Ladder predictions:
Wigan Warriors
If you thought
winning the Grand Final last year would result in Wigan being complacent, think again. They are even stronger with headline recruits including Catalans’ Adam Keighran and the England hooker Kruise Leeming bolstering an already impressive squad. Matt Peet’s side are the favourites to win it again and it is not difficult to see why.
Coach Matt Peet
Captain Liam Farrell
Key player Jai Field
Last season 1st and Grand Final winners
Prediction 1st
St Helens
For the first time in four years, St Helens go into the season without the tag of reigning champions. Their attempt to reclaim the trophy they became so familiar with has been complicated by the ominous task of replacing their legendary hooker and captain, James Roby, who has retired. Daryl Clark arrives from
Warrington to fill that gap and if he finds his best form there is every chance a squad with minimal off-season disruption elsewhere can go all the way.
Coach Paul Wellens
Captain Jonny Lomax
Key player Jack Welsby
Last season 3rd
Prediction 2nd and Grand Final winners
Catalans Dragons
A rebuild in Perpignan leaves an element of doubt over last year’s Grand Finalists. Almost the entirety of their spine, Mitchell Pearce, Tyrone May and Sam Tomkins, has departed. The responsibility of steering Catalans back to Old Trafford lies on younger shoulders, with the France full-back Arthur Mourgue tasked with replacing Tomkins. Fortunately for Steve McNamara, he still has a wealth of talent to call upon.
Coach Steve McNamara
Captain Ben Garcia
Key player Jayden Nikorima
Last season 2nd and Grand Final runners-up
Prediction 3rd
Leigh Leopards
Will it be a case of second-season syndrome? Tipped by some to finish bottom last year, Leigh did slightly better than that. Not only did they make the playoffs, but
they won the Challenge Cup. They have not rested on that with one-time Kangaroos half-back Matt Moylan arriving in a standout piece of business. They have the tools to challenge once again.
Coach Adrian Lam
Captain John Asiata
Key player Lachlan Lam
Last season 5th
Prediction 4th
Hull Kingston Rovers
The ambitions are slightly loftier on the east side of Hull. No longer perennial relegation candidates, a run to last season’s Challenge Cup final has whetted the appetite for further success. They have once again recruited well, with the former Catalans half-back May and NRL mainstay Peta Hike eye-catching additions. The top six seems likely, but these days the expectation is to do better than that. They will want silverware.
Coach Willie Peters
Captain Elliot Minchella
Key player Mikey Lewis
Last season 4th
Prediction 5th
Leeds Rhinos
Nowhere does the weight of expectation rest heavier than at Headingley. Finishing eighth is unacceptable for a club of Leeds’s stature and they have been busy in the transfer market. The 2022 Man of Steel, Brodie Croft, is the standout signing in the whole competition, but there are plenty of other interesting additions that make a playoff push likely.
Coach Rohan Smith
Captain Cameron Smith
Key player Brodie Croft
Last season 8th
Prediction 6th
Warrington Wolves
The
Sam Burgess era begins with a familiar question: can the Wolves win a first league title since 1955? The 35-year-old was tasked with ending a similar drought as a player with South Sydney and he achieved it. However, doing so as a coach will be much tougher. Burgess has the squad to compete, but, as so many before him have discovered, going all the way is a big ask.
Coach Sam Burgess
Captain Stefan Ratchford
Key player George Williams
Last season 6th
Prediction 7th
Hull FC
Like Huddersfield,
Hull FC will be keen to show they are better than last year, when they limped to an extremely underwhelming 10th. The return of the talented half-back Jake Trueman to fitness will give them an undoubted boost and a rebuild of their pack means there is tentative optimism the good times could return on the west side of Hull. They will be in the mix for the playoffs, but so will a few sides.
Coach Tony Smith
Captain Danny Houghton
Key player Jake Trueman
Last season 10th
Prediction 8th
Huddersfield Giants
One of a number of clubs who will expect a significant improvement after a disappointing ninth-placed finish in 2023. Ian Watson has recruited heavily again, but much relies on how well overseas imports such as half-back Adam Clune settle. There is no shortage of talent, but they still appear a fraction behind the leading pack.
Coach Ian Watson
Captain Luke Yates
Key player Jake Connor
Last season 9th
Prediction 9th
Salford Red Devils
They enjoy upsetting the experts. Regularly tipped to struggle at the bottom, Paul Rowley and his men always find a way to prove people wrong. Can they do it again? Potentially, but it will be tough. The loss of Croft and Andy Ackers to Leeds will hurt and their squad depth looks worryingly thin. Keep their key men fit and they could make the playoffs; if injuries hit, they are in trouble.
Coach Paul Rowley
Captain Kallum Watkins
Key player Ryan Brierley
Last season 7th
Prediction 10th
Castleford Tigers
Having narrowly avoiding relegation last season, Castleford have used the off-season – and the relative safety IMG’s gradings system provides them – to rebuild with one eye on the future. Perhaps the most promising coach outside
Super League, Craig Lingard, has taken over and set about overhauling an ageing squad. Only two of their winter signings are over 25 and while there may be a bright future ahead, this could be a formative and tough season for a young squad.
Coach Craig Lingard
Captain Paul McShane
Key player Jacob Miller
Last season 11th
Prediction 11th
London Broncos
The romance surrounding London’s remarkable promotion from the Championship was quickly evaporated with the news that they were placed
24th in IMG’s gradings. It means, no matter what they do this season, they will be ejected from the competition when the gradings system goes live this year. Injuries to key men have already hurt them and their squad does not look capable of competing at this level.
It will be a tough year.
Coach Mike Eccles
Captain Will Lovell
Key player James Meadows
Last season Championship Grand Final winners
Prediction 12th
Champions Wigan look even stronger, Leeds have recruited well but London’s season is likely to be a long, tough one
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