The Leeds Rhinos and Great Britain scrum-half speaks exclusively to skysports.com ahead of Super League XIII
Leeds v Hull KR, Saturday 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports 2
Leeds Rhinos and Great Britain scrum-half Rob Burrow enjoyed a glorious 2007, winning the Grand Final and helping his nation to a 3-0 series whitewash of New Zealand. The diminuitive half talked exclusively to
skysports.com about what to expect from Super League XIII.
"We say it every year but Super League just gets better and better and I expect 2008 to be no different. Every year the competition gets stronger, the player recruitment improves as does the youth development, improving the strength across all 12 Super League teams.
"I expect the points difference between the teams to be closer than ever and if teams are not at 95 per cent, they will not win. The days of a guaranteed two points are over. I've honestly not got a bad word to say about any of the teams, and believe any one of the 12 teams could feature in the end-of-season play-offs."
Bradford Bulls (Last season finished 3rd)
Bradford will be hurt after they let slip a big lead in the play-offs to lose to Wigan last year. But they've added the likes of Ben Jeffries and Semi Tadulala and this will really add strength to the team. Bradford remain a big, bulky side but they can also produce skill and a passing game and, as always, will be a big threat.
Castleford (Last season promoted)
It's always exciting to win promotion and they'll be really be looking forward to life back in the Super League. They have kept the majority of the squad from last season and added a few extra names which should make them stronger. I'm a Castleford lad and I know how passionate the fans are and what a loyal fan base they have. They'll be hoping to win a few early games, and they'll also be looking to be strong at home.
Catalan Dragons (Last Season 10th)
Stacey Jones, their New Zealand scrum-half, has now retired and he will be sorely missed. But now in their third season in Super League I think Catalans will improve as their French players get accustomed to the pace and intensity. No one will fancy travelling to France and they will be seeking to improve for a third season and reach the play-offs.
Harlequins (Last season 9th)
They'll be disappointed at last season, but in Brian McDermott they have a great guy as coach. I've worked with him and I'm confident he'll bring the best out of the players. Not many sides will fancy going to London and Henry Paul, playing his last season, will want to sign off in style. Last year they showed their ability by beating St Helens and twice pushing us close.
Huddersfield (Last season 5th)
Huddersfield are a side full of class and the signings of Luke Robinson and David Hodgson from Salford is only going to add more steel to the side. They enjoyed a great year last year and they will be a real threat this season aiming to improve on their fifth place finish. Their coach Jon Sharp really knows his rugby and he will have the team playing for him.
Hull (Last season 4th)
Hull are a really strong side that always lift their game when they play against us and they will look to improve on last season. They too have added more quality to the team and they'll be looking for a big year. If they can get rid of the inconsistency which dogged them last year, they'll be pushing for a top three spot. As a team they never give in and they can pick up the intensity at any given moment.
Hull KR (Last season 11th)
They have a very different looking team to last year but they have brought in a lot of quality players of an international class standard. Players such as Chev Walker and Jake Webster should lift the quality. They are another team who will use their passionate home support to lift their performance.
Leeds (Last season Grand Final Winners 2nd)
I'm really excited about the season ahead. We have a new coach in Brian McClennan who led New Zealand to a Tri-Nations success in 2005, and who I thought was unlucky not to lead them to victory in 2006. He definitely knows his rugby and although some of the lads are still learning to adapt to his style, he will definitely improve us. We are happy with the size and quality of the squad. It is always tough to defend a title, but we had a taste of winning last season and we want more in 2008.
St Helens (Last season 1st Grand Final runners-up)
Much the same as us at Leeds, Saints have a strong squad and have not made too many changes. They too will certainly be hoping to go for some silverware. They play a very similar attacking style of rugby to us and really the difference boils down to who plays well on the day.
Wakefield (Last season 8th)
They too have added a few players like Danny Brough and Brad Drew to add extra quality to their team. They also have a top coach in John Kear. I played under John Kear at representative level and he is a really passionate Englishman who will fire the side up. Players will be motivated to play well for him and they'll be going for the play-offs.
Warrington (Last season 7th)
They have brought in some real quality players with the likes of Matt King from Melbourne and Louis Anderson from the New Zealand Warriors and if they can keep all their players fit they will be a force to be reckoned with. I have never played against Matt but being a member of the Australian team we all know how strong he will be. They can be a strong force and are capable of winning silverware.
Wigan (Last season 6th)
Wigan have real quality at half-back with the combination of Thomas Leuluai and Trent Barrett. But they have added greater strength with the arrival of Richie Mathers, who has joined Wigan from Gold Coast Titans. Watch out too for Andy Coley, another great player who they have bought from Salford. Brian Noble's record as a a coach speaks for itself. He is very knowledgeably about every aspect of the game and is another passionate coach.
