I’VE THOUGHT long and hard about my predictions of who will finish where in Super League this season.
And after going, in reverse order, for Wakefield, Leigh, Hull KR, Catalans Dragons, Hull and Castleford to make up the bottom half of the final table, I’m now looking at the play-off places, this week from sixth up to fourth.
So here’s my verdict…
6 LEEDS RHINOS
What a twelve months it’s been at Headingley!
It doesn’t seem long since Richard Agar left amid fears of relegation.
Then came the revival under Rohan Smith, squeezing into the play-offs on the last day of the regular season and that run to the Grand Final.
Happy days for the blue-and-amber faithful, but it also raised hopes and expectations for 2023.
I think it’s fair to say Leeds overachieved last year, and if fans were expecting some exciting recruitment, they’ve been disappointed, because it’s been pretty ordinary.
I’m all for giving players from the Championship and League One a chance, but you can’t blood too many at once, and I reckon the Rhinos need a bit more quality if they are to do as well as they did in 2022.
If injury problems crop up, is there sufficient strength in depth?
Smith also needs to get more from that Blake Austin-Aidan Sezer pairing.
The pack is equal to most in the league, but the halves must step up and be more creative and more consistent.
5 SALFORD RED DEVILS
I really like Paul Rowley’s honesty as well as his coaching ability, and it was interesting to read his comments in League Express about Salford likely being under-prepared for the season due to the knock-on effects of the World Cup.
But there’s good news for Red Devils fans, firstly because, as we know, it’s how you finish rather than start that really matters, and secondly because Paul has a good set of players who will have learned from a very encouraging campaign last time.
In Brodie Croft, Salford have a gem, and he and Marc Sneyd brought the best out of each other.
They also have decent forwards and some talented finishers, and that’s a good blend.
The club as a whole seem to be stable, and I see bright times ahead.
4 HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS
Owner Ken Davy has said it’s the strongest claret-and-gold squad assembled during his long involvement and there have certainly been some eye-catching additions.
That reflects his ambition and willingness to back Ian Watson, but has also added to the pressure on the coach to deliver.
Huddersfield came agonisingly close to winning the Challenge Cup in 2022, only for Wigan to snatch the glory.
Watto needs to take the lessons, both from Tottenham and a disappointing defeat by his old club Salford in the play-offs.
He also needs to come up with a few variations to what he likes to call his ‘processes’, because there were signs that opponents were starting to work the Giants out.
Don’t change for change’s sake
IT was interesting to read League Express editor Martyn Sadler’s comments about a possible new title for the top-flight of our game being among the IMG ideas.
But in my view, there would nothing ‘Super’ about changing the name of the flagship division.
In fact, it would be a disgrace, and make us a laughing stock in the eyes of other sports, especially our biggest rivals rugby union.
There are plenty of union players and coaches who admire Rugby League, and officials as well judging by the way they have lured some of our top operators (such as Kevin Sinfield, who is now a key part of the England set-up after his success with Leicester and Mike Forshaw, who has just left Sale for a job with Wales) and copied our initiatives, like the so-called ‘shot clock’.
But there are certain journalists covering union who like nothing better than to pour scorn on us, and dropping the term Super League because some other sports also use it would give them a chance to do just that.
Rugby League has a rich history and heritage.
The game, of course, goes all the way back to 1895, as celebrated by the name of the Cup competition for teams in the bottom two divisions, while Super League dates back to 1996, when the huge step of moving from a winter to a summer season was taken.
That history and heritage should be embraced, protected, and used as the foundation for taking Rugby League forward.
Why should we be worried about or threatened by what other sports are doing and forced into a name change?
Yes, we badly need new money – and it’s telling that while there’s never been more cash coming into the game than there has in the summer era, there have probably never been more clubs who are skint.
And yes, we need new supporters, but the way to attract better TV deals, additional sponsors and extra eyes, in grounds as well as on screen, is through improving the product on the pitch.
What happens out on that green rectangle is what really matters, and that’s what everyone, IMG included, should focus on, and not just at the top level, because any structure is only as strong as its foundations, so let’s have a good look at central distribution money for clubs in the lower divisions.
At the end of the day, a great product will prove popular whatever you call it.
A stronger international scene is a sure way to improve things, and I’m frustrated that despite all the talk of a fixed international calendar, we don’t seem to have made any progress.
Union have their annual Autumn internationals and the Six Nations, which will be getting under way soon with the aforementioned Kevin Sinfield now part of the England coaching team.
Yet other than an uninspiring date with France at the end of April, there’s nothing in the diary, and that’s hugely disappointing.
The lack of a legacy from previous World Cups has often been spoken about, and so far, it’s looking like nothing has changed.
Deserved award
IT was great to see Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield granted the freedom of Leeds.
It’s the highest civic honour, and these two inspirational men – and former Rhinos team-mates – fully deserve it.
Neither of them were born in Leeds – Rob is from Pontefract and Kev from Oldham – but the city is their adopted home and has taken them to its heart.
Rob is such an amazing warrior as he so bravely tackles motor neurone disease head on, while ‘Sir Kev’ has shown not just amazing determination and stamina via his many well-documented fundraising challenges, but also what friendship and loyalty are all about.
The city, just like the whole country, is so proud of the pair of them and they have done do much to both increase awareness of this cruel disease and generate money towards helping those who suffer from it in trying to find a cure.
This is Garry Schofield’s ‘Talking Rugby League’ article from this week’s issue of League Express. You can read him every week by taking out a subscription by going to https://www.totalrl.com/league-express/
