Had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine who is a cousin of a recent ex player. Main point of the conversation were

The Players were extremely happy with Powell getting the coaching job and all think that he will make a first class coach and that all the players will be behind him. He apparently involves the experienced players in the thought process and apparently mac wanted nothing to do with that approach.

Clubby does not want to play centre (even after representing) and wants to play in the forwards. Mac would not change him from the centres. Powell is currently looking for a loan centre and if one cant be found will be adding a couple more backrowers and will be swapping Rob Purdham to the centres and Clubb to play some front row.

Mac was well liked as a person but my friends cousin could not believe how old fashioned mac was as a coach

Dave Hughes was trying to get a deal sorted out with the RFL for a long time before it was done and believe it cost him the chance to sign the right big name players that they wanted so there is an agreement to send some more of ?Wigan's promising young guys here on a season loan.

This year will the expectations are for a fair year and trying to just improve a little on last year and that 2012 will see two marquee signings with one a fair way down the track in negotiations now.

Seemed pretty genuine and will be interesting to see how much comes to fruition

Niles, that is pretty positive, I hope you are right!

Interesting. Won't that rather limited his opportunity to be selected for England again? I mean, if he seriously wants to play in the pack, he's desperately got to improve his defence.

If we sign Charnley as has been indicated, then he slots into the gap left by Clubb and plays alongside Howell.

Excited already by the idea of two 'marquee' signings - when was the last time we had one of those, Henry Paul?

Talking of `marquee signings`.......I had the pleasure of watching Henry Fartfreely getting a pounding yesterday when the RU side beat Leeds. What a waste of space he is and thank god his contract with Quins RL never came to anything!!!

IIRC Charnley has a kicking game so we have no choice but to put him in the halves so they will have to find another Centre - maybe one of these Wigan lads.

He kicks goals, that doesn't neccesarily mean he has a kicking game. Everyone refers to him as a centre.

Marquee signing surely that was Tookey? he looked like a big tent!

We have a new 6/13 coming from Aus who may be able to kick.

I was only thinking the other day about why we are bring in Charnley? As has been mentioned above Clubby could move to 2nd row where he could run along side the centres in attack. I always believe thats what we should have done with LMS who had speed in abundance.

There is nothing novel in using players to add to sessions. With Robs inexperience I wouldnt expect anything else- The challenge he faces is bringing it all together in training plans, tactics, fitness etc

Just saw the 2010 Newcastle vs Manly game and Bailey looked much more of a second-rower rather than a stand-off or even an English style loose-forward. He would be a big stand-off and maybe we will finally found someone who can kick the ball to the sideline and gain more than 10m. On an offensive kicking game, I wouldn't back the Bails to be the answer to that problem that we've had for a few seasons now.

LMS always preferred to play prop, Mac did want him to play 2nd row, but given Temata and LMS were the only decent props we had playing one as a 2nd row wasn't a goer. Hope Clubby does get a run at 2nd row, his game suits that position, and the weaknesses in his defence should be less of an issue as he won't be exposed by weaknesses on both his inside and outside making his defence look worse than it really is.

You want Clubb to protect a halfback in defence?