???

I'm just thinking with a new coach, playing at Widnes and doubts about the fitness of key players such as Eastmond and Pryce that 2011 will be abit of a transitional season for Saints.

yes,can see your points and have to agree with some of them regarding key players but I believe we will still be in the top three - I can't see playing at Widnes as a disadvantage,you can't afford to be sentimental at this level of RL.I can't see anyone touching Wigan with the Wires a distant second - I believe the 'transitional' clubs will be Leeds, Bradford & the Dragons - I just worry about Brian Mac plus JL at Leeds,both great players but can they gel as a coaching force with an ageing squad for example ?

People have said this about saints for years

of course - it's the old adage that in sport,success is cyclicle - Wigan are back for a few years then someone else comes back and it goes on....that's life Dico

1 Wigan

2 Warrington

3 St Helens

4 Leeds

5 Hull KR

6 Huddersfield

7 Hull FC

8 Castleford

9 Salford

10 Bradford

11 Catalans

12 Crusaders

13 Harlequins

14 Wakefield

Almost everyone seems to feel that



Wigan

Saints

Leeds

Wire

Hudds

Hull FC

Hull KR



Will make the playoffs. I would be surprised if more than one (if any) of these failed to make the 8. Hopefully this will mean some good competition for the others to try and make the play offs. My money is on those 7 plus Bradford.

Likewise, I'm not knocking the Cats and fully appreciate the injuries you had last season. I do, however, think the top 7 are already set, and the rest of us are playing for that final spot. Bradford have signed even more players than Salford, although I would question the quality of some of their squad, but yourselves seem to have lost a few of your better players. Salford have, maybe, signed one too many older players, and the course of our season hinges on the development of our young props and the plugging some of the holes in our leaky defence. If we can manage that, then we'll steal the march on the remaining teams.

can't disagree with much of that - the final place will be the most difficult to predict - speaking of older players,Robinson signed Steve Menzies for a season which is either madness or sheer genius ! I'm looking forward to seeing him play along with all the other new recruits - Greenshields is back to full fitness which is a major boost but the Bosc injury is a great concern - he should have had an operation last season but delayed it apparently until the end of the season - he's a quality act when fit - Joel Monaghan is considering a move to Perpignan which will be great for the Cats IMO - I think the future is positive in Perpignan.

Monaghan, playing wise, he would be quality signing. We'll have to wait and see if Menzies can still hack the pace, can't say I saw enough of him last season to comment. Steveo and Eddie could be right next year, it really could be the closest super league season ever.

Im expecting the top 7 from last year to be in there and then a battle for 8th which im backing salford to take.



1.Wire

2.Wigan

3.Leeds

4.Saints

5.Huddersfield

6.Hull

7.Hull KR

8.Salford

9.Catalan

10.Bradford

11.Castleford

12.Crusaders

13.Wakefield

14.Quins

The only nailed on dead cert places are first place Wigan, last place (if they are still going) Crusaders.