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Briers: big things for Warrington

I do think the lack of relegation will give way to the closest Super League we have seen yet. Every year it gets bigger and better and harder and faster, but Super League XIII promises to top the lot in terms of competition.

Stevo
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SUPER LEAGUE XIII
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You won't be surprised to know that I am delighted we have finally done away with relegation.

I have been screaming for it for years, so maybe someone, somewhere has finally been listening. I can barely put into words what this could mean for Super League.

For a start, it should mean sides playing with a lot more freedom. Coaches now know they can afford to gamble whereas before the spectre of relegation and the sack was always looming large.

They will gamble in terms of play patterns and personnel.

That means more homegrown youngsters coming through. Before the kids would never get the opportunity simply because there was too much to lose. Remove that threat and those lads showing potential should, in theory be given their chance.

And crucially, I do think it will give way to the closest Super League we have seen yet. Every year it gets bigger and better and harder and faster, but Super League XIII promises to top the lot in terms of competition.

I do think any one of nine or even 10 sides can consider themselves play-off contenders, it will be that close.

The only two sides I would rule out before a ball has been kicked are Catalans Dragons and Harlequins, which is no surprise.

Harlequins because they struggled towards the end of last season and the Catalans simply because of the travelling demands. But that said, both sides will be tough to beat at home - especially on those warm summer nights down in Perpignan - and are more than capable of springing a surprise on their own patch.

Coaches Brian McDermott (Quins) and Mick Potter (Catalans) might be forced to throw in their own youngsters though, and it may be that the lower ends of the table are where these new talents blossom and make their mark quicker than most.

Castleford might well make it a threesome down the bottom, but without relegation it doesn't matter. What does matter to them is that they improve. If they can do better than their last season in Super League then they can feel very, very pleased.

Terry Matterson has brought plenty in and will be looking to Brent Sherwin (pictured) for big things, but neither Michael Korkidis or Luke Dorn set the world on fire last season, and is Dorn going to be there for them all season? But without relegation, even if you find yourselves struggling down the bottom, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I've been saying that about Warrington for years though. I have tipped them to break into that top four before and it has not happened. But it's not going to stop me - this surely has to be their year!

Their problem has been more psychological than anything. In recent years they have produced a big performance against a big side one week and then gone and messed it up the next when they were expected to win. Paul Cullen knows it though, but can they change it?

They have to stop relying on Lee Briers to do everything. Cullen has said as much and basically hit the nail on the head. The addition of Michael Monaghan makes sense.

He is a very, very good scrum-half and I am sure everyone is waiting to see what an impact Matt King can have. My old mate Phil Clarke says he can be the next Mal Meninga, which is high praise indeed, but King is one of many big names that have come in from the NRL.

And although we want to see young British players given a go, it is no longer the case that we are getting foreigners who are past their best, just here to pick up the money. It might have been a few years ago, but our league is not an old people's home where you can come and see out your final playing days while topping up the bank balance.

As for the other contenders, we know St Helens will be there or thereabouts again. Like Leeds they have not made any major changes to their playing personnel and the ones that Daniel Anderson has let go - Scott Moore and Ian Hardman - have only been loaned out, so he can call them back if needs be.

It's pretty ominous that neither of last two's Grand Finalists have seen the need to change things and if we are looking at the lower end of the league for youngsters coming through, we already know there are some tremendously talented kids at Headingley and Knowsley Road who are just waiting in the wings.

And Brian McClennan might just be more adventurous in doing that at Leeds than his predecessor, Tony Smith.

I have a feeling Wigan will also be lurking with intent in and around that top four. They should be. They have brought Karl Pryce (pictured) back and I do think that boy has the ability to be anything he wants to be in the game - and maybe Brian Noble is just the man to turn him from a would-be to a will-be.

George Carmont is a tough customer and Andy Coley is a good, solid signing and you know that the Wigan defence is going to be a tough one to break down.

But that is going to be the same for all 12 teams. It's why coaches have realised they are going to need something extra to score points, why it is going to be important sides can take the pressure of their main creative players, share the responsbility.

Bradford's pea in the pod will be Terry Newton as ever, but the key factor in how well they do will be Ben Jeffries. He's a good organiser who knows what is needed in this league and in Chris Nero, they have a utility player who will bring steadiness and composure, wherever he plays.

Steve McNamara is a promising young coach and you know he is going to have a big, strong pack to call on. The Bulls will still be fuming that they allowed Wigan to come back and beat them in the play-offs and that could well be the kick up the backside they needed. McNamara will know he cannot afford to ease off and start resting players, because in Super League anything can happen - and usually does!

Of the others, it is hard to separate so many sides and I wouldn't like to predict who'll be contesting the play-offs. Hull have done well to get Adam Dykes in from Cronulla. He's a great organiser and they will be better for having him in there, while Shaun Berrigan will also do very well. He is a versatile player, but clearly better at hooker and if used properly, a potential star in the making.

Across the way, Hull KR will expect Shaun Briscoe to star for them and Justin Morgan knows that the second season will be tougher, even if they won't get the rug pulled from under their feet if they finish bottom. A fast start last season kept them up and they will have wanted to hit the ground running against Leeds. That didn't happen and a lot will depend on how long it takes their new signings to settle.

At Huddersfield Jon Sharp is shrewd enough to know that Luke Robinson will need help and cannot be expected to do it all on his own and even though the loss of Brad Drew leaves a big hole, the former Wigan and Salford lad does have the ability to make sure it does not change too much.

Drew himself will form a potent combination with Danny Brough at Wakefield and although he's probably past his best, former NZ Warrior Tony Martin will add experience and strength wherever John Kear (pictured) chooses to play him. Kear is another wily old coach and I would expect those Wildcats to upset plenty of people, even the big guns.

But the same could be said of all 12 sides. It is going to be that close, you could throw a blanket over most of them for the play-offs and flip a coin as to who will be fighting to avoid the wooden spoon.

And I think we are going to see a bit of a throwback in terms of tactics. Defences have become so strong that coaches have had to revert back to those old-fashioned set plays, maybe with the slight tweak. We saw a lot of kicks from the base of the scrum from deep in team's own territory last year and we saw a lot of full-length of the field tries.

Teams know they really do have to fine-tune their attack to be successful. And now the threat of relegation has been removed, you can expect coaches and players to be even bolder.

Every year Super League gets bigger and better and harder and faster. For all you watching at home or in the stands, there's going to be nothing unlucky about Super League XIII!