Plenty to weigh up with Keighran. He takes a quota spot and pretty good money you'd imagine and keeping him potentially holds back Eckersley but he's a good player, offers good utility value and is an excellent goal kicker. Ideal world stuff, you keep him and Eckersley has the challenge of taking his spot or even a wing spot ahead of Miski (same with Douglas trying to do that) but we'll see.

It's awkward with Keighran because, based off a little run forced by injury, I have a feeling he's a better six than he is a centre. Unfortunately for him, though, he's nowhere near a better a six than Bevan! So I think he gives us a good cover option should Bevan get injured, he brings great goal-kicking and runs good attacking lines, as well as being a strong tackler. His discipline seemed to improve over the season as well, which was letting him down early on. On the other hand, King-Miski was a far more potent attacking combination than Keighran-Miski, and I don't know how much that was down to Miski often being crocked last season. My feeling is that I don't see any urgent need to replace him but, if he were to move on at the end of this contract, I would be comfortable with that too.

Keighran really grew on me last year.

Think when he filled in a 6 his confidence grew and then performed better in the centres.

I trust the club to get these calls right.

His first two thirds of the season was ok but you wondered if he had that switch in him that these Wigan players all seem to have, where they seem to go in to this big game mode and everything goes through the roof (concentration, intensity, aggression etc) and he proved in that last third of the season and in particular in the last 6 weeks or so that he definitely does. It was his defence that really impressed me and how he controlled his aggression and did not make those silly errors where he was tipping players or catching them high. He was machine like in the Grand Final and made a tackle in the second half on our line that was almost up there with the French try.

Not really worth its own thread but I think this offseason Tyler Dupree has been given the Patrick Mago treatment post 2022. Completed a boot camp prior to pre season training even starts and he looks to be the only regular first team player back in this week (along with the younger lads).

I think he needed a kick up the ar$e tbh

Looking at the footage Eseh, Walters, Hill and Chan are all in too as is our project signing from Oldham.

Dupree volunteered.

Hmm, I'm pretty sure he was given a nudge as well!

Article on George Hirst in Wigan Today, I was under the impression he was going to be loaned back to Oldham next season but according to him he's set his sights on a first team debut in'25.
Good lad, that's the kind of mindset we need.

i think that was the plan when he was signed, however, sounds like he's got the right attitude if he's going to be setting his sights higher and making his 1st team debut

Only getting on for 6 minutes in the Grand Final is a pretty big nudge, even Paddy got longer!

Anyone know what Mago has been doing in terms of off season and pre-season training. I know staying over in previous year really put him back in the frame and helped him play a big part this season - I think he played in every game ?

Interesting to see what shape he comes back this time.

Good to see Dupree having an early start, he did drop off quite significantly as the year progressed and I think shows how the players react positively to the competitive nature of the squad we have, it really keeps them on their toes.

It will be interesting to see how things go with Adam re his contract. He really improved in the latter part of the season, I think missing out on the Challenge Cup probably really motivated him and he significantly improved his defence and he was a great option at 6 together with being a quality kicker.

Obviously Eckersley has looked very capable at centre, FB and wing cover and I would imagine be pushing for a starting spot and lots of game time this year with an eye on et centre spot.

If we assume Eckersley can take on a centre spot next season and Farrimond provides cover for 6&7 with Douglas providing wing cover I can't see how we keep Adam another year on a decent salary much as I would like to. I wonder what his career aspirations are - whether a return to Aus is in his mind. Am I right in thinking he has a young family now ?

He hope he’s come back more determined than ever.

Could be a massive season for him next year.

Also getting anything from Chan or Eseh would be great. They didn’t impress me last year.