Super League: Club-by-club guide

A look ahead to this season's Super League.

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CASTLEFORD TIGERS

Coach Daryl Powell

In Cook, McMeeken, Moore, Solomona (London Broncos), Crossley (Featherstone), Moors, Roberts (Melbourne)

Out Clark (Warrington), Huby, Ellis (Huddersfield), Sneyd (Hull), Fleming (Bradford), Hauraki (Salford), Owen, Gilmour (Wakefield), Reynolds (Leigh), Carvell (released)

Castleford’s revival was the good news story of last season, but with so many of the prime movers gone it would be an even bigger achievement for Powell to guide them into the top four again. It could be a disappointing year by comparison.

Last year Fourth

Prediction Sixth

CATALANS DRAGONS

Coach Laurent Frayssinous

In Carney (Cronulla), Casty (Sydney), Tonga (Parramatta)

Out Barthau (London), Paea, Simon (Wakefield), Baile (Bradford), Pryce (Hull), Williams (Canberra), Webb (retired), Millard, Vaccari (released), Larroyer (Hull KR loan)

The admittedly risky signing of the sometimes brilliant Todd Carney and the return of the influential Rémi Casty – who cut short his stay at Sydney Roosters – mean that the Dragons will have unlimited potential. But can they live up to it, especially away from home?

Last year Seventh

Prediction Fourth

HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS

Coach Paul Anderson

In Ellis, Huby (Castleford), Roberts (Bradford), Hughes (Wigan loan)

Out Kaufusi (Canterbury), Patrick (Wigan loan), Chan, Faiumu (released)

Huddersfield have been there or thereabouts for the last few years, but they probably remain too dependent on Danny Brough for them to go the extra yardage at the end of the season – though Jamie Ellis’s arrival will help. They may be rusty in the season opener as their friendly against Bradford had to be postponed because of a frozen pitch at the Odsal Stadium last week.

Last year Third

Prediction Seventh

HULL FC

Coach Lee Radford

In Michaels, Minichiello (Gold Coast), Naughton (Sydney), Pryce (Catalans), Sneyd (Castleford)

Out Crooks (Parramatta), Heremaia (Widnes), Miller (Wakefield), Pitts (Bradford), Horne, Tuson, Colbon (retired), Crookes (released)

Hull have a new training ground – for the first time since Super League began – and they have attempted yet again to solve the club’s perennial half-back problem. Leon Pryce and Marc Sneyd could be the answer, but after all the other false dawns you somehow doubt it.

Last year 11th

Prediction Ninth

HULL KINGSTON ROVERS

Coach Chris Chester

In Allgood, Sio (P’matta), Bailey (Leeds), Blair, Kelly (Gold Coast), Boubedza (Lezignan), Campese (Canberra), Dixon (London), Goulding (Wigan), Mantellato (Newc), McCarthy (Northern Pride), Donaldson (Bradford), Larroyer (Catalans loan)

Out Burns (St Helens), Eden (Brisbane), Gleeson, D Hodgson, Poore, Netherton (ret’d), Hall (W’field), J Hodgson (C’berra), Keating (St George), Lovegrove (London), Caro (rel’d), Costigan (Townsville), Langley (Sheffield)

They look too much like a collection of other people’s rejects for there to be much hope in east Hull.

Last year Ninth

Prediction 10th

LEEDS RHINOS

Coach Brian McDermott

In Cuthbertson (Newcastle), Keinhorst, Duckworth (Wakefield – loan return)

Out Bailey (Hull KR), Jones-Bishop (Salford), Kirke (Wakefield), Clarkson (Widnes loan), Foster, Minns, Baldwinson, Tonks (Featherstone loan)

Last season’s Challenge Cup winners have been the most inactive club in the competition during the off-season, bringing in just one new face. You could call it complacency – or confidence in the quality of the next generation of players they have coming through.

Last year Sixth

Prediction Fifth

ST HELENS

Coach Keiron Cunningham

In Burns (Hull KR), Vea (London)

Out Clough (Bradford), Forster (Salford), Laffranchi, Manu, Gardner (retired), Soliola (Canberra), Wheeler (Warrington), McDonnell (released)

Saints won Super League last year despite what other clubs would have regarded as a crippling injury list. It was an expert use of limited resources by the now departed coach Nathan Brown, who has joined Melbourne Storm. His assistant, Keiron Cunningham, must now show that he has the same set of skills.

Last year First

Prediction Second

SALFORD RED DEVILS

Coach Iestyn Harris

In Dobson (Newc), Forster (St H), Griffin (London), Hauraki (Castleford), Hood (Hunslet), Jones-Bishop (Leeds), Menzies (Swinton), Paterson (Wests Tigers), Taylor (Wigan)

Out Ashurst, Smith (W’field), McPherson (Parramatta), Mullaney, Williams (Bradford), Owen (Oldham), Rapira (released), Gleeson, Meli (retired), Howarth (released)

Dr Marwan Koukash starts what is set to be an entertaining second year as club owner with a more realistic view of what can be achieved in the short term. That will take some pressure off the players.

Last year 10th

Prediction Eighth

WAKEFIELD TRINITY WILDCATS

Coach James Webster

In Smith, Ashurst (Salford), Hall (Hull KR), Kirke (Leeds), Miller (Hull), Paea, Simon (Catalans)

Out Mathers (London), Raleigh (retired), Siejka, Walshaw (Bradford), Tautai (Wigan), Fox (released), Moore (Halifax), Sykes (Featherstone), Wildie (Dewsbury)

This looks like the usual mix-and-match job from Wakefield, although if Tim Smith could rediscover the form of his first stint at the club they might exceed the generally low expectations for the season.

Last year 12th

Prediction 12th

WARRINGTON WOLVES

Coach Tony Smith

In Clark (Castleford), Sims (North Queensland), Wheeler (St Helens)

Out Dwyer, G Riley (London), M Monaghan, Waterhouse (retired), Wood (Featherstone)

Warrington begin the season with a new captain, Joel Monaghan, and deputy, Chris Hill, after the retirement of Michael Monaghan and the exit of Ben Westwood. With the quality at the club, they should have won Super League by now. Two big signings in Daryl Clark and Ashton Sims could help them do so, though they might still find themselves one experienced forward light.

Last year Fifth

Prediction First

WIDNES VIKINGS

Coach Denis Betts

In Heremaia (Hull), Manuokafoa (Bradford), Clarkson (Leeds loan), Dudson (Wigan)

Out Clarke, Pickersgill (retired), Allen (Whitehaven), Lawton (Redcliffe)

It has been a case of slow and steady improvement for Widnes since they returned to Super League – in the words of coach Betts, there have been ‘little tweaks here and there’. Looking at their squad for 2015, though, it is hard to see their climb continuing. Losing star stand-off and captain Kevin Brown for any length of time would be a disaster.

Last year Eighth

Prediction 11th

WIGAN WARRIORS

Coach Shaun Wane

In: Mossop (Parramatta), Tautai (Wakefield), Patrick (Huddersfield loan)

Out Goulding (Hull KR), Green (Melbourne), Taylor (Salford), James (Swinton), Hughes (Huddersfield loan), Pettybourne (released), Dudson (Widnes)

Wigan look reasonably strong again, although much will depend on how well young George Williams can fill the boots of Blake Green at stand-off. Their chaotic end to last season leaks through into this, with Ben Flower unable to play until April after his punches at Old Trafford.

Last year Second

Prediction Third