good point but our youth system was scrapped back when we were in financial trouble and has only been back up and running for the last 10-12 years or so and is now starting to bear fruit. currently through our youth we have

chris riley
ben harrison
ben currie
gaz o'brien - at saints currently (loan)
brad dwyer - at hudds (loan)
rhys evans - injured? last i heard
rhys williams
mike cooper - (going aus next year)
glenn riley - (going nz warriors next year)
james laithewaite
saltensall
mendeika - at london (loan)
tyrone mccarthy
danny bridge - (before you say it yes we bought him from your youth system)
matty blythe - at bradford (loan)
ben evans - at bradford (loan)


there are others but will leave it there but i am in full agreement that wigans youth system is lightyears ahead of the rest but in 10-12 years we have had ours we have some promising talent showing now

but yes we are in for a worrying off season if the rumours are true of us losing

morley - salford
carvell - bradford
and on top as prev mentioned cooper and riley going NRL that is 4 front rowers in one hit thats going to have an effect if we cant replace with quality and yes our youth is probably a bit far off to replace that experience

It's certainly heading in the right direction and in a way these kids have been held back a little by both the quality in the Wire squad and that injuries have been reasonably kind.

I think everyone's in a boat of uncertainty at the minute in terms if how they replace their best players. The quality isn't coming over from the NRL and the best players from over here are going as well.

I suppose all fans over here ever said was we need more English players coming through. There's rafts and rafts at the minute and if in the next few years we can get some investment in the game and buck the trend of lads going to the NRL these last few years worth of pain could have a massive long term influence.

definately the right direction and i may be in the minority that say that these young lads should get more opportunity. yes we may lose a few games but in the long run it would be priceless, it has to be better than just sending them to swinton?

I wonder how many times Eddie will mention how many players we're missing. Off the top of my head:

Green
McIlorum
O'Loughlin
Flower
Prescott
Dudson
Thornley
Taylor

Granted I would say only Green, McIlorum, O'Loughlin, Flower, Prescott and Thornley would get in the 17 if every squad member was fit but that didn't stop Eddie and his "Leeds are missing 10 first team players" comments last Monday when it was realistically only 5 or 6.

Lauaki missing tonight with a hamstring strain. Chance for Tom Spencer (if he's fit)

I wonder if Powell could be a surprise inclusion?

This is all a bit worrying with these injuries sustained in training - reminiscent of last year when the same thing happened. SW said that Thornley was injured in training - and how did Turner get injured? He seemed ok when scoring the decisive try with only a few minutes to go in the Widnes game?

Or maybe SW is making sure we have 2 props ( Taylor and Lauaki) fully fit, not suffering any knocks and raring to go on Friday against Cas.......

It was this time last season when things started to go wrong - end of June defeat to Bradford at home after the Exiles games, then CC capitulation to Leeds a few weeks later. I really hope SW and the coaching staff have learnt from this.

Bloody hell, yet another! I suppose it's a possible, it's a bit of a baptism of fire throwing him into his first game against the hardest pack we'll face all year but I suppose he should be big and strong enough. 20 minutes to give Mossop a breather?

Id love to see Powell make his debut tonight

Powell playing would be great - particularly if he mixes it with some of the Warrington pack. Morley, Westwood, Carvell etc - nothing to lose really!