Kevin Brown makes bold statement about the 2023 Championship

Kevin Brown has previewed the Championship season as the opening round is set to conclude tonight as newly promoted but unbeaten in 2022 Keighley Cougars host favourites Featherstone Rovers tonight.

Speaking to the Sportsman YouTube channel, Brown boldly stated that he believes over 10 sides will be expecting to finish in the top four this season and said that even new Featherstone Rovers boss Sean Long won’t claim that they are indeed favourites.

He said: “There’s probably 10 or 11 sides expecting to be up there in the top four, no one wants to say that they’re the team to beat. I was speaking to Longy at Fev and he won’t put his neck on the line, but they look very strong.

“I’m scratching my head thinking who will win these games. I mean Joey Leilua at Featherstone, he’s a headline and a world-class player. It’s so good for the competition, so good the sport and so good for the viewers too.

“I’ll genuinely be turning up to most games this year and I won’t know who to pick.”

He also said that the Championship shows what rugby league is all about: the working class side of the sport.

The former Warrington Wolves halfback said: “This shows what rugby league is about, we went to Tottenham last year and had a look at some real good stadiums but this is rugby league, it’s working class it’s tough men playing against each other. That’s what we’re going to see in the championship, it’s almost two seasons in one – you get the physicality and the brutality early on when the pitches aren’t as quick, and then they quicken up in the summer and you see the skill and the flair. That’s what’s good about the championship, it’s full of skill and toughness too.”