I would guess Hock will play more frontrow covering the second row as required.

Lauaki will play the secondrow, covering the frontrow as required, both Dudson and Flower can cover both front and backrow, although long term i feel both will be frontrowers.

Thomas gives us emergency cover in the pack and also at centre, allowing Joel to also cover the backrow.

Basically we have a plethora of options across the park if the rumoured signings come to fruition.

Our recruitment strategy at the moment does seem a little risky but our hand has been somewhat forced by the quality of what is on the market, and players retiring/taking up contracts elsewhere.

We have had in my opinion thus far to target potential over quality, the important thing is that we tap into that potential very quickly and our ability to do that could decide our fate next year and beyond.

If we signed any player on the basis of how many season tickets they'll shift, we're signing them for the wrong reasons.

I'm sorry, mate, but you just seem to be cheerleading the anti-IL campaign.

I don't think much of the Hull guy we've been linked with either, but all this - not to mention the Gareth Thomas stuff last week (good grief!) - reminds me vividly of the OTT stuff we got from you when Ainscough was leaving.

Sorry, but I can't help it if I feel IL is doing so many things right that I can overlook the occasional error (Does that really mean I'd jump in the canal if he told me to?) We currently hold three trophies, and still have a chance for two more this season. And yet at one stage last week, you actually compared him unfavourably - with Maurice Lindsay!!!

On the subject of O'Carroll, my understanding is that he WASN'T guaranteed first-team action and that was enough to make him decide to go elsewhere. Now, if that's true you tell me where the club were at fault. I can't see how they were.

Worked wonders for HKR with Mason.

NOT.

Im not surprised in any whatsoever. [in fact its what i would have done in his position]
Good luck to him. I am sure that he will flourish, but that we will replace him with equal standard.

Dave what has a 24 year old O'Carroll ever done other than offering a supporting role? He is 24. and other than being a grafter brings very little to the table. We have 2 lads coming through who have real potential and along with these lads could improve our team and will certainly improve our squad depth.

O'Carroll was not guaranteed first team rugby and rightfully so his performances have not warranted it. At 24 are we supposed to guarantee a player who has not deserved it first team rugby at an inflated price to retain a non crucial squad member?

Regards the transfers I am not going over my thoughts on Thomas that has been done. The other 3 guys are clearly as I have stated on another thread signings from a very weak market this year but all offer far more potential than O'Carroll long term and in the case of 2 maybe all of them the short term too.

I will bet you know Lauaki and Flower go on to be regarded as more useful players than O'Carroll within their first year at Wigan, and I also expect O'Carroll will prove to be nothing more than a player fighting for a 4th choice rotation prop at a team fighting it out for the lower spots in the top 8.