Skybet has in order Featherstone, Toulouse, Halifax, Keighley, Bradford, & Widnes & York for joint 6th.
I am surprised Barrow are not in there for Bradford. I have said previously I think we could finish 6th at best. The Bookies are not often wrong. The 3 games v Swinton could turn out to be the difference in the place for 6th.
They obviously regard keighleys recruitment as good then
Skybet has in order Featherstone, Toulouse, Halifax, Keighley, Bradford, & Widnes & York for joint 6th.
I am surprised Barrow are not in there for Bradford. I have said previously I think we could finish 6th at best. The Bookies are not often wrong. The 3 games v Swinton could turn out to be the difference in the place for 6th.
I think it will be a much better league this year, Leigh last year were streets ahead due to finance so it was obvious where it was going.
Will be interesting, I agree I think Barrow have recruited well, Bradford have too but jury is still out on their coach - I don't hear great things. Widnes will be more competitive and I think will be stronger with a bit more strength in depth this year in key areas. Last year Fozard played too much rugby as he didn't have strong competition which JJ will provide. Gilmore, Craven, Owens, JJ and Fozard will make us more creative. Amor is outstanding at setting standards and will improve the forwards.
Anything outside top 6 will be a failure. Widnes shouldn't be lingering towards the bottom of the second tier, I hope this group of players know that.
I agree that we need to be more competitive this season. I don’t think we have recruited as well as a lot of teams but being lucky with injuries to key players will decide top 6 or below
It might divide opinion but we should be looking at going full time in the next couple of years as it’s the only way we can win promotion
I am quite confident for the season and injuries could be the key to teams positions. We have got a little more strength in depth and if Jack Owens stays fit he could make a difference. Heard he has lost weight and many others much fitter through a good pre season with Kear. In my opinion I feel we have the best dummy half's in the league with Johnson and Fozzard. Let's be positive and if get a good start we will get more fans. Then probably some money spare for players to strengthen in the season if required I am going for 3rd or 4th prediction. 🍾👍
I always start the season full of confidence, but that confidence usually fades at some stage, hopefully not this year, with a confident prediction of a top six finish.
As others have said, the league should be very competitive this year, with several clubs vying for a play-off position.
Our first four games in February should be interesting and may well set the tone for the season, with games against clubs in with a shout for the top six places - York, Keighley, Bradford and Halifax.
is this the season when clubs will be categorised, with Category A clubs only allowed in SL? In this case, we could walk away with the league and win the play-offs, but denied promotion!!! Perhaps worry about that at the end of the season!!
Looking at those first four games doesn't fill me with confidence and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see us on one win after four games which would be a disaster and set us up for another long season of struggle.We can't afford another write off with nothing to play for come June.The bookies do sometimes get it wrong and it would be a surprise to see two of last year's top six not in this year's top six,Barrow and Batley.Also I'm not convinced Featherstone will walk the top two,they finished last season in poor form and Long isn't a good fit as coach.I will go for 1.Toulouse 2.Halifax 3.Rovers.4.Barrow 5.Keighley. Any one of Batley,York,Bradford and Widnes for 6th.
The category A/B etc stuff doesn't come in until the end of 2024. So in the very unlikely event Widnes win the Grand Final this year, it will be Super League in 2024!
I don't think Barrow will do as well as they did last year. Bradford's recruitment is interesting, though there are question marks over their coach. Keighley have recruited relatively well but will be interesting to see how much of an impact losing Andrew Henderson has.
York don't seem to have recruited overly well and have a few holes to plug, though they are always attractive to loan players.
Toulouse too still are a bit light.
I'll go Toulouse and Featherstone top two; then probably Halifax. Fancy Bradford, Widnes and then either York or Batley to make up the six.
I’m hoping as always for a good season and expecting us to finish in the top four.At 16/1 that’s quite an attractive bet but I feel the first four games as said above will be the make and break of our season. Won the first four last season😁😁
Well from all accounts the pre-season is going well and everyone is buzzing to get going, i think the pre-season game against Rochdale and Oldham are farcical as weak opposition and saints will be more testing, York away should be 1st win and we can go on to better things very confident that widnes will surprise alot of people this year and hopefully slowly the crowds will come back
Interesting comments, agree that we are slightly stronger than last year and if Owens is fitter that would be a massive bonus
other teams - think fev are fading, keighley prob finish 6 given that they need time to gel, York ditto fev, fax - dark horses, Toulouse - who knows, so many changes but sure to be top 4, Bradford- unsure but maybe London could be an outsider coming in
our position depends on a good start, York away will tell us a lot followed by keighley at home which also will be interesting
@sinbad I think Barrow may get into the top 6 but their French centre who beat us at home has gone & Sammut is 36 next month. I think Batley will drop down the table as they will miss Gilmore (possibly more than we will gain from him) & have also lost a prop to Leeds.
As far as Widnes are concerned my biggest worry is the defence of some of our wingers & centres but hopefully we will be more on the attack than defence this year but have concerns also about ourability to unlock opposing defences as last year at times we looked clueless in attack.
Well from all accounts the pre-season is going well and everyone is buzzing to get going, i think the pre-season game against Rochdale and Oldham are farcical as weak opposition and saints will be more testing, York away should be 1st win and we can go on to better things very confident that widnes will surprise alot of people this year and hopefully slowly the crowds will come back
When doesn’t pre season go well and when isn’t everyone buzzing ahead of a new season?!
We’ve heard the same out of the club for the past how many years and we’re still waiting for a good season.
I think, for once, we’ve got a decent pack. So not worried how we’ll compete physicality wise.
A lot of the season will depend on how Owens, Craven and Gilmore combine. Craven and Gilmore didn’t work last time, so hopefully Kear will be able to get the best out of them.
The biggest plus for us this year is our squad depth. Prop for instance: Amor, Field, Farnworth, Johnson, Walker, Hatton & Tilleke.
Lower end of the play offs, for me.
It's a competitive division and, as we know, we've no right to expect anything. I just hope we're in the play-offs come the business end of the season, that will be achievement enough I think.
Of course pre season is going well,when is it ever not ? People talk about Gilmore and Craven needing to perform but they have to play together as a regular partnership.Unfortunately Craven has'nt been available for many games in recent years and it wouldn't be surprising if Lyons and Gilmore were the more frequent half back combination,which wouldn't fill me with confidence.