Bottom four 2016

[Dave T]

Id like to think we will finish above 9th, but I do think Wire have to step up this year. The amount of new players is a risk, but i like the fact we have some size and freshness in the pack.

A bit of luck with some injuries, we could be top 3, luck like last year could see us struggling for 8th.

Interesting year for us I think.

[tonyXIII]

Unless Salford have some signing to come or the u19s they've promoted are good their squad doesn't look great.

 

Got to agree with this.

 

Maybe Tim Sheens will sprinkle some magic dust, but history suggests not.

 

Same 4. Well.... maybe. Hull FC only just scraped into the top 8 at the expense of HKR and Catalans weren't much better. There could be some change there, but I suspect the same 4 as last year. Certainly, Widnes, Salford and Wakefield. Plus one of Hull KR, Hull FC, Catalans Dragons or Warrington. Early season form may give momentum (I'm beginning to hate that overused word) to a couple of teams, so let's see on All Fools' Day.

[slowdive]

Hull, Catalans, Widnes, Wakefield

[Dave T]

It would be good to pin threads like this so at the end of the year when certain critics of the game claim it was predictable and everyone knew who would be in the top 8, we can review this.

[L Bow]

If Sika Manu and crankie Frankie play anything like they can then there is not a snowflake in hell's chance of Hull not making the 8.  With the players they've brought in they should be looking to threaten the top 4 though that will be hard to crack as Leeds, Saint and Wigan all look strong and Huddersfield have made a good signing in Ryan Hinchcliffe.

[The Parksider]

So it might not be the same 4 then?

 

Interestingly, looking at the last few years, we don't tend to get the same 8 in consecutive years.

 

It may well not be the exact same four, all four of this years Turkeys may come top eight but it is very unlikely. If you look at previous years we did tend to have the same clubs in the bottom four - when were Wakefield or Salford last top eight Dave? 

 

2012 Salford, Widnes & HKR outside top eight Wakey made 8th.

2013 Salford, Wakey, Widnes outside top eight HKR made 8th.

2014 Wakey, Salford, HKR outside top eight Widnes sneaked 8th. 

2015 All four turkeys in the bottom four

 

None of these clubs have made top seven in years!!

 

It would be good to pin threads like this so at the end of the year when certain critics of the game claim it was predictable and everyone knew who would be in the top 8, we can review this.

 

Yes let's pin this and see, I'll go for 3 out of the four to still be in the bottom four this time next year. You can have the win if two escape the bottom four?? 

 

"certain critics" of the game were bang on that "promotion and relegation" would not boost crowds. "certain critics" of the game were bang on that no Championship club would go up.

 

I'll go for at least 3 turkeys in the four yet again. Are you on for at least two escaping??

[Wollo Wollo Wayoo]

Seems strange that Wakey are signing anyone at this stage.

Yeah. I bet it's killing you.

[Dave T]

Yeah. I bet it's killing you.

not sure of your point

[Wolford6]

Praying for Leeds.

[chuffer]

 

Wakey made 8th.

HKR made 8th.

Widnes sneaked 8th. 

 

 

lol, love it...

[terrywebbisgod]

Praying for Leeds.

You're prayers are not needed.Thanks for the offer.

[Brigg Rover]

Would expect us to finish in the bottom 4 unless JP can sprinkle some magic attitude dust and make the players put the defensive effort in week in week out.

 

Also depends if we can keep Kelly and Campo on the pitch for the full season.

[Guest]

In no particular order:-

Salford

Hull kr

Widnes

Wakefield

[Gates1]

My Season Predictions including bottom 4

 

1) Wigan (LLS) (Challenge Cup)

 

Settled and consistant team, with the added bonus of Tomkins return (all be it later in the season).  Burgess is the big loss but I reckon Charnley will shine again next year and Manfredi looks very good indeed.

 

2) Leeds (Grand finalist)

Could go either way for Leeds having lost 4 key players and IMO replaced them equally.  Its not beyond conception that they finish outside the 4, if new players dont settle in aswell and some of the young lads dont progress. 

 

However, personally I think Danny Maguire had a great season last year, he seems to have evolved to a more Sinfield style player and suspect he will step up further as such next year.  I reckon Leeds will probably make a further quality signing before the season starts, they still have the best backline in SL and some very good young players pushing for places. 

 

 

3) Warrington Wolves (Grand Final Winners)

Like the look of the wire squad in terms of new signings.  Think Sandow will be a differant propersition to last season, Daz Clarke will notch it up, Westerman will have the best season he has had and Lineham offers more than an ageing Monaghan.

 

4) St Helens

Providing they have more luck with injuries I think they will scrapee the 4, with some hit and miss performances over the course of the season.   

 

5) Huddersfield

Would have placed Hudds higher with a reasonably settled squad, some very good players and a couple of astute signings.  However recent controversy is likely to cause a bit of unsettlement and may result in the loss of a key player, this may just tip the balance in the favour of the 4 above them.

 

6) Catalan

Replaced a number of players with better options and will run the top 4 close. However they have also lost some very good players,  I think the coach is a weakness, as is their away form and some of the politics (Ie playing the useless chairmans son) wont help.

 

7) Hull

Looking at the squad I would place them higher with a better coach, wouldnt be suprised if Radford was an early coaching casualty.  Their pack should be pretty dominant but I would question the ability of their backs against the top teams.

 

Cas

Very hard to predict 8th spot and I think Cas will have enough to take it.  Not the strongest recruitment and Powell will have to continue to get the best out of the team to get above 8th.  We lack depth of quality in my opinion but providing we dont suffer too many injuries should escape the bottom 4.  Should also provide oppurtunities for the development of young players.  Decent cup run.

 

9) Salford

Squad on paper doesnt look great but for once they have a coach who will get the best out of them.

 

10) Widnes

The loss of Phil Jospeh will be a bitter pill to swallow.  Strong home form, settled squad and a couple of decent signings should see them above KR and Wakefield.

 

11) Hull KR

Dont look any stronger than last year to me and think they may struggle to string results together.

 

12) Wakey

Much more competative than last year and much better drilled under Smith.  However the back line looks a bit weak to me, particurlarly should a few front liners get injured.

 

MOS contenders

Maguire

Westerman

T Carney

[Spidey]

"The loss of Phil Jospeh will be a bitter pill to swallow"

LOL

[chuffer]

lol indeed.....

 

dunno what happened with Phil, started off promising but just fizzled out really, no great loss ultimately......that said, we're so light on forwards that I'm even looking at Wire's signing of Westerman with envy 

[damp squib]

Phil Joseph was Wales' best player in the Euros...

[Dave T]

1 - It may well not be the exact same four, all four of this years Turkeys may come top eight but it is very unlikely. If you look at previous years we did tend to have the same clubs in the bottom four - when were Wakefield or Salford last top eight Dave? 

 

2012 Salford, Widnes & HKR outside top eight Wakey made 8th.

2013 Salford, Wakey, Widnes outside top eight HKR made 8th.

2014 Wakey, Salford, HKR outside top eight Widnes sneaked 8th. 

2015 All four turkeys in the bottom four

 

None of these clubs have made top seven in years!!

 

 

2 - Yes let's pin this and see, I'll go for 3 out of the four to still be in the bottom four this time next year. You can have the win if two escape the bottom four?? 

 

3 - "certain critics" of the game were bang on that "promotion and relegation" would not boost crowds. "certain critics" of the game were bang on that no Championship club would go up.

 

4 - I'll go for at least 3 turkeys in the four yet again. Are you on for at least two escaping??

1 - a quick glance at the SL website confirms that since 2007 (the earliest on there) we have not had the same bottom 4 in any two consecutive seasons, although we do see the usual suspects hovering around those positions.

That said, 

Salford, Hull KR, London, Catalan, Cas, Hull, Hudds, Crusaders, Wakefield, Widnes, Bradford have all finished in the bottom 4 between 2007 and 2014. That is a decent amount of variety.

 

Since 2012, three of last year's bottom 4 have made the 8 on one occasion each. That's ok.

 

So we can put to bed that the bottom 4 is easy to predict and that it is the same teams every year. It is not. Until now, and there is a hypothesis that the split into 8's will send the bottom 4 into a downward spiral and they will be there every year - this will be interesting to see, and I share some of the concerns. Let's see it flush out though before criticising it.

 

2 - Nah, that's a completely different bet. 

 

3 - Nothing to do with what I talked about, I'm not going to be drawn into that again.

 

4 - cool, if we only get 3 of those 4 in, that means there has been a team breaking into this legendary top 8.

[Barnaby Reddin]

So it might not be the same 4 then?

Interestingly, looking at the last few years, we don't tend to get the same 8 in consecutive years.

No...just the same 7 with fc, kr and Castleford popping in and out to make up the 8......

Salford, Wakefield, Widnes and one nof the hulls in 2016

[Saint Toppy]

"The loss of Phil Jospeh will be a bitter pill to swallow"

LOL

Not as funny as him picking wire to be champions ha ha ha early April fool I think

[Dave T]

No...just the same 7 with fc, kr and Castleford popping in and out to make up the 8......

Salford, Wakefield, Widnes and one nof the hulls in 2016

who are these 7?

[chuffer]

MOS contenders..

Westerman

Nobody picked up on tho either?

[Gates1]

Haha. No point going for the safe bets all the time. I genuinely think Wire and Westerman will go well next season (maybe winning comp and mos was a sloght stretch!).

[Wellsy4HullFC]

I love this. People are complaining that it's going to be the same eight again before the season has even started! Talk about looking for a reason to moan!

There's "a good chance" that you're all speaking rubbish. The top eight has never been the same on consecutive years IIRC. So if it is the same, I'd say it was an incredibly rare and unlikely occurrence.

[Manfred Mann]

If we get in the bottom four with Carney, Myler, Richards, Inu, Taylor, Horo and Stewart then we should cut some heads.

 

I think that some heads will be cut by season's end. Glenn Stewart is a shadow of his former self, much like Willie Tonga.

 

Dave Taylor needs a rocket up his behind in order to perform to his ability.

 

I am genuinely disappointed that Catalans lost Ta'ia and Whitehead, two of the best back rowers in Super League, and replaced them with Taylor and Stewart.

 

Much of Catalans chances for success now rest on the shoulders of Todd Carney and the French stars (Escare, Pelissier, Gigot, and Duport), whom I hope are all selected.