full funding for the promoted team).
in that case, the Widnes Board should be aiming to win the Championship Grand Final in 2027 and start now to bring on board potential sponsors, to support a bid for a SL place
Having said that, with no main sponsor on board for SL (anyone for mushy peas and pizza), the NRL deal in doubt and SL clubs losing between £2.5 to £3.5m every year, is there a future for SL in the UK? The future does look bleak.
Pauli Pauli - Dewsbury
Jordan Baldwinson - Hunslet
Luke Briscoe - Retired
Reece Lybe - Retired
Connor Robinson - Retired
Bureta Fariamo - Released
Lou McConnell - Released
Andre Savelio - Released
Gadwin Springer - Released
Alex Sutcliffe - Released.
Between Oldham and Doncaster thats 11 players available for 2027. If Featherstone do come back in they could put together a better side than would normally be available at late notice with the top sides trimming their squads.
An Oldham or Doncaster fan might frame it that Widnes have lost their captain and longest serving player, their Player of the Year (top try scorer) and second top try scorer though...
Wouldn't read too much in to things at the moment. Nobody has the foggiest what the format is or what anyone is playing for yet.
Connell is a blow, but nothing like Oldham. Player of the year Adam Miler, Players Player of the year Josh Drinkwater, Supporters player of the year Josh Drinkwater. 6 of the starting line up gone, Jack Walker, Bibby and Ashurst are all top Championship players as is the bench hooker Geyer, Drinkwater and Milner.
New signings are Butterworth from Sheffield, Russell on loan from Huddersfield, Lucas Green and Connor Sayner from Keighley and Max Flannagan from Rochdale. Thats significantly a weaker squad than 2026, being honest bar Russell they are mid table signings.
Widnes, as long as the 2 Aussies are as good as they look (they should be as half of SL is now Aussie reserve grade, not just Cas but now at some of the top sides Leeds, Hull KR and Warrington) then we are just as strong as last season.
Dan i trust Alan Coleman he has done a great job and for me this Bryson looks better than Connel in power and size. Williams a natural centre and even though Jack did well i am confident in a younger player. Max Banditt a proper pre season. Nixon and Sergent younger than Butt and look just as good. We are hardly weaker just as good, or slightly better overall.
I would say if picky 1 more big prop but if sell season tickets, and more WVIPs members I feel can buy through the season if required. I am positive not negative.
Totally agree, but doubt we will have funds for any more signings.
but next season should be more of a level playing field and I think our squad is actually stronger than last tear
looking forward, but a long dark wait !
@dan1 I admit I didn't watch too much of York last year but Hingano seems like a great signing for Oldham.
@chris-b yes Hingano is more like it for Oldham. It was in the RL press a couple of weeks ago that he had signed but Oldham didn't announce it. For me the best stand off in the Championship in 2025 when York finished 1st.
Oldham now have 2 good half backs, but the other signings for me not as strong as those released. They are meant to be announcing another one today.
Still no signings announced by Doncaster so will be interesting to see what direction they go in for 2027. With the released players they currently have 18 players on the books so you would think 6/7 new players. Will they carry on signing ex SL players or bring in younger players or maybe a couple from the Aussie reserve grade as seems popular at the momemt.
Salford have added Ashurst from Oldham to Bibby also Oldham, Butt Widnes and Sneyd from Warrington so looks like they are going down the experienced route for 2027. Especially with Ashurst and Sneyd.
@dan1 Carl hall said they want another good year and then attempt superleague in 2028. Seems delusion for me but that’s what he said in a press release end of the season