Soldato
Here's the new thread for the Rugby League Season SLXX and as usual we start it off with a bit of Q&A:
1. Your team?
2. Your highlight of last season?
3. Your expectations this season?
4. Your most anticipated new signings?
5. Who you think will win the league leaders shield?
6. Who will be the dark horses of the competition?
7. Any updates from your club, new ground etc?
8. Final league position of your club?
9. What (or who) will be your clubs weakness next year?
10. Here's what the bookies think, is it fair on your team?
11. Best first 17?
Wigan Warriors 11/4
St Helens 7/2
Warrington Wolves 4/1
Leeds Rhinos 9/2
Huddersfield Giants 14/1
Catalan Dragons 12/1
Salford Red Devils 20/1
Hull FC 33/1
Castleford Tigers 33/1
Hull KR 66/1
Widnes Vikings 100/1
Wakefield Wildcats 150/1
My answers:
1. Hull KR.
2. Probably knowing finally that we had no chance of reaching the playoffs! A pretty dismal year all round.
3. To make the top 8. I've given up aiming for higher. Going to be a tough start, especially with a number of new signings but they managed to get it together a bit at the end of the friendly against FC today and managed to pull out a win (for what its worth) of 22-28.
4. Well I got it completely wrong in my backing of Kris Keating last year. He was pretty terrible and I can't really remember a moment where he excelled. Travis Burns was much the better player but even he was unconvincing and often went missing when somebody was required to grab the game by the scruff of the neck. I'm actually glad he's gone, to be honest. He was one of those troublesome ego players who thought they were better than they were and probably unsettled the team. I know Chris Chester was certainly pleased to be shot of him in the end. The less said about Langley and Jonathan Walker the better, frankly.
Anyway, enough of last years woes and onto this years woes! We have signed around 13 new players, of which the pick has to be Terry Campese at 7 and Albert Kelly at 6. Both players come with very good reputations and going on todays display Kelly could look to be a cut above most. Other exciting oversees signings are Ken Sio (FAST winger) and Mitch Allgood (prop). Kieron Dixon should add some much needed pace to our sluggish backline of last season and also has a decent boot. I think Greg Burke and Mantellato could also be ones to watch out for and Ryan Bailey, well, I'm not sure (I'm sure he will do a good job for us, but I'm not convinced Leeds fans will have lost sleep over him leaving). We also now have a variety of kicking options with Mantellato, Dixon, Campese, Blair and Kelly all very decent with boot to ball.
Our new assistant coach in Willie Poching from Warrington (and formerly Leeds) could prove to be our most astute acquisition this year. He knows what it takes to win things and that experience could prove vital.
5. Wigan, Wire, Saints, take your pick from one of those. Too tough to call again this year.
6. I say it every year (and ever year it never quite happens), but Salford could be a thorn in a few sides this year. Signing Michael Dobson will be key but as brilliant as he was for us, he did start becoming a little one dimensional and his kicking deteriorated badly towards the end. He's a quality player, but I think his time at Rovers is now well and truly over.
7. For once, nothing to really report!
8. 7th.
9. Hooker, dummy half, the number 9 postion, whatever you want to call it. But Josh Hodgson has left some massive boots to fill for Keal Carlile (who I don't think is up to it) and new signing John Boudebza (from Toulouse, bit of an unknown quantity, but looks alright/average from what I've seen so far). It could prove to be our key weakness this year and indeed it may be that Cockayne ends up playing there for a bit but he isn't getting any younger so will find it harder and harder.
10. I think Salford are given overly good odds and Rovers dealt with slightly harshly. It will be tough for Rovers though, to get all these multitude of players to gel.
11.
1. Dixon
2. Sio
3. Goulding
4. Blair
5. Mantellato
6. Campese
7. Kelly
8. Weyman
9. Boudebza
10. Allgood
11. Larroyer
12. McCarthy
13. Burke
Subs: Green/Donaldson, Walker, Bailey, Cockayne
1. Your team?
2. Your highlight of last season?
3. Your expectations this season?
4. Your most anticipated new signings?
5. Who you think will win the league leaders shield?
6. Who will be the dark horses of the competition?
7. Any updates from your club, new ground etc?
8. Final league position of your club?
9. What (or who) will be your clubs weakness next year?
10. Here's what the bookies think, is it fair on your team?
11. Best first 17?
Wigan Warriors 11/4
St Helens 7/2
Warrington Wolves 4/1
Leeds Rhinos 9/2
Huddersfield Giants 14/1
Catalan Dragons 12/1
Salford Red Devils 20/1
Hull FC 33/1
Castleford Tigers 33/1
Hull KR 66/1
Widnes Vikings 100/1
Wakefield Wildcats 150/1
My answers:
1. Hull KR.
2. Probably knowing finally that we had no chance of reaching the playoffs! A pretty dismal year all round.
3. To make the top 8. I've given up aiming for higher. Going to be a tough start, especially with a number of new signings but they managed to get it together a bit at the end of the friendly against FC today and managed to pull out a win (for what its worth) of 22-28.
4. Well I got it completely wrong in my backing of Kris Keating last year. He was pretty terrible and I can't really remember a moment where he excelled. Travis Burns was much the better player but even he was unconvincing and often went missing when somebody was required to grab the game by the scruff of the neck. I'm actually glad he's gone, to be honest. He was one of those troublesome ego players who thought they were better than they were and probably unsettled the team. I know Chris Chester was certainly pleased to be shot of him in the end. The less said about Langley and Jonathan Walker the better, frankly.
Anyway, enough of last years woes and onto this years woes! We have signed around 13 new players, of which the pick has to be Terry Campese at 7 and Albert Kelly at 6. Both players come with very good reputations and going on todays display Kelly could look to be a cut above most. Other exciting oversees signings are Ken Sio (FAST winger) and Mitch Allgood (prop). Kieron Dixon should add some much needed pace to our sluggish backline of last season and also has a decent boot. I think Greg Burke and Mantellato could also be ones to watch out for and Ryan Bailey, well, I'm not sure (I'm sure he will do a good job for us, but I'm not convinced Leeds fans will have lost sleep over him leaving). We also now have a variety of kicking options with Mantellato, Dixon, Campese, Blair and Kelly all very decent with boot to ball.
Our new assistant coach in Willie Poching from Warrington (and formerly Leeds) could prove to be our most astute acquisition this year. He knows what it takes to win things and that experience could prove vital.
5. Wigan, Wire, Saints, take your pick from one of those. Too tough to call again this year.
6. I say it every year (and ever year it never quite happens), but Salford could be a thorn in a few sides this year. Signing Michael Dobson will be key but as brilliant as he was for us, he did start becoming a little one dimensional and his kicking deteriorated badly towards the end. He's a quality player, but I think his time at Rovers is now well and truly over.
7. For once, nothing to really report!
8. 7th.
9. Hooker, dummy half, the number 9 postion, whatever you want to call it. But Josh Hodgson has left some massive boots to fill for Keal Carlile (who I don't think is up to it) and new signing John Boudebza (from Toulouse, bit of an unknown quantity, but looks alright/average from what I've seen so far). It could prove to be our key weakness this year and indeed it may be that Cockayne ends up playing there for a bit but he isn't getting any younger so will find it harder and harder.
10. I think Salford are given overly good odds and Rovers dealt with slightly harshly. It will be tough for Rovers though, to get all these multitude of players to gel.
11.
1. Dixon
2. Sio
3. Goulding
4. Blair
5. Mantellato
6. Campese
7. Kelly
8. Weyman
9. Boudebza
10. Allgood
11. Larroyer
12. McCarthy
13. Burke
Subs: Green/Donaldson, Walker, Bailey, Cockayne
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