Page 13 - Rugby League World (February 2020)

WITH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alex Davis PAGE XIII
T
WI

1 ST HELENS 1 LONDON BRONCOS 1 NEWCASTLE THUNDER
2 WARRINGTON WOLVES 2 TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE 2 BARROW RAIDERS
3 WIGAN WARRIORS 3 FEATHERSTONE ROVERS 3 ROCHDALE HORNETS
4 LEEDS RHINOS 4 LEIGH CENTURIONS 4 HUNSLET
5 CASTLEFORD TIGERS 5 HALIFAX 5 WORKINGTON TOWN
6 CATALANS DRAGONS 6 WIDNES VIKINGS 6 DONCASTER
7 HULL FC 7 YORK CITY KNIGHTS 7 KEIGHLEY COUGARS
8 SALFORD RED DEVILS 8 SHEFFIELD EAGLES 8 NORTH WALES CRUSADERS
9 WAKEFIELD TRINITY 9 BRADFORD BULLS 9 LONDON SKOLARS
10 HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS 10 BATLEY BULLDOGS 10 COVENTRY BEARS
11 TORONTO WOLFPACK 11 DEWSBURY RAMS 11 WEST WALES RAIDERS
12 HULL KR 12 SWINTON LIONS
13 WHITEHAVEN
14 OLDHAM

CRYSTAL BALLS

I T'S that time of year again when every man
and his dog has a whirl at predicting which
team is going to finish where? Who will suffer
the heartbreak of relegation? And who will be
crowned Champions? Or, in Rugby League's case,
who will be handed a Shield that no one seems too
fussed about.
It really is a bit of a stab in the dark and can blow up in
your face if you get them wrong but here goes nothing!
The predictions on this page are purely my thoughts,
but those that appear on the preview pages later in
this magazine are based on the combined efforts of the
editorial team.
St Helens were so much better than everyone last
year in Super League. So I think even a change of coach
won't halt their dominance.
Leeds Rhinos in the last few years seem to generally
have one year on and one year off so I predict them to
bounce back into the playoff picture at the expense
of Salford who consolidate in mid-table after their
excellent season in 2019. Ÿ Can St Helens finish top troubled off-season.
Hull KR have had a huge turnover of players in the of the League for a third Whitehaven and Oldham will of course give it their
offseason and so it is hard to predict how they will consecutive year? best shot at staying up but I believe it will be hard work
go but despite a very deep squad, I think a season of for the promoted duo.
struggle is on the cards in East Hull. Down to League 1. Newcastle's slow start cost them
Toronto Wolfpack's first season in Super League in 2019 and their fans will be hoping that they can
is also hard to predict. They've been both very loud begin the season well, helping them earn a spot in the
and very quiet in the transfer market with only Championship for 2021, they certainly have the squad
three signings secured but one of those is Sonny Bill for it. Barrow and Rochdale, I think, will both do well
Williams. All the same, I'm not convinced it's enough after relegation to the third tier.
to take them away from a relegation dogfight. Down at the bottom of the table, losing Kim
London Broncos had an excellent season despite Williams to Huddersfield Giants was a huge blow for
relegation from Super League and their best piece of West Wales Raiders. They looked set to push higher
business was retaining coach Danny Ward who I think up the league in 2020 but a turbulent off-season will
will lead the Broncos back to the promised land. make that difficult for them.
Elsewhere in the Championship, Halifax had a London Skolars had an excellent first half to the
poor season by their standards, perhaps sacrificing season in 2019 and both they and Coventry continued
their league form for a run in the Challenge Cup to pick up wins last year so I'm hoping they will
last year. I think they will bounce back up the table continue to progress in 2020 but whether they can
with Bradford Bulls finishing in ninth despite their move up the league is a different question. RLW

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