Championship odds

[dixiedean]

5 hours ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

I'd make Toulouse favourites. They're up there every year and are very difficult to beat away so I can see them finishing top and ending up with an easy route to the final (wherever that may be).

Fev have recruited very well with Hall, Minns, Ferguson, Ferris, Parata but the big question mark is over Jouffret and the main signing, Webster as coach. If those two can deliver in their important roles, fev will be up there again.

Leigh, who knows. I don't get a great feeling about them but they will be strong and could challenge if everything clicks.

London I think will disappoint having lost some key players and will be a target from day 1 having been relegated. Might even miss the play-offs but in Wardy they have a great coach and are full time so I'd back them to do well. Another great coach at York, who should have another crack although I think they will drop a little.

Widnes, Bradford, Fax could push into the top 5 with a good run if things click but a lot of problems to iron out for those clubs.

At this stage I'd go: Toulouse, Fev, London, York, Leigh, Widnes

Yep. I'm surprised more don't see Toulouse as the team to beat. They are by far the most settled of the major contenders. Only trouble is they are very flaky, capable of being extraordinary on any given day, both good and bad. 

This should be a wonderfully competitive comp. As evidence a vast range of opinions here.

btw. How are Swinton this year? They seemed to have a decent side on the field. Has the off field trouble affected them?

[The Phantom Horseman]

York are still available at 12-1 (either to top the table or win the Grand Final), around 4 times the odds of Leigh and London. They finished third last year, 3 points clear of Leigh and 5 clear of Fev, have lost virtually nobody of significance bar Graeme Horne, and have added Clarkson, Washbrook, Keinhorst, Green, Sharp and Johnston.

When you think how competitive they were last year despite clearly lacking a bit of quality, there surely must be a chance they are going to take another step forward this year. I'd have them at a similar price to the other main contenders.

[gittinsfan]

I know Fev fans don't like being called Leeds reserves.But the success or not of DR this season will have a big impact on their results.Having 3 or 4 good quality Leeds players available every week will be a massive advantage.

Some people criticise Fev, but I would bet a lot of clubs wish they had Fev's DR deal.

If Fev get promoted,they may have to stand on their own feet in future but I'd like to see them given the chance.

[leytherz]

a lot of players contracts end tomorrow 30 november.there should be some interesting signings over the next few days

[Konkrete]

On 27/11/2019 at 16:00, Chris Taylor said:

1. London - Are they as strong as they were the year they were up? 
2. Featherstone - How impact will the new coach have on the team? Is James Webster the coach to lead them to promotion?
3. Leigh - Have they signed the right players to push on? Is James Duffy the right coach - or is he a yes man?
4. York - Can James Ford carry on his superb job with the astute signings he's made?
5. Toulouse - Will injuries effect them again? Is this year there year? What impact will the new stadium have on performances?
6. Halifax - Will they hit the ground running? Or will they be hit and miss? 
7. Bradford - Are they a surprise package now they have new owners and only just missed out on play off rugby last year?
8. Sheffield - Big loss losing Pat Walker, have they replaced him well?
9. Widnes - Year re-building - but you'd think that they will be there or there abouts
10. Batley - Start of the divide in the league. Made a great signing recently, but what else have they got in store? New coach - new ideas?
11. Dewsbury - Similar story to Batley - are they play off contenders or relegation survivors?
12. Oldham - Hard to decide between the three teams below.
13. Swinton
14. Whitehaven

Just a few thoughts / discussion points above

 

No.

[The Phantom Horseman]

2 hours ago, gittinsfan said:

I know Fev fans don't like being called Leeds reserves.But the success or not of DR this season will have a big impact on their results.Having 3 or 4 good quality Leeds players available every week will be a massive advantage.

 

It will be one of the factors, for sure - as it will with several other clubs in all likelihood, with other teams going down the smaller squad + DR route - but the major factor for Rover's progress last seasonw as when we moved on from the Boas brothers at half back and signed Chisholm, and then brought in either Holmes or McLelland as his partners. Prior to the Chisholm signing, Fev had played 10, won 5 lost 5, and hadn't played Toronto. After signing him, we won 15 of our 21 subsequent fixtures in the league or play-offs, with three of the six defeats coming against Toronto.

[binosh]

If Fev don't finish in the top 2 this year with the money they are spending they will have massively underachieved.

[The Phantom Horseman]

3 minutes ago, binosh said:

If Fev don't finish in the top 2 this year with the money they are spending they will have massively underachieved.

How much money have Fev spent this year please?

[MADREDNIGE]

3 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

How much money have Fev spent this year please?

He's merely speculating surely? 

[The Phantom Horseman]

19 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

It will be one of the factors, for sure - as it will with several other clubs in all likelihood, with other teams going down the smaller squad + DR route - but the major factor for Rover's progress last seasonw as when we moved on from the Boas brothers at half back and signed Chisholm, and then brought in either Holmes or McLelland as his partners. Prior to the Chisholm signing, Fev had played 10, won 5 lost 5, and hadn't played Toronto. After signing him, we won 15 of our 21 subsequent fixtures in the league or play-offs, with three of the six defeats coming against Toronto.

 

5 hours ago, SL17 said:

Leigh were 8/1 last week, when I placed the bet.. 

Not sure what your post had to do with mine here?

Also not sure where this 8-1 Leigh is coming from as they have never been shorter than 9-2 with any bookmakers I've seen, but that's a different story.

[The Phantom Horseman]

14 hours ago, MADREDNIGE said:

He's merely speculating surely? 

Sure, I just think it's doubtful that anyone on these forums knows how much each of the leading contenders in the Championship have spent, and with that in mind, it's hard to say a team has underachieved.

Anyway, with London and Toulouse still full time, I'd be surprised if Fev are even in the top 2 spenders.

[The Phantom Horseman]

7 minutes ago, SL17 said:

Are you sure?

Must have been first out of the blocks with a price that lasted 5 minutes then as Leigh were generally in the 4-1/9-2 range. Still, if you are able to get a bet on with Skybet, good luck to you!

[paulwalker71]

On 27/11/2019 at 18:50, Tex Evans Thigh said:

Widnes, Bradford, Fax could push into the top 5 with a good run if things click but a lot of problems to iron out for those clubs.

Absolutely no reason to think that could happen - unless we suddenly sign a bunch of quality players, which doesn't look like it's going to happen

[The Phantom Horseman]

8 minutes ago, SL17 said:

Yes, within 4 hours of that book opening at 8/1 they where favourites.

It's a shame that the two firms who tend to bet (and be up first) most on Championship RL at Betfred & Skybet, as nobody with half a clue can get a worthwhile bet on with them.

[The Phantom Horseman]

On 29/11/2019 at 13:51, binosh said:

If Fev don't finish in the top 2 this year with the money they are spending they will have massively underachieved.

If Leigh don't finish top this year having signed 4 half backs each with at least a dozen SL appearances over the last 3 years they will have massively underachieved.

[binosh]

1 hour ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

If Leigh don't finish top this year having signed 4 half backs each with at least a dozen SL appearances over the last 3 years they will have massively underachieved.

If you were looking at it objectively instead of subjectively and not trying to score points on an internet forum you would have more credibility.

Featherstone Rovers made strong signings last year, shared a head coach with a SL team, got good quality players on DR (which will likely continue) made the Million Pound Game and was only one win away from promotion. This year you have signed SL quality in Ferres, Ferguson, Hall, Minns, & Worthington to name a few, the majority of bookies have you as top 2 BUT you don't think Featherstone should be favourites to be in the top 2 or that they are spending decent money to attract these players into the Championship??

ok then.

[Les Tonks Sidestep]

11 minutes ago, binosh said:

If you were looking at it objectively instead of subjectively and not trying to score points on an internet forum you would have more credibility.

Featherstone Rovers made strong signings last year, shared a head coach with a SL team, got good quality players on DR (which will likely continue) made the Million Pound Game and was only one win away from promotion. This year you have signed SL quality in Ferres, Ferguson, Hall, Minns, & Worthington to name a few, the majority of bookies have you as top 2 BUT you don't think Featherstone should be favourites to be in the top 2 or that they are spending decent money to attract these players into the Championship??

ok then.

Do they? As far as I can tell only 3 bookies have Championship league position markets and of those only one has Fev in the top 2 (by way of shortest odds), with one having them equal 3rd (with Leigh) and one as 4th.

[The Blues Ox]

Fev and York still look quite a bit better than Leigh in my opinion but as I have said before I expect Leigh to make sure they are comfortable in the top 5 before Beaumont signs a load of players for the play offs. I really don't think Leigh are all that fussed about going for top spot.

[The Phantom Horseman]

36 minutes ago, binosh said:

If you were looking at it objectively instead of subjectively and not trying to score points on an internet forum you would have more credibility.

Featherstone Rovers made strong signings last year, shared a head coach with a SL team, got good quality players on DR (which will likely continue) made the Million Pound Game and was only one win away from promotion. This year you have signed SL quality in Ferres, Ferguson, Hall, Minns, & Worthington to name a few, the majority of bookies have you as top 2 BUT you don't think Featherstone should be favourites to be in the top 2 or that they are spending decent money to attract these players into the Championship??

ok then.

Just ROFL at the "points scoring" point. Your whole comment was solely about scoring points before the season has even started, otherwise you wouldn't have found a negative way of putting that Fev could be strong contenders.If you had simply put that Fev looked to have recruited well, you would have more credibility.

FWIW I do think we have a decent squad on paper and as good a shot at top 2 as any if things come together, but we will need luck with injuries (already 4 set to miss the start of the season). 

[binosh]

And I still stand by my comment. Nothing point scoring about it. stop being a snowflake,

If Fev don't finish Top 2 with the money they are spending and players they are signing they will have underachieved. fact. SkyBet now have them as Favourites!

When Leigh signed SL & NRL players in 2018 and didn't make the top 2 they underachieved. fact. people didn't comment on here stating Leigh had recruited well?? they came on here saying Leigh should walk it.

Same with Toronto when London went up. As Much as I was pleased for London, Toronto underachieved.

 

[Canis Lupus]

Lost out because of the HKR defeat in the 8's  . They walked the league in fairness. Had they beaten HKR at Lamport they would not have needed to be in the MPG. Take your point that they should have gone up but underachieved is a little harsh.

[The Phantom Horseman]

1 hour ago, binosh said:

Nothing point scoring about it. stop being a snowflake,

 

 

You know you've lost the argument when you resort to ad hominems, and especially THAT ad hominem.

[paulwalker71]

I don't know why people take any notice of bookies odds on this.

I suspect those compile those odds have fairly limited knowledge - which is why London are being quoted as favourites despite losing nearly all of their first choice team, simply (I assume) because they were the relegated team.

Anybody who is actually closely following the 'comings and goings' would have Featherstone, Leigh and Toulouse as a likely top 3, with London most likely just about scraping into the Top 5.

They'd also have the Bulls as amongst the relegation candidates, at least based on the comings (scarce) and goings (many)...

[Les Tonks Sidestep]

1 hour ago, binosh said:

And I still stand by my comment. Nothing point scoring about it. stop being a snowflake,

If Fev don't finish Top 2 with the money they are spending and players they are signing they will have underachieved. fact. SkyBet now have them as Favourites!

When Leigh signed SL & NRL players in 2018 and didn't make the top 2 they underachieved. fact. people didn't comment on here stating Leigh had recruited well?? they came on here saying Leigh should walk it.

Same with Toronto when London went up. As Much as I was pleased for London, Toronto underachieved.

 

Not for finishing top of the league...... that's London on current odds

[Harry Stottle]

Does this improove Leigh's odds/chances of promotion?

https://leighrl.co.uk/wp/blog/2019/12/05/leigh-centurions-seal-signing-of-jarrod-sammut/