you just get that gut feeling that Rocky will turn out to be another "Sean Long" he will go to another big club and become our nightmare and tormentor in the future

FWIW I agree about Smiths kicking game keeping him in the side but for me that's one part of Sam's game that's massively underrated.

Smith is a decent guy and a good pro who has offered us much needed stability but he's also a limited player.

I think he should spend 2016 on loan at a SL club. For all the hype around him at junior level, he's never looked like a superstar when he's played in the first team. He was given a very good opportunity early in the season, he was first choice FB for around 10 games until his performances dropped and Bowen was put back in and hasn't really looked back apart from a couple of dodgy incidents. I've never bought into the criticism that he's being played "out of position" because from an attacking point of view he should relish the extra space from FB. 12 months at someone like Salford, HKR or Widnes should go a long way to telling us how good he really is and not how good he's been built up to be IMO.

Rocky has played around 19/20 games this season, he has been promised more time in the halves next season and I think next year will be his breakout year, there is the option of another year on his deal in our favour after next season so I fully expect him to have cemented his place (If good enough) by the time we risk losing him

I can see him being our captain in the next couple of years or so.
Once he becomes a senior player within the team I can see him kicking on again in terms of his ability. For me he is already the best all round half back in the competition and with him being a Wigan lad it makes it that much sweeter.
In terms of his best position it has to be at 7 with either Sam or Hampshire at 6.

He did a Q&A on twitter this evening and said he prefers playing 6 over 7 and 9.

As someone has posted earlier in this thread, at times George has seemed to be our most (or only) creative player which means that by playing mainly on the left when we go right the creativity isn't there. This is borne out by the fact that the most clean breaks have come down the left, either by George breaking himself or when he backs up a break created by others.
As my user name says at times I am still in the past (getting worse) I am thinking back to when the scrum half was the fulcrum of the team who would be the most creative player on the pitch.
As someone has said things may change when Sam is back, but I just hope that Sam being back does not stifle the blossoming creativity that George is starting to show.

He'll grow and become a senior player and part of the leadership team IMO but I'd guess Sam Tomkins will be earmarked for Lockers captaincy as soon as he calls it quits.

He’s had 15 games this season but only one of those has been a start at SO (as a result of both Williams and Smith being unavailable). I don’t see how it can be his breakout year if they only play him at FB, he’s never going to dislodge Sam Tomkins after all.

I think Hampshire will probably go out on loan to a Superleague club. He can't have a season sat on his backside not playing, it's not fair on him and not good for the club. The new reserve league hasn't been sorted yet and may include only a minimal amount of games anyway. If he does go out on loan I hope Wigan make sure they have a recall clause in the contract, we've been fortunate this season with injuries in the #1, #6 and #7 positions and I don't think Fell or Shorrocks will be ready for the 1st team next year if they occur.

This would seem a logical move.

A 12 month spell at his hometown club in Wakefield playing in the halves wouldn't do him any harm. We'd learn more about him watching him play there then we will watching him in training here or even in games (if he's playing full back).

We would love him at Wakefield for the next 12 month.

Wigan would be well served by this as it would give Ryan plenty of game time and avoid a great deal of travel time.

Trinity also have a good record of development of these type of players.

Kyle Amor was a massive recent example.

The danger for you is he might not want to come back.

Amor never returned to Leeds, enjoyed his time at Wakefield and is now doing very well at St Helens.