Playoff picture

[Charriots Offiah]

https://www.totalrl.com/predicting-the- ... l-winners/

Callum Walkers view:

THE 2023 Super League is in the latter stages of its season and as the table shapes up, there are a number of tasty stories still to be written.

At the top, Catalans Dragons currently occupy first place with the likes of Leigh Leopards, St Helens and Wigan Warriors breathing down their necks.

Meanwhile, Hull KR and Warrington Wolves are clinging on to the final play-off spots with Hull FC, Salford Red Devils, Leeds Rhinos and Huddersfield Giants hunting them down.


At the bottom, Castleford Tigers and Wakefield Trinity are locked in a two-way battle to avoid relegation.

But, what will the 2023 Super League table look like at the end of the season – and who will be relegated and win the Grand Final?

1. St Helens

St Helens seem to be gathering momentum at the right time and though they have lost Alex Walmsley and Agnatius Paasi to injury, Paul Wellens has got his side fired up for the end of the season.


2. Catalans Dragons

Well-placed for another tilt at Old Trafford, but will lose out to Saints for top spot.

3. Leigh Leopards

A Challenge Cup success won’t derail Leigh’s season with Adrian Lam’s men poised for a top four finish.


4. Wigan Warriors

Will finish the 2023 season strongly, but lose out on a top three spot.

5. Warrington Wolves

Will make it into the top six despite the recent upheaval.


6. Hull FC

Tony Smith is building momentum at the right time at Hull FC and they could leapfrog their bitter city rivals.

7. Hull KR

Will want to seek revenge for their Challenge Cup loss, but could peter out at the wrong time of the season.


8. Leeds Rhinos

Leeds finishing in eighth wouldn’t be surprising given their inconsistent form and the fact that Blake Austin is no longer at the club.

9. Salford Red Devils

Injuries and a small squad could see Salford slip away from the play-off spots.


10. Huddersfield Giants

Though Ian Watson’s men have been on a resurgent path in recent weeks, it may be too late for a play-off spot.

11. Wakefield Trinity

Perennial survivors in Super League, Wakefield could be set to do the great escape once more – and at the expense of their biggest rivals.


12. Castleford Tigers

A third relegation in the Super League era beckons unless new head coach Danny Ward can get the Tigers firing.

Grand Final winner

St Helens – It just appears written in the stars for Paul Wellens to start and finish with a trophy in his first season in charge of Saints.

[the pieman]

interesting quote
Wigan will finish strongly but fall from 2nd to 4th cos Saints and Leigh will have better results than us, and Saints going to jump from 3rd to 1st cos Wello has got them firing

i think most fans are realistic and given teams in 2-4 are all on equal points, then we could quite easily finish 4th, but for me that wouldnt suggest we are going to finish strongly. For me Wigan finishing strongly now is unbeaten until the end of the regular season, going into the playoffs in top form, and in that case we finish 2nd, with an outside chance of 1st (if Cats blow up completely)

Saints have been inconsistent all season at best, so whoever wrote that article must be sniffing something if he's seen anything to suggest they will finish top of the pile

[Wigan_forever1985]

It really is a bit of a lottery this year no team has really looked like stepping up from being 1 game away from a shock.

Cats have gone quietly about their business and probably are on balance the favorites but they always strike me as one of those teams that could make the final only to not show up in it. Likewise for Salford/Leigh/Hull KR

I think if Wigan make the final we will win. Like for many a year now Wigans toughest task always seem to be an unfancied team in the semis, like the Wakey comment i made a few weeks back - i genuinely would be more confident of a win playing saints in the final than hull kr or salford in the semi

[Firestarter]

I honestly think conditions will determine our success.Dry surface and i reckon we win the grand final but im still not convinced in our wet weather performances.Looks like rain tonight so hopefully we can put to bed the hull kr game

[Wigan_forever1985]

I honestly think conditions will determine our success.Dry surface and i reckon we win the grand final but im still not convinced in our wet weather performances.Looks like rain tonight so hopefully we can put to bed the hull kr game

I agree we are deffo stronger in the Dry

[Caboosegg]

I can't see Catalan losing top spot. You'd imagine they will be 4 points clear again as leigh will have a hangover.

I'm not confident we will finish 2nd though, we have 1 game that should be easy and even that isn't guaranteed as cas have a new coach and are in a relegation battle.

[southportcdm]

I've cheated by waiting for the Leigh results before commenting but, for what it's worth (and a bit obvious) - Cats first, saints second and us third. Saints to beat cats in final after beating us in the semi. Then another few months of misery until the start of next season when I can start to hope once again for the end of the nightmare of saints domination. I'd be more than happy if cats beat them in the final though. For everybody at the club, please don't settle for just the signings we've made so far. They're not good enough yet.

[Bobby-WRL]

1- Field
2- Marshall
3- Keighran
4- Wardle
5- Miski
6- French
7 - Smith
8 - Havard
9 - Leeming
10- Dupree
11- Farrell
12- Walters
13- Smithies

14- O’Neil
15- Cooper
16- Ellis
17-Byrne

Apart from the field & French conundrum where are we not good enough?
That team is as good as any in the league.

Regardless of this I know we are signing at least 1 more player although I don’t have a name.

[southportcdm]

Bobby - I agree, the squad is looking better but we need a squad that can win with three or four of those players injured. Two comments I would make about your list - French at 6 (it isn't working is it?) and Cooper on the bench when we don't actually know if he'll be fit enough. Are you also assuming that both Isa and Powell are going which I'd agree with but they haven't been confirmed yet? I feel that keeping both Isa and Cooper is too much of a risk. One more singing could make all the difference so I hope you're correct.

[Gerrumonside]

I’m more concerned with French at 6 next season. The lads class and we either play hill at FB or wing but please sign a stand off for next season!

IMO if we figure that piece of the jigsaw we win the GF next season