Championship 2025 predictions

[Bring back GB]

OK. Here's my predicted final league table.....

Bradford 

Oldham 

Toulouse 

Featherstone 

York

Widnes 

Sheffield 

Doncaster 

Batley 

Barrow 

Halifax 

Hunslet 

London 

[sam4731]

Whoever wins the GF to not get promoted to SL.

[Forever Trinity]

Fev

York

Oldham

Toulouse

Bradford

Then the rest

 

[doc]

My prediction. 

It'll be a season of ups and downs.

[langpark]

Am surprised you both have Oldham so high. I expect them to finish mid-table. 

[Chronicler of Chiswick]

Bradford as Champions is feasible although Toulouse might have some thing to say about that. As far as the bottom club's concerned, assuming that London finish the season (if they don't make the starting gate they won't be in the table) I'd reckon Hunslet.

[The Blues Ox]

Really, really early at this point but Id have Bradford top and Hunslet bottom by some distance. Hard to say with the rest.

[The Phantom Horseman]

2 hours ago, Forever Trinity said:

Fev

York

Oldham

Toulouse

Bradford

Then the rest

 

I'd love this to be right, but there would need to be a huge amount of improvement from Fev to be anywhere near the top 2 - our recruitment has been interesting/promising but we were very moderate in a lot of areas last year and Bradford rolled us for most of the games where we played them. Bradford should be clear-cut favourites imo.

Edited December 8, 2024 by The Phantom Horseman

[sam4731]

55 minutes ago, doc said:

My prediction. 

It'll be a season of ups and downs.

At the end of the day, when all's said and done, what will be will be and may the best team prevail.

[PREPOSTEROUS]

York should go very well next year, best team Trinity played. 

[Eddie]

Many predicted London would finish bottom the year they went up, I wouldn’t write them off just yet. 

[Stainesrover]

London to finish well above bottom. Think they will get some investment, sign a few decent larkers, get a dual reg agreement and have a decent season.

[northamptoncougar]

Bradford top is a stretch, I can see them being a huge force at home as that suits the “Noble” style of play where as an away pitch wider than an average kitchen and a coach with game plans from the 90’s isn’t going to cut it when it really matters.

[The Phantom Horseman]

1 hour ago, northamptoncougar said:

Bradford top is a stretch, I can see them being a huge force at home as that suits the “Noble” style of play where as an away pitch wider than an average kitchen and a coach with game plans from the 90’s isn’t going to cut it when it really matters.

Really Noble is just the continuity candidate isn't he though? They have the personnel to physically dominate just about every other team and "game plans" shouldn't really come into it. Their achilles heel might be their tendency to self-destruct with ill-discpline etc, but if they don't finish top or very close, something has gone badly wrong.

[Cam varley]

Bradford-Big spending massive failure if they don’t win it imo

York-Believe last seasons form under applegarth will carry over and should go really well.Keeping Hingano Fit is key though.

Sheffield-Appointed a very good coach in lingard and refreshed the hookers where I think they’ve been weak for the last couple of years Losing Thackeray is big but Morgan smith is a more than capable replacement.Also wouldn’t surprise me if he came out of retirement at some point mid season.

Fev-Very good Squad but there’s a lot of new players can see them easily getting play offs not to sure on the top 2 shouts though.

Toulouse-Lost a couple of key players in Hansen and pellisier 5th is probably too low put I like the squads of the teams above.Keep fit OAB all year they’ll definitely be top 2. 

Doncaster-Most of the squad kept together and they’ve made some good signings think they will go a couple spots better than last year and sneak in.

Widnes- other than Cam Brown Signings are very meh imo think they’ll just drop out but could sneak in if Coleman gets patton firing.

Oldham-Made a few decent signings but very much a dads army in the forwards think the fitness will show when the play the fitter teams eg: York Sheffield 

Batley-Made a couple of good signings but a small squad and main players aren’t getting younger.But could all change depending who Wakey send them.

london-Very much an unknown so far lost most of the key players that originally got them up but still have eccles in charge and very well could make some good signings before the season starts.

Barrow-I do actually think they’ve recruited quite well but just think the teams above are stronger.Another side which could be much higher.

Fax-Unkown head coach,Financial troubles and relying and dual reg won’t go well but if they keep the strongest squad fully fit could be a potential dark horse.

Hunslet-lost a lot of tries in render and Ferreira think the step up will be too much can’t see them staying up.

 

 

Edited December 9, 2024 by Cam varley

[The Art of Hand and Foot]

As an Oldham fan I would like to say we are hoping for the best but are prepared for the moderate. (I know the saying is "prepared for the worst"). But We'll be happy, ecstatic even, if we make the playoffs. The 'project', this coming season,  is not topping the table. It is not to get relegated,  it's bums on seats, it's rejuvenating the RL game in the town. So far we are on track! It's nice that some people think we'll be up there. But the one table we are more concerned with is the attendance table.

[Eddie]

19 minutes ago, The Art of Hand and Foot said:

As an Oldham fan I would like to say we are hoping for the best but are prepared for the moderate. (I know the saying is "prepared for the worst"). But We'll be happy, ecstatic even, if we make the playoffs. The 'project', this coming season,  is not topping the table. It is not to get relegated,  it's bums on seats, it's rejuvenating the RL game in the town. So far we are on track! It's nice that some people think we'll be up there. But the one table we are more concerned with is the attendance table.

What average crowd would you consider a success mate? At the risk of being slapdash would 2k be realistic? 

[wroteforluck87]

8 hours ago, Eddie said:

What average crowd would you consider a success mate? At the risk of being slapdash would 2k be realistic? 

I think 2k is realistic.. however we had 2.5 in against Keighley and 2.7 when we was presented with the league 1 trophy so it wouldn't suprise me if our as attendance was better than 2k.

As TAOHAF said we need to hold our own with the teams in this league and continue to make progress off the field. 

 

[The Art of Hand and Foot]

35 minutes ago, wroteforluck87 said:

I think 2k is realistic.. however we had 2.5 in against Keighley and 2.7 when we was presented with the league 1 trophy so it wouldn't suprise me if our as attendance was better than 2k.

As TAOHAF said we need to hold our own with the teams in this league and continue to make progress off the field. 

 

 

And baring in mind that championship teams will have a much bigger away following than the teams in league 1 I would say 2,500 as a minimum. First home game against York will set the bench mark.

[Roughyed Rats]

Here goes:

Bradford 

Featherstone 

Toulouse 

York

Oldham

Widnes 

Sheffield 

Doncaster 

Halifax 

Batley 

Barrow 

London

Hunslet 

As for Oldham's attendances, I'd be disappointed if we didn't hit at least a 2,500 average this season.

[Jill Halfpenny fan]

10 hours ago, The Art of Hand and Foot said:

And baring in mind that championship teams will have a much bigger away following than the teams in league 1 I would say 2,500 as a minimum. First home game against York will set the bench mark.

I wouldn't raise your hopes too high, last season Wakefield, Bradford and maybe Fev were the only only ones who brought more than 100 to Widnes. Set your sites at a coachload and you won't be far out.

[Snowys Backside]

Hoping Widnes and Oldham have strong seasons this year

[sheddingswasus]

12 hours ago, Roughyed Rats said:

Here goes:

Bradford 

Featherstone 

Toulouse 

York

Oldham

Widnes 

Sheffield 

Doncaster 

Halifax 

Batley 

Barrow 

London

Hunslet 

As for Oldham's attendances, I'd be disappointed if we didn't hit at least a 2,500 average this season.

With 800 season tickets sold we should 

[Roughyed Rats]

4 hours ago, Jill Halfpenny fan said:

I wouldn't raise your hopes too high, last season Wakefield, Bradford and maybe Fev were the only only ones who brought more than 100 to Widnes. Set your sites at a coachload and you won't be far out.

Well at least you’ll benefit from us this year Jill. We’ll bring a good following to yours.

[Bull Mania]

Still early yet, but as it's the off-season it fills the time. 

1. Bradford - Even as the most Pessimistic Bulls fan, I would be disappointed if we don't win it. Two back to back 3rd place finishes, that's with playing with one HB, Who wasn't 100% got for most of the season. Now we have Joe Keyes playing alongside him which should avoid the multiple Bulls implosions we had last year. Really happy with our recruitment.

2. Featherstone - Even though last year was poor for Fev, they still made it to the play-offs and they are always a tough team to beat. Reynolds is one of the best HBs in the league and I really like their recruitment. Ford & Fev isn't a happy marriage but he's had success with York in the champ and of he starts winning, the fans will back them. 

3. York - Would have had them second but just feel they're a prop short. If they sign a prop between now and the beginning of the season, swap them and Fev around. Applegarth a great fit for them and really happy as he seems a top guy. Some of their signings could go one way or the other. Mcshane & O'Neil could be a dynamite combination, or injuries may have caught up with Mcshane and two years out of the game too much for O'Neil. 

4. Toulouse - seemed to lose that invincibility, particularly at home. Feel they're even weaker than last season losing the likes of Hanson, Armitage, Akauola. Although could look at it they've moved some older heads on and brought in younger in Rob Butler, Joe Cator & Ellis Gillam (who I think is a really good signing) just think they've a small squad still and every one else seemed to have improved significantly more. 

5. Widnes - think Coleman is what Widnes needed for a long time. Make them into a tough team to beat rather than the soft underbelly of smashing someone 40-0 one week then losing 40-0 the week after. Agree with Cam though, their recruitment has been "Meh"

6. Sheffield - Lingard signing is massive and it brings them stability. Could have easily unravelled with the Aston situation. Morgan Smith is a real coup as he always looks a level above in this league. 

7. Oldham - just miss out despite some eye-catching signings. Always takes some getting use to playing Cornwall-Midlands, to playing Fev-York-Widnes week in week out. Their owners don't appear as thin skinned and as unrealistic as the Keighley owners so can't see them having a mid-season implosion. 

8. Doncaster - great first season back. Really good recruitment as well. Just think everyone else slightly ahead of them. 

9. Batley - Always a tough team but just been slowly sliding down the table in recent years. 

10. Halifax - IF they survive their financial issues, they should avoid the drop. Still some quality individuals in O'brien, Jouffret etc. But they've a tiny squad reliant on loans an DR. When you need DR the most because of injuries, the parent club is usually in the same boat and ends up recalling them when you need them most. 

11. London - not many players signed up. Hopefully they get new owners and do enough to stay up. But there's A LOT of work still to do in a notoriously tough comp. Surviving in the league is Londons aim. 

12. Barrow - always a tough competitive team. But just haven't turned those tough performances into points the last few years and only just avoided relegation. Another tough year for them. 

13. Hunslet - shocked everyone with their amazing run last year. But still inished 4th in L1 which is way behind the champ. Expect them to be another Dewsbury (sorry) 

 

Going to be great comp next year and apart form Hunslet, I don't see any "Banker" games. 

 

Edited December 10, 2024 by Bull Mania