Featherstone Rovers favourites to win promotion to Super League in 2023
Featherstone Rovers are favourites to win promotion to Super League with several bookmakers ahead of the 2023 season kicking-off.
The side lost out in 2021 with a 34-12 defeat away to Toulouse, before suffering an early knock-out to Batley during the 2022 play-offs.
The 2023 Championship campaign gets underway on Saturday, February 4, as Toulouse open their return to the second division away to Barrow, with the game set to be streamed live on Our League.
Sylvain Houles’ French side suffered relegation following just one season in Super League, and are second favourites to win the 2023 Championship Grand Final.
Despite seeing their campaign cut short by the Bulldogs during the 2022 season in the semi-finals, Featherstone are favourites to go all the way this year at 10/11 with Sky Bet.
Head coach Sean Long takes charge of his first season following the departure of Brian McDermott, who has joined NRL side Newcastle Knights as assistant coach.
Long, 46, has been busy building his squad during the off-season, with players such as Elijah Taylor, Riley Dean and Caleb Aekins all joining Rovers for 2023.
Keighley’s chances
Keighley are straight into the mix following their promotion from League 1 with odds of 14/1. Rhys Lovegrove’s side were unbeaten during their 2022 campaign, and have since made several eye-catching additions to their squad. Ben Crooks makes the move from Hull KR. Mark Ioane, Sadiq Adebiyi, Thomas Doyle and Ellis Robson have all also joined the side ahead of the 2023 season.
Elsewhere, Bradford are also priced at 14/1 to win promotion in 2023, despite finishing last season in ninth spot.
Meanwhile, Widnes Vikings are priced at 16/1. John Kear takes charge of his first pre-season as head coach at the club, having been appointed earlier in June.
Whitehaven and Swinton sit at the bottom of the odds, with Newcastle Thunder and London Broncos just above them.
York will see Andrew Henderson take charge for the first time in 2023 – and they are priced at 12/1 to win the Championship Grand Final this season. The former London Broncos coach takes over from James Ford, who has joined Wakefield as assistant.
Following an impressive 2022 campaign that saw them reach the play-offs in their first year back in the second division, Paul Carey’s Barrow have odds of 25/1.
2023 Championship odds
Featherstone Rovers – 10/11
Toulouse Olympique – 4/1
Halifax Panthers – 12/1
York Knights – 12/1
Bradford Bulls – 14/1
Keighley Cougars – 14/1
Batley Bulldogs – 16/1
Widnes Vikings – 16/1
Barrow Raiders – 25/1
Sheffield Eagles – 25/1
London Broncos – 66/1
Newcastle Thunder 80/1
Swinton Lions – 100/1
Whitehaven RLFC – 150/1
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