As most people will know there is a new structure to Super
League in 2015 and with the new season starting this Thursday (February 4th) with Widnes Vikings taking on Wigan Warriors it appears a good time to preview the teams competing in Super League XX.
With
the relegation of Bradford Bulls and London Broncos to the Championship – 12
teams will enter Super League XX – they will play each other home and away and
with an additional fixture at the Magic Weekend they will have 23 games to play
before Super League and the Championship will split into the Super 8s, three
groups of eight clubs based on league positions called Super League, The
Qualifiers and Championship Shield.
Super League features the top eight Super League clubs; The Qualifiers
comprises Super League clubs nine to 12 plus the top four Championship clubs;
and the Championship Shield features Championship clubs five to 12.
The Super 8s will be played on a seven match mini-league basis, and will
largely determine the make-up of Super League and the Championship the
following season.
In Super League, the top eight clubs are guaranteed top flight status
for the following year whilst the top four will contest a play-off series - 1st
v 4th and 2nd v 3rd, with the winner going
through to the title-deciding Grand Final.
In The Qualifiers, the top three clubs after seven matches will play in
Super League the following season with the final place determined by the
Million Pound Game, a play-off between the clubs finishing 4th and 5th.
The loser of the match will join the three remaining clubs from The Qualifiers
and six Championship Shield clubs in the Championship the following season.
Clear so far?? – I think I am but the clearest point of all is that every
team will want to finish in the top 8 after 23 rounds to GUARANTEE their
position in Super League the following year – this will certainly give those 8
clubs a head start with regards to recruitment as they will be able offer Super
League contracts way before the other 4 clubs who will be competing for the
remaining places.
The new set up is designed to ensure EVERY game means something
throughout the season and that the intensity of the competition is increased.
Anyway, enough of the technicalities – let’s introduce the clubs that I
think will finish in the bottom 4 places and will contest The Qualifiers:
The Vikings made the play off’s for the first time in 2014 and had one
of the stand out performers in the competition in former Wigan and Huddersfield
half back Kevin Brown – Brown scored 12 tries, had 24 assists and was very
unlucky not to make the England Four Nation’s squad – he is a very talented and
skilful playmaker and attracted interest from Cronulla Sharks in the off
season. He has been made Club Captain after the retirement of hooker John
Clarke.
The Vikings have some quality outside backs in wingers Paddy Flynn, who
top scored with 16 tries last year, and Patrick Ah Van and centres Jack Owens
and Stefan Marsh whilst Brown is likely to be partnered with the talented
former Wigan youngster Joe Mellors. Full back Rhys Hanbury is a constant danger
and can score from anywhere the field.
My main concern is with their forward power and all round recruitment –
they have brought in Chris Clarkson (Leeds Rhinos), Gil Dudson (Wigan Warriors)
and Manase Manuakafoe (Bradfiord Bulls) to bolster their pack but I’m not too
sure that they will have a major impact although Aaron Heremaia (Hull FC) is a
very good replacement for the retired Clarke.
Coach Denis Betts has put a lot of faith in the players that earned them
a play off spot last year - Hep Cahill, Danny Galea, Willie Isa and Phil Joseph
all had career best years in 2014 – but I think their recruitment needed to be
much stronger if they are to even maintain their position in this streamlined
competition let alone challenge for a top 8 place.
STAR MAN - Kevin Brown –
Brown has
a massive impact on this team and everything goes through him. Stop Brown
and
you stop the Vikings, but he was so good last year he was difficult to stop.
COACH - Denis Betts
The
Wigan legend has been in charge at Widnes since November 2010 and took them
into Super League in 2012 and the plays offs for the first time in 2014. He has
done an excellent job
in improving the squad and performance of the team year
on year and was rewarded with a contract
extension to the end of 2017 earlier
this year.
11th
Place - WAKEFIELD TRINITY WILDCATS
The Wildcats are most people’s tips for the wooden spoon –
but I’m not too sure. They have an outstanding young coach in former Balmain,
Parramatta and Hull KR half back James Webster who had a positive impact on the
team when he replaced Richard Agar in June last year including wins over Wigan
Warriors, Leeds Rhinos and Warrington Wolves.
Tim Smith had a big impact on his return from his ill-fated
time at Salford Red Devils and will lead the team around the park again in 2015
– he will form a new half back partnership with the former West Tigers starlet
Jacob Miller who had his contract terminated at Hull FC.
The multi skilled Craig Hall (Hull KR) will be a great
addition to the squad whilst Ian Kirke (Leeds Rhinos), Lopini Paea and Mickael
Simon (both from Catalans Dragons) will bolster a pack hit by the loss of star
forward Taulima Tautai to Wigan Warriors.
Veteran forward Ali Lautiti is going round for another year,
club captain Danny Kirmond is always a strong performer whilst Jarrod Sammut
and Pita Godinet are capable of breaking the best of defences.
I don’t see them challenging for the top 8 but I think they
will surprise a few people with the odd result – consistency will be the main
problem.
STAR
MAN - Tim Smith
Smith returned after a
brief spell from Salford on loan last year and regained his enthusiasm for the game immediately. Has signed on for 2015 and will be the go to man for the
Wildcats and could form an explosive partnership with Jacob Miller.
COACH - James Webster
I think Webster will
be a great coach – he had a caretaker spell in charge at Hull KR pre Super
League in 2005 and won 9 from 9 and the Wildcats greatly improved after he took
over last year.
10th Place – HULL
FC
After
finishing 6th and reaching the challenge Cup Final in 2013, their 3rd
in 9 years, they replaced Head Coach Peter Gentle
with his assistant Lee Radford, a local born former Bradford Bulls and FC back
rower.
Last
year did not go as well as expected and they finished 11th.
Radford
has been supported by club owner Adam Pearson and has set about re-vamping his
squad in readiness for the celebration of the clubs 150th year anniversary.
They
have brought in the experienced back rower Mark Minichello from Gold Coast
Titans to
form a second row partnership
with club captain Gareth Ellis, Steve Michaels has been brought
in from the
same club to add some speed and
competition to the three quarter line whilst young
back Curtis Naughton has
returned to the UK after 1 year at the Sydney
Roosters.
The
major changes are at half back where they have brought in the vastly
experienced former
Bradford Bullsand St. Helens
multi Grand Final winner Leon Pryce (Catalans Dragons) and
have paid Salford
Red Devils £100,000 for the services
of Marc Sneyd who had an outstanding
2014 on loan at Castleford Tigers where he
had 30 try assists, second
only to Danny Brough
(Giants), and topped the goal kicking charts with 99.
They
replace the retired club legend Richard Horne and the much maligned Jacob
Miller,
whilst Jordan Rankin gives them
another option in the halves where he had an outstanding
first year for the
club in 2014.
They
have some talented and exciting youngsters in Tom Lineham, Callum Lancaster,
Jamie
Shaul, Jordan Abdul and Jansin
Turgut whilst Feleti Talanoa had a great year in 2014 and
they boast experienced
high quality forwards such as Ellis,
Joe Westerman, Danny Houghton
and Mickey Paea to play alongside Minichello.
With
all this quality they should be challenging for the top 6 at the minimum but
they always
flatter to deceive – they will
have good year (2013) and will follow that up with 2 or 3 year
poor years – I
think 2015 will be another year of struggle
with coach Radford struggling to get
the best out of his talented squad.
STAR
MAN - Gareth Ellis
The former
England international has continued the form he showed in his 3 years at Wests
Tigers and is a highly respected forward in the competition.
COACH - Lee Radford
Radford doesn’t mind
letting his players know when he is unhappy, sometimes via the media,
and the
team did not see to respond too well last season. He is overhauling the club
and needs
time, but he has a squad capable of making the top 6 and needs to see
major improvements
this year to keep the Old Faithful happy.
9th PLACE –
CASTLEFORD TIGERS
The
Tigers were the major improvers of 2014. They reached the challenge Cup Final
for the first
time in 20+ years, losing
to West Yorkshire rivals Leeds Rhinos, and went into the last round of
the
regular season needing a win at Catalans
Dragons to top the league for the first time in their
history having finished
12th in 2013.
They
lost that game, finished 4th and went out of the play off’s with a
whimper rather than a roar
losing 41-0 at St. Helens
and 30-14 at home to Warrington Wolves in the Preliminary semi finals.
Daryl
Powell took out the Coach of the Year award and hooker Daryl Clark won the
prestigious
Man of Steel after a stellar
year.
It
feels like the Tigers have been culled this year – it was already known that
Clark had signed
for the Warrington Wolves
but they also failed to negotiate a permanent deal for main playmaker
Marc
Sneyd who has now gone to Hull FC,
pack stars Craig Huby and Jamie Ellis have departed
to Huddersfield Giants,
back rower Weller Hauraki has joined
Salford Red Devils whilst
experienced wingman Kirk Dixon has been forced to
retire through injury.
I
don’t think the Tigers recruitment is anywhere near the calibre to repeat the
success of 2014
– the experienced Scott Moore
has been brought in to replace Clark, half back Luke Gale has
joined from
relegated Bradford Bulls and they Have
raided Melbourne Storm for talented half
back Ben Roberts and forward Junior
Moors.
They
will rely heavily on the skills of Roberts and will hope that he settles and
shows the form
that he is capable of quickly.
I
don’t see them being anywhere near as competitive this year and see them
finishing outside
the 8.
STAR
MAN - Ben Roberts
Roberts is an exciting
signing and has the potential to be explosive but he will need to settle
quickly if the Tigers are to make the 8.
COACH - Daryl Powell
The coach of the year in
2014 and for good reason. He is an outstanding coach and man
manager and is
highly respected by his players. He will be a major factor in whether his
new
squad makes the 8 or not – I’m just not too sure they have the right quality
this year.
==========================
Now, let's go through through the teams I think will finish in positions 8 to 5 –
finishing in these
positions not just after the
23 weekly rounds pre-Super 8’s but also after the additional 7 fixtures
which
means they will keep their Super League place for 2016 but will not compete for the right
to
qualify for the Grand Final.
8TH PLACE – HULL
KINGSTON ROVERS
I am a
Hull KR fan and have written a season preview for them on this blog and I
am, possibly, being slightly optimistic in having them finish in the top 8 –
but, hell, they are my team and why shouldn’t I be optimistic.
They
have made a wraft a new signings, 13 in total, as Chris Chester overhauls a
squad that missed out on the play offs and had a disappointing second half of
the season under his stewardship after he replaced the sacked Craig Sandercock.
A lot
of players have left the club including Neville Costigan, Justin Poore, Kris
Keating, Greg Eden, Craig Hall and co-captains Josh Hodgson and Travis Burns –
these 2 will be felt keenly as they were the stand out players in a poor side
last year and without them it would have been an even bigger struggle.
Discipline
was poor last year and there was no consistency whatsoever with a lot of good
first half 0performances being ruined by a mediocre second 40 minutes.
Chester
has recruited heavily and, on the face of it, very well – although the proof will
be in the performances.
They
have recruited well from the NRL and Terry Campese (Canberra Raiders) and
Albert Kelly (Gold Coast Titans) will form a potentially exciting new half back
combination – certainly Kelly has the pace and skill to be a big hit – if they
can both stay fit for long periods then they will be very influential.
Ken
Sio has come over from Parramatta Eels with a reputation as a try scorer with
bags of power and speed and Kieran Dixon (London Broncos), Darrell Goulding
(Wigan Warriors) and Josh Mantellato (Newcastle Knights) will give further
impetus to a back line that struggled for tries last year.
In the
forwards, ex St. George Illawarra prop Mick Weyman has been joined by Mitch
Allgood from Parramatta, experienced Leeds Rhinos prop Ryan Bailey and
youngsters Tyrone McCarthy (Northern Pride), James Donaldson (Bradford Bulls)
and Greg Burke (Wigan Warriors).
If the
new signings gel quickly then they have the potential to break into the 8 – but
it’s a big IF.
STAR
MAN - Albert Kelly
Much is expected
of Kelly but they need to keep him fit. If they do he could be one of the best signings of the
season. He has bags of pace and skill and come over with a reputation as a bit of maverick who can produce exciting plays.
COACH - Chris Chester
He has a lot to
prove after a poor start under his stewardship last year after 6 years
as assistant coach. He now has
a squad he has built and has brought in the experienced Willie Poching as his
assistant. He will need to ensure that they get off to a quick start to
challenge for the 8.
The
Dragons recovered from a slow start in 2014 to finish 7th and had
one of the stars in the competition in young full back Morgan Escare who ran in
27 tries.
In the
play offs they went to 5th placed Leeds Rhinos and won 24-20 thanks
to a last minute Sam Williams try and backed that up by beating 3rd
placed Huddersfield Giants 18-16 before exiting at the semi final stage at the
eventual Premiers St. Helens.
It was
a phenomenal effort and shows what the Dragons can be capable of – there
problem is consistency away from home. They are very strong in the South of
France but struggle with their away form during the regular season.
I
don’t think they will be hurt too much by the loss of players such as Leon
Pryce (Hull FC), Lopini Paea and Mickael Simon (both Wakefield Trinity
Wildcats) and Sam Williams (Canberra Raiders) whilst the loss of centre Daryl
Millard (South Sydney Rabbitohs) will be felt most keenly.
They
have recruited only 3 new players but all 3 will have major impacts on the
squad – prop forward Remi Casty has re-joined the club after 1 season with
Sydney Roosters, former Queensland and Australia centre Willie Tonga has
replaced Millard in the three quarters whilst controversial half back Todd
Carney, sacked by Cronulla in mid-June, is their major signing and has the
ability to turn them into a top 4 team. Whether he has the temperament to play
the part that is expected of him is another matter.
I just
think there regular season form, particularly away from home, will prevent them
making a charge for a higher league placing.
STAR
MAN - Todd Carney
Carney has
the ability, has the skill, has the kicking game – does he have the will and temperament
to succeed in Super League?
COACH - Laurent Frayssinous
The former French international took over from Trent Robinson at the end of the
2012
season and has taken his team to 7th place in his first two
seasons although he led them
to the semi finals last year. A quiet and
unassuming man, he goes about his work quietly
and efficiently.
6TH PLACE – LEEDS
RHINOS
Although
the Rhinos won the Challenge Cup for the first time in 15 years in 2014, it
would
be fair to say that last year could
be deemed to be somewhat of a failure.
For a
club that has 6 Grand Final wins in the last 10 years to finish the regular
season in
6th and exit the play offs in the
first round in front of their own fans to the 7th placed Dragons
was
a major disappointment. Although they would have
struggled to get to the Grand Final
from 6th they would have seen it
as a challenge as they won their last 2
Super League titles
from 5th place.
The
Dragons defeat was their 6th in a row – their longest losing streak
since 2000.
The
Rhinos have the most experienced and successful squad in Super League and is
full of star names with huge talent.
However,
a lot of that talent is nearing the end of it’s time with the likes of Jamie
Peacock,
Kevin Sinfield, Danny McGuire,
Rob Burrow, Kylie Leuluai and Jamie Jones Buchannan
firmly in the twilight of
their careers.
Their
only major new signing is that of Newcastle Knights forward Adam Cuthbertson –
a man who may be seen as a long
term replacement for Peacock who is expected to
retire at the end of the year.
Carl
Ablett, Ryan Hall, Joel Moon and Kallum Watkins have all signed new long term
deals whilst their only major loss is Ben
Jones Bishop who has gone to the Salford Red
Devils. Veteran forwards Ryan
Bailey (Hull KR) and Ian Kirke (Wakefield)
have gone to
pastures new but their loss will be felt less keenly.
Full
back Zak Hardaker will be expected to continue his great form of 2014 and is a
constant threat in attack aswell as being
a solid defender whilst gun youngsters Stevie
Ward, Liam Sutcliffe and Brad
Singleton will be expected to play a more
major role in
the class of 2015.
With
the quality they have the Rhinos will always be competitive but I don’t see
them
challenging for the top 4 this year and I
think there best chance of success will be in
the defence of the Challenge Cup.
STAR
MAN - Zak Hardaker
Hardaker is one of the best attacking full back's in the League, he will be looking to
challenge Sam Tomkins for his international spot.
COACH - Brian McDermott
Two
Super League titles, a World Club Challenge win and now a Challenge Cup
win
mean that the formerRoyal Marine McDermott is one of the most successful
coaches in Leeds history. A potential future England coach he is methodical in
his
approach and well respected by his players.
5TH PLACE – SALFORD
RED DEVILS
I
think it’s now or never for the Red Devils to repay the faith shown in them by
their
owner, Dr. Marwin Koukash, and I believe
2015 will be the year that they break into
the top 6. If they don’t I think
they’ll definitely be looking for a new coach
as Koukash
will not accept another year of failure.
He has
invested a lot of money since taking over in 2013 and both 2013 and 2014
season’s
ended with the team getting
nowhere near the play offs and former Great Britain coach
Brian Noble was
replaced by Iestyn Harris.
The former Welsh National Coach did
not cover himself in glory last year despite the
‘Devilution’ starting with
high calibre signings such as Rangi Chase, Adrian
Morley,
Gareth Hock, Francis Meli, Tim Smith, Tony Puletua, Steve Rapira and
Junior Sa’u
amongst others.
They
also added New Zealand international full back Kevin Locke and young London
Broncos flyer Mason Caton-Brown
mid season with Locke, in particular, making an
immediate impact before
struggling with niggling injuries.
Whilst
Smith and Rapira have swiftly departed, coach Harris has added even more top
quality signings to hissquad in the
off season – the main signing being former Hull KR
scrum half Michael Dobson
who has returned to Super League after
failing to win a spot
in the Newcastle Knights NRL squad last year. He will,
without doubt, be one of the
major players
in Super League again.
They
have also brought in three quarter Ben Jones-Bishop (Leeds Rhinos) along with
front rowers Scott Taylor (Wigan
Warriors) and Matt Groat (St. George Illawarra) and
experienced back rowers
Cory Patterson (Wests Tigers) and
Weller Hauraki (Castleford
Tigers).
If
Dobson and Chase hit it off then this team could even break into the top 4 just
like
the Tiger did last year – I think it will
come down to the coaching and management
style of Harris to see how far this
talented bunch will go.
STAR
MAN - Michael Dobson
A
failure in the NRL but a star in Super League – he will be the player to take
the Red
Devils to their most successful season in many years.
COACH - Iestyn Harris
The
former Wales coach does not fill me with confidence and a lot will ride in his
ability
to get this team to play together. It could go either way, but Koukash
may react if results
are not going well in the first half of the season.
So, let's look at the 4 teams I
think will compete in the first ever top 4
play offs and
play straight for a place in the Grand Final. The top ranked team will play the fourth
ranked team and he second ranked team will play the third ranked team with the teams
ranked first and second having home advantage – nice and straight forward!!
After 23 regular season games plus 7 Super 8 matches, I think the top 4 will line up as follows:
4TH PLACE –
HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS
The
Giants have been a strong outfit for a number of years now and topped the
league
table in 2013 for the first time in
over 50 years under rookie coach Paul Anderson. They
couldn’t match that feat
in 2013 but still finished a handy 3rd but
they have yet to convince
that they have
what it takes to make the next big step and reach a Grand Final.
They
have the best half back in the competition, and one of the best in the world,
in
Danny Brough who has 63 ry assists
over the last 2 years and has a brilliant kicking
game and strong running game.
Forward
strength is still vital to the Giants cause and although they have let the
outstanding Larne Patrick join rivals Wigan
and big Antonio Kaufusi has gone home
to the Canterbury Bulldogs, the have
brought in Craig Huby (Castleford
Tigers) who
had the best year of his career in 2014 to add to the existing
power of Eorl Crabtree,
Brett Ferres,
Ukuma Ta’ai, Chris Bailey and Michael Lawrence.
They
have two exceptional hookers in Shaun Lunt and Luke Robinson, who can also
play
half back, and they are now backed
up by another new addition from Castleford
Tigers, Jamie Ellis, another player
who can fill a half back or hooking
role.
Their
strike power in the backs is also strong with the likes of Jermaine McGilivary,
Joe Wardle, Aaron Murphy and Jodie
Broughton able to score tries for fun from
anywhere on the pitch.
England
international centre Leroy Cudjoe also has a point to prove after missing on
the Four Nations squad.
This
is a squad with depth and strength all over the park and they could replicate
their success of 2013 but they seem to
fade at some point in the season which costs
them and they haven’t been tough
enough mentally to win the BIG play
off games.
If
they can eradicate these two regular occurrences then you could see them at Old
Trafford in October.
STAR MAN - Danny
Brough
Brough is sheer quality with a bit of attitude thrown in – he has the all round
game to
dominate matches and is a
world class goal kicker. The only problem is that if he doesn’t
fire the Giants
struggle.
COACH - Paul
Anderson
The big former Bulls and St. Helens prop forward has done an
outstanding job since
taking over from Nathan
Brown at the end of 2012 winning the Giants first major trophy
in a generation.
He has a burning desire to succeed
and the common sense and ability
to bring out the best in his players.
3RD PLACE – WIGAN
WARRIORS
Wigan
were disappointed to finish 2014 without a trophy after winning the double in
coach Shaun Wane’s first season in
charge in 2013 and there is no doubt that Wane
will have the Warriors fired up
to regain at least oneof the major trophy’s
in 2015.
Blake
Green is a major loss having returned to the NRL with Melbourne Storm after
4
successful years in Super League
– the Warriors have not gone out and bought a
ready made replacement but have
handed Green’s no. 6 jersey
to talented local
youngster George Williams who they will look to start
alongside England international
Matty Smith.
Lee
Mossop has returned after an injury plagued year with Parramatta Eels and the
former Eels and Cronulla Sharks forward
Taulima Tautai has joined after a storming
season with Wakefield Trinity
Wildcats.
Other
than that Wane has kept faith in his squad from last year with gun winger Joe
Burgess hoping to end his time at the
Warriors with another big season before he
heads to the Sydney Roosters.
There
is quality all over the park from Matty Bowen at full back, wingers Burgess
and
Josh Charnley and Anthony Gelling
and Dan Sarginson in the centre - Sarginson
was the stand out England back in
the recent Four Nations tournament.
Their
forwards are as strong as any in the competition and in Liam Farrell, Joel
Tomkins
and Sean O’Loughlin, with Larne
Patrick thrown into the mix, they have a very powerful
and athletic back row
whilst hooker Michael McIlorum adds
as much grunt and attitude
as is needed.
They
will mount a serious challenge for all honours in 2015.
STAR MAN - Sean
O’Loughlin
The captain is the heart and soul of the squad and when he is on
form the Warriors are
difficult to beat.
Whether defending or attacking, O’Loughlin never shirks a challenge –
they just
need him to stay fit.
COACH - Shaun
Wane
Wane is an old school blood and thunder no frills coach. If his team
aren’t playing well he
let’s them know
in no uncertain terms. Won the double in his first season after inheriting
the
Head Coach’s role from Michael Maguire
and will be desperate to bring more trophies
back to his home town club.
2ND PLACE – ST.
HELENS
Their
Grand Final winning coach Nathan Brown may have headed home to Australia but
they have replaced him with club
legend Kieron Cunningham who will enjoy the unbridled
support of players and
fans. It remains to be seen if this appointment
is too early in
Cunningham’s coaching career.
The
Saints won the Grand Final last year despite being without a number of
important
players for large chunks of the season
– the likes of Jonny Lomax, Jon Wilkin, Luke
Walsh and Anthony Laffranchi were
all missing at some point with veteran
full back and
captain Paul Wellens forming an unlikely half back partnership
with back rower Wilkin
at times.
But
they still had enough to see the job through with players like try scoring
winger
Tommy Makinson, world class hooker
James Roby, Lance Hohaia, Jordan Turner,
Kyle Amor and Mose Masoe standing out.
Half
back Walsh had a great start to his first year at Saints before he broke his
fibula
and tore ankle ligaments against Widnes
in July – an injury that ended his season.
In
2015 Walsh will be partnered by his former Penrith Panthers team mate Travis
Burns
who has signed after 2 good years
at Hull KR. This half back partnership could tear
Super League defences apart
and how well they combine will go a
long way to deciding
if the Saints can defend their title.
They
have lost good players in Sia Soliola, Willie Manu and Gary Wheeler whilst they
have brought in only Burns, at Cunningham’s
insistence, and powerful forward Atelea
Vea from London Broncos.
Having
Lomax and Walsh back will be huge plusses and new captain Jon Wilkin will
want
to mark his first year at the helm
with a major trophy.
STAR MAN - James
Roby
Mr perpetual motion, Roby is one of the best hooker’s in the world and
has
a phenomenal work rate. Saints
are a much better side when he is in it.
COACH - Kieron
Cunningham
Club legend and rookie coach, no doubt Saints would have liked him
to have
another year or two under Nathan Brown. This will be a big test for
Cunningham
and he will need good staff around him.The support of the players
and fans is
unquestioned and it will be interesting to see how Saints go under
him.
LEAGUE LEADERS SHIELD WINNERS
– WARRINGTON WOLVES
The
Wolves could only finish 5th in the table in 2014 after being losing
Grand
Finalists in 2012 and 2013 – despite that lower than expected finish they
still made
the qualifying semi finals and only lost out 16-12 to the Wigan Warriors
in one of
the games of 2015.
They
have a very strong squad and like to play entertaining rugby league. Coach
Tony
Smith has been very selective in his recruitment for 2015.
They
have added England hooker and last year’s Man of Steel Daryl Clark to their
squad, in place of the retired Michael Monaghan, and he will add even more pace
to a side that is not short of try scoring ability. Clark is brilliant from
acting half, can
score from anywhere and go the full 80 minutes if needed.
Gary
Wheeler is an under the radar but shrewd signing from St. Helens – if he can
stay fit he could be an excellent signing whilst it will be interesting to see
how Fijian
international prop Ashton Sims settles in to his new surroundings –
much is expected
of him.
The Wolves
have an abundance of speed and skill in the backs with the likes of full
back
Matty Russell, last year’s Super League top try scorer Joel Monaghan plus
England internationals Chris Bridge, Richie Myler, Ryan Atkins and Stefan
Ratchford
whilst young half back Gareth O’Brien is expected to push in from his
fine form of last
year.
Their
forward pack, enhanced by the presence of Sims, is big and strong. Chris Hill
was one of the most impressive forwards in the Four Nations tournament and up
for
the Man of Steel award last year. Last years co-captain Ben Westwood will
be looking
to regain his England shirt after missing out through injury last
year – add Ben Harrison,
Roy Asotasi, Micky Higham and James Laithwaite to the
mix and you have a squad that
will challenge for both major honours in 2015.
STAR MAN - Daryl
Clark
The England hooker has a tough job replacing Michael Monaghan but he is
more
than up to the task. In fact, I think he will go one step further and take
the Wolves to the
Super League title.
COACH - Tony
Smith
Smith is one of the most successful coaches in the Super League era. Two Grand
Final wins with Leeds Rhinos, three Challenge Cup wins, one League Leaders
Shield and two losing Grand Final appearances with Warrington Wolves are
testimony to Smith’s coaching expertise.
So the
semi finals would be:
Warrington
Wolves v. Huddersfield Giants
and
St.
Helens v. Wigan Warriors
Two
fantastic clashes and games that could go either way – the season has not even
started yet so it is impossible to be sure about anything in the year ahead
but I am
tipping a Warrington Wolves v. Wigan Warriors Grand Final and the
winners will be…………..
WARRINGTON WOLVES
You
heard it here first!!!!!
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Below is the link to the new video for Super League XX that was launched just recently.
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