Players under two year contracts who are unable to commit to full time. Hence why Sheffield have lost half there decent players

Does seem strange especially as the same plan backfired for Fev last season. Fax are no doubt a good team & will be competing for the top 4 but so will a few other teams. Not investing the money on improving the 1st team in such a competitive league when there's so much to gain being top 4 does seem a strange plan.

Sort of explains the FT/PT choice, but where is the money?

It was probably a much chewed over issue at our board level but they decided, and rightly so in my opinion, that we we build the right infrastructure at the club, build on solid foundations not sand!

I'm not sure how many players we would have lost going FT but I guess it would have been a few and the coach and board obviously believe we have a good enough squad to be able to push on from the progress we made in the second half of last season.

In the bank ready to spend if a) we are struggling to make the top 4, but more likely b) when we make the top 4 and might want to bring in some more quality.



Other bits of money were spent on improving things behind the scenes in preparation for eventually going full time.

Taking us out the equation



Bulls

Fax

Sheffield

London

Fev

Dewsbury

Batley

Oldham/Haven/Town in no particular order but hope Oldham stay up

1. Leigh

2. Bradford

3. Fax

4. Sheffield

5. Batley

6. Dewsbury

7. London

8. Fev



Not too sure on the rest. I think bradford will really struggle come the middle 8's as i cant see where they are going to get that next gear from with a lack of depth. I think they might be holding back and try to sign some quality late on as will Fax

Well let's hope they haven't moved the transfer deadline for the eights for your sake otherwise it may not go as far as you had hoped.



London and Sheffield will be stronger, Fev now have officially announced a DR agreement with Leeds. It will not be a walk into the top 4 for anyone.

I think a lot of people will get a shock just how much the middle 8's benefited some teams. Bradford probably wont make much difference as most of their players were used to playing at that intensity anyway. Sheffield have a whole new team so wont make any difference to them. Leigh will have benefited as they find out what their short comings were and I think Fax will benefit the most as we now know where the bar is set and know what intensity levels are expected and for the most part the players know they can hit those levels. I think for Leigh, Bradford, and Fax it will be a canter in to the top 3. Thats not me been big headed thats just the confidence I have from the performances I saw last season.

I suggest anyone who thinks it will be a canter for Fax to reach the top three in the Championship should get down to the bookies in double quick time.

The current odds for winning the Championship are:

Leigh 1/4

Bradford 6/1

London 18/1

Sheffield 25/1

Featherstone 33/1

Halifax 33/1

Why, even backing each way only pays second place?

You could ask the Bookie to give you a price without Leigh in the betting.