And on any proposed player cull, my priorities would be at 7, 8, and 9. Gratitude last season that Powell did a sterling job in replacing MM doesn't alter the fact that he isn't really much of a dummy-half, certainly not compared to our main SL rivals. I'm not anti-Gelling, but at the very least we need cover at centre.

And as for Sam Tomkins... it doesn't seem unreasonable to me to expect that a marquee player should be pretty much the best in the comp at his position, or at least not far off it. Yet there are plenty of better full-backs in SL than him, on current form.

7 - Trent Hodkinson
8 - Julian Bousquet
9 - Shaun Lunt

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Be my picks to improve...however much you may disagree with #9, probably not Wigan quality in most of your eyes, I feel he would be great addition and relatively affordable. I see the scrum half position as most vital to spend any free cap space on!

Think we need more than just one prop. Aside a number 7 the weakest part of the squad is the front row. We have middles who are neither props nor second rowers.
The biggest single problem is per other thread is how do we replace SOL. I don't think anyone in SL can and if there are players in the NRL we probably cannot afford them. I think to replace him we will probably need to change the whole emphasis of how we play and that will take 2 to 3 years.
Along with others I feel that ST will move into the halves next year - not sure if that will work but with the level of investment made by IL in securing ST he will find a place for him somewhere in the starting 13 irrespective of form. I just hope a full pre season will assist ST in attaining better fitness levels.

I certainly wouldn't complain about more than one prop arriving! We've all been talking about ST moving into the halves, but am I the only one who finds my enthusiasm for this idea waning a little? Not saying it wouldn't be 'better than what we have now', though. Are we confident Escaré will be fully fit for the start of the season?

We desperately need an organising half with a top class kicking game - that isn't Sam Tomkins.

Too true. Sam's got it all to do just to prove that he's good enough to keep the no. 1 shirt from Morgan Escare, never mind that he can run and organise the team.

Where are we getting one of those from, who will play for peanuts? I agree with you but we have a salary cap and (as far as I'm aware) no big earners off contract. Realistically for next season the answer needs to come from within, whether that is Leuluai, S.Tomkins, Powell or Shorrocks. The only other viable option I can think of would be to try and sell Manfredi or Burgess to free up room, but even so I'm not sure they would be on comparable wages to a good halfback.

I don't know what Shorrocks is like, as we've barely seen him due to his unfortunate injury record. But none of the others will do the job for me.

I agree that some kind of jiggery-pokery is needed to get someone in, but we can't keep delivering more of the same.

The world has not ended. Wigan can carry on as they are, and be okay at mid/upper table level, but we've all felt for some time that, in truth, we are on the slide. Last Sunday was just the first time we've had the reality of it rammed into our faces. We are still supposed to be Champions, but the reality is that Cas have been setting the pace all season, and we are way, way off it. A gap that huge won't be bridged by simply swapping around the mediocre talents we already have.

Somehow or other, even if it involves losing current playing staff (by any and whatever means possible), we must get someone in who can replace Lockers in the middle and marshal the team.

Along with a complete shake-up of the coaching staff, I'd argue that this is our most pressing priority.

But I'm not sure there is that option. Other than one of the wingers the only (presumably) big earners I'd be willing to part with are S.Tomkins, Leuluai, Nu'uausala, McIlorum and J.Tomkins. Who is realistically going to buy any of them off us? All the rest either won't be on that much, are good players, or we don't have cover for. We can't just offload contracted players so easily.

I know. I doubt anyone would be prepared to come anywhere close to the kind of wages those players have managed to wangle out of Wigan, let alone offer decent transfer fees to acquire them.

But I feel we're at a crisis point, and the club must at least investigate all possible solutions.

Some kind of new broom is desperately needed.

Spot on. Christ knows who we'd get, though.

I genuinely believe Todd Carney would be great for us...yes, he may have his demons, but with a full pre-season, get him fit, get him clicking with GW and give him the confidence and support he could easily re-establish himself as one of the best SH's! Also sorts our kicking problem.

Not sure if Salford see him as a full-time replacement for Dobson though

I don't get the Todd Carney thing. When I've seen him he is absolutely useless.
Maybe there are hidden talents there but cant see IL risking a move for a player who as you say has his demons.
Not a half but if I could sign anyone in SL at the moment it would be McShane. One of the few rugby players left in the competition.
Before we sign any half we need to sort out the forwards. We could have Andy Greg in his pomp but with our present set of "middles" even he would struggle to make any mark on a game.
I know I rabbit on about it but without a decent pack there is absolutely no point in my opinion of signing a top half. Unless the pack are playing to instructions there isn't one prop in our squad who I actually rate. I don't think we will see any of our "middles" ripping it up in the forthcoming World Cup.

There's an extra £50k on the salary cap next year as the increases come through. £50k is peanuts for a top half though and is probably already being planned to be used to pay some young players more.

I'd go for Joe Mellor.

Excellent organisational skills, good kicking game & showing very impressive leadership skills at Widnes.

He was really unlucky with injuries at Wigan as a youngster, otherwise could have been our current 7. I know that he is under contract until 2019 but I'd hate to see him being the next Sean Long and going to Stains!