Locky, Dudson and Goulding back in.

McIlorum, Bateman and Sarginson out.

1 Matty Bowen, 32 Joe Burgess, 2 Josh Charnley, 24 Tony Clubb, 17 Dom Crosby, 16 Gil Dudson, 12 Liam Farrell, 10 Ben Flower, 3 Darrell Goulding, 6 Blake Green, 14 Jack Hughes, 28 Jordan James,13 Sean O'Loughlin, 22 Eddy Pettybourne, 7 Matty Smith, 8 Scott Taylor, 4 Iain Thornley, 15 Logan Tomkins, 27 George Williams

Still no Hampshire. Would like to see him getting introduced from the bench, plus it's an insurance for if Bowen's not playing well

Bowen
Charnley
Goulding
Thornley
Burgess
Green
Smith
Flower
Tomkins
Taylor
Farrell
Hughes
O'Loughlin

Clubb
Dudson
Pettybourne
Williams

Crosby and James missing out.

It definitely looks as though Hampshire is being earmarked for the fullback role rather than the halves.

Just a thought - with Flower Taylor Clubb Crosby Dudson and James all in the squad might Pettybourne play second row in Bateman's place?

Is that 2 games in a row James has made the 19? What is that about. From an embarrassment of depth in the pack to James in the 19?

Can't help but think Wigan have dropped a major clanger with squad composition over the off season but I suppose time will tell.

James let no-one down at Cas - probably sensible to judge him on his actaul performance than any preconceived ideas.

id like to see pettybourne in the second row, hes looked good at prop, but with clubb impressing there too and looking naff in the second row, perhaps their roles can be switched.

They're hardly pre-conceived ideas, they are based on his abilities as a player over a number of years and I don't think he would get anywhere near the Wigan pack of the last few years.

He's a 100% for sure, but a couple of classes below what should be running out for Wigan IMO.

Is he playing prop? I'd be a bit miffed if I was Greg Burke and James is making the squad but maybe I'm wrong about him.

i think the basis of his inclusion in the squad for the season is so that people can be rested/rotated. i dont expect him to play more than 10 games, which would cover lauaki and powells inclusion last year, and those games to occur against 'lesser' opposition or in dire injury straits. barring some disaster in which 4 of our props are out, i dont expect him to be near any big games. hes there to do a job, to fill in for others. not to pound people into the ground or win games single handedly for us.

Id be even more miffed if I was Greg Burke and i was being made to play with a dislocated shoulder

Picked up before he went on loan?

burke vs james, i think wane sees it as important burke gets game time so is happy to send him where he is needed, whereas james would have been unlikely to ply vs cas had oloughlin not been injured and flower had to play loose. although i guess it could be argued burke could play at loose to avoid moving flower all together.

6 props in there (7 if you include Clubb) so James isn't necessarily playing. I wouldn't be too surprised to see Clubb, Flower or Pettybourne utilised at SR, Personally I'd go:

FB 1 Bowen,
RW 2 Charnley
RC 3 Goulding
LC 4 Thornley (I prefer Gelling but he's not in the 19)
LW 32 Burgess
SO 6 Green
SH 7 Smith
P 8 Taylor
H 15 Tomkins
P 24 Clubb
SR 10 Flower
SR 12 Farrell
LF 13 O'Loughlin

S 16 Dudson
S 17 Crosby
S 22 Pettybourne (Used at SR)
S 27 Williams (Used at H)

I was impressed with James vs cas, would pick him before Crosby/Dudson

Burke shouldn't really be playing prop anyway as he's not that effective there - he's a loose forward or second row and that's generally where he features for Wigan.

James is there to add depth to allow younger players to go out on loan and gain some experience, such as Greenwood (who need to be playing more regularly and don't qualify for the U19's) and to avoid having to rely on props from the under 19's, who might be very promising but can't be expected to play week after week.
Had someone like Greenwood remained at the club he'd have been on dual reg most weeks when he really needs to be playing at Super League level.

For props there's a big gap between U19's and actually being ready to play week in week out in Super League so it makes sense to have some experienced bodies in the side who can go out there and do a job without having to risk any youngsters.

Since Lauaki and Powell have left (no great losses really) there's a need for a bit more depth. Wigan ended up with a prop forward on the coaching staff and decided it was worth giving him a contract to allow better squad rotation, whether that's at the beginning, middle or back end of the season.

Since James won't be playing week in week out he might be able to give a little more when he does play.