fielden........led from the front last season , and laid the platform for pat, sam, amos, etc.

Pat, closely followed by Sam.

I think Sam is an amazing talent, his dedication, enthusiasm and commitment is outstanding. I love to watch this lad play.

I do think however that Pat is so professional and reliable and that the team would struggle over a season without him. Let just hope that he has a full and speedy recovery and that he is able to slot right back into the team when the time is right for him.

There's another player who get's little praise on here but is obviously highly rated by every coach we've had as he starts most games, Harrison Hansen.
A real grafter who does more than his share of work in attack and defense and makes very few errors, plus is very well disciplined in his play.

Always seems to be the way doesn't it with player like H. Because they're seldom flashy, their importance to the team is often overlooked. Wasn't Hansen the 'hitman of the year' a couple of season ago?

None of the above.

For me I do not believe any of the players mentioned are vital to the team, we are in the fortunate position of having quality throughout the squad.

Sam - no doubt a flair player but in some games at the back end of last season did little and Wigan still won.
Pat - goal kicking aside is not vital to the team others can and have done well in his position (GF anyone?)
Lockers - again we have replacements

last season was the first time in a long time that Wigan looked like a team - not over reliant on any one player. Also with the players in the squad and the coaching now we can play in various ways - flair or grinding out results.

I worried a little last year that if we were to lose Lockers for any considerable amount of time what a detrimental effect it would have on the team. But having seen what a good player Farrel is I honestly feel he'd be a superb replacement for Lockers if Sean were to get injured.

My pick would be Tommy as being the biggest miss, however I feel we could play most of the teams in SL next year without a couple of key players such as Tommy and Lockers, and still win because of our strength in depth. We'd only really miss them in the big games such and Wire and Saints.

If you don't have Tomkins you'd find it hard to repeat as champions. Richards would be a huge loss but you'd cope.

Hansen? Actually overrated to be in our team. Someone who I imagine to start falling to the waste side.
People go on about how he's a unsung hero when there are many players better in the same position. Going forward he hardly breaks the line, in def he is strong but so are the other players in the same position.

Tomkins, Lockers, Hoffman, Farrell (awesome workrate) Hock are all better than Hansen. I also expect Mossop to soon eclipse Hansen if he remains injury free.

Beef him up and have him as a work horse prop.

This is probably true. What a wonderful position to be in!

Over rated by whom?
Madge and Wane apparently don't think so and neither did Noble. He would be in before Joel Tomkins IMO.

Would we miss Madge more than a player? I think so.

Clearly by people in here who mention him when discussing which players are our best. Which lead to my point that not only is Hansen overrated to be mentioned in this light but he isn't even the best, 2nd or 3rd in his position.
Remove him from the team next year and there will be no drop in performance.
Look at our other players in the SR.

I agree with regards to Hansen. I think he is a good player and does do a solid job for Wigan but as listed by Last Son of Wigan, there are a number of players better than him.

Thats the thing - we're not a one man team!

I remember back in the days when i dreaded the days Trent Barrett was injured or suspended - the change now!

We've had numerous injuries, in the 2nd row department paticulary, this year but our youngsters have stepped up and filled the shoes!

At the start of this year when Amos got injured - we thought we were doomed as our 1 man team had gone down the drain - but no, step up goulding, tomkins, veivers and so on!

Brilllliiiiiant

I don't think we have one outstanding individual. Pat was MOS but we played without him for over half of the GF and still won it without breaking sweat. Sam is one of our better players but he isn't absolutely pivotal. We have 5 or 6 outstanding players of all roughly the same level but i wouldn't say any player is 'head & shoulders' above the rest.