Byrne can play long minutes and is probably a player who needs longer spells to get some momentum going. If he is still with us in 2025, I hope we go away from having 3 props and a hooker on the bench and instead go with 2, as well as a second rower and then a hooker. The end of season set up meant minutes were so limited for the bench props and I don't think it helps them and we then lack cover for other positions. We didn't do too badly on it mind

I'll say it again: the size of the 17 squad should be increased, by at least one, so teams can have a utility back on the bench

They choose not to (mostly) not because it has no value, but because it's judged that the drawback of fewer props on the bench outweighs the advantages.

I wouldn't mind some sort of developmental spot on the bench, like a rule where an 18th man needs to have played less than x amount of games (20/30 etc) which could then be used to carry somebody like Farrimond, Kerr etc and get them opportunities when you get an injury or a game is safe/over.

It's hard for any back up prop when Havard and Thompson do so many minutes per game. Mago seems to have fashioned a role for himself as a real impact sub, but both Byrne and Dupree have struggled, and I suspect part of that is simply due to the lack of game time.

I'd like to see a six man bench with substitutions ( no interchange) once you're off you're off.
You could maybe have an eight man bench but with the proviso that two of those players had to be under twenty one on the opening day of the season.

It's not helped for sure but in the case of Byrne, I feel like his worst form of the season was probably when he was playing more minutes around the time Havard was still injured in those early months. He just wasn't in great form but I thought he finished the season well and he did get more minutes in some of the latter games, when Thompson and Havard had their minutes managed.

It's impacted on Dupree without a doubt IMO. He did start the season pretty well, when Havard was injured and Cooper went down and he was getting more minutes but after his suspension for the Cup final, his time on the field and form dropped away. He needs to really throw himself in to pre season and then when the games come find some intensity again and make a case to play more. He just looked a bit too comfy plodding along IMO in the second half of the season.

Thanks for your thoughts on Byrne.
He seems similar to Oledzki as far as the fans are concerned.
Solid yet not spectacular, some like him some don`t but homegrown and steady isn`t a bad thing to have in a salary capped sport.
Think our hard yards might be coming from our wingers this year with Hall and most likely Sivo doing the hard graft!

Byrne is signing for us (Hull FC) According to his wikipedia page anyway

Isn’t that similar to what Sam Tomkins was suggesting?

Not sure about Sivo doing the hard yards. I’m sure he will initially but the reason he fell out of favour at Parra and is being moved on is because of his low work rate and willingness to carry early out of his own half.

3/4's through the season I thought Bryne was finished at the club and on his way out especially when he was sub but didn't come on. He was either not getting selected after missing a number of games through poor tackle technique and when he did play he would come up with soft errors, usually dropping the ball in tackle or sloppy ptb.

The last few games of the season though he played more minutes and I can't remember a mistake or poor tackle. I think he's obviously put alot of work into his technique at bending his back more in the tackle - and i suspect Wigan have been working hard in the background with him on this.


I think he still has a lot to offer and if he puts the work in I think he can mature now into a very good prop for Wigan. and he's a very big body who can take alot out of the opposition. He won't do the spectacular stuff, but he's the sort of prop every team needs to take some sting out of the opposition forwards.

I didn't see that, but to me it makes sense.