A transition year doesn't mean that a club can't challenge for honors whilst in the process. If you've got the youngsters and replacements ready and waiting there shouldn't be a problem IMO. The problem arises when either you don't have the players to step up. Or you continue to ignore the fact that players are getting older and need replacing, yet don't do a damn thing about it.

We can have another cracking year next year, challenging for every honor going, and in the process blood plenty of youngsters, just not all at the same time of course.

The only thing that will worry me in regards to next year, will be if we let Deacon go around another year, and let the likes of Carmont and Pat go another full season without giving them a rest, an intern let some great youngsters get a chance in George and Pat's absence.

I just want to keep the trophy cabinet ticking over, even if it is just the league leaders shield. I want success.

What would you rather have though: Success or Announcements?

Reality check.
This team in the last two years has won the LL shield, the Superleague Trophy and the Challenge Cup. The U20 team have just finished top of the league and won their fourth consecutive Grand Final.

Why does everyone think it's going to go "tits up"?
Lunacy.

That actually made me laught out loud

I can see us being stronger next season, wane will have us drilled on our defence! He hates conceding points.

It's not supposed to be a transitional season and according to IL the legacy of Madge and the new systems introduced is that he wants a trophy a year and expects at the very least to get to a final.

That is what the man said https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/15149056.stmrl

Seems entirely reasonable for a club like ours to set that kind of benchmark. In fact having won the GF and LL in 2010 and CC in 2011 I'd hope the next ambition is to win the lot much in the same way Wigan set themselves a goal of the "grand slam" when we won all four trophies in the 90's.

That is not arrogant or any such thing either. It represents ambition which is what sport is all about.

Whether we will have the personnel to meet IL's objectives in 2012 never mind my desire for the club to go further is hard to say. At the moment it's just players out and none in and we all have our opinions of where the team needs strengthening but most people agree it does need strengthening in certain positions.

If it's not strengthened then Wane (assuming he is the coach) will have a hard time matching IL's ambition.

When was that announced?

Should we not knock down the town and start again? Latics fans might appreciate it too

It wasn't but we all know it's true. Typically though nobody at Wigan RLFC thought it wise to tell us, we only pay the wages.

Lenagan, Winston, Collinson and the tea lady out.

i bloody love announcements me

I blame Max, he always looks like hes hiding something to me. Hes a right shifty bugger.

I was wondering this, it's all doom n gloom on here atm. We finished 2nd this year, 1 point behind top, only lost 4 times in the regular season all year to the same 2 teams, WON THE CHALLENGE CUP, via a very difficult route and eventually ran out of steam and couldn't quite get through the playoffs and give Madge a fairytale ending.

Fair enough there are some changes to the playing and coaching rosters next season but providing we can add a bit of quality and with returning players such as Fielden and a full pre season for Hock we shouldn't be much weaker than this year. Plus we'll have Finch and Richards from the off next season. I haven't seen anything from any of the other teams to suggest we are going to tumble down to anything below 3rd or 4th next season though. If we can add a decent centre and stand off I'd put money on us finishing in the top 2 again.