Super League 2014

[kinboshi]

Kicks off again on Friday, with double-winning Wigan facing league leaders shield winners Huddersfield.

Click to see full-size image.

Who are people's picks this season? Will Wigan be able to compete  after the exodus of some world class players, or will the next set of stars from the academy and the new signings not be able to deliver the results from last season? Have Warrington missed their chance now they too have lost some key players? How good will Leeds and Saints be this season? What about Huddersfield, and of course moneybags Salford? 

[Acidmouse]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-2552600/Slammin-Sam-league-hit-2015-World-Cup-spectacular-code-switch-comes-off.html

Sam burgess to Union...eekk.

[BulldozerD]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-2552600/Slammin-Sam-league-hit-2015-World-Cup-spectacular-code-switch-comes-off.html

Sam burgess to Union...eekk.

don't really watch union but the fact they want to sign a prop to play in the centres speaks volumes.

at first it looked like this was just media rubbish but the stuff I have read this morning seems to suggest this is serious. Really surprised given his current lifestyle/standing etc in Oz.

[TightEnd]

Without looking at odds, what would you say for top try scorer this season

Charnley doesn't have Burgess to produce as many openings, but will be favourite

Ryan Hall?

Monaghan?

[BulldozerD]

Without looking at odds, what would you say for top try scorer this season

Charnley doesn't have Burgess to produce as many openings, but will be favourite

Ryan Hall?

Monaghan?

I presume you mean Tomkins Tighty...However Goulding provides a good foil for Charnley in this respect and Bowen (if stays fit) could be a real provider that could match Tomkins.

Meh I dunno with these things as so much depends on staying injury free and also some teams seem to have a certain selection policy mid/late season where players are protected for the play-off series. Also Salford are a real unknown.

Charnley/Hall/Monaghan will certainly be favourites but it will be interesting to see how Briscoe will fit in at Leeds and who will be the regular starting wingers. I may favour Monaghan but he is not getting any younger and I think Charnley is the safer bet.

As an outside chance, Carney for Cas will score a lot of tries if a) he isn't injured and b) stops getting sent off so he isn't suspended. In recent years Castleford have scored and conceded a lot of tries. Maybe an each way bet.

Another outside chance may be someone like Broughton at Huddersfield, who has loads of pace and Hudds will probably play full throttle throughout the season.

[Acidmouse]

Similair to last season I really believe there will be a fair few big priced winners in games this season, esp early on. With relegation it will make the season much more interesting imo, can't wait for the mad scramble.

Tonight Hudds 2/1 seems reasonable to me to beat Wigan.

[Acidmouse]

Good start, easy win. Bookies clueless after the teams were announced.

[kinboshi]

Yeah, only one team was going to win last night. Wigan still clueless when O'Loughlin isn't in the side. With a week to go to the WCC, Wane obviously didn't want to risk him. Also, you certainly don't win the league in February as was shown last season. Huddersfield looked good though, and will be the consistent side through the regular season again.

What did people think about the video ref thing?

Watching the backs of two middle-aged blokes struggling to use their Sky+ boxes isn't great TV. We don't need to see them, just show the screen and have the audio.

At least it's the back of Ganson, rather than having to look at his face.

It's like that wire cam thing. Doesn't really add anything and detracts from the viewing experience. Good to try things though, but hope they decide to tweak it a bit.

[kinboshi]

Oh, andI  have no idea how Bowen stayed on the pitch. The ref obviously missed it, but surely someone could have had a word in his ear? Was at least a sin-binning.

[Acidmouse]

I was watching on my phone so didn't get the best views of the new video ref, seemed ok and a bit more transparent.

The Bowen tackle was a clear sending off, late, high and hard. No idea why refs take the easy way out so often and put players on report! Make decisions please, not a tackle I want to see again.

Agree with you Kin, Wigan looked like they were already on the flight to Aussie. Means nothing the game apart from Hudds look like a solid team, they did wobble abit when Brough wasted the try scoring chance with a knock on and Wigan got a bit of momentum from it.

[Acidmouse]

2-2 on the outsider bets with Saints winning last night. Will look over the weekends games see if any standout.

[TightEnd]

put them on TfT please

I had Monaghan first Try at 8-1 last night

Couldn't beleive the price for a prolific tryscorer

St Helens look to have turned round quickly, going to be right up there

[Acidmouse]

put them on TfT please

I had Monaghan first Try at 8-1 last night

Couldn't beleive the price for a prolific tryscorer

St Helens look to have turned round quickly, going to be right up there

Yes last night was a good marker for Saints who started last season very badly with the new coach. Must admit I was a little suprised at the result/score.

[BulldozerD]

Oh, andI  have no idea how Bowen stayed on the pitch. The ref obviously missed it, but surely someone could have had a word in his ear? Was at least a sin-binning.

I saw this on replay and didn't think it was anything really bad as he half pulled out of the tackle before he hit Grix and I'd have been really surprised if he would have been sent off for this - as an aside, if the high tackle was considered bad enough, you can't sin bin for that offence IIRC.

Just shows how people things view incidents differently

[BulldozerD]

I tipped Saints last season as they had a good mix of really good up and coming youngsters and good experienced pros. Missed the game last night but sounds like they looked really good and well led by Luke Walsh.

Walsh is a decent signing - when they originally signed him he was under pressure in the NRL as he was seen as too weak in defence and not willing to take the line on etc and was about to lose his place in the Penrith team. After that he played really well and turned his form right around. On that form would have definitely been capable of staying in the NRL and his goalkicking was excellent. Maybe the rejection by Penrith or allowing him to move to the UK made him work harder on his game and now looks a real top player to me.

I'm from the other side of the pennines but always had a soft spot for Saints as they always play a really attractive style.