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Tanya Arnold and the stars of the Betfred Super League preview the 2018 season.
A dozen teams embark on a nine-month journey of blood, sweat and tears, with a place in October’s Grand Final at Old Trafford their ultimate goal. As at the start of any season there are questions to be answered before the big kick-off.
The new season comes on the back of a World Cup winter in which England came so close to being crowned as the best team on the planet, but can the stars of that tournament transfer their form back to the domestic stage?
Leeds set off as defending Champions but the Rhinos have lost two of their talismanic play-makers in Rob Burrow and Danny McGuire. It’s the first time since 2001 that the pair have been missing from the famous Blue and Amber jerseys, so how will the new-look Leeds progress in the defence of their title?
McGuire now lines up for newly promoted Hull Kingston Rovers who are back in the top division after a year in the Championship. Rovers have Tim Sheens -a World Cup winning coach- plotting their development, but can they find the right balance of fresh-faces and father-figures to survive in Super League?
Rovers’ neighbours Hull FC are the pick of many pundits to win the competition, having claimed the Challenge Cup in each of the last two seasons. The team in Black and White have one of the most fanatical followings in the sport, but can they bring their Cup colour to the League Ladder and finally record some Super League success ?
Castleford won the hearts and minds of many in 2017 with their scintillating style of play. Their
home ground at The Jungle became a fortress as they won the League Leaders Shield by a 10 point margin. The Tigers made it through the play-offs in dramatic fashion, and all the way to the Grand Final, but their build-up to the big night hit turbulence as Full Back Zak Hardaker was suspended after a failed drugs test. Castleford failed to perform at Old Trafford, but their cunning coach Daryl Powell is already planning to turn his Tigers into big-game players in 2018.
The North-West powerhouses of Wigan and St Helens have re-grouped, each boasting squads of star quality. Sam Tomkins, George Williams, Jonny Lomax and Ben Barba are sure to light up Super League with their electric style of play, but will it be enough to catch up with their rivals?
Widnes are looking to get back on an upward curve after a year in The Qualifiers, and neighbours Warrington have a new coach, Steve Price. He follows in the formidable footsteps of Tony Smith in the quest to turn the Wolves into Super League Champions. It will take a giant leap for the Wire to do that, they fell into a fight for survival in The Qualifiers last year, but they have one of the competition’s eye catchers in the shape of half-back Tyrone Roberts, who’ll be teaming up with England’s Kevin Brown in the Warrington engine room.
Salford are under new management after the departure of outspoken owner Marwan Koukash, but they’ll be hoping to build on their quiet progress of 2017. There’s been some impressive recruitment by Catalans Dragons as they strive to take the Super League title to the South of France for the first time. Whilst all eyes in Huddersfield, and beyond, will be on Jermaine McGillvary. The Giants winger was a giant of the World Cup, and drew many admiring glances from clubs around the world.
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