It's looking like we've signed Patrick and Mossop in place of Dudson and Taylor which is an improvement IMO so I'm happy. Mossop and Taylor are of a similar standard but Patrick is a far better player then Dudson (a tackling bag would be a better option then Dudson). Add in Tautai for Hughes and we can be pleased with our lot.

We've got great depth and the quality is high as well. He's had some negative comments on the England tour but I think Joel Tomkins will be massive for us next year. He looked like he was really getting to grips with things on Saturday and we'll see the real Joel Tomkins next year.

Wigans backrow looks frightening!

I think negativity around Tomkins was fuelled by him getting selected after not playing much rugby.

I was quite happy when you re-signed Mossop. I don't expect he's come cheap and with his injury record and patchy form before he left, its a bit of a gamble. The fact I also rate Taylor highly means I was thinking you're in the red on that one, but then someone reminded me about Tautai and you've somehow got your hands on Patrick. There's a lot of meat, there.

Mossop played well in big games for Wigan. He's good when he's switched on and aggressive and poor when he isn't.

Adding some consistency will be his big challenge especially if he fancies a spot in the England squad in future years.

looking at the squads and assuming a reasonable amount of health to major players, it looks like wigan's to lose. saints will be up there again and warrington, then its anyones guess. the real tests will come if teams get major injury problems - wigan and saints look quite well prepared for this but i'm not confident about any of the others

You could have said the same about us this year but there's no accounting for unexpected circumstances!

Saints will have a lot of belief next year, Wire have a great player on their hands in Clark who will add masses to their squad, Leeds are always sniffing around and I'd too Catalan to give it a real tilt with Carney in their side.

It should be a good battle next year.

The Leeds squad looks a bit thin with injuries and ageing team. Saints and Wigan look good on paper. As do wire, and Catalans provided avoid few key injuries look very handy.

Having Carney, Escare, Henderson and Pelissier fit for most of the year will be the key to Catalans' prospects. Carney and Escare are irreplaceable in terms of having the X factor that can change a game.

Lucky they have great cover in the halves with Dureau and Bosc competing for one spot, and in the centres with Tonga, Pomeroy and Duport competing for two spots (personally I rate Duport far higher than Pomeroy), and in the back row with five players in Taia, Whitehead, Anderson, Baitieri, and Mounis all hot candidates for four spots (including bench), and Garcia and Maria as lesser but capable backups if injuries strike.

The only vulnerability the Catalans have is in the props department where they have Casty, Elima, Lima, and Bousquet as first choice for the four match day spots, with from what I know only Maria and other less experienced players from the reserve team to replace them if and when injuries strike.

If Catalans are not unlucky with injuries I can see them definitely as top 4 for most of the season, and perhaps top 2 by season's end. Of course that requires them to start winning more away games than they usually do. However the exciting new Carney-Escare combination can make that happen if the Catalans forwards just hold their own in the away games.

Scott Taylor to Salford 1 year loan I'm hearing.

I thought the whole point of him leaving wigan was to go back to Humberside?
I'd like him at Saints.

Y'know, a lot of people are/were of the option that Wigan's success isn't built on the top notch quality of their players, more the ability of Wane to get the very best out of them. This would be refuted by Wigan supporters, but generally accepted by others.

Next year, however, there's a lot of power in that pack with those three signings + the rehabilitation of Joel Tomkins.

Saints fans are all in agreement that we need another workhorse prop to interchange with Amor. If we get that, then I'm very confident, but if not, I think we'll have a real weakness during certain periods of big games against big packs.

He's joining Hull in 2016 regardless, but Wigan want a big transfer fee to get him now which we aren't prepared to pay. We are already forking out £450,000 to players who won't play a game for us this year according to Pearson.

Personally I think it's a bit petty to not allow him to leave if he's not in their plans anyway. But I suppose I don't know everything that has gone on behind the scenes.

Wigan want a transfer fee. Hull not paying. Salford get a decent young prop for twelve months. From his perspective this would be the best deal for him atm. Not figuring in Wigan's plans, Hull not wanting to pay. At least he gets game time this way rather than languishing.

I think Hull may rue the ridiculous amount they paid for Sneyd. Of course, it may workout as a great bit of business if he cracks on and performs. Big gamble though.

The Sneyd transfer fee is the least of our money issues. Willie Manu is our highest paid player this year!