Fev ought to be the team to beat despite the loss of Maloney & penalty machine Dickens with all the cash & add-on's they've been offering around judging by what a couple of stories I've heard from players still in the game.
Leigh, I wouldn't ever rule out, especially if you have to travel to their place on a friday night ! Rolo has the tools to become an outstanding coach & with their club seemingly on a firm footing again they'll always be dangerous in this division.
Sheffield, how the hell did they manage that last season ? Koudos to them, not only did they not play all their home games at the same venue, they travelled away for all their play off ties, thursdays on two occassions IIRC & then beat Fev up in the final. Tubbs gets the best out of his players & Sheffield are one of the teams who help to make this division what it is competition-wise.
I agree with LBC re: Dewsbury & going to theirs is never so easy.
Batley will improve on last season with Kear into his second term & although their ground is one of my fave visits, it always proves difficult & tough. Last season's loss there was a pinnacle moment in our season's league & told us a few things about some of our players ( and one thing that we already knew about a player we let go there ) !
Cougars, to be honest i haven't taken too much notice of their comings & goings in the off season but I feel they'll miss JD on & off the pitch and just his general involvement, I can see them on a bit of a poorer season for missing him alone.
Hunslet, pretty much similar assesment but they played quite well towardfs the end of last year.
The Cumbrian sides, i feel most sides will have it tough going up there but they'll all struggle on their travels so not too much threat from them.
US, I feel we should win everything put in front of us ( apart from the challenge cup ) with the squad, coaching, facilities & current structures at the club on & off the field. I don't see anything other than indiscipline on or off the field, injuries or suspensions ( but hopefully none of those things ) getting in the way, we have assembled an experienced side with some real grunt up front & if Rhino takes most sides on up the middle deliberately I feel ( especially in poor weather conditions ) we'll knock a all of the other sides over in that area of play. Out wide, we've as much pace & experience as any of the othe other sides around us to at least match them both in possession and when defending.
It's about time someone took Fev's league consitency away from them, whatever happens in semi's & finals is what it is & all players respond differently as we know but we're getting to regular finals nowadays & that experience should be assisting us. An improvement on the 50% win ratio in finals that we're running at would be more than welcome.