I'm a big fan of Jamie Langley and would love to see a player like him bolster our forward pack. A second rower who can also slip in at prop when needed. However, we do have Lee Mossop who plays a similar role and I think long-term Mossop will surpass Langley. Gareth Hock is also expected to return next season and he may play a very similar role.

LMS is a good shout. A tough, young, British prop forward who has some real aggression and can offload when required and who has plenty of improvement in him. He would need to sort out his discipline, but I'm confident he could be a fine player for us. He reminds me a bit of Andy Coley and if we are looking for a replacement for Coley then I would go with LMS.

I dont think Phelps will get a new contract, he's a nice guy and can play some good rugby at times but alot goes against him:

- Roberts form, especially at fullback is sublime
- His defence isnt good enough for Maguires standards.
- He's on the quota
- Yesterday we brought in Pryce and Marsh instead of giving him a game which suggests he is out of favour.
- Gouldings form. Phelps is versatile but so is Goulding and between the 2 I think Goulding would just push it.

It is a shame because I really like him but if we want to be challenging for honours we cant afford to have him IMO. His quota spot could be used on a real class player from overseas that can be the difference between winning silverwear.

1. Roberts
2. Charnley/Ainscough
3. Marsh
4. Glesson
5. Richards
6. Tomkins
7. Finch - wish it was Cronk
8. Coley
9. Riddell
10.Lima
11.Tomkins
12.Mossop
13.Lockers

14.Fielden
15.O'Carroll
16.Farrell
17.Lealuei


I could see somthing like that in 2011...Or i could be way out

Roberts
Pat
Poss Shenton ........Carmont/Marsh
Gleeson
Goulding
Sam
Tommy
Coley
Piggy
Fielden
Hansen/Hock
Tomkins
Lockers

McLlorum
Lima
Prescott/O'Carroll
Farrell/Mossop/Davies

...... Dont think we need many changes. IMO Carmont is good enough and fit enough to play most of next year whilst we develop Marsh. Altough i do think if we replace him it could improve us. I also think if Tommy and Sam work on there long range kicking they are a good enough pairing to be challenging for honours as long as our pack are holding there own.

We can only surmise at what me be the outcome for next year's squad.
What does seem to be the case is that IL is again quoted as saying home produced players have to be the core of the squad.
If we have some of the best juniors around then why not?
Also brining players from overseas is now very expensive on a salary cap that isn't increasing. It may now be club policy to recruit, train and retain the players we can get and hold onto those we have.
Bearing that in mind Phelps looks vulnerable as does Feka & Bailey. Quota and kolpac in there.
As has been said Amos seems to be best option as long term full back.
We have Gleeson, Goulding, now Pryce, Marsh, Carmont and Richards for the four threequarter positions.
Feka is no longer an outstanding prop and the coaching team appear to be looking for props who can do a decent shift, Feka doesn't. Fielden is very good, Coley excellent, O'Carroll getting better every game and Prescott has done OK. With Davies and Holland to come through we appear well off for younger props and possibly a senior prop may come in from overseas.
Bailey is in amongst a host of players for the back row. Hansen, Joel, Mossop & Farrell with Lockers at loose. Hock may return next year.
With only recruiting perhaps one overseas player the squad may not need much adding to if the players at the club continue to improve as they already have done under MM and his crew's coaching.

I should point out that although I've not included Feka in the squad I posted he's probably my favourite player, but I don't see the point in keeping him then putting him on for the tiny stints he's been playing recently. He made two really good breaks in the last two games and he scored v Saints and Sheffield (could have been two v Sheffield but they held him up and carried him over the dead ball line) so there's still hope for him. Give him some proper game time pretty please MM so we can see whether he's worth keeping or not.

LMS? Who's that then?

I'm not going back to read if it's already mentioned but a mole has told me Brett Finch in for next season at Scrum Half. Piggy to go home a year early and Tommy to switch to regular hooking. We shall see.

That would be nice, though Cronk would be better!

Finch can be a bit inconsistent, but on his day he's excellent.

Shame to get rid of Piggy just as he's coming good, though.

It's a tough one to call, personally if piggy is moving on I'd much rather bring in another hooker than shuffle players around just to sign a halfback that I'm not personally a fan of.

Cronk signing would be a different matter the guy's a class act, but at the end of the day are chances of getting him are slim to none. If were after a hooker to replace piggy why not go full out and try and lure Cameron Smith over, yes he's even more unlikely to sign than Cronk, but maybe just maybe we might be able to get one of them, the least we can do is try.

On a different note, there were a lot of rumors flying around that Wigan were trying to link up with Melbourne as sort of a sister club type thing, I wonder whether there recent controversy may have put the breaks on that possible partnership.

I got told about Finch on Sunday, from the same source that told me about Marting Gleeson signing. He didn't mention Piggy going but that Maguire didn't want to revert to having Lockers at stand off next season if we lost a half back. That would say that this will almost certainly be Deacons last season as a player.

I really really hope Piggy stays or we bring in a specialist hooker to replace him. I think we have really missed TL in the halves and his return was a major catalyst to our improvement on Sunday. I still see nothing in him that leads me to think he is a specialist hooker.

I think the Deacon contract was always geared towards him only playing 1 year at Wigan, but it was a nice insurance policy for us to have the option of a further year should we not be able to attract the correct calibre of half. In Finch, a rumour i have also heard from people at other clubs regarding a link to Wigan, if he is confirmed I would be more than happy to have him at the club.

Possibly the most crucial decision for the future of the team.

I don't want Riddell to go anywhere plus a Leuluai/Mcilorum combination at hooker doesn't sit well with me.

But then we need a far better creater and kicker at 7. If you bring in someone like Finch, what do you do with Leuluai? He's too high profile for him to be sitting in the stands; salary cap wise it doesn't make sense. Plus he is a threat on the field when he's on his game.

It won't go down well with some and it won't happen considering Lenagan's mentality but I would seriously consider whether it would be of benefit to both club and player if Mcilorum was to find another club.

If we sign a half of Finch's quality I would assume the future is pretty bleak for McIllorum at Wigan. His defence is excellent as is his commitment, but he badly needs to learn to control the game, the difference between Wigan with Piggy on the field is massive and I fear that unless McIllorum improves in this area and improves quickly then I think we could see him move on, which would be a shame, but probably better for both the club and the player.

Could we not do what saints did with Moore and send him out on loan for a good period.

I wouldnt like to lose Micky but i could see the benifits of him going out on loan for 1-2 years.