Following on from my opening article, here is a preview of the four teams that I think will finish in positions fifth to eighth.
I’m not just accounting for the regular season 23 games but also the additional seven games that the top eight teams will play against each other – this means that these teams will retain their place in Super League for the 2016 season, but will not compete for the right to qualify for the grand final.
Hull Kingston Rovers – 8th
I am a Hull KR fan and have written a season preview for them on The Roar and I am, possibly, being slightly optimistic in having them finish in the top eight – 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. The latter two 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 performances 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 halfback 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, former 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 eight – 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.
Coach: Chris Chester
He has a lot to prove after a poor start under his stewardship last year following six 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 eight
Catalans Dragons – 7th
The Dragons recovered from a slow start in 2014 to finish seventh 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 fifth placed Leeds Rhinos and won 24-20 thanks to a last minute Sam Williams try and backed that up by beating third 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 – but their 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). But the loss of centre Daryl Millard (South Sydney Rabbitohs) will be felt most keenly.
They have recruited only three new players but all three will have major impacts on the squad – prop forward Remi Casty has re-joined the club after one season with Sydney Roosters, former Queensland and Australia centre Willie Tonga has replaced Millard while controversial halfback Todd Carney, sacked by Cronulla in mid-June, is their major signing and has the ability to turn them into a top four team. Whether he has the temperament to play the part that is expected of him is another matter.
I just think their regular season form, particularly away from home, will prevent them making a charge for a higher league placing.
Star man: Todd Carney
He 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 seventh place in his first two year, although he led them to the semi-finals last year. A quiet and unassuming man, he goes about his work quietly and efficiently.
Leeds Rhinos – 6th
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 six grand final wins in the last 10 years to finish the regular season in sixth and exit the play-offs in the first round in front of their own fans to the seventh placed Dragons was a major disappointment.
Although they would have struggled to get to the grand final from sixth they would have seen it as a challenge as they won their last two Super League titles from fifth place. The Dragons defeat was their sixth 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 its 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 while 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 losses will be felt less keenly.
Fullback Zak Hardaker will be expected to continue his great form of 2014 and is a constant threat in attack as well as being a solid defender, while 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 four this year, and I think their best chance of success will be in the defence of the Challenge Cup.
Star man: Zak Hardaker
He’s one of the best attacking fullbacks in the league, is an exciting player and could 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 former Royal Marine is one of the most successful coaches in Leeds history. A definite future England coach, he is methodical in his approach and well respected by his players.
Salford Red Devils – 5th
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 six. 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 the past two seasons ended with the team getting nowhere near the pla- offs and former Great Britain coach Brian Noble was replaced by Iestyn Harris.
Harris 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 among others.
They also added New Zealand international fullback 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.
While Smith and Rapira have swiftly departed, coach Harris has added even more top quality signings to his squad 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 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 four 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, Dobson 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.
Tomorrow we will look at the top four that will compete for the grand final places – you can work out who will be in there – but let’s see where I think they will finish and maybe we will get a prediction as to who will take out Super League.
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