As rugby league fans upon these shores slowly begin to move on from the highly successful and in some quarters heart breaking World Cup the focus now turns to how the respective Super League squads are shaping up ahead of the upcoming 2014 season.

Despite the competition still somehow unable to attract a major sponsor there is plenty to feel positive about as on the face of it at least one could argue this year is shaping up to be one of the most exciting and unpredictable campaigns yet.

Will Salford manage to break into the playoff mix following their huge outlay?

How do St Helens capitalise on Wigan’s loss of the mercurial Sam Tomkins now they have addressed their needs at half back?

And do Leeds possess a pack capable of performing consistently now they boast possibly the most exciting outside back line in the competition.

With plenty for us to ponder perhaps one of the most intriguing questions to pose is how will Hull FC fare following the sweeping changes amongst the coaching and playing staff. The affable Peter Gentle has been replaced by Hull born Lee Radford, who has overseen some ‘left field’ recruitment to say the least. With eye catching flowing blond locks reminiscent of Earl Crabtree, union winger and local lad Tom Biggs is yet to play the game.

Twenty one year old half back Jordan Rankin has only just arrived in the UK to join fellow Australian rookie Jacob Miller in steering the team around the park and black and white fans will be hoping their synergies in background can help the pair form an immediate bond both on and off the pitch. And what about Fetuli Talanoa?

The versatile outside back almost died of pneumonia in 2011, since then he has been working as a dustman on the streets of Sydney and scoring tries at will in his spare time for a local union side. His visa application was aided by a character reference from a certain Sam Burgess who played alongside Talanoa for South Sydney across three campaigns.

If the Tongan can provide some much needed strength to Hull FC’s left edge attack he may well prove to be one of the fairy tale stories of this year’s Super League.