BEING a Championship side is often a difficult place to be for some clubs.
The lure of being a Super League side can yield spending races such as the one seen in 2022 between the Leigh Leopards and Featherstone Rovers which ended in the former earning promotion and the latter crashing out at the semi-final stages.
Now, though, the anticipation for a new season is high, especially amongst three Championship clubs that look the best placed to be there at the end of 2023.
Featherstone Rovers
Start out with the obvious choice as Featherstone have gone about their business slightly different for 2023 than they did for 2022. Bringing in former Leeds Rhinos assistant Sean Long as head coach with Leon Pryce as assistant is a very shrewd move by Rovers. And Long has gone about recruiting players he wants to work with including the likes of Mathieu Cozza, Chris Hankinson, Thomas Lacans and Caleb Aekins. Though not household names, such signings will bring that level of endeavour and extra talent that was perhaps missing last season. With the spending power of Leigh now out of the way, Featherstone fans will be hoping that it will finally be their turn for promotion.
Toulouse Olympique
Having been relegated after just one season in Super League, Toulouse are determined to make it back to the big time at the first time of asking. The likes of Reubenn Rennie, Calum Gahan, Sitaleki Akauola and Jake Shorrocks will bring excitement to the Stade Ernest Wallon for 2023 as well as Super League, Championship and Australia experience. The optimism and aims at the French club remain as high as they have ever been with chairman Bernard Sarrazain underlining his commitment to long-term head coach Sylvain Houles after a difficult 2022. Toulouse will be there or thereabouts at the end of next season, but losing Tony Gigot and Corey Norman could stifle them.
Bradford Bulls
If there was one Championship club that failed to meet expectations in 2022 it was the Bradford Bulls. The club had been aiming for a play-off spot only to finish in ninth. Head coach John Kear waved goodbye to Odsal as his assistant Mark Dunning took over and to say it has been a busy off-season for the Bull would be an understatement. Bradford have made some wonderful signings in the shape of Keven Appo, former Leeds Rhinos pair Jack Walker and Bodene Thompson, Huddersfield Giants legend Michael Lawrence and Brad Foster whilst potentially great news on the development of Odsal is just around the corner. Excitement is aplenty at Bradford like previously unseen in a Championship season – could 2023 be the year the Bulls make it back to the big time?
