2017 Season Predictions

 Name: Bronco – Redvee Editor

Final Table Prediction:

1 Castleford Tigers – Hardaker/Chase and Gale will make them a formidable outfit

2 Warrington Wolves – Forever bridesmaids

3 St Helens – Loss of Smith will harm our early year points tally

4 Wigan Warriors – Away form will haunt Wigan

5 Hull FC – Won’t find easy to back up

6 Leeds Rhinos – Step back in right direction

7 Catalans Dragons – Terrible end of 2016, will continue

8 Huddersfield Giants – Like Leeds, looking for modest improvement

9 Wakefield Trinity – Just missing out on top 8

10 Leigh Centurions – Will win enough at home to survive

11 Salford Red Devils – will stay up… just

12 Widnes Vikings – Going down, never to be seen again.

 

Grand Final Prediction: Castleford v Saints

Challenge Cup Winners: Wigan

What constitutes a successful season? A trophy, as it always should be for our club.

Minimum expectation you’d accept? Top 4, but think we need to aim for top 2 to give us a greater chance of reaching the Grand Final.

Saints Stand out player: Ryan Morgan – I think he’ll be a revelation alongside Tommy Makinson, especially when we start playing on a dry track.

 

 Name: Chris Price – Wish FM Saints Commentator

Final Table Prediction:

1 Castleford tigers

2 Wigan Warriors

3 St Helens

4 Warrington Wolves

5 Hull FC

6 Leigh Centurions

7 Wakefield Trinity

8 Salford Red Devils

9 Leeds Rhinos

10 Catalans Dragons

11 Huddersfield Giants

12 Widnes Vikings

 

Grand Final Prediction: Warrington

Challenge Cup Winners: St Helens

What constitutes a successful season? Winning a trophy.

Minimum expectation you’d accept? Making a Final.

Saints Stand out player: Tommy Makinson

 

Name: Kev Pender – @kevpender, Twitter follower

Final table Prediction:

1. Warrington – I still think Warrington are missing a winger, but they’ve recruited well. Kevin Brown will add experience to their halves and will help Declan Patten develop.
2. Castleford – Castleford are no longer dark horses. They will be aiming for the top 4 & can beat anyone on their day.
3. Wigan – always in and around the top 4 whoever pulls on their jersey. Much depends on keeping their half backs & full back fit.
4. Saints – if we can get through relatively unscathed results-wise until Smith is fit again we’ll be ok, but it depends on how we start the season.
5. Hull – if they use the experience of their post Challenge Cup explosion wisely, they’ll be challenging for honours again.
6. Leeds – better from the Loiners this year, but still not enough to get in the top 4.
7. Catalans – will still be tough to beat in France, but travelling will let them down. Laurent Frayssinous could be under massive pressure.
8. Wakefield – solid, if not spectacular, signings. Belle Vue is always a tough place to go which should stand them in good stead.
9. Leigh – a decent debut season, and won’t go down despite being in the Middle 8’s. Possibly too many new faces who will have to gel immediately.
10. Huddersfield – similar to last season for Huddersfield. Not inspired by their signings.
11. Salford – for all the hard work the Doctor has put in, I just can’t see them pushing for top 8.
12. Widnes – I fear for Widnes. Key players out early in the season, not many new signings. Could be swapping places with Hull KR for 2018.

Grand Final Prediction: Saints v Wigan

Challenge Cup Winners: Castleford.

What constitutes a successful season: not hearing the phrase strong middles. Thursday night games being replaced with Saturday evening matches. Video ref use being cut back so games finish well before 10pm. Sky having a complete overhaul of their broadcasting team.

A successful season for Saints would be greater consistency with a bit more flair. No team goes out to lose, but coming away from the majority of games feeling like we’ve thrown the kitchen sink at it would be great.

Minimum expectation you’d accept: top 4. Keiron Cunningham has said this is his squad now, so if it underperforms the buck stops with him. Anything but top 4 and I’d expect the board to ask searching questions of him and his staff. Add to that, if/when we get injuries I’d expect us to drop an academy product from that position into the team. No more loose forwards at centre, centres on the wing or second rowers at scrum half.

Saints Stand Out Player: From the new signings I’ll go for Adam Walker. We’re accused, and rightly so, of being a boring side to watch at times. Hopefully (if it’s not stifled by the coaching) Walkers offloading game will help to change that. Add to that some hard yards and he could build the platform for our half backs to shine. From the existing crop – Mark Percival, who is the most exciting centre in the competition in my opinion.

 Name: Ste Orford – Redvee Contributor, @saintbiffy

Final Table Prediction:

1 Warrington Wolves

2 Hull FC

3 Wigan Warriors

4 St Helens

5 Leeds Rhinos

6 Castleford Tigers

7 Catalans Dragons

8 Salford Red Devils

9 Wakefield Trinity

10 Huddersfield Giants

11 Leigh Centurions

12 Widnes Vikings

 

 

Grand Final Prediction: Warrington

Challenge Cup Winners: Saints

What constitutes a successful season? A successful season is top 4 minimum but with the emphasis on a more open style

Minimum expectation you’d accept? Minimum expectation is 4th. Anything less and KC should go.

Saints Stand out player: Expecting a big year from Mark Percival if he stays fit.

 

Name: The Yellow Giraffe (Redvee Forum User)

Final Table Prediction:

1 Wigan Warriors

2 St Helens

3 Warrington Wolves

4 Hull FC

5 Castleford Tigers

6 Leeds Rhinos

7 Catalans Dragons

8 Wakefield Trinity

9 Huddersfield Giants

10 Salford Red Devils

11 Widnes Vikings

12 Leigh Centurions

 

Grand Final Prediction: Saints v Wigan

Challenge Cup Winners: Castleford

What constitutes a successful season?
A successful season would be winning either the Challenge Cup or the Grand Final. Anything less would be a failure in my eyes.

Minimum expectation you’d accept?
At the very least we need to get to a final and that might be enough for Cunningham to keep his job. Not even getting to a final would mean I’d find it difficult to argue against getting rid of him, as harsh as that may sound.

Saints Stand out player: Lomax is probably our stand out player for me when on top form. He give us that spark in attack that we miss so much when he’s missing. Closely followed by Roby.

Name: There’s Only One Stan Wall – Redvee Forum User

Final Table Prediction:

1 Warrington

2 Wigan

3 Castleford

4 Hull

5 St Helens

6 Leeds

7 Catalan

8 Salford

9 Leigh

10 Wakefield

11 Huddersfield

12 Widnes

 

Grand Final Prediction: Warrington

Challenge Cup Winners: Wigan

 

What constitutes a successful season? Winning a trophy

 

Minimum expectation you’d accept? Good cup run & PO Semis

 

Saints Stand out player: Matty Smith

Name: Paul Ellison – @EllSaintBlues (Twitter)/ Ell Saint Blues (Redvee Forum)

1 Warrington Wolves

2 Wigan Warriors

3 St Helens

4 Hull FC

5 Castleford Tigers

6 Leeds Rhinos- 7 Catalans Dragons

8 Salford Red Devils

9 Leigh Centurions

10 Huddersfield Giants

11 Widnes Vikings

12 Wakefield Trinity