Benefiting from the Melbourne fallout.
Wiganers convinced they have it all sewn up for the next couple of seasons...........We shall see!!

They must have signed Warringtons accountant too.......

2010 - Wigan Overseas Trained - any 6 from (depending on exemptions) Cameron Phelps, Amos Roberts, George Carmont, Pat Richards, Thomas Leuluai, Mark Riddell, Phil Bailey and Iafeta Palea'aesina

2011 - Wigan Overseas Trained - any 5 from (depending on exemptions) Cameron Phelps, Amos Roberts, George Carmont, Pat Richards, Thomas Leuluai, Phil Bailey, Iafeta Palea'aesina, Ryan Hoffman, Brett Finch and Jeff Lima.

Assuming here that some of the above are OOC at Wigan in 2011 and will not be retained but it was also interesting to see Lenagan reported as stating that Wigan still had a quota space available for next season.

I think Leuluai is exempt and surely "Irishman" Pat Richards is?

I'm assuming (no more or less than that) that Hoffman, Finch, Lima and Roberts will be the 4 quota players next season, leaving Lenagan to claim a fifth could be added.

We already know Riddell is leaving so that leaves Phelps, Carmont, Richards, Leuluai, Bailey and Palea'aesina probably on the exemption list already.

I expect some will leave though to free up salary cap room for the incoming trio and the possible return of Gareth Hock at some point next season.

Leaving we have:

Feka - Quota
Riddell - Quota
Phelps - Quota
Bailey - Quota

+ (probably)
Deacon
Ainscough
Perhaps Pryce.

Plus Fielden, Coley and Prescott also being OOC, Fielden in particular will have to take a massive pay cut to stay.

I suspect that knowledgable Wigan fans will be in the cutiously optamistic camp - and they should be based on their form and that of their rivals this year.

Finch is average at best, and really its about time we all stopped signing overseas players en masse.

I hope Ainscough gets a gig at a decent side and really kicks on if Wigan let him go. He may have weaknesses to his game but he's an exciting British player.

Can't argue with that. Finch I guess will replace Leuluai who I guess will replace Riddell. Hopefully McIlorum will continue in the Wigan 17.



Too many things appear to be going against him. Too tempting to target with kicks where he's alwars going to struggle to compete in the air. He's no Duffy. He's probably found his level in a decent championship team although still struggled at that level as Batley exploited on Sunday.

Are we? Really?


Spot on. The main thing going against Shaun is that he just isn't good enough. His defence lets him down time after time especially any high balls. I've heard people defend him by saying he's a short lad, but he often doesn't even get off the ground (eg the winning Batley try in the last minute of the NRC final).
He's Championship at best for me... so he'll probably end up at Wakefield

Matt Utai was spectacularly useless in the air and was targeted as a result. He'd walk into any SL side if he were fit. The Dogs were - amazingly - able to afford him some protection against high kicks as they were aware of this flaw.

Anyway, I hope he somehow gets the better of this issue and comes good.

Are you having a laugh there?

There is not a worse winger in Super League than him, even including for Ricky Sheriffe.

Not a chance will he kick on and get a go in super league.

And to the opening poster, although I agree with BrisbaneRhino on Finch, I too think Wigan will have everything sewn up for the next couple of years. They have signed two very very good players in Hoffman and Lima, to add to a team already leading the league this year. That current team is still learning with many youngsters, and they have by far the best academy set up currently to compliment this further.