Pre-season Predictions

[widnes_tiger]

With most teams near to completeing their squards whats everyone's Pre-season prediction to what the leaguetable may look like come end of the season


*any chance this could be a sticky topic*

[vikinggriff]

1)widnes, good side on paper and only full time team,
2)halifax, good side on paper and consistantly up there last few years
3)toulouse, will win the majority of home games and a few away games
4)haven, will be tough at home but poor away, an aging team on the decline
5)leigh, lost a few and new signings look poor in general, also playing at the new stadium won't be as difficult as hilton park for travelling teams
6)fev, some experanced signings so should hold there own
7)barrow, some useful signings but might prove inconsistant
8)gateshead, will avoid relegation with a little help from the rfl
9)batley, will battle through the season as they seem to do most years
10)sheffield, lost there better players and no real replacements signed
11)doncaster, money troubles and no real recruitment

[efcviking]

1. Widnes I hope.
2. Halifax
3. Frogs legs.
4. Fev - dark horses again 
5. Haven
6. Leigh
7. Sheffield
8. Thunder
9. Batley
10. Barrow
11. Doncaster

NRC Winners - Widnes Vikings
Co-op Championship Champions - Widnes Vikings
Runners up - Halifax

Challange Cup Winners - Widnes Vikings
Runners up - Warrinton Wolves.

(well we can all dream can't we  )

[Dan]

I think Tolouse will be 6/7th only their first season and travelling is a big ask, Leigh will be a bit higher in 3rd/4th.

I don't like to say this but I would put us in 2nd place based on performances at the end of last season.

[efcviking]

I think Tolouse will be 6/7th only their first season and travelling is a big ask, Leigh will be a bit higher in 3rd/4th.

I don't like to say this but I would put us in 2nd place based on performances at the end of last season.

I was going to but I think we have a better team this year than we did last. And if the roumers are true we could see another two signings soon. Which will only help.

[sonny]

If steve mac can get us playing the sort of rugby league that we were playing upto our northern rail final win a couple of seasons ago and maintain it right through the season we will do very well.This like that season is his squad that he as put together and the rugby we played then was very good i would go as far as saying it was the best that had been seen at widnes in a very long time.

[widnes_tiger]

Here's mine

1. Widnes - Out of all the clubs made best signings, fill time will help come end of season
2. Halifax - Clearly the 2nd best team, will build on succes of last year
3. Haven - Altought they have lost Broadbent, they are always hard to beat at home and i feel they will get some good away results
4. Fev - With harris steering the way i can see a strong fev side, once again will be building on last year
5. Toulouse - Will more then likely win most home games, probley sneak some away wins at the likes of donny
6. Barrow - Showed last year they can come up with some shocks
7. Leigh - After losing some big game players and not replaces them, i feel they may strugle but looks like they are building for future
8. Gateshead - Only real person they have signed is Henderson, but i feel he could steer them clear from the drop
9. Batley - Like last year will just scrap the drop, will get some good wins at home, but carnt see much more then that
10. Sheffield - have lost some good players and aint replaced them
11. Doncaster - Money troubles, preventing them bringing anyone

[Neil]

1. Halifax
2. Toulose
3. Widnes
4. Fev
5. Leigh
6. Haven
7. Thunder
8. Batley
9. Barrow
10. Sheff
11. Doncaster

Fax have bought well. Have key players who caused us a lot of bother last year. A mobile pack and are he best of the part time teams (although i'm not sure how part time they are if u get me)... The french have been entered to be fast tracked like the Welsh - an unknown quantity to a certain degree. How they handle the travel will be a big part of their season..

Here's hoping a full pre season and a lot of defensive improvement pushes us up the table.. When it comes to the crunch will the coach bottle it again??? We'll have to wait and see...

The mid table of leigh haven and gateshead will battle for position and the rest will be whipping boys...

Our objective should be to get the GF won and NR cup to get the qualification criteria for SL application sooner rather than later to give the maximum time to putting forward a bid that will aid a high court action when the corupt RFL deny us entry again...

Fly

[Glynn]

were does everyone get toulouse are a good side? they havnt even won the french championship since 1999/2000 season.

they havnt even made the final in the last 2 years and thats in a weak french league.

ok they had 1 good challange cup run under justin morgan and thats about it.

1999-2000 Spacers de Toulouse 20-18 AS Saint-Estève
2000-2001 US Villeneuve 32-20 Spacers de Toulouse 
2001-2002 US Villeneuve 17-0 Union Treiziste Catalane
2002-2003 US Villeneuve 31-18 RC Saint-Gaudens 
2003-2004 RC Saint-Gaudens 14-10 Union Treiziste Catalane
2004-2005 Union Treiziste Catalane 66-16 Toulouse Olympique 
2005-2006 Pia XIII 21-18 Toulouse Olympique 
2006-2007 Pia XIII 20-16 FC Lézignan
2007-2008 Lézignan Sangliers 26-16 Pia Donkeys 

the only reason they may win all there home games is if the rfl make all the top teams play over there in the height of summer or because of the travel involved in quick back to back fixtures.

[Cosmic Trigger]

were does everyone get toulouse are a good side? they havnt even won the french championship since 1999/2000 season.

they havnt even made the final in the last 2 years and thats in a weak french league.

ok they had 1 good challange cup run under justin morgan and thats about it.

1999-2000 Spacers de Toulouse 20-18 AS Saint-Estève
2000-2001 US Villeneuve 32-20 Spacers de Toulouse 
2001-2002 US Villeneuve 17-0 Union Treiziste Catalane
2002-2003 US Villeneuve 31-18 RC Saint-Gaudens 
2003-2004 RC Saint-Gaudens 14-10 Union Treiziste Catalane
2004-2005 Union Treiziste Catalane 66-16 Toulouse Olympique 
2005-2006 Pia XIII 21-18 Toulouse Olympique 
2006-2007 Pia XIII 20-16 FC Lézignan
2007-2008 Lézignan Sangliers 26-16 Pia Donkeys 

the only reason they may win all there home games is if the rfl make all the top teams play over there in the height of summer or because of the travel involved in quick back to back fixtures.

But if the RFL want them fast tracked into SL they will have a team full of Aussies  similar to Celtic and Catalans.

[The Vicar]

1. Widnes
2. Fax
3. Barrow
4 Toulouse
5 Haven
6 Fev
7 Leigh
8 Gateshead
9 Batley
10 Sheffield
11 Doncaster

The Vicar

[Hogans Apprentice]

Widnes to win League and NR Cup.

[pastplayer]

I was going to but I think we have a better team this year than we did last. And if the roumers are true we could see another two signings soon. Which will only help.

If you read the comments made by John Stankevich recently, one of the down sides from last season was the lack of pre-season training, whereas this year they have gone back a month early to ensure peak fitness. IMO this is where we should reap the benefits of being a full-time team, a high level of fitness pre-season and maintain it during the season.

[Hippo the Viking]

1. Widnes
2. Fax
3. Haven
4. Toulouse
5. Leigh
6. Fev
7. Gateshead
8. Barrow
9. Sheffield
10. Batley
11. Doncaster

[johnf]

With the squad we have, the resources at our disposal and the comparative lack of talent floating around the league there is no excuse on earth why we shouldn't finish first.