At various times through the year this issue has come up usually with people saying it was bad planning by the club to fail to plan for Briers' succession.

I expect the succession planning was started a few years ago with us signing Myler and Ratchford, and with GO'B coming through the ranks, and being sent on loan so he could play in SL rather than just playing reserves with us. This was the likely plan and I think if you were to go back a few years on here and read what people thought, if a Wigan fan came on saying Wire will be stuffed when Briers leaves, the response would have been along the lines of no we've got Myler, Ratchford and GO'B coming through so we'll be fine.

That hasn't quite worked out although we've had the bonus of Bridge playing well there and him and Ratchford have at times this season been excellent, although we have not had the dominant single pivot player that we had with Briers.

So we basically had/have three optionsthat [/ibadly, at times it has worked well.

My guess is we will probably go with the third option. If anybody has any credible options for option 1 and option 2 it would be good to suggest some possible names.

Option four: Have a look at the likes of North Queensland and Melbourne's Holden Cup halfbacks. Players who have learnt under fantastic halfbacks but aren't good enough/ready to displace them.

Plenty of support for signing Kevin Brown or Travis Burns. Are there any seasoned halfbacks in the lower leagues worth a look?

Apart from those of us who regularly watch Championship RL, few people had heard of Liam Finn until this year and there were plenty of raised eyebrows. There are some very talented players outside of SL who for whatever reason didn't end up playing full time football. I rate Martyn Ridyard very highly, however he has committed to a full time contract with Leigh.

Something which interests me and that I would love to learn more about is French RL. I often wonder how much time talent scouts spend over there and whether there are some real diamonds in the rough.

I think looking in the Championship is a decent option but it's not really a first line option, its more taking a punt.

There might be the odd jewel in the Championship but there are also a lot of players that don't make it and its hard to judge how a top line player there will go. Barry Eaton, Craig Weston and Cliff Beverley were stand outs in the lower leagues but weren't the same in SL. The best was Jamie Rooney who had to wait a while as a top NFP halfback and he did have a good career in SL but not really top drawer.

I think we would probably be disappointed if we made one halfback signing and it was a guy from the Championship or teh French championship.

Hopefully Louis Jouffret will answer that question

That was just a loan/ exchange arrangement though?

Patton is the better halfback anyway.

Try and sort a visa out for Todd Carney, a truly world class HB?

Whatever the answer is, we need to decide on a half-back parnership, stick with it for an extended period come what may, and let the the players involved and their colleagues get used it.

We are unique in the top teams in that if you asked any fan, and perhaps even the players and coaches, what our first choice half-back partnership is we couldn't answer you. The fact that Wigan, Leeds, Saints & Cas know their best combination when fit, and have always fielded them irrespective of whether their form is good, bad or indifferent speaks volumes.

For me personally, we should look to the NRL and bring in someone experienced in alongside O'Brien, to give Gareth a chance to learn in the same way that Myler had the opportunity with Briers. Ratchford reverts to FB, Bridge to centre and Russell to the wing. Myler, I'm afraid, is a busted flush.

Can we get Soward back over to SL?

How did Gelling get one?

Gelling probably got one through his international appearances with Cook Islands.

Realistically we have to make Myler-Ratchford-O'Brien-Bridge work. There are no better UK halves overall playing anywhere else ( you could make a case for Matty Smith but he's not moving from Pies to Wire ). We are not going to get a first-rate Aussie for all the usual reasons. The other UK-based Aussies are below par. I still think that Gaz O'Brien has a fine half-back brain, and just needs more confidence. OK, he doesn't have the typical cocky 'me' attitude of many of the great HBs ( like Murphy or Gregory ), but he will get close to that as he convinces himself that he's a permanent fixture in the side with big responsibilities. Ratchford and /or Myler will be the free-running 7 to take advantage of O'Brien's creative plays. Bridge is doing a good job but his age means he won't be around in three-four years, maybe even fewer.

There are those who believe that we have some major talent in the juniors at HB, but (a) I haven't seen them to make judgment myself and (b) that was said about quite a few young HBs in the past who didn't make the grade in the end.

O'Brien is leaving so surely we must be looking at replacing him somehow??!!