Betfred Championship preview 2023 (long)

[The Phantom Horseman]

Something to read if you're bored! Just taking a positive and then a negative view of each club's prospects, to avoid (hopefully) suggestions of bias.

Barrow Raiders
Why they might do well:
Coach Paul Crarey, as well as being rugby league’s best candidate to appear on radio 4 game show Just A Minute – if you’ve ever heard him interviewed, you’ll know what I mean – has fostered a winning team spirit at Barrow and the club were full value for their 4^th-placed regular season position, despite a series of injuries to key pack men. Their new signings for 2023 have a solid rather than spectacular look to them, headed by Salford pair Greg Burke and Jack Wells plus Greg Worthington from Halifax. Top 4 looks a big ask for them this time round but it will be surprising if they aren’t a very solid team again and Jarrod Sammut is back to pull the strings

Why they might struggle:
Their two talismanic threequarters, Tee Ritson and Hakim Miloudi have both moved on (though there’s a chance Ritson could still be available for Barrow in 2023 if he doesn’t crack the St Helens first team), and influential prop Carl Forster has also gone. As solid as they are likely to be, they might just lack the quality of two or three other teams in the division.

Batley Bulldogs
Why they might do well:
The whole was greater than the sum of the parts for Batley last year with the coaching staff, led by Craig Lingard, having a terrific year. The pack, though by no means youthful, is full of proven, hard-knocking players at this level and has been largely retained whilst boosted by the return of the now un-retired Keegan Hirst, plus Sammy Kibula, meaning this will be one of the biggest sets of forwards in the competition. Aidan MacGowan, on season-long loan from Huddersfield, has looked highly accomplished in his games at this level to date. Batley look sure to be really tough to beat and having reached the Grand Final last year there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be challenging for the top 4, or even higher.

Why they might struggle:
They lost arguably their two best players from 2022, Tom Gilmore and Luke Hooley so the trio of Meadows, White and new signing Josh Woods have a lot on their plate to replace Gilmore’s contributions, and the new spine might be a work in progress. Batley won’t sneak up on anybody this time around, and there are a few veterans in the pack, though that didn’t stop them in 2022.

Bradford Bulls
Why they might do well:
Certainly they seem to have made some eye-catching signings – Jack Walker, Michael Lawrence, Bodene Thompson, Tom Holmes and Kevin Appo are big-name signings for a club that finished 9^th last season, and with some more additions mooted, including perhaps some Dual Registration players from Leeds, it would be a big disappointment for Bulls fans if they aren’t much better this season.

Why they might struggle:
They’ve seemed a club in a downward spiral for a few years and disillusionment seemed to have set in with a lot of their fans, and they will need a bright start to counter that. If anything Bradford’s season went from bad to worse when coach Mark Dunning took over from John Kear in 2022, so he has plenty to prove.

 

Featherstone Rovers:
Why they might do well:
Fev have retained a large chunk of the squad that finished a clear second in the regular season in 2022 and although they have lost a few players they have added plenty too, notably in the pack where Elijah Taylor and Mackenzie Yei should add a bit of bite to what was a sometimes-shaky defence last season. They’ve moved on from the brief McDermott era and should be hard to beat once again.

Why they might struggle:
Sean Long is a first-time head coach and will need to improve a defence that had too many gaps and didn’t always put the man to the ground last season. Ryley Jacks and Morgan Smith were very solid half backs in 2022 and one of Riley Dean or Thomas Lacans will need to step up partnering Jonno Ford. Although three of last season’s veteran forwards have moved on the squad is still arguably a bit older than ideal as a group, although most of the over-30 brigade would start at just about any other Championship club.

Halifax Panthers:
Why they might do well:
Fax have retained most of the players they would have wanted to keep and added some newcomers who might improve them in key positions, notably Eribe Doro, Ryan King and Jake Maizen. With Simon Grix now established as their coach they are one of the few top 4 contenders with stability in both their playing and coaching squads, including at half back, where Jouffret and Keyes are probably their best combo for at least 10 years. Although they might need Fev or Toulouse, or both, to flop to finish top and/or make the Grand Final, it will be seen as an underachievement if they don’t make the top 3.

Why they might struggle:
Their pack lacked a real impact player in 2022, though Doro and/or King might provide that this year. They did flop inexplicably at home in the play-offs against a York team that had been ordinary for most of 2022, and need to prove that they can take the next step from being a solid top-4 team at this level; can Grix take them out of the good-but-not-quite-good-enough tier that ended up being the legacy of his predecessor Richard Marshall?

Keighley Cougars:
Why they might do well:
The dominant team in League 1 in 2022, they have added a string of eyecatching signings for their return to the Championship, with 2017 Man Of Steel Luke Gale probably the headline act. Mark Ioane, Ben Crooks and Thomas Doyle are other signings who wouldn’t have raised eyebrows if they had earned SL contracts, and with Dane Chisholm having signed mid-season in 2022 they have far more quality than most promoted teams.

Why they might struggle:
Their squad understandably looks to be a transitional one, with a number of star names supported by a larger group who are either journeymen or unproven at Championship level. They should have enough quality to be better than the likely bottom three or four outfits, but they have lost Head Of Rugby Andrew Henderson to York in the off-season and they will face much stiffer opposition this year.

London Broncos:
Why they might do well:
Mike Eccles did an excellent job in turning London’s performances around when taking over from Jermaine Coleman in mid-season and the players seemed to buy into his philosophy, resulting in some good wins, notably against Batley and Halifax. He has retained most of last season’s squad and if their progress can continue they could improve on last season’s 11^th-placed finish.

Why they might struggle:
Other than Fijian Henry Raiwalui, they haven’t made too many obvious impact signings and they continue to lack quality on paper compared to some of their Championship squads from a few years ago. Eccles will be in the shake-up for coach of the season awards if the Broncos manage to be play-off contenders.

Newcastle Thunder:
Why they might do well:
Well, they’ve got a new coach in Chris Thorman, and he’s a Geordie who’s clearly delighted to have a crack at coaching the club, and maybe that will be a factor. They have been blooding young players form their academy for a while now, and have signed two or three players from the World Cup. They’ve signed a couple of players on season-long loan from Hull KR and have managed to retain a few players who have been solid Championship performers. Beyond that…it’s hard to come up with too much.

Why might they struggle:
This is a much easier bit to write. They’ve gone from full-time to part-time, had their budget slashed and have lost a huge number of their better players – including Ukuma Ta’ai, Brad Day, Oliver Roberts, Nathan Wilde, Lewis Peachey, Isaac Nokes and both starting half backs Josh Woods and Jake Shorrocks - from what wasn’t an especially successful 2022 squad. After thumping Bradford in July they didn’t win another game, and their squad definitely looks weaker on paper this year. At this stage, a relegation battle looks very much on the cards.

Sheffield Eagles;
Why they might do well:
They went okay in 2022 and seem to have recruited quite well for 2023, with Titus Gwaze an eyecatching addition. Perhaps more importantly, they have retained a lot of their better players from 2022, and Anthony Thackeray has had a change of heart about retirement and re-signed for 2023. Mark Aston always seems to get the best out of his players – it won’t be surprising if Cory fares better now he’s back with his dad – and if everything clicks they could be surprise top 6 contenders.

Why might they struggle:
They may just lack a touch of quality compared with the top teams in the division. Sheffield have never really recovered from the ill-fated decision to go full-time a few years ago, which resulted in a good squad being discarded, and something needs to happen for them to escape their now-familiar mid-table position, having finished 7^th or 8^th in 6 of their last full 7 seasons.

Swinton Lions
Why they might do well:
In their previous stint in the Championship Swinton seemed to thrive on their status as perennial underdogs, often comfortably surpassing pre-season predictions. Their signings have picked up recently with Welsh World Cup half back Ollie Olds and hooker Josh Eaves joining them, and they have a dual registration agreement with St Helens, which could be crucial as they bid to solidify their Championship status.

Why they might struggle:
They haven’t managed to hold on to one or two of their better players from last season, notably losing Lewis Hatton and Max Roberts to Widnes, Matty Wilkinson to Oldham, and Jack Hansen to Sheffield, and don’t have a lot of obvious star quality in their squad.

Toulouse Olympique:
Why they might do well:
They have retained around a dozen players who featured regularly for them in SL last year, and Sylvain Houles has consistently impressed in terms of getting the best out of his squad whatever the level. They have plenty of strike power in their back 5 and Welsh half back Josh Ralph, who impressed in the World Cup, could be a shrewd signing.

Why they might struggle:
Over the last 12 months they have lost a huge amount of quality players – starting with Ford, Kheirallah and Casty before the 2022 season, and then a flood of departures at the end of that campaign. Still likely to be very solid and top 2 contenders, on paper they lack the formidable look they had in their unbeaten (if truncated) 2021 season, and they might be more vulnerable this time around, especially on their travels. An opening-day visit to Barrow in February might reveal plenty about their prospects.

Whitehaven:
Why they might do well:
They have been amongst the pre-season relegation favourites in each of the last two seasons but reached the play-offs in 2021 and never looked like being relegated last year. They have made some shrewd overseas signings in the last couple of years and have gone in that direction again, making them difficult to assess prior to the 2023 campaign.

Why they might struggle:
Once again they have had some of their standout performers cherry-picked by other clubs, and more worryingly have had some clear financial troubles recently, with the club acknowledging that payments to players were made late. A backs-to-the-wall struggle might seem on the cards, with the club itself acknowledging that things may be difficult with what they suggest is the smallest budget in the league.

Widnes Vikings
Why they might do well:
The arrival of John Kear certainly seemed to bring about some improvement in a topsy-turvy year – after riding high unbeaten and at the top of the league after round 4, their form slumped dramatically before the arrival of Kear seemed to steady the ship. Their major off-season acquisition is Tom Gilmore, and if he reproduces his Batley form – rather than his previous Widnes form – they could be much-improved. They have made a few other handy-looking signings, notably Jordan Johnstone, Lewis Hatton and Will Evans, and they really should be a better team than in 2022.

 

Why they might struggle:
Kear’s teams tend to be solid rather than spectacular and he doesn’t often seem to have had teams where the half backs have flourished. There should be plenty of competition for play-off places in 2023 and Widnes were still very inconsistent last year even after Kear took over.

York RLFC Knights:
Why they might do well:
As well as they did under James Ford, including a surprise away win at Halifax in the play-offs last season, it seemed York’s progress had reached a plateau and the arrival of new coach Andrew Henderson might be just what they needed. Henderson was very successful at London Broncos, where he was very popular with the playing group, and he might get York playing a more open brand of football than Ford, whose style seemed to be effective but conservative. With a new name and a rebrand, it’s a fresh start for the Knights, who have done well in bringing through some talented youngsters into the first team in recent seasons.

Why they might struggle:
They haven’t been quite as active in the transfer market as some of their rivals and at the time of writing seem to be running with a relatively small squad. York haven’t really kicked on after their tremendous first season back in the Championship and probably need a bright start to the season to revive the feelgood factor amongst their fans.

 

Edited January 8, 2023 by The Phantom Horseman

[gittinsfan]

1 hour ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Something to read if you're bored! Just taking a poisitive and then a negative view of each club's prospects, to avoid (hopefully) suggestions of bias.

Barrow Raiders
Why they might do well:
Coach Paul Crarey, as well as being rugby league’s best candidate to appear on radio 4 game show Just A Minute – if you’ve ever heard him interviewed, you’ll know what I mean – has fostered a winning team spirit at Barrow and the club were full value for their 4^th-placed regular season position, despite a series of injuries to key pack men. Their new signings for 2023 have a solid rather than spectacular look to them, headed by Salford pair Greg Burke and Jack Wells plus Greg Worthington from Halifax. Top 4 looks a big ask for them this time round but it will be surprising if they aren’t a very solid team again and Jarrod Sammut is back to pull the strings

 

Why they might struggle:
Their two talisman threequarters, Tee Ritson and Hakim Miloudi have both moved on (though there’s a chance Ritson could still be available for Barrow in 2023 if he doesn’t crack the St Helens first team), and influential prop Carl Forster has also gone. As solid as they are likely to be, they might just lack the quality of two or three other teams in the division.

 

Batley Bulldogs
Why they might do well:
The whole was greater than the sum of the parts for Batley last year with the coaching staff, led by Craig Lingard, having a terrific year. The pack, though by no means youthful, is full of proven, hard-knocking players at this level and has been largely retained whilst boosted by the return of the now un-retired Keegan Hirst, plus Sammy Kibula, meaning this will be one of the biggest sets of forwards in the competition. Aidan MacGowan, on season-long loan from Huddersfield, has looked highly accomplished in his games at this level to date. Batley look sure to be really tough to beat and having reached the Grand Final last year there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be challenging for the top 4, or even higher.

 

Why they might struggle:
They lost arguably their two best players from 2022, Tom Gilmore and Luke Hooley so the trio of Meadows, White and new signing Josh Woods have a lot on their plate to replace Gilmore’s contributions, and the new spine might be a work in progress. Batley won’t sneak up on anybody this time around, and there are a few veterans in the pack, though that didn’t stop them in 2022.

 

Bradford Bulls
Why they might do well:
Certainly they seem to have made some eye-catching signings – Jack Walker, Michael Lawrence, Bodene Thompson, Tom Holmes and Kevin Appo are big-name signings for a club that finished 9^th last season, and with some more additions mooted, including perhaps some Dual Registration players from Leeds, it would be a big disappointment for Bulls fans if they aren’t much better this season.

 

Why they might struggle:
They’ve seemed a club in a downward spiral for a few years and disillusionment seemed to have set in with a lot of heir fans, and they will need a bright start to counter that. If anything Bradford’s season went from bad to worse when coach Mark Dunning took over from John Kear in 2022, so he has plenty to prove.

 

 

 

Featherstone Rovers:
Why they might do well:
Fev have retained a large chunk of the squad that finished a clear second in the regular season in 2022 and although they have lost a few players they have added plenty too, notably in the pack where Elijah Taylor and Mackenzie Yei should add a bit of bite to what was a sometimes-shaky defence last season. They’ve moved on from the brief McDermott era and should be hard to beat once again.

 

Why they might struggle:
Sean Long is a first-time head coach and will need to improve a defence that had too many gaps and didn’t always put the man to the ground last season. Ryley Jacks and Morgan Smith were very solid half backs in 2022 and one of Riley Dean or Thomas Lacans will need to step up partnering Jonno Ford. Although three of last season’s veteran forwards have moved on the squad is still arguably a bit older than ideal as a group, although most of the over-30 brigade would start at just about any other Championship club.

 

Halifax Panthers:
Why they might do well:
Fax have retained most of the players they would have wanted to keep and added some newcomers who might improve them in key positions, notably Eribe Doro, Ryan King and Jake Maizen. With Simon Grix now established as their coach they are one of the few top 4 contenders with stability in both their playing and coaching squads, including at half back, where Jouffret and Keyes are probably their best combo for at least 10 years. Although they might need Fev or Toulouse, or both, to flop to finish top and/or make the Grand Final, it will be seen as an underachievement if they don’t make the top 3.

 

Why they might struggle:
Their pack lacked a real impact player in 2022, though Doro and/or King might provide that this year. They did flop inexplicably at home in the play-offs against a York team that had been ordinary for most of 2022, and need to prove that they can take the next step from being a solid top-4 team at this level; can Grix take them out of the good-but-not-quite-good-enough tier that ended up being the legacy of his predecessor Richard Marshall?

 

Keighley Cougars:
Why they might do well:
The dominant team in League 1 in 2022, they have added a string of eyecatching signings for their return to the Championship, with 2017 Man Of Steel Luke Gale probably the headline act. Mark Ioane, Ben Crooks and Thomas Doyle are other signings who wouldn’t have raised eyebrows if they had earned SL contracts, and with Dane Chisholm having signed mid-season in 2022 they have far more quality than most promoted teams.

Why they might struggle:
Their squad understandably looks to be a transitional one, with a number of star names supported by a larger group who are either journeymen or unproven at Championship level. They should have enough quality to be better than the likely bottom three or four outfits, but they have lost Head Of Rugby Andrew Henderson to York in the off-season and they will face much stiffer opposition this year.

 

London Broncos:
Why they might do well:
Mike Eccles did an excellent job in turning London’s performances around when taking over from Jermaine Coleman in mid-season and the players seemed to buy into his philosophy, resulting in some good wins, notably against Batley and Halifax. He has retained most of last season’s squad and if their progress can continue they could improve on last season’s 11^th-placed finish.

 

Why they might struggle:
Other than Fijian Henry Raiwalui, they haven’t made too many obvious impact signings and they continue to lack quality on paper compared to some of their Championship squads from a few years ago. Eccles will be in the shake-up for coach of the season awards if the Broncos manage to be play-off contenders.

 

Newcastle Thunder:
Why they might do well:
Well, they’ve got a new coach in Chris Thorman, and he’s a Geordie who’s clearly delighted to have a crack at coaching the club, and maybe that will be a factor. They have been blooding young players form their academy for a while now, and have signed two or three players from the World Cup. They’ve signed a couple of players on season-long loan from Hull KR and have managed to retain a few players who have been solid Championship performers. Beyond that…it’s hard to come up with too much.

 

Why might they struggle:
This is a much easier bit to write. They’ve gone from full-time to part-time, had their budget slashed and have lost a huge number of their better players – including Ukuma Ta’ai, Brad Day, Oliver Roberts, Nathan Wilde, Lewis Peachey, Isaac Nokes and both starting half backs Josh Woods and Jake Shorrocks - from what wasn’t an especially successful 2022 squad. After thumping Bradford in July they didn’t win another game, and their squad definitely looks weaker on paper this year. At this stage, a relegation battle looks very much on the cards.

 

Sheffield Eagles;
Why they might do well:
They went okay in 2022 and seem to have recruited quite well for 2023, with Titus Gwaze an eyecatching addition. Perhaps more importantly, they have retained a lot of their better players from 2022, and Anthony Thackeray has had a change of heart about retirement and re-signed for 2023. Mark Aston always seems to get the best out of his players – it won’t be surprising if Cory fares better now he’s back with his dad – and if everything clicks they could be surprise top 6 contenders.

 

Why might they struggle:
They may just lack a touch of quality compared with the top teams in the division. Sheffield have never really recovered from the ill-fated decision to go full-time a few years ago, which resulted in a good squad being discarded, and something needs to happen for them to escape their now-familiar mid-table position, having finished 7^th or 8^th in 6 of their last full 7 seasons.

 

Swinton Lions
Why they might do well:
In their previous stint in the Championship Swinton seemed to thrive on their status as perennial underdogs, often comfortably surpassing pre-season predictions. Their signings have picked up recently with Welsh World Cup half back Ollie Olds and hooker Josh Eaves joining them, and they have a dual registration agreement with St Helens, which could be crucial as they bid to solidify their Championship status.

 

Why they might struggle:
They haven’t managed to hold on to one or two of their better players from last season, notably losing Lewis Hatton and Max Roberts to Widnes, Matty Wilkinson to Oldham, and Jack Hansen to Sheffield, and don’t have a lot of obvious star quality in their squad.

 

Toulouse Olympique:
Why they might do well:
They have retained around a dozen players who featured regularly for them in SL last year, and Sylvain Houles has consistently impressed in terms of getting the best out of his squad whatever the level. They have plenty of strike power in their back 5 and Welsh half back Josh Ralph, who impressed in the World Cup, could be a shrewd signing.

 

Why they might struggle:
Over the last 12 months they have lost a huge amount of quality players – starting with Ford, Kheirallah and Casty before the 2022 season, and then a flood of departures at the end of that campaign. Still likely to be very solid and top 2 contenders, on paper they lack the formidable look they had in their unbeaten (if truncated) 2021 season, and they might be more vulnerable this time around, especially on their travels. An opening-day visit to Barrow in February might reveal plenty about their prospects.

 

Whitehaven:
Why they might do well:
They have been amongst the pre-season relegation favourites in each of the last two seasons but reached the play-offs in 2021 and never looked like being relegated last year. They have made some shrewd overseas signings in the last couple of years and have gone in that direction again, making them difficult to assess prior to the 2023 campaign.

 

Why they might struggle:
Once again they have had some of their standout performers cherry-picked by other clubs, and more worryingly have had some clear financial troubles recently, with the club acknowledging that payments to players were made late. A backs-to-the-wall struggle might seem on the cards, with the club itself acknowledging that things may be difficult with what they suggest is the smallest budget in the league.

 

Widnes Vikings
Why they might do well:
The arrival of John Kear certainly seemed to bring about some improvement in a topsy-turvy year – after riding high unbeaten and at the top of the league after round 4, their form slumped dramatically before the arrival of Kear seemed to steady the ship. Their major off-season acquisition is Tom Gilmore, and if he reproduces his Batley form – rather than his previous Widnes form – they could be much-improved. They have made a few other handy-looking signings, notably Jordan Johnstone, Lewis Hatton and Will Evans, and they really should be a better team than in 2022.

 

 

 

Why they might struggle:
Kear’s teams tend to be solid rather than spectacular and he doesn’t often seem to have had teams where the half backs have flourished. There should be plenty of competition for play-off places in 2023 and Widnes were still very inconsistent last year even after Kear took over.

 

York RLFC Knights:
Why they might do well:
As well as they did under James Ford, including a surprise away win at Halifax in the play-offs last season, it seemed York’s progress had reached a plateau and the arrival of new coach Andrew Henderson might be just what they needed. Henderson was very successful at London Broncos, where he was very popular with the playing group, and he might get York playing a more open brand of football than Ford, whose style seemed to be effective but conservative. With a new name and a rebrand, it’s a fresh start for the Knights, who have done well in bringing through some talented youngsters into the first team in recent seasons.

Why they might struggle:
They haven’t been quite as active in the transfer market as some of their rivals and at the time of writing seem to be running with a relatively small squad. York haven’t really kicked on after their tremendous first season back in the Championship and probably need a bright start to the season to revive the feelgood factor amongst their fans.

 

 

Thanks for that.A very interesting read.

[Indigogo]

Interesting to see other people's point of views. Just out of interest, which players at Keighley do you see as Journey men? 

[The Phantom Horseman]

11 hours ago, Indigogo said:

Interesting to see other people's point of views. Just out of interest, which players at Keighley do you see as Journey men? 

Well Kyle Trout would be the first that comes to mind. His career path has gone...

Wakefield>Doncaster>Batley>Featherstone>Whitehaven>Featherstone (again)>Hunslet>Dewsbury>Sheffield>Dewsbury (again)>Hull KR>Limoux>Newcastle>Featherstone (again)>Dewsbury (again)>Keighley.

Then there's Ellis Robson, who's only 24 but is already on his ninth club, albeit most of them on loan, and is another who could be sponsored by Pickfords.

Then there's Mo Agori, who I think has played for seven different clubs in league 1. Toby Everett is another who has been around the block a bit.

What I was trying to highlight though was there seems to be two distinct types of players on the Keighley books - one group of players who have spent much of their careers in SL (or in the case of Doyle looked set for a step up to SL) and another group who have either spent most of their career in league 1 or who have moved from club to club. It's not a criticism because it's a fairly inevitable scenario for teams that get promoted, it will be interesting to see how it works out. Remember I'm not saying I think Keighley will struggle, I was just looking for the possible positives and negatives for every club.

 

[Indigogo]

27 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Well Kyle Trout would be the first that comes to mind. His career path has gone...

Wakefield>Doncaster>Batley>Featherstone>Whitehaven>Featherstone (again)>Hunslet>Dewsbury>Sheffield>Dewsbury (again)>Hull KR>Limoux>Newcastle>Featherstone (again)>Dewsbury (again)>Keighley.

Then there's Ellis Robson, who's only 24 but is already on his ninth club, albeit most of them on loan, and is another who could be sponsored by Pickfords.

Then there's Mo Agori, who I think has played for seven different clubs in league 1. Toby Everett is another who has been around the block a bit.

What I was trying to highlight though was there seems to be two distinct types of players on the Keighley books - one group of players who have spent much of their careers in SL (or in the case of Doyle looked set for a step up to SL) and another group who have either spent most of their career in league 1 or who have moved from club to club. It's not a criticism because it's a fairly inevitable scenario for teams that get promoted, it will be interesting to see how it works out. Remember I'm not saying I think Keighley will struggle, I was just looking for the possible positives and negatives for every club.

 

No I certainly didn't see it as a criticism, I was genuinely interested to who was being seen as a journeyman.

Kyle Trout has had many clubs and could be seen as a journeyman now I suppose, however he came in late last season and certainly added to the squad.

Ellis Robson has played for Warrington and Newcastle with lots of loans whilst at Warrington, I think that's indicative of the club not wanting him to leave whilst there was potentially a SL player there, so can hardly hold that against Ellis. This will be his first season being part of a part time set up.

Mo Agoro I could see why people may think that but he's an absolute beast coming out of yardage and had his best ever season last year. Physically he's probably the fittest man in the team (He's a PT for his full time job) so won't have any issues on that front.

I feel you're probably being a bit harsh on Toby calling him a Journeyman, I think he was a regular at Batley until he was injured (correct me if I'm wrong Batley fans) last season so came to us on loan and added some size to our pack.

You're right though there are a number of players stepping up to Championship level and have it to prove. Mo Agoro, Jack Miller, Lewis Young, Dan Parker, Aaron Levy, Brenden Santi, Billy Gaylor are all experienced Players making the step up. Then there's a younger bunch who I'm really excited about seeing stepping up Charlie Graham, Nathan Roebuck, Alix Stevenson and Harvey Spence. We have kept around 18 players from last season with some of those arguably already Championship standard (Chisolm, Trout, Everett) and have added 10 players. I think we've got the blend of experience and youth correct (on paper anyway) so it'll be interesting and exciting to see how we go.

[crashmon]

I'm not as sure about Eccles at London as others are.  Yes mid season he turned things around, but they fell off end of season once safety was assured, and it remains to be seen if the mid season results was either the start of London turning it around or a mid-season new coach bounce.

Also end of Last season London mentioned they would be hiring two assistant coaches to assist Eccles.  Not seen any announcement about either of them yet

[The Blues Ox]

Brilliant and well balanced read as always PH. You really add a lot better content on here than we see from some so called journalists kicking about.

I'm really looking forward to this season even though it does seem very similar to the build up to last season with a well defined top 2. What I don't see though is either of those top 2 suddenly making a run of signings to make it a top 1 which then does give more of a chance that one of them could slip up and allow another team a chance.

This year there feels to be a bit of pressure on certain teams as well to add interest and I don't really include the likely top 2 in that. Bradford are been heavily hyped and to be fair have made some decent signings but I still see the most interesting thing about their season been whether they can finish above Keighley who even though they are the promoted team, I think with their signings there seems to be a bit of expectation on them. You would imagine they won't be near relegation but could they be this years surprise package that can break the top 6? Speaking of surprise packages, Batley have now well and truly lost that tag and its going to be really interesting to see how they go after losing key players. Their pack is still formidable though and its hard to see too much of a drop off from them.

A few teams have been pretty quiet like York but as PH says the signing of Henderson is a very shrewd move in my eyes. Widnes another team I almost feel are treading water, Gilmore is a good signing but its hard to see past a will they, won't they scenario when it comes to talking about teams that may sneak in to the playoffs.

For Fax I am hoping we hit the ground running this year as a slow start really did cost us last season but we have a bit of size in our pack this season which hopefully can get us through the first couple of months where the grounds really don't allow for the type of rugby we try to play. For me the most underated signing we have made is Will Maher, he did ok for uis on loan and he impressed me when I saw him play for Hull KR so this one has gone a little under the radar. I can't wait to watch Doro in a Fax shirt and he will obviously become a fan favorite just from the way he plays and he is just the type of raw talent that Grix seems to be able to get the best out of. With Arundel leaving we do have a bit of a gap at centre but we need to remember that when Worthington, Tibbs, and Arudel were all fit it was Tibbs that was starting over Arundel and averaging a try a game. Another Grix success story there and he has shown in his time as coach he expects the same high standards that he set for himself as a player, shape up or ship out. Less than 3rd would be a disappointment but can we start to bridge the gap to the top 2?

[The Phantom Horseman]

1 hour ago, crashmon said:

I'm not as sure about Eccles at London as others are.  Yes mid season he turned things around, but they fell off end of season once safety was assured, and it remains to be seen if the mid season results was either the start of London turning it around or a mid-season new coach bounce.

Also end of Last season London mentioned they would be hiring two assistant coaches to assist Eccles.  Not seen any announcement about either of them yet

Yes I think both those are fair comments. They did pick up mid-season and then falter towards the end but I wondered if that was the cue going on the rack once they were safe from relegation.

You do have to wonder about how well Eccles is going to be supported though. There doesn't seem to have been much of a recruitment drive and Broncos fans - the ones that are left - always seem scatheing about the club's organisation, or lack of, and communication.

[marklaspalmas]

3 hours ago, Indigogo said:

No I certainly didn't see it as a criticism, I was genuinely interested to who was being seen as a journeyman.

Kyle Trout has had many clubs and could be seen as a journeyman now I suppose, however he came in late last season and certainly added to the squad.

Ellis Robson has played for Warrington and Newcastle with lots of loans whilst at Warrington, I think that's indicative of the club not wanting him to leave whilst there was potentially a SL player there, so can hardly hold that against Ellis. This will be his first season being part of a part time set up.

Mo Agoro I could see why people may think that but he's an absolute beast coming out of yardage and had his best ever season last year. Physically he's probably the fittest man in the team (He's a PT for his full time job) so won't have any issues on that front.

I feel you're probably being a bit harsh on Toby calling him a Journeyman, I think he was a regular at Batley until he was injured (correct me if I'm wrong Batley fans) last season so came to us on loan and added some size to our pack.

You're right though there are a number of players stepping up to Championship level and have it to prove. Mo Agoro, Jack Miller, Lewis Young, Dan Parker, Aaron Levy, Brenden Santi, Billy Gaylor are all experienced Players making the step up. Then there's a younger bunch who I'm really excited about seeing stepping up Charlie Graham, Nathan Roebuck, Alix Stevenson and Harvey Spence. We have kept around 18 players from last season with some of those arguably already Championship standard (Chisolm, Trout, Everett) and have added 10 players. I think we've got the blend of experience and youth correct (on paper anyway) so it'll be interesting and exciting to see how we go.

The dictionary definition of journeyman is

"a worker or sports player who is reliable but not outstanding."

Your comments make me think you regard that label much more negatively.

[The Phantom Horseman]

20 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Toulouse Olympique:
An opening-day visit to Barrow in February might reveal plenty about their prospects.

 

 

It's just been announced that this game - which takes place on Saturday 4th February and will be the first competitive fixture of the season in any of the 3 leagues -will be live-streamed on OurLeague. Only 32 days away!

Right, am off to rest my fingers after scrolling down and deleting the rest of that post...

[Keep The Faith]

Great preview I think Meadows will be the surprise with woods this season 

McGowan will benefit the experience of lingard and his coaching methods… I think if we get in play offs again we’ll be able to cement ourselves as top 6 club now… our pack seems to have improved with Keegan back hopefully Kibula stays fit 

haven’t seen anyone yet but who knows I don’t think Gilmore will handle the pressure of playing for Widnes… I also think Bradford will struggle under the coach 

[Indigogo]

50 minutes ago, marklaspalmas said:

The dictionary definition of journeyman is

"a worker or sports player who is reliable but not outstanding."

Your comments make me think you regard that label much more negatively.

Perhaps I do. Of the 4 players mentioned as journeymen, I would say 3 of the 4 were outstanding last season as well as reliable, and the other has yet to play for us and is 24 years old.

[ivans82]

The Phantom Horseman will now be my go to reference when placing my bets this season .Good Effort .

[The Phantom Horseman]

The RFL has produced a handy losses/gains list for each club in the Championship. Stand by for the derivative "each club's biggest loss/key signing" any moment in the usual outlets...

https://www.rugby-league.com/article/61317/every-confirmed-transfer-for-the-2023-betfred-championship

 

[Angelic Cynic]

"2 Perry Whiteley there are only 2 Perry Whiteley!"

Both gone to the same club - not in The Championship. 

But it gives me the chance to loosen the vocal cords.

[distantdog]

On 03/01/2023 at 13:54, Keep The Faith said:

Great preview I think Meadows will be the surprise with woods this season 

McGowan will benefit the experience of lingard and his coaching methods… I think if we get in play offs again we’ll be able to cement ourselves as top 6 club now… our pack seems to have improved with Keegan back hopefully Kibula stays fit 

haven’t seen anyone yet but who knows I don’t think Gilmore will handle the pressure of playing for Widnes… I also think Bradford will struggle under the coach 

Just on Gilmore, I have my doubts that Kear will allow him the same freedom he was given at Batley. If he is subsumed into a Kear game plan then I think his talents will not flourish as they did at Batley. 

Halifax seem to have strengthened, but as TBO says, will they hit the ground running or end up playing catch up from the off again? 

I agree with you on Bradford and their coach - will he use the undoubted talent at his disposal effectively? I do think though that the Championship is as open as it has been for the last few years and as always will provide plenty of entertainment.

[Keep The Faith]

1 hour ago, distantdog said:

Just on Gilmore, I have my doubts that Kear will allow him the same freedom he was given at Batley. If he is subsumed into a Kear game plan then I think his talents will not flourish as they did at Batley. 

Halifax seem to have strengthened, but as TBO says, will they hit the ground running or end up playing catch up from the off again? 

I agree with you on Bradford and their coach - will he use the undoubted talent at his disposal effectively? I do think though that the Championship is as open as it has been for the last few years and as always will provide plenty of entertainment.

No offence to the Widnes fans they probably expect more from Gilmore than we did too… which is why they’ve paid big bucks 

[The Phantom Horseman]

On 02/01/2023 at 17:41, The Phantom Horseman said:

Bradford Bulls
Why they might struggle:
They’ve seemed a club in a downward spiral for a few years and disillusionment seemed to have set in with a lot of their fans, and they will need a bright start to counter that. If anything Bradford’s season went from bad to worse when coach Mark Dunning took over from John Kear in 2022, so he has plenty to prove.

 

Apparently I've got this all wrong according to the latest League Express/TotalRL offering, which assures us that "the club has been impressive on and off the field in recent seasons".

Nothing against Bradford and as I said in the positive part of my write-up they have made some eyecatching signings this off-season and might well improve considerably, but I can't imagine even the most fervent Bulls fan agrees with that?

[Dave W]

1 hour ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Apparently I've got this all wrong according to the latest League Express/TotalRL offering, which assures us that "the club has been impressive on and off the field in recent seasons".

Written by an impartial freelance reporter called 'Nick Gredhill' ?

[Wolford6]

On 02/01/2023 at 21:48, Indigogo said:

Interesting to see other people's point of views. Just out of interest, which players at Keighley do you see as Journey men? 

All of them.

Nobody would want to actually live there.

[doc]

Just now, Wolford6 said:

All of them.

Nobody would want to actually live there.

Harsh

[doc]

On 07/01/2023 at 13:53, Keep The Faith said:

No offence to the Widnes fans they probably expect more from Gilmore than we did too… which is why they’ve paid big bucks 

What big bucks are these? Anyway, he wanted to come back.

[Indigogo]

7 minutes ago, Wolford6 said:

All of them.

Nobody would want to actually live there.

Says the person with a Welsh flag as their avi

[Wolford6]

2 minutes ago, Indigogo said:

Says the person with a Welsh flag as their avi

Cheek. It's not a Welsh Flag. It's the Welsh Flag.

It's generally accepted as the heraldic symbol of King Arthur, so is applicable to all British Celts.

https://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+Welsh+flag+is+named+the+coolest+in+the+world%3B+It+seems+the+rest...-a0576420399

 

 

[Ovenden Grunt]

A great read TPH. I think you've got Fax's season prospects just about right.