Before an official ball is passed, how do you think we will perform?



For me (not mine) I'm predicting a tight tussle at the top of the league - certainly top three and with a cleanish bill of health - top spot.



My only great concern is the loss of Graham and which two forwards will pick up his yardage, minutes and run quantity; notwithstanding his vocal passion and leadership on the field.



1. Saints

2. Warrington

3. Wigan

4 . Catalans

5. Leeds

6. Huddersfield

7. Hull

8. Hull KR

9. Bradford

10. Cas

11. Salford

12. Widnes

13. London

14. Wakefield

Champions (at last)

Similar to last season - there or thereabouts.



James Graham is a massive void to fill, not just for his work rate but for his leadership. It may take us a while to get used to his loss and I think finding our best combinations in the three pivot positions will take some time also. Will it be Wellens / Hohaia / Lomax, Hohaia / Gaskell / Lomax, Wellens / Gaskell / Hohaia, Wellens / Gaskell / Lomax? At this stage none of us really know for sure and I doubt Simmons knows either. I think he's going to have to find good balance there and who knows Wheeler may even come into the mix if he can actually string more than 5 games together.



Will we have enough to finish top or win a trophy? Very much depends on injuries and finding our best side. We're capable and we have some fine young players but at the moment Warrington look the most balanced side in the league, although they have alot of older players which may hurt them. Leeds will always come good when it matters and Wigan will be strong as usual (although I think personnel wise they are weaker this season). Catalans and Hull dark horses for me.

This. COYS!

I except us to win everything this year I believe that we have a squad that can sweep the board

The salary cap is starting to bite, and Saints are in a group of 6 or so sides that can all win a trophy this year. We have as good a chance as anyone, and I really dont think there is a clear favourite amongst them. Hopefully the new ground and new players can spur us on to great things.

Agree with most of the comments. The salary cap is starting to play its part and if any of the new coaches i.e. Hull/KR, prove their worth this could be an exciting season. Us, Pies, Wire, Leeds and Giants should be in the top six. Catalans could break the top four (I think their injuries to start the season could be tough by the sound of it). If both of those Hull teams can learn to defend that could seriously make it eight teams competing for the top four.



That said I think it might be wishful thinking on my behalf to imagine both Hull coaches are going to be that good. Still improvement from either would be nice for the competition. Outside of those big names, Millward should be able to keep the momentum going at Castleford providing he doesn't have a meltdown. That makes nine serious play off contenders before we've started.



Harlequins RL have made some very good signings and if Powell is any good we should see that this season. How good he is will determine where Harlequins RL go because the starting 17 is good enough to compete for a play off spot. Wakey, I'm not sure. They've had a big overhaul but the question mark is Agar who I don't rate, at all.



Salford? No chance sadly. I hope I'm proved wrong and Vievers brings something special out of them but I can't see it. Also they lost Ratchford who isn't the new Gaskell but he was the best creator they appeared to have.



Bradford? Tail end of the play offs.



How far can we go? We made the GF last year so no reason why we can't this year. Everybody else is missing a little bit extra to separate them from the pack so it should be bloody tight. Despite losing King, Wire should still be able to finish well. A couple of their youngsters will be a year older, therefore compensating for the declining Morley and do they have that Tex Evans guy coming back to play in the centre? He looked good and he should be good enough to ensure they don't miss King too much. Leeds have a good chance now that they're not just relying on Peacock and Leuluai to prop them up the field. They've been missing even an average workhorse prop for about six or seven years if you ask me so they could pose a problem for all throughout the season. Tomkins is enough on his own to lift them to top three and Huddersfield, well I'm not sure. At times they've looked brilliant haven't they but the consistency is the issue there. Of the top six favourites they are the team who appear most likely to explode. If they can stop that and find their form towards the end of the season (and don't have a cup final to get distracted by again) they could be interesting.



I like our half backs better than anybody else's. Now that Buderus has gone there's only Monoghan within touching distance to Roby (who we need to protect because if he goes down wowzer, it would be like the Pies losing Tomkins) and overall we're a maturing outfit that is aging together. Graham though is a huge loss and we will see that almost immediately I think. Last year we could rely on our pack to keep us in games against the big ones but more importantly against the weaker sides it was difficult for them to keep us at bay for the entire game. We tended to just be too strong for them to hold on. Without him our pack is going to have to work a lot harder in the same way that the Pies have done for the past two years because of their lack of a punchy front row.



Injuries will be critical which is obvious but this has to be one of the most exciting seasons we've gone into. No clear favourite, lots of questions of lots of teams and plenty of new faces. Can't wait.

Everything depends 100% on who's in form and injury-free come August/September. We'll finish top 4 and will be there or thereabouts yet again come the playoffs and we'll be in with as good a shout as anyone else in the CC. We have the talent, the squad and the potential to win everything but it's all in the hands of the Gods as things stand right now.



And frankly, after the last 4 years, the Gods owe us big time...

For me our hopes depend on a few things:



1 - Coping with the loss of James Graham



We've been down in numbers in the front row for years. Graham's metres made tell you this, he wouldn't be making 5,000 metres a season if he had enough support. His presence and work rate have been worth two or three 'normal' props. Take him out of the squad and we're left with just LMS, Perry and TP. TP is currently injured, which means we'll start the season with 2 props. Perry has probably never played three consecutive games over here, so we could easily be down to 1 very quickly. Laffranchi and Clough are not good enough at prop before anyone says they are. The club clearly recognises this having tried to sign Griffin and Hill, only to be scuppered by more ambitious clubs.



2 - Coping with the arrival of Lance Hohaia



Before I start slating him, let me say I can understand why they signed him. Eastmond was off, Pryce was off, leaving us with no half backs. Lomax and Gaskell were unknowns and the club couldn't have anticipated how quickly they would develop. So they thought they had to move for Lance given how few halfbacks were available at that time. The length of Hohaia's contract is just absolutely stupid however when you consider his injury history and the fact he physcially looks a man who has lost a lot of his speed.



Lance has NEVER been an established half back. He's been fullback at club and international level. He was terrible for both, a complete and utter liability who simply cannot be trusted under a high ball, with scores of horrendous errors made. He's also been a hooker for club and country, a role he can play to a reasonable level, although far below Roby's. His main role and the main reason he's remained an NRL and NZ player for so long is his utility value.



If the club moves either Lomax or Gaskell from the halves they are making a horrendous mistake. Yet all the signs indicate we're about to do it. He started in the halves against Widnes in our only friendly and the performance when he was there was simply awful. No direction, no kicking game and no creativity. He'll no doubt score the odd try and be semi-dangerous near the line due to his size, but we cannot give him the responsibility to lead the attack. He simply isn't up to it. Gaskell is a better player than him already, is more dangerous with the ball in hand, passes better, is calmer and has a kicking game. Ideally Lance would start as the 'back from the bench', but I doubt he will.



3 - Dealing with the sentimentality over Paul Wellens at fullback



Wello, as much as we all love him, is simply not up to playing in Super League any more. He was simply awful for most of last season, costing us time and time again with his dropped balls and late arrivals at perfectly stoppable try scoring moments. He's never had pace, but he's becoming slow of mind as well. He's no longer magnetically drawn to the precise spot the break is made or the ball is kicked. For most games last season he was anonymous, drifting behind play and arriving to throw his arms up in frustration at the referee as he signalled for the try. He offers absolutely nothing in attack, never beats a man and is no threat at all when he joins the line. Saints very often use rigid, pre-planned moves, particularly down the left hand side. Wello joins the line at centre, stumbling to keep up and either falls at the feet of the defenders or throws a hopeless pass that leaves the centre flat footed and stranded.



The club HAS to decide what it's doing at fullback and start the season with it. Wello can be backup while he is still here and help to develop the player chosen for the role. It should be Makinson, if Gardner is being ushered back into his armchair on the wing, which it looks like he is. We cannot start Wello, Gardner and Lance and leave Makinson out, surely? Another option is Lomax to fullback, Makinson on the wing and Gaskell/Hohaia in the halves. That would be an improvement on the current plan, but isn't ideal.



As for how we will do, we're almost guaranteed to finish below Wigan and Warrington. They are bigger, stronger teams who cope better with the season now. They are the top 2 sides. Leeds are an interesting one as unlike our local rivals they won't panic about league position, so they might not bust a gut to be top 2, but I'd expect a big improvement on last season as they'll have pretty much a full strength squad to start. Catalans are a side who look to have improved again, but are always suspectible to a poor start to the season. Hull are a bit of an unknown factor and it remains to be seen how Huddersfield will do, with their coach leaving this season. For Saints best case scenario is 3rd in the league and a favourable cup draw handing us a final against a team other than Wire, Leeds or Wigan. If i were to guess now I'd say 4th and no finals, but I can see us as far down as 6th.



We're not good enough to win SL this season.

Another factor concerning me is the lack of preparation for the season. One half hearted friendly is all they've done this year. London away could be difficult as it's as low key a start to the season as it's possible to get. Add in the fact we always start slowly recently and usually cop a few home defeats to the lesser sides, we could easily be playing catchup to the likes of Wire, Leeds and Wigan within the first month of the season.

Utter, utter nonsense. We have holes and deficiencies but every single other team in the entire league does too in modern SL. Another prop would have been nice sure, but provided we have enough fit bodies for the playoffs we have as good a chance as anyone else and it's nonsense to suggest otherwise.



We will probably have a slow start to the season, probably have yet another injury crisis, will likely see Wigan and Warrington cope better with the week-to-week and finish above us again but frankly, who cares? It [idoesn't matter[/i as long as we're in the top 8 at the end of the season and, short of a nuclear bomb hitting Langtree Park, we will be [ieasily[/i.



And as for the lack of preparation... Are you for real? We have 27 games to prepare for the start of the season... Get some flippin' perspective for once in your life...

I said I was concerned about a slow start and chasing the other big teams as we've not really prepared thoroughly. Royce has admitted this himself, his preseason was about giving them a proper rest. Some clubs have played as many as 7 or 8 friendlies and started preseason earlier than we did, so there is at least the potential for us to be underdone and struggle early on in the season.

You'll be there or there abouts along with all the other usual candidates. It'll then depend on individual teams fatigue levels, along with any injury problems they may be suffering. Of course lady luck always play's apart.

But as pointed out, it doesn't really matter does it? We need to be peaking in August when the big games come and should that be the case, I'll excuse us for a poor start.



We're lucky with our fixtures, they could've been alot harder and whilst I'm not under-estimating London and Salford who could beat us if we're not on our game, I'd expect us to take the points even if it isn't pretty in doing so.



Royce has said he is fairly happy with the depth of the squad as the young lads now have experience and he genuinely has 22-23 players ready to go and will rotate more this season. It's a good policy as I think we were over-reliant on Graham and Roby last year. Whilst I still believe Roby is key to our hopes, we won't have that as much this year and need a more workmanlike effort from our pack alongside a few star players to give us some edge in our offence - Lomax, Gaksell, Roby and Hohaia.

Reckon we will have our usual top 4 finish.



If we have an injury situation like the last 4 seasons then it might be déjà vu all over again.

Royce needs to come up with better game plans and the players need to be mentally tougher than last season.

Biggest worry is the lack of an inspirational team leader.



Probably need a rest from a grand final appearance and go league leaders with a challenge cup win.

I think we should be targeting top three again. It's going to be a tough year as Leeds, Wigan, Warrington, hudds and Catalan will all be up there this year.



I'm a little worried not having many practice games due to having a possible new halfback combination and the likes of ade, perry, lance, flannery, clough and flanaghan not having much competitive rugby over the last 12 month.

Might be a blessing in disguise this. Last year, Wigan had 3 top line signings and did loads of pre-season and the WCC. Towards the end of the season I've never seen us looking so burned out. Saints will feature this year no doubt but I reckon it's too close to call. Reckon there's a good chance the Grand Final could see either Hull or Cats featuring.

Any club that has played that many pre-season friendlies is run by madmen. Frankly I don't see any point in anyone having any pre-season friendlies at all anymore - 1 was way too many frankly (though understandable as a one-off this year to get the stadium's safety certificate etc). We have 27 of the bleedin' things to have to plough through in the months ahead already anyway so what's the point in having any more?

I was reading your long post, nodding in agreement, so much so i wasn't even going to reply and then you said that.

Mick Monaghan is at the very least equal to Roby.

Whoops! Forgot about him lol. My apologies.

It's a tough one to call this year.



Hull have had alot of changes and the coach is not exactly tested, so I'd be surprised to see them in the top 4.

Wigan have lost their best forward in Hoffman, and will Wayne have the same personality as the previous incumbant?

Warrington, are they still in the accendancy? Or was last year as good as it gets?

Saints a few changes, as a squad on paper we look good, but the friendly did not fill me with confidence (that we are up to the start of the season pace or that the right choices will be made picking personnel).

Leeds, well and amazing end, but the rest of the season nearly got the coach sacked so who are the real leeds the finalists or the strugglers at the start of the year?

Catalan, always struggle and will struggle with so many long distance journeys.

Huddersfield on the slide for me, they pushed to break that top 4 and succeeded, but that may have been their peak.



So our possision is not as Saints central as you may think. I'd be concerned if we have a slow start, you can point to leeds last year, but that is a 1 in 15 chance. You really need to be in the top 2 to have a reasonable chance of going all the way.

Fortunatley for us, we have the chance to build up to the start, I just hope that we figure out the halfback and fullback situation quickly.



For me Warrington are the clear favourites, so consistent last year and so dominate against so many sides. The only question for me is will this be 12 months too far for some of their players? With so many key players hitting the 30's at some point the speed of foot and strength will start to dwindle. I'm not saying they will capitulate as a team, but everyone has a time when they have peaked, if the over 30's have another year in them, then it's Warringtons to lose for mine. If it's a bridge too far I can see us filling the gap.



Personally I'd love us to really go for the CC. It's easier to aim for than the GF, but gives clubs that win it huge confidence and tags of champion side. We need to start getting that tag back and the CC would be a huge trophy to bring back to Langtree park this year. After that anything good in the playoffs would be a bonus.

People go on about being over 30 like it's 1980, the lads on town every night and the only protein they got was from bacon, fried eggs and black pudding with the occasional peanut at the pub.



With better, medicine, diets, fitness regimes and more professionalism players go longer these days

Nothing to do with that at all, jes I said you were clear favourites.



Everyone has their day, it's unpredicatable. The only thing you can predict is that as a player you have a limited time, before you press that foot down and there is not the same response as there had been previously. Unless you think that Briers and co will continue with the same form until they retire?



But that is unlikely, there are very few players who call time on their own terms, leaving of their own chosing at the top. I can name many of Saints Golden generation that whilst good when they finished, where not at the best they had been in their careers. If I had to name one that timed it perfect, it would be Chris Joynt. Most everyone else, had to play less minutes, or play but with less impact, or move elsewhere, or get injured. It's sad but true.



Warrington are not Titan's and eventually this group will peak, my point simply is that we don't know if that was last year. They torn sides to pieces and where consistent till 1 game. It's rare indeed to see a side keep those standards 2 years running, there is usually some up or down in form from year to year.

Under the old top 5 system, most definitely yes. Under the current top 8 system, absolutely not in any way, shape or form. The best team, in the best form, with the least disruption injury-wise come September will win at O/T this season whether they eventually finish the season in 1st or in 8th. Fact. If you think that the current system offers any appreciable advantage to the teams finishing higher up the table then you're self-deluding as it simply doesn't - last year proved that utterly incontrovertibly once and for all.



Saints need no better than a top 8 finish and they will achieve that without hardly needing to bother turning up at all between now and August. Expending any excess energy in trying to achieve a successful league campaign will be monumental mistake for any team.



Anyway, I look forward to the annual knee-jerk cries of woe and disaster from all and sundry when we're 5th or 6th in the league in June after losing a couple of games to Wakefield and Hull KR or whoever, and all the calls for the coach's head and desperate pleas for us to drop half the team and sign up all of Blackbrook's players to replace them so that they will at least "show some pride in the shirt"... I always enjoy those... Fact is we've as good a chance as anyone come September and there's little that's going to happen between now and then that is ultimately going to change that fact.

A top four finish along with three of Wigan, Wire, Cats, Leeds and Hudds (though I think Wire will top the table). I also think Wire will be more dangerous in the play offs after last years major (but hilarious) disappointment from them.



The Grand Finalists will be from the same bunch, but with Cats and Hudds as outsiders to get there, once we're in the play offs anything can happen as I think all the teams I've listed will be able to beat each other on the day unless crippled with injuries. I thought last years play offs gave us some great games once we'd got rid of the chaff of the bottom three qualifiers and I think this years finals could be even better.