I absolutely think we need a prop shake up, I'm just wondering whether adding another body would mean we were too heavy in one position - an important position admittedly - but we have to think about the balance of the squad and where we are spending the cap.  If we have Vaughan, Bryne, New Prop, Yates, Harrison, Philbin & Wood (agreed Crowther shouldn't be considered a prop option) then given Burgess doesn't seem to want 3 props on the bench, is it a good use of cap space to have Harrison, Phibin and Wood for example sitting in the stands. I appreciate you need cover for injury / suspension etc. Just feels to me one body too much when you consider you want to give time to the likes of Wood and Thomas to develop as well.


I would bring in another prop, but I would be looking at who from that list of 7 I would look to move on.

Its a difficult balancing act as Wigan are finding out. We have Thompson, Havard, Byrne, Hill, Dupree, Mago, Walters and Ellis (admittedly playing 13 now) all potential 1st choice props. It worked last season and so far this season due to injuries, and being able to turn out a pack that you didnt really notice we've virtually not started with our 1st choice pack

and with Byrne and Hill moving on next season, possibly for more money but most likely with the promise / likelihood of 1st team rugby, you can see why its a balancing act, and you cant blame players as its a short career. We also have up to 5 off contract at the end of next season, so have to make the right calls re recruitment / retention of those players


The other challenge is that all clubs are looking for props, so a competitive market place, and probably a good time to be a prop forward

I see Yates as a loose forward more than prop, and a defensive asset more than offensive. He is a very strong defensive player.I'd like a disruptive impact forward for when we need to change games. 




Vaughan, Bryne, 
New Prop, 
Harrison



Backup 
Philbin
Wood
Yates
Thomas
Green etc 


We also need at least one strike centre. 

We have made a mess of the recruitment for props / middles over the last couple of years. We started the 2024 season with Dudson, Kassiano and Bullock all given squad numbers and none of them made it through the season. Luke Thomas unfortunately suffered an injury that meant he would be out of action for the best part of a year. 
We signed Yates and I assume we gave him squad no 13 because that's where we thought he would play. 
So we end up with a 13 playing up front. Our best second rower playing 13 (although Currie has done a great job) all because we are a few props short of a picnic. 


It rarely works out well when you shuffle players positions to fill a gap. Look at Catalan. They lost McIllorum but I assume they couldn't find a hooker so moved Ben Garcia to 9. Whereas all that has done is weaken them at 13. 


So since the start of 2024 we have lost 4 props and you can question the performances of Musgrove, Bullock, Kassiano and Dudson but given that Yates was signed as a 13 then I don't think we have replace 1 of them. 


I would be happy with Yates and Crowther rotating at 13 and Currie back in the second row if we had signed a full on prop forward. Not sure Stone is the answer to all our problems. 


I just wonder if Burgess can only deal with forwards in his own image (a bit like Briers frustrations coaching halfbacks that don't have the vision that he had). I also wonder how much planning was put into getting his brother to sign for us rather than Huddersfield. It might explain a bit

It depends how you play the game, Burgess seems to prefer a ball playing loose - Currie fits that bill perfectly as do players like Asiata.  In the event of your 13 being an 'extra middle' then Yates is perfect as he can do long minutes and do all the defensive dirty work, as it is he doesn't have the ball skills in my view, so he is a prop in our system - for as long as Burgess plays this way.


I see Yates, Harrison and Byrne as more defensive props, Philbin and Vaughan as more offence - if I was playing fantasy rugby league I would probably be swapping Philbin out with a player of more impact.

I would still prefer to see Yates at 13, like said above, He's a very good defensive player with a great Engine, but he's not a Prop and doesn't have the size to get the team on the front foot.
Satae does fit that bill, but i wonder if Burgess has put all his eggs in one basket to try and get papali'i as we're in for him by all accounts. Although his Wife has just been convicted of Assault and given a good behaviour order, not sure how that affects a visa or work etc over here?
But yeah i get the mention of being overloaded with props, but again like said above how effective are they getting the team going forward.
Also does anyone know if Vaughan has now actually re-signed with us? If not there is a possibility he won't be here which would leave us a hell of a lot weaker in my oppinion.
Also i understand the Crowther re-signing as he's a decent utility player, covers hooker, prop, 13 and Second row. Not a world beater but a consistant steady player.
We could also still lose Wrench this season as it's his last year and not had much game time, with Lindop getting injured he may get his chance of more Game time....but he might not.

Dudson, Kassiano ,Bullock were all big lads who didn't really do us a lot of good ,although i thought Bullock was improving in his last few outings & Kassiano was a ball player who wasn't used in the right way to create gaps. 
What we have now ,apart from Vaughan , are lightweights by comparison & it is no good expecting them to barge through defences. Creation needs to come from our engine room to create gaps to use our lightweight forwards as a viable options to the threequarters. Either that or stick our forwards on bulking up in the off season.

They are convinced over on Redvee that Papali’i as signed for Saints they have been talking about for some time now, personally I’d rather go for Satae

Our pack is industrious, but a weapon of the bench would be so effective. If Currie plays 60 minutes, we could have a huge bopper come on for two 10 minute spells of chaos. Philbin is (can be on occasion) our boat destructive ball carrier, and can effect the momentum of a game, but we need someone to scatter the pigeons and tie in some middles. We fell for it at the weekend trying to stop Lisone and they went around the back and Smith went over untouched on our line. It was 30 minutes in, give or take, and it was 0-0. He changed the game, without touching the ball. We don’t have someone that creates space by aura. 


Papali’i would be that guy. Big and strong but deceptively good feet, so you’d have to defend him first before sliding. Satae would be ok. Toby Rudolph would be a good pick up too, can’t get back into a stacked Sharks pack and they need cap space for Will Kennedy. 

If we persist with tai and king in the centres then it won't matter if we bring in Payne hass as prop. Our attack will be one dimensional and we'll struggle to score points.

https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/news/warrington-wolves-recruitment-record-improve-1216108 Nailed it.

https://www.alloutrugbyleague.co.uk/news/warrington-wolves-recruitment-record-improve-1216108 Nailed it.