Widnes Vikings

Finishing position: Ninth in Super League

Coach: Denis Betts

After year-on-year improvements since returning to Super League for 2012, Denis Betts’ side has taken one step back this time.

Eighth last season, they remain dangerous on their ‘drastic plastic’ i-pitch as Super League leaders Leeds Rhinos will testify. Not so hot on their travels, losing everywhere in 2015 apart from at bottom two Wakefield and Salford.

Ex-Wigan half-back Kevin Brown is their regular go-to star and his form and fitness will be key to Vikings’ ability to repel their opposition.

Hull KR

Finishing position: 10th in Super League

Coach: Chris Chester

Excellent going forward but only basement boys Wakefield have conceded more than Rovers' total of 646 points.

Aussie ace Albert Kelly typifies that stat – he's brilliant in attack and a key player in the Robins’ run to the Challenge Cup semi-finals but is the man with the most missed tackles in the top division.

With Wembley on their mind, the Craven Park side lost their focus on league points and last Friday’s 52-12 defeat at St Helens put them into the Middle 8s.

Losing Aussie pivot, Terry Campese, to a cruciate knee ligament injury halfway through the campaign did not help their cause. Their home form, however, should be good enough to see them safe for another 12 months.

Salford Red Devils

Finishing position: 11th in Super League

Coach (assistant): Ian Watson

Another massively disappointing season for the big spending Devils whose owner, Dr Marwan Koukash, remains a ‘love him or loathe him’ figure.

Instead of challenging for honours as ‘Dr Devil’ demanded, the Barton based outfit are in apparent freefall despite Aussie Test coach, Tim Sheens, arrival as Director of Rugby.

The only consistency since Koukash took charge in January 2014 has been the regular departure of coaches: Phil Veivers, Alan Hunte (caretaker), Brian Noble and most recently Iestyn Harris.

Thumped 70-6 at Leeds a fortnight ago and with question marks over the future of star man, Rangi Chase, the Red Devils look extremely fragile.

Recruited Iain Thornley from Wigan and Reni Maitua from Featherstone to help them beat the drop, Salford’s failure to avoid relegation could signal the end of the Koukash era.

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats

Finishing position: 12th in the Super League

Coach: Brian Smith

Wildcats sent a "save our season" plea to ageing Aussie, Brian Smith, brother of Warrington coach Tony Smith. Wakefield started the year with back-to-back wins but then lost 16 Super League games in a row until beating Hull FC 26-16 at the 17th attempt.

They signed Kevin Locke from Salford but the former Kiwi international made just three appearances before a ruptured pectoral muscle threatened the rest of his season.

Triple Grand Final winner Lee Smith is back at the club following a second unsuccessful spell in rugby union with Newcastle Falcons. Scott Moore moves in at hooker from Castleford while Leeds prop Andy Yates became Smith’s eighth signing in six weeks.

Watch out for teen flyer, Tom Johnstone, a rare success in a miserable season.

Bradford Bulls

Finishing position: Second in Championship

Coach: James Lowes

Some pundit’s pre-season tip to top the Championship but the one-time Super League kings have flattered to deceive in the last month, hampered by a lack of half backs.

Beaten by Leigh at the start of the year, the Bulls have been neutered recently by Featherstone, Sheffield Eagles and Halifax.

Wingers James Clare (from Castleford), Omari Caro (Blackheath RU) and Matt Ryan (Wakefield) come into the fold for the end-of-season push. Clare is a real coup and performed superbly in Tigers’ run to the Challenge Cup final last season.

Bradford’s glory days are a distant memory and don’t be surprised if they’re in the Championship for another 12 months.

Sheffield Eagles

Finishing position: Third in Championship

Coach: Mark Aston

Sheffield’s main push for promotion is expected to come next season when all their squad will be full-time. But don’t expect the Eagles, who recently celebrated the club’s 1,000th game with victory over Featherstone, to be pushovers in the coming months.

They were Championship Grand Final winners in 2012 and 2013 before Leigh displaced them in 2014. Sheffield also achieved one of the game’s greatest upsets, beating mighty Wigan in the 1998 Challenge Cup final, a run started with victory over Leigh.

Operating on a fraction of the budget of the division’s top two, canny boss Mark Aston has moulded another competitive squad, including ultra experienced ex-Bradford favourite Jamie Langley. The flair is provided by Quentin Laulu Togagae, aka QLT, Menzie Yere, Scott Turner and Rob Worrincy.

Halifax

Finishing position: Fourth in Championship

Coach: Richard Marshall

Part-timers Halifax secured their top-four finish with a superb run in the second part of the campaign.

After losing 18-4 against Bradford on May 23, the Shay outfit embarked on a nine-game end-of-season winning run, including a 38-10 victory against Sheffield and last Sunday’s 20-16 revenge success over the Bulls in front of 4,589 fans.

“The pressure is on the teams around us because no-one expects us to be in Super League,” says boss Richard Marshall, a former Warrington assistant coach

Halifax finished sixth after the first season of summer rugby in 1996, one place above Sheffield. They progressed to third in 1998, only four points off top spot. However, five years later they were relegated; so far never to return.

Ex St Helens youngster Ste Tyrer is a prolific scorer for the ‘Fax.