Odds so far for next years grand final winner .... No change there, even the bookmakers place us in the bottom 2 . They are forgetting the heart of the mighty trin.

WIRE 11-4
WIGAN 11-4
ST HELENS 7-2
LEEDS 9-2
HUDDERSFIELD 14-1
HULL FC 16-1
CATALANS 20-1
BRADFORD 33-1
HULL KR 33-1
CASTLEFORD 50-1
SALFORD 66-1
HARLEQUINS 66-1
=#FF0000WAKEFIELD 100-1
WIDNES 150-1

I think the bookies have got the bottom end very wrong Cas are half our odds and Quins above us we nearly over took them with a team of kids last year.

Odds are worked out mainly on how much money will be laid against the bet. Most "sensible" people would bet on Cas before Wakey, so we have longer odds.

If loads of money is bet on Wakey, the odds will shorten.

I think it's got to be worth an E/W shot

Keep your money in your pocket, making the eight this year maybe a big ask!

Hmmmm.

If your into your RL (which you would be if your betting, unless its a compulsion) then you must be able to see how the gap that may have existed last year between our clubs in terms of quality of squad has been potentially greatly reduced- If we were to get Obst, John & Dowes I'd go as far as saying we have a better squad! If we get Tim Smith on top of any 2 of those players potentially even better!

IMO Cas are paper thin. They've been a squad built around 1 player for a number of years and I believe should Rangi pick up an injury they will be in a whole world of trouble. We've seen squads like this in the Brough era & seen the fall out when he gets injured (play off game 2009). With numerous players leaving and players of sub standard being replacements I would even question they're bank sheet- Again we've seen this move in our recent past. Put it this way (no disrespect Griff) but clubs don't sign the Griff's of this world because they'll add quality- cheap options & nothing more- done out of necessity and little else! (13th)

Quins on the other hand have recruited VERY well, with the exception of Rinaldi, who I've never rated. I expect big things from Quins soon (being the operative word). I question the quality of the coaching and would expect a "change of guard" before we see the squad hit their potential. (6th)

The team I expect to "surprise" will be Salford IMO. I can't for the life in me see Parish see the full year out. He seems far too temperamental & I think he'll be taking his boomerang home well before next October. Underachievers yet again. (12th)

My prediction for us is a healthy and very respectable 8th. I think when the halves are announced we will have a very competent squad, with a good conditioning team behind them for once!! With our help packing the terraces we can grow significantly this year & will be skyrocketed by a good PI outcome in April.
I firmly believe 2012 will be the start of something big & with our support it can be a sustainable and ever increasing success.

Is it me or is the sleeping giant starting to wake up?

None of that changes the fact that odds are derived from the amount of money bet against any particular outcome.

It's a measure of the bookmakers exposure to loss, not a reflection of the likelihood of that outcome.

But if we are caught with a lack of soap in the soap dispensers and the RFL deduct ANOTHER 6 points we could worth 100 - 1

Correct, these are the odds based on who fancies who to win the GF, not odds for who will finish in 11th or 12th etc.
Based on bets placed it offers up a Lge table of sorts, but it isn't an expression of these teams being placed in these positions in the final Lge.

I think there will be a few in for a sharp shock next year with widnes

Your 100/1 for a reason

Wakefield will be tons better next year than last imo. Look at the players we have brought in (and are rumoured to be) in comparison to what Trinity have been putting out last season. It would be very hard to be as bad as that.

You have wasted a lot of time typing an irrelevent point. As dboy points out odds are based on how the bookies think the bets will be spread. It's absolutely nothing to do with squads or opinions about players. Based on last year more people will bet on Cas, remember not all punters are RL fans they simply go on form.

This gets explained every year, yet every year some take it personal. The bookies have no problem with where we or Cas finnish so long as they have spread the bets and covered the odds.

The reason Widnes are bottom is because not many punters will bet on a team with no form at all - I doubt that would alter much even if they signed Jonathon Thurston.

Not everything is about us and not everyone is out to get us - bookies are a business and have no interest in optimism.

HTH