Without McIllorum and O'Loughlin they'd fall apart by their own fans' admission.

We'd do the same without M Monas and Hill, but Higham can hold his own and England's going well.

Gonna get shot but

Bowen

Monaghan
Bridge
Ratchford
Charnley

Green
Smith

Harrison
Monaghan
Hill
Waterhouse
Farrel
O'loughlin

Mcillorum
Petty Bourne
Flower
England

The Wire players that I would pick would be Ratchford - potentially a great player who can play anywhere, I'm not even sure of his best position, but he'd get in my team - probably at full back. Chris Hill is the best prop in the League.

Either of the two hookers would get in alongside McIlorum. I couldn't see any Wire players get in Wigan's back row. And Bateman would be there before the likes of Laithwaite - sorry - although I do like the look of Currie.

Monaghan and Charnley are the best two wingers in super league. Bridge has played well this season and would edge in ahead of Gelling. Not sure about Atkins.

The halves are good players but I would favour Smith and Green for their big match temperaments. Ratchford would be the kicker. Of the other props Harrison possibly has the edge over Crosby, Flower, Clubb and Pettybourne. Tony Clubb has impressed everyone this season though. Taylor would be most people's pick alongside Hill, but he has fallen out of favour.

Stefan Ratchford

Joel Monaghan
Chris Bridge
Ryan Atkins
Rhys Evans

Gareth O'Brien
Richie Myler

Anthony England
Michael Monaghan
Chris Hill
James Laithwaite
Trent Waterhouse
Ben Harrison

I wouldn't want any of that Shi*** near the primrose and blue

+1

Pretty fair assessment in my opinion. Don't necessarily agree with them all, but understand the rationale. Only one I'd question is your opinion of Laithwaite. He is above Waterhouse, Currie and fast approaching Westwood. I'd have him very close to Bateman.

Bowan
Charnley
Joel
Atkins
Burgess
Bridge
Ratchford
Hill
Monas
Crosby
Farrell
Westwood
Lockers

Harrison
Flower
Micky Mac
Laithwaite

As a Wigan fan, I must admit I admire Laithwaite's defence, it is brilliant. However, Bateman is ahead of him at the moment. Bateman was one of the best players in the league early on in the season.

Seem to remember all the people talking up Bateman whilst all along the far better prospect was Whitehead and so it has been proven.

I think your right
Bateman in for Laithwaite on the bench then

At 25 Whitehead is 4 years older than Bateman. Whitehead has had a stunning season and is rightly in the England squad. Bateman on the other hand is still learning and has only played about half the amount of career games that Whitehead has. So nothing is proven until Bateman has another 3 or 4 years experience behind him.

It's like comparing Chris Hill with James Graham, for example. Two great players but Graham is about 4 years older.

I don't understand what your saying. Is Bateman good enough or not?

At he moment he isn't as good as Whitehead. Given another two or three years he will IMO be better.

He has shown more than enough promise for Wigan this year. He will probably be O'Loughlin's successor at 13.

OK?

I'm not patronising you and to stop others posters from doing so, I think you have used a misleading example....?

I don't for one second assume you mean Hill isn't good enough for an England squad call up?

I on the other hand think Bateman is more than good enough regardless of his age.

As Alexander Murphy says..."If your good enough your old enough!"

Fair comment. I was using the comparison between Hill and Graham, because at the moment Graham is the best prop in the world and Hill is some way behind (though plenty good enough for England), though in time who knows Hill may become as good. At the moment Bateman is behind Whitehead, but it is not, as the poster suggested, proven that he is a better player.