Star Sport
Catalan could be dark horses
10:00am Tuesday 7th February 2012
EXPECT the usual suspects in the wash-up for this year’s honours, writes Mike Critchley.
Saints will once again be in the mix with Wigan, Leeds and Warrington - with Hull recruiting heavily and Catalans tipped to be dark horses.
And as Leeds showed last year, when they made a complete mockery of the 27 round regular season which has turned into nothing more than a race for poll position on the grid, it is all about how you finish not how you start.
Saints will again be looking to book Old Trafford – for a seventh year in a row but will need to overcome the five year hoodoo that has struck them since 2006.
Champions Leeds - after proving the pundits wrong - will fancy themselves to do the same again this year, Warrington have to overcome the play-off jitters that have seen them choke for the last two seasons and Wigan will be disappointed with the way their season tailed off after the Challenge Cup win.
Apart from those, throw in Catalan Dragons, who have again recruited well, as have Hull FC, who will be out to restore themselves as a big player in the game after treading water for five seasons.
Saints coach Royce Simmons believes this year’s competition will be an improvement on last season.
He said: “Everyone is talking about Catalan and last year’s experience will do them good.
“They too have recruited well and I have a feeling Hull will be strong too because they have bought well in the full back, hooker and half back positions where they needed to strengthen up.
“When they get their combinations right they could be a bit of a dark horse.
“Everyone is competitive at the start of the year but it is how you handle your injuries, “I think it is going to be a stronger overall competition than last year.”