Tipperary should come back stronger from their League final defeat to Galway as they bid to win back-to-back All-Ireland titles, according to former Kilkenny All-Star Henry Shefflin.
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Speaking at the launch of RTÉ's Championship coverage, the Ballyhale Shamrocks man said Tipp have the personnel to get the job done.
"There's a bit of pressure on them but I think they're favourites," he said.
"I know they had a very bad performance in the league [final] but you think they would come back stronger from that.
"I think you look at all the teams in it, they probably have the strongest panel and some of the best players as well."
Despite the strength of the Premier panel, Shefflin doesn't think they are far ahead of the chasing pack.
"There definitely are question marks over them, so you are probably tipping Tipperary but there is a big chasing pack and I think it's a very competitive championship to look forward to."
Despite the number of counties lining up to take a shot at the champions, Shefflin stopped short of using the kind of hyperbole we've seen in recent years, with each renewal dubbed the 'most exciting championship' before a sliotar is hit in earnest.
"We said that after Clare won in 2013 - we said it was going to be very exciting and very open - and we said it the following year as well.
"In essence it's boiled down to two teams, Kilkenny and Tipperary, so I don't like overplaying things.
"I just hope the teams go for it this year and it'll be a wide open championship with some great games."
Galway's destruction of Tipp in the league final sees the western side join the 'big two' atop the pedestal, with Shefflin also identifying a number of teams that will have their eye on top spot.
"It'll be a massive year for Waterford, and I think Clare are going about their business nicely. I think it will be very interesting to see how they come on."
Wexford, too, are a side on the rise since the arrival of a certain Mr D Fitzgerald in the Model County.
"I think we've had the Davy factor with Wexford already, it’s been a massive year for them. It will be interesting to see how they do go.
"If they come through and meet Kilkenny [in a Leinster semi-final] it'll be a massive game, but I think Kilkenny will have too much for them.
"No matter what happens from here, unless it's a damp squib, I think it's been a success for Davy and Wexford."
The former Kilkenny forward also said change is needed within the structure of the hurling championship.
"As much as we all love the Munster Championship, and the Leinster Championship for us Leinster people, I think we need to look at the structure of it.
"There are not enough teams in hurling so I think we need to do a Champions League draw or something like that to get more good games.
"We'd some great games during the league so I think it would be great to get that kind of thing and by all accounts they are looking at the structure and I think it will lead to more games for hurling."
With the Super 8 structure for football coming on stream next year, Shefflin said the big ball game is going to benefit from increased profile.
"There is no doubt there's going to be a lot more focus on the football championship because there will be big games in the Super 8 and no matter what, people want the big games with the high profile."
