Mad World

The latest craze in Rugby League is, "Who can snag an ex Bull?". Leigh Centurions have snagged their man, James Clare. Admittedly Leigh have had tabs on the flying winger for some time now, but everybody seems to be at it. Even Widnes who have singularly failed to sign anyone in the off-season have bagged one in the shape of Tom Olbison. Salford got Eddie the Werewolf (Kris Welham), one of those PITA players that you hate to see line up for the opposition.

Personally I am delighted Leigh have got a winger with Super League experience, and a superb try scoring record, because this was an area of weakness in the squad. All this comes at a time when Business men are frantically trying to salvage a Bradford team for the upcoming season. 12 points down and no players with 5 weeks before the start of the season, they are going to be scouring the local amateur sides and raiding academies just to field a team. Hull KR must be delighted, with all the media attention that will surround a first Phoenix Bradford team, and playing a team that will be only just on first name terms with each other.

Expect a point a minute as Hull KR are able to execute all their training ground moves.

As it stands there is no Bradford team, and all those ex Bulls players are without a salary. I do not blame any of them taking opportunities where they can, and I applaud any club who can find a home for one of these players. I just hope that when Bradford are desperate for players, then these clubs offer Bradford loan players so they can get back on their feet.

The Lonely Bull

The story for me begins Sunday 15th February 2015. The first game of the Championship, Leigh Centurions vs Bradford Bulls, the current Championship Winning team against the once mighty Bradford Bulls recently relegated in the Super League reshuffle from 14 teams to 12. A beautiful crisp and sunny February day with 7,449 fans willing to see their team win at all costs. For Leigh it was a gauge to see how their promotion ambitions would fare against a recent Super League team, for Bradford Bulls, this was a chance to put the noisy upstarts in there place. The atmosphere was absolutely electric.

The story unfolded as per the article from Yorkshire Post. Leigh were down at half time 6-20 with the Bulls rampant in the first period. The game was marred by violent niggly play by both teams and cards were flourished at regular intervals. In the end Leigh stormed past by Bradford with relative ease, but all who witnessed this game had seen a fantastic spectacle of two teams going at it tooth and nail. A modern day rivalry was started on that day, and it would be Leigh who would have the upper hand throughout. Bradford would get revenge that season and it was they not Leigh who eventually competed for the Million Pound game. In achieving that one game of 80 minutes Bradford had gambled big style, running a team at a loss in the attempt to return to Super League at the first time of asking. In many ways this was the beginning of the end.

The London Broncos chose the other route and have slowly build a team strong enough to finish 2nd in 2016, The Centurions dusted themselves down and built a stronger team that no longer resembled the Championship winning team of 2014. Instead it contained 13 internationals and a team of gnarly veterans and bad boys. Bradford in contrast would go backwards, with inconsistent form and financial problems.

The Golden Age of the Bradford Bulls came into effect with the advent of Super League and they would eventually win 3 Grand Finals. Looking back with hindsight at what cost was this achieved. 2012 - 2017 has seen an assortment of maladies Administrations, Relegation, and Liquidation. Despite the rivalry of the last 2 years it is sad that the Bradford Bulls no longer exist but the club has been mismanaged for a very long time and for some reason I think the biggest issue is the ground itself. Odsal is an expensive millstone around their neck, and a new stadium or a ground share would be a better option.

The recent decision by the RFL to keep a place open in the Championship for Bradford is wrong, it is based on the RFL having a stake in Odsal. Demoting them to Championship 1, would reduce income for a newly formed team and would make Odsal under the current terms non-viable.

The RFL should be fair to all it's members and they should have a standard set of punishments. Other clubs Oldham, Gateshead etc have been exiled to the lowest league, so it is wrong for them to be given special privileges.

A Day At The Races

Castleford Tigers
Ins: Zak Hardaker (loan), Jesse Sene-Lefao, Larne Patrick, Greg Eden, Tuoyo Egodo, Dan Igbinedion

Outs: Luke Dorn, Denny Solomona, Lee Jewitt, Frankie Mariano, Ryan Boyle, Jy Hitchcox, Ben Crooks (loan), Will Maher (loan), Tom Holmes (loan)

There is no doubt that Castleford have lost some attacking power, with the loss of Luke Dorn and Denny Solomona. Daryl Powell is a shrewd operator and I have no doubt he will plug these holes somehow. Zak Hardaker is not a like for like swap and despite the previous Man of Steel accolade he looked more like Man of Balsa Wood. In a struggling Leeds side he tried damn hard to stop the rot, but the more he tried the worse he got. Maybe the NRL straightened him out, but only time will tell if the Man of Steel was a flash in the pan. I expect Castleford to be as unpredictable as last year but without the flair.

Prediction 6th

Catalans Dragons
Ins: Sam Moa, Greg Bird, Luke Burgess, Luke Walsh, Mickael Simon, Brayden Wiliame, Iain Thornley

Outs: Todd Carney, Glenn Stewart, Dave Taylor, Eloi Pelissier, Gregory Mounis, Morgan Escare, Romain Navarette, Stan Robin, Antoni Maria, Olivier Elima

Another rebuilding year for the Catalan side, after showing much early promise they became porous in the second half of the season. The out going players show a ripping up of the 2016 team, with a lot of good talent walking out of the door. I expect the Dragons to really struggle this time out.

Prediction 8th

Huddersfield GiantsIns: Lee Gaskell, Dale Ferguson, Paul Clough, Jake Mamo, Shannon Wakeman

Outs: Scott Grix, Joe Wardle, Eorl Crabtree, Craig Huby, Larne Patrick, Kyle Wood, Jake Connor, Josh Johnson, Jamie Ellis (loan)

2016 was not a good year for the Giants, and the transfers in and out suggest that things are not going to get any easier any time soon. Relying on recruitment from the sinking wreckage of the Bradford Bulls, does not look like the way to bolster a flaying Super League team. The Huddersfield pack looks on the weak side losing Crabtree, Patrick, and Huby. Many people are expecting a very difficult year for the Giants.

Prediction 12th

Hull FC
Ins: Josh Griffin, Jake Connor, Albert Kelly, Nick Rawsthorne

Outs: Leon Pryce, Iafeta Palea’aesina, Frank Pritchard, Kirk Yeaman, Harry Tyson-Wilson, Reece Dean, Jordan Abdull (loan)

I will personally miss the might and power of Frank "The Tank" Pritchard, but there is more than a little muscle in this Hull side. The Challenge Cup victory was the end of the season for Hull. Dreams of doing a Leeds and winning everything disappeared very sharply after the elation. I expect Albert Kelly to be back to his best and for this to be a remarkable season for the Black and Whites, with no derby games to distract.

Prediction 1st

Leeds Rhinos
Ins: Jack Ormandroyd, Cory Aston, Matt Parcell

Outs: Mitch Achurch, Zak Hardaker (loan)

Not much activity going on at Headingley this season. The top priority has been a quality Hooker, and with the stay away Segeyaro, they have had to scour the NRL looking for an available player willing to make Leeds his home. Matt Parcell looks on a paper to be an adequate if not an upgrade on Segeyaro. Nobody thinks that this Leeds team will be serious challengers but they can not be as bad in 2017 as they were in 2016. Much is still dependant on the ageing half backs, and there needs to be an improvement in the youngsters. The backs still look strong, but they are in need of someone who can slot over those conversions with more regularity than was evident last season

Prediction 5th

Leigh Centurions
Ins: Glenn Stewart, Eloi Pelissier, Antoni Maria, Atelea Vea, Ryan Hampshire, James Green, David Thompson, Ben Crooks (loan)

Outs: Greg Worthington, Liam Kay, Fuifui Moimoi, Bob Beswick, Johnny Pownall, Reni Maitua, Tom Spencer, Andrew Dixon, Tom Armstrong, Eze Harper, Richard Whiting, Sam Barlow

Plenty of activity at the LSV, and most it forced by the emergence of the Toronto Centurions. Some of the positions where vacated during the 2016 season and have already been bloodied into the team like Josh Drinkwater, Mitch Brown and Matty Dawson. Ben Crooks and Atelea Vea will fill holes, but the strengthening will come from Glenn Stewart and Eloi Pelissier. A tough year ahead but this is a team full of experience.

Prediction 9th

Salford Red Devils
Ins: Lama Tasi, Lee Mossop, Kris Brining, Daniel Murray

Outs: Josh Griffin, Daniel Vidot, Tommy Lee, Phil Joseph, Mason Caton-Brown, Matt Sarsfield, Matty Gee, Jordan Andrade, Sean Kenny, Luke Burgess

After much soul searching Marwan Koukash reversed his decision. Go down he would stay, survive and he would sell. The tense nature of survival allowed him to change his mind, but not without changes. Tim Sheens as gone leaving Ian Watson alone in the hot seat. Corners have been cut and spending is to be reduced in attempt to get the club in a situation where it can survive without a wealthy benefactor. The reserve grade as been cut, but the club are nowhere near solving the issue of increased revenue, and an expensive rental agreement for the stadium. 4 in and 10 out tells it's own story, and a club that struggled for large periods after the points deduction was finally applied. There is a good team in there somewhere, I am just not sure it is going to find itself this season.

Prediction 11th

St Helens
Ins: Ryan Morgan, Luke Douglas, Matty Smith, Adam Walker, Tommy Lee

Outs: Travis Burns, Jordan Turner, Lama Tasi, Atelea Vea, Luke Walsh, Andre Savelio, Shannon McDonnell, Lewis Charnock, Olly Davies, Matthew Haggerty, Levy Nzougou

Quite a list of departees. St Helens have obvious strengths and fragile egos. The forwards are good, the backs are good, but the half backs do not work in tandem. The closest they got last season was Jordan Turner made the switch at the back end of the season. Out goes Burns, Walsh and Turner and only one half back signed. Nobody doubts the boot of Matty Smith, but one suspects that St Helens need a more creative spark, and where is the cover coming from with only Smith and Farge as the experienced half backs. Expect plenty of wins but for St Helens to be as dull as dishwater (Wigan 2016 style)

Prediction 4th

Wakefield Trinity
Ins: Scott Grix, Kyle Wood, Mitchell Allgood, Sam Williams, Craig Huby, Mason Caton-Brown, Keegan Hirst

Outs: Richard Owen, Nick Scruton, Scott Moore, Mickael Simon, Anthony Tupou, Scott Anderson, Stuart Howarth, Craig Hall, Andy Yates, Jason Walton

Wakefield appear to be building on top of what was a solid 2016 season. Recruitment looks strong but expect Wakefield to be unpredictable, it seems to be part of their DNA.

Prediction 7th

Warrington Wolves
Ins: Kevin Brown, Mike Cooper, Dom Crosby, Andre Savelio, Matty Blythe

Outs: Chris Sandow, Mitchell Dodds, James Laithwaite, Ben Evans, Gary Wheeler, Jordan Cox, Ryan Bailey, Daniel Murray, David Thompson

What a season for Warrington, involved in the treble but falling short at the big hurdles. Big disruptions with Sandow, but the rumour was he was just bad news off the field. Kevin Brown is still at the top of his game, but the big question is how many games will that be? Declan Patton looks like a very able replacement, but is it all a big gamble? Every Warrington fan expects this to be their season, but then again they say that every year. Expect the nearly men to live up to their reputation.

Prediction 2nd

Widnes Vikings
Ins: Tom Armstrong

Outs: Kevin Brown, Setaimata Sa, Paddy Flynn, Almer Salvilla

A wafer thin squad made even more transparent with a weak recruitment drive. Rumours of financial problems are backed up by the lack of purchase power even with a reputed £200 K burning a hole in Steve O'Connor's pocket. There is a lot of pressure being heaped on Tom Gilmore to adequately replace the departing Kevin Brown.

Prediction 10th

Wigan Warriors
Ins: Joe Burgess, Thomas Leuluai, Morgan Escaré, Romain Navarette, Liam Forsyth

Outs: Josh Charnley, Dan Sarginson, Matty Smith, Dom Crosby, Lee Mossop, Ryan Hampshire, Luke Waterworth

Award for the most boring team to watch 2016 went to Wigan on an unanimous vote. Even the Wigan supporters club (Sky Sports) put the boot in. 4 drives down the middle (One man Rugby) throw the ball on the 5th and then kick. Rinse and repeat. It was quite telling in the absence of Wigan Players, with the exception of Dom Manfredi. The one thing they did do well was defend except against Wakefield 62-0 in case anybody has forgotten that little gem. All credit must go to the team for finishing the season like a runaway train. Burgess, Leuluai and Escare are interesting signings, but is it enough to finish top of the pile?
Prediction 3rd