Benji Marshall has agreed to join Wigan for minimum wage and a season ticket for his family at Taybarns.

Davies aside, that is a fair amount of experience to lose. I'd rather we have kept Ben Davies, but I'm happy to see how this Dudson chap develops if we have signed him. I do only see him as a replacement for Ben Davies and not for Andy Coley/Ben Cross. I still think we need to sign an experienced prop to take us back up to five. Just having four experienced props - one who hasn't played all year - is leaving us a bit thin. We've seen the need to have good depth in the forwards this season and have reaped the rewards of having six top quality props on our books when injuries have inevitably occurred.

3 stand out props
Lima
Prescott
Mossop

Fielden must be a bit of a concern as being injured all season

then we have O'Carroll, again returning from injury but is young so should be able to get back to some sort of fitness/form

Hock, where do we see his future, 20 minutes impact bursts on attack/defence at prop or will he get the stamina need to play 80% plus of the game at second row....

If Fielden /O'Carroll/Hock step up to the plate at prop then we have 6 fighting for 4/5 places week in week out and some young lads coming through to drop in when we can against so called weaker teams

If we have the cap space available then it would help if we could get a decent international class S/R and centre and we have to think about a half back sometime...

Would love to see roberts back as he now looks like he is getting back to full fitness and the latest knee operation looks like it has given him confidence that it will stand up to the rigors of a game and has given him back his speed and sidestep..

Still think he is one of the quickest we have on the books and pace is a damn good attribute to have if you are playing wing/fullback

Fielden is a concern after 12 months out with injury. Although this is his first major injury whilst at Wigan. I'm confident that he [ishould[/i return with no problems. But it is something to consider.
O'carroll hasn't played SL rugby in nearly a year and a half. We've no idea how well he will return. You can't put him in the same bracket as Fielden with regards to his injury.
Davies was a promising lad and a mistake for us to let him go IMO, but I trust the management and look forward to seeing (if we do sign him) this Gil Dudson lad.
Hock for me will stay in the back row. Not as an 80 minute back row forward at all. He will be spelled during the game.
This year we've had Fielden, Coley, Prescott, Lima and Mossop going into the season with Davies and Crosby as cover. That's the ideal scenario with props. We've been lucky to sign someone like Ben Cross on the cheap. That wont happen too often. Next year we're losing Andy Coley who needs replacing IMO. You could promote from within with Dudson/Crosby or Spencer, but it does leave us going into next season a little lighter in the front row. Eventually we'll have to see someone step up because Fielden's contract is also up. This underlines for me the value of having young quality British props like Paul Prescott and Lee Mossop on the books on long contracts. So much stability. That's one of the reasons I would have stuck with Ben Davies.

it's just a pity we couldn't have let Ben go on a season long loan so he got regular 1st team action in super league, let him mature and develop his skills week in week out and then he would be cover for the future. Fully understand the lad wanting to play at the highest level week in week out and wish him all the best

Agreed. Bar one stupid mistake in the CC game v Leeds, he's looked impressive for Castleford. Wish the lad all the best as you say.

Hope it is true, Roberts was absolutely devestating in his spell at full back for you, and we are in the market for an attacking full back. What is his quota position?

talking of Roberts, after his showing for the under 20's last week it would be an ideal time to drop him back in 1st team this week at full back and give Sam a week off ( wouldn't want to be Madge or Waney telling Sam you aint playing though) lol..!!!!

I'd play Roberts, Goulding, Marsh, Mellor and Crosby on Friday and bring Lima and Prescott in and give loads of lads the night off.

We have 2 huge games after this not just 1.

In Madge we trust!

Despite having recently short changed Wigan RU there are plans in the pipeline that will see us brought closer.

What ???

he said

I thank you