AS the clock winds down to the 2023 season, predictions are coming in thick and fast in what promises to be one of the most hotly-anticipated years of rugby league in the past decade.
In terms of the Super League Grand Final winners, Challenge Cup victors and the relegated side, which Super League side will fit into each category?
Grand Final
St Helens will be aiming for an unprecedented fifth Super League title in a row, but they will be doing so without the man that steered them to glory for the past three years. In the place of Kristian Woolf will be Saints legend Paul Wellens and only time will tell if the ex-fullback’s transition to head coach is as smooth as necessary to win at Old Trafford again.
Whilst Saints go into 2023 with an uncertainty about them, Wigan look well-placed to be the team to beat with head coach Matt Peet lifting the Challenge Cup in 2022. In tying down Bevan French and Jai Field, the Warriors have two of the greatest strike players in Super League and it is these two stars that can propel Wigan to Grand Final glory in 2023.
Prediction: Wigan Warriors
Challenge Cup
Wigan go into the 2023 competition as Challenge Cup holders following a last-gasp win over Huddersfield, but it’s always difficult retaining the trophy, with the cup competition giving other Super League sides the chance to raise their game in a one-off fixture. Matt Peet will be determined to back up the success once more next season with Huddersfield boss Ian Watson also equally as determined to win it following last year’s heartache.
However, as we saw in 2022 with Peet, the competition can be a massive tonic for a new boss so favouring Saints to do the business at Wembley under Wellens could see history repeat itself in 2023.
Prediction: St Helens
League Leaders
The League Leaders’ Shield should have more emphasis placed upon it considering how difficult it is to maintain the consistency needed to top the Super League table. St Helens once more proved to be the most consistent side in 2022 under Kristian Woolf, but Huddersfield look to have the depth to their squad and one of the best coaches in the game to be able to finish top in 2023.
Bringing in the likes of Kevin Naiqama, Esan Marsters, Jake Connor and Harry Rushton will take some beating with Watson steadily building his squad for glory.
Prediction: Huddersfield Giants
Relegation
It’s always difficult to predict who will be relegated from the top flight as teams can surprise with how surprisingly successful/unsuccessful they can be. For example, no one predicted Warrington would finish 11th in 2022, with Toulouse Olympique suffering the dreaded drop after just one season in Super League.
The Leigh Leopards are the new team on the block, but they look to have recruited well enough to stave off any chance of dropping back down. That leaves Wakefield Trinity who pose an interesting quandary. New head coach Mark Applegarth has no head coaching experience, but he has ex-York boss James Ford as his right-hand man. Applegarth has also been faced with the departure of four Trinity stalwarts in Jacob Miller, Tinirau Arona, David Fifita and Bill Tupou.
Prediction: Wakefield Trinity
