YORK City Knights head into the 2022 Betfred Championship season as fourth favourites with the majority of the bookmakers to win the league.

York placed ninth in the Championship last year but have overhauled their squad over the off-season and added the likes of Liam Harris, Jamie Ellis and Pauli Pauli to their side.

Head coach James Ford, who signed a renewed long-term contract with the club in November, has also added further depth to his spine after several struggles at full-back, half-back and hooker in 2021.

In line with the predictions of many rugby league followers, Featherstone Rovers and Leigh Centurions are the bookies’ two stand-out favourites.

Featherstone are as short as evens with Sky Bet, perhaps owing to the appointment of former Leeds Rhinos legend Brian McDermott as the new head coach.

Samoa international Joey Leilua is the most eye-catching Rovers addition this year, alongside Betfred Super League arrivals Jesse Sene-Lefao and Luke Briscoe.

Leigh are slightly wider priced at 6/4 with the same bookmaker following their relegation from the top flight.

Like Fev, they have added some high-profile names to their coaching and backroom staff.

Former Hull KR and Wakefield Trinity boss Chris Chester is now director of rugby, working alongside coach Adrian Law, who won the League Leaders Shield with Wigan Warriors as well as taking them to a Grand Final in 2020.

How the likes of Caleb Aekins, Nene Macdonald and Tom Amone – all signed from NRL clubs – fare in the Championship may determine the Centurions’ promotion chances.

Halifax Panthers lead the best-of-the-rest pack at around 12/1. Fax finished third last term and have since made a number of shrewd acquisitions including Whitehaven pair Louis Jouffret and Lachlan Walmsley and Wakefield duo Joe Arundel and Kyle Wood.

York are tipped for a return to the play-offs, having been mainly priced at 14/1. Ford’s side will be hoping to recapture the form that saw them finish third in 2019.

Bradford Bulls are just behind York, at 16/1, following a disappointing play-off defeat to Batley Bulldogs last term.

John Kear’s side have brought in Salford Red Devils half-back Dec Patton as the successor to retired talisman Danny Brough.

Perhaps surprisingly given their new-found full-time status, Newcastle Thunder are priced at 20/1.

Widnes Vikings, who finished eighth last year, are priced at around 25/1. London Broncos (33/1) are predicted to struggle in adapting to life as a part-time outfit.

Despite finishing in the play-offs in 2021, Batley Bulldogs and Whitehaven are as wide as 66/1 and 80/1 respectively.

Likely to be scrappy to avoid relegation are Dewsbury Rams (100/1), Barrow Raiders (125/1), Sheffield Eagles (150/1) and Workington Town (200/1).

Cumbrian pair Barrow and Workington were promoted from League One last year while Dewsbury and Sheffield will seeking to maintain their second tier status.