And you've not even mentioned the way Mossop went, largely at prop, for the team that finished 3rd last year! I'm sure he's in for a big season and could even prove to be the prop we've been missing.

Think it's always been in his contract that he has to reach certain weight limits and he didn't last year for the first time if rumours are to be believed. Perhaps Rogues can confirm.

best goal kicker in super league for me..apart from that i think hes pretty average

I only suggested that it isn't necessarily a waste of cap space. At the end of the day, if a player of Deacon's experience and ability is on a relatively low wage, then I'm largely correct.

But for the sake of peace, perhaps it's time we left this sort of wages speculation to the people who actually have the books in front of them.

Ever thought you may be paying him sod all as a player in 2010, then considerably more as a coach from 2011?

Are you suggesting that a Wigan player would play a season of SL for no payment?

Dave, i'd suggest if you're actually worried about the 25, you go and count the number of players in the first team and look at the names on the sheet, and also bare in mind that 2nd tier cap liability (£50k) only applies if the player plays a salary cap qualifying game (SL or CC) unlike the 1st tier cap.

For example: Liam Farrell, Chris Tuson, Ben Davies, Josh Vievers and Ian Thornley didn't count on the cap at all (1st or 2nd Tier liability) last year as they didn't play a single qualifying game and they were extremely unlikely to be in the top 25 earners.

That left us with 25 players including Mathers, who has now gone - Deacon brings the number back up to 25 plus the aforementioned 5 players.

I imagine IL and Maguire have done the salary cap maths.

The irony of a 'waste of cap' statement, is for it to be a waste you'd need an actual alternative that was prevented from playing because of this. Without the alternative the only true waste is not spending upto the cap in the first place.

Let's hope it wasn't using Mo's calculator.

I'd also dearly love to know who the mystery prop we should be signing is, given we currently have 6, no awesome props seem available (Saints were badly in need of a prop and had to go for Fozzard), our cap situation is going to be radically different for 2011 - and that's even assuming over the course of the next 12 months of the new coaching setup that we're even going to be in the same boat we have been prop performance wise.

Lmao, didn't Uncle Mo use an abacus, with missing beads?

At the end of the day it's a one year playing deal that is most likely financially extremely favourable to Wigan during this year. I'd really love to know who else we could sign for just 1 year on a low wage that can bring the sort of experience that Paul can to our young backs.

I agree that we are long overdue that aggressive, hardworking, pack leader who can really complete the side, but at the moment (for this season) there is no-one we can sign. Wayne Bennett (the master coach) has warned us off many players who have come to Super League or players that have been targets - Mark O'Meley, Willie Mason etc. We tried with Carl Webb to bring him in but he couldn't get a visa - what do you? I also believe that Mike MaGuire didn't rate him either and the only other one is Tronc, but I believe we have been warned off him as well. Nick Fozzard is the only other prop forward I can think of that has been signed by another club and he isn't the answer to our problems. I would much sooner wait that extra year to get the right man for the job, than just panic and sign any old fool. Imagine if we had done this with players like David Vaealiki - waited and got the right man. We have to learn from the mistakes of previous management.

Waiting another year for the right prop forward is the correct move to make. We are very close to having a Wigan side to be really proud of and I am happy to see how Feka goes under a new fitness regime, how Fielden goes under a new coaching team, how Paul Prescott and Eamon O'carroll develop and if Coley can continually improve on each season. It isn't ideal, but if it's the best we can do for now, then so be it. I would much rather do that than hand a two year deal to Darrell Griffin or Richard Moore.

So if we are ruling out a prop forward for this season and still have some salary cap space we might as well use it - right? So as long as it doesn't hamper your chances of bringing in that all important prop forward the following year and with Deacon only signing a one year deal he doesn't. I have mentioned his attributes to you before and don't need to repeat them.

The point you make is correct, regarding our need for a prop forward, but if there is no-one (of the right quality available) then what do you do? Why let the cap space just go to waste? We signed Gleeson because we needed a strike centre, someone who could make that match winning play and take some of the pressure off Carmont.

Ian Lenagan has taken a risk in not signing Mark O'Meley and Tronc etc. He has his reasons for this and I hope he has done his research & is proven correct. I will repeat - I am happy to wait for that all important prop forward till 2011 if it means we get the right guy for the job because with these overseas players if you get it wrong you are screwed, David Vaealiki being an excellent example.

In answer to your question - No. Read the article - it clearly emphasises that coaching is going to be his main role at the club.