I think KR's team just doesn't look quite as good (and tbh I think even last year they performed better than expected even by their own management, it will be tough to replicate that), and I feel Hudds benefited from a few teams struggling with their tackling style - this season I expect people will be a bit better adjusted to it so they'll have to come up with something different. I also think Scott Moore was important for them (ok he kinda bottled it later, but was a big part of their success) and they'll miss him this year.

I would settle for a top 4 place but hoping for slighty higher though,

Might be in a minority, but I think on paper Wigan have improved less than Saints and Leeds.

Having said that, the coach will have a MASSIVE say as the current Wigan squad has clearly underachieved.

Without doubt in signings terms but unlike Saints and Leeds I think theres an awful lot of improvment in quite a few of our senior players already here. We have at least 4 or 5 players that can simply do better and the hope has to be that the new coach can get that improvment and that it will be enough to close the gap between us and Saints and Leeds.

I'd say one thing we have over Leeds but not as much Saints is that we have alot of younger players who've got abit of experience with improvment in them. Leeds are a fairly experienced and settled side whereas we have alot of players like the Tomkins brothers, Prescott, McIlorum, Mossop etc who will continue to improve with the more experience they gain.

I'm pretty glad we've kept a settled squad for a change.

I think its a couple of seasons too soon as wigan still dont have a strong enough first 17. The pack isnt really that strong, certainly no where near the packs of Leeds, Saints and Warrington. The backs are so so. Richards is the only strong back and perhaps Gleeson if he pulls his finger out. In defense the backs are like speedbumps.

That said, you have an awesome coach who will be able to bring in the players he wants once he get Fielden and Fekas wage off the books and in Sam Tomkins you have a gamebreaker..IF..he can can kick on and stop the "step back inside" on Every play

Were they drunk

?

In all seriousness I think we have been the biggest threat outside of Saints and Leeds the last few years although our league table position didn't illustrate this last year I still felt we were better than the rest. It's a case of if we can go the next level.

What I do find intriguing from reading this thread is that although some people feel this squad is capable of going to the next level (something I still disagree with) and a new coach was required to reach this, most on this thread seem to be predicting for us to remain at the same level with only a slight increase in league position



People's attitude now seems to be let's wait till 2011 when MM can bring in the players he wants. What makes people think MM will be able to get the players he wants?

Hopefully IL will give MM his backing in the transfer market and he won't have to settle for second preferences. MM and Wane are a very promising combination but they are going to need the full backing of the chairman to be successful. If they identify a player they want we need to do our best to get that player.

Im not sure i agree with warrington being up there, Sure Warringtons starting pack is good but when Morley and Carvell go off intensity drops a lot, Also i think the defense in our backs isnt the issue, its more putting pressure on ourselves with dropped ball and silly penalties which usually causes tries to start rolling in

Not sure about this season, but next season we should be pushing for trophies as MM will have a huge chunk of salary cap to play with and more expirenced heads we should get top 4 as a minimum though

I don't understand that reasoning. Saints have signed a second row / centre who is a great defensive player who does little in attack, and a 33 year old prop forward who they were glad to see the back of a year ago.

They have also brought in another hooker (why 3)? who struggled at the back end of the season with Huddersfield.

They have released two seasoned (old) professionals, one (Long) who has led them round the pitch for years, and another (Gilmour) who had pace.

Saints look very vulnerable in the backs pace wise.

We'll be top 6.

Were building under a new coaching team it wont happen over night.

Roberts Gleeson Carmont Richards ,,, best 3/4 line line superleague IMO

Of course you can be GF/Title contenders you've got Deacon

I was going to post earlier that I wouldn't swap our 1-7 for any other teams in the whole league bar possibly Leeds. Our backline hasn't been and won't be a problem next season. It covers pretty much all bases especially now it has the option of a halfback in it who has a solid kicking game to complement the running games of the 2 we already had.

It's our pack that needs to buck it's ideas up imo and needs to find some consistancy. It can be class one week and look up for games and then just not turn in the week after.