I'd get rid of:

Smith, Fielden, Riddell and Pryce

I had been saying I'd get rid of Bailey at the end of this season but now Hock's gone and he's been doing that well this season that he should get another year IMO, unless it means foresaking a new prop.

Well the thread is in wishful thinking in if every play was OOC but your right that in the real world we cannot get rid of Roberts and we can with Phelps. I agree that Roberts has improved but I just wish he was a little quicker. Phelps is one of the most underated players in the league IMO, he puts his body on the line alot and has the skills to go with his passion. I like the guy but cannot see a long term future for him at Wigan with the likes of Ainscough just below him and if we have a chance of signing Briscoe then I would rather have him.

I think Phelps has been a great example that maybe experienced aussies are not the way to go. I hate it how everyone goes on about us siging over aged overseas players all the time when most of our overseas players are younger than 26 and a few are still 28 with the oldest being Carmont who is 30 being our very oldest player and in contrast we have had 13 players play in our team out of our academy this season and last.

Hock and Smith are out of the club now and their salaries are available to bring in players.
We had better be careful who we release as IL's record on signings ain't that great. Gleeson being the first real quality player he's brought in.
If Gleeson is the first of many then fine but with the overseas quota being cut for 2011 we will have to be careful who we keep and who departs.

Not signing any quality players would be bad. But signing the wrong players for the sake of it would be even worse.

We should only sign players who can improve us significantly.

We seem to have been doing that for the last 5 years or so .
Obviously with a few exceptions.

Ricards
Ainscough
Gleeson
S tomkins
Lockers
J Tomkins
Hansen
Feka
MM
Prescott
O'Carroll

That list does not include he likes of Mossop and his contemporaries as it is too early to judge.

Dave

You wouldn't keep Leuluai or Carmont.

Roberts
Carmont
Richards
Leuluai
Feka
O'Loughlin
J Tomkins
McIlorum
Prescott
Gleeson
O'Carroll
Mossop
S Tomkins
Farrell
Ainscough
Rest of Academy Etc.

That way we could have a squad of:

New Fullback
Roberts
Gleeson
Carmont
Richards
New Stand Off
S Tomkins
New Prop
Leuluai
New Prop
Mossop
J Tomkins
O'Loughlin

Feka
McIlorum
Farrell
Prescott


And the rest...

Id be happy

I dont think we're that far off it tbh, just a few good signings off being a very good team.

I think Leuluai's a great player! Surely you would find a place for him in the team. Carmont's getting older of course but he's still playing well enough for another year IMO, in fact I'd say he's been our form back this season closely followed by Phelps.

We will get injuries at some point next season so the fact he can play 6,7 and 9 is a great asset to our team, and he will always do a pretty good job and even a class job as he did last friday.

Surely next season it will create competition for places which can only be a good thing.

I love Leuluai as a player as he puts his all in and it's great to see and I think he loves playing for Wigan. If you ask most United fans about their favourite players and alot will say Park and Tevez because they work so hard and are both decent players.

It also gives us options to change things for certain games if we need to or even during a game.

The post of mine you replied to was based on a cold hard look at the facts in terms of who was out of contract, who wasn't and what the needs of the team are supposed to be.

If people say we need a new 7 that means TL isn't good enough as a 7. Yes?

If we have two hookers contracted for next year, which we do, why do we want to use salary cap money on a third?

It is academic of course because we have signed him up but the question is, is IL making the tough (and yes controversial) decisions needed to improve the side?

You mention Phelps well that is another tough one for IL because he is also a fans favorite but he is also a none federation trained player and a quota player so if IL wants to recruit two overseas players then he has got to go.

Tough job being a chairman!

Dave

But if we recruit a 7 and given we have Riddell and MM where does he play? Or where do they play? With a salary cap I don't see how we can afford a player of his experience as a utility player.

So I suspect we won't be recruiting a 7.



Unfortunately with a first team squad of 25 (that is what is funded by the salary cap) competition for places doesn't exist across the team. I know what you are saying regarding his utility value but having kept him on, the question is can we make the improvements necessary given who else is out of contract (Hock doesn't count as to replace him would cost as much if not more than his wages)?



The don't have a salary cap to consider. TL does put 110% in (as does Phelps). Is that ultimately good enough?

Dave

Great Question!

Sean O'Loughlin, Sam Tomkins, Paul Prescott and Thomas Leuleui.