Well, just because someone "can't work it out" doesn't mean there isn't one.
Not aimed at you by the way

Someone named the options we have earlier and o think they named 17 Forwards for what are generally 6 starting and 4 sub spots
But they forgot Chan, so that's 18 and that's assuming Powell moves on or that's 19!!!
And that's before we consider next in line from Academy etc.

We have (Currently) 10 "1st team" Backs (I'm including Cust/Thornley/Hampshire) and I'm sure at least a couple of them will move on with Eckersley/Douglas not being a million miles off chances (Eckersley deffo ready) to replace them so were covered decent there.
Add to the a whole host of lads in Forber/Astley/Makin/Farrimond etc who are within 12 months of knocking on the door and that's awesome

I'd rather focus on the positives of that, credit the club, coaches and management, for being able to get us into that position and conventrate on winning Saturday amd then the week after, rather than worry about who plays where 1st game next year
Worrying about will "X" get a game, will Y" start at prop or LF, why have we signed Leeming (after lots of posters particularly on the other forum have had a witch hunt for Powell for 2/3 years - BTW I said 8/9 weeks ago that Sam Powell will have a big part in our end of season and IMO he's certainly showing his worth in his understated way and will get very little credit).

Just seems/feels like sometimes some posters create problems when it's actually a positive over situations

I said about 4 weeks ago that I want everyone fit, everyone fighting for places because you never know Whats round the corner (in response to people worrying about ISA and Havard returning as if it were a bad thing) and lo and behold Byrne gets injured and out for season.

The way Peet/Rads and IL/Danson (and Wane) have all worked together to refresh and rebalanced the squad over the last 18months to 2 years has been fantastic

I'm sure there was a plan

The ambition we’re showing in recruitment/retention is fantastic to see. There will obviously be talk about who plays where, who starts, who is benched, do players make way and so on. That only natural and I don’t think people are creating issue but they’re simply wondering about possibilities and how things will play out.

Naming a preferred 17 going in to 2024 will bring as many varying opinions as we’ll have seen for a while. The competition for places will be intense and one thing is for sure, any young players coming in to the side will have a fantastic group of players to help them along. The buzz about the place feels fantastic and it feels as though the club is on an upward curve. It would be amazing if we can really accelerate all that in this next 2 weeks.

Where’s our favourite Saints poster gone? The one that guaranteed Thompson would not sign for Wigan . Listen to idiots and you finish up becoming one of them.

Don’t forget there is another signing to come

What makes you think Morgan is leaving?

They should be asking why they didn’t sign him. Perhaps it is down to funds. There are not too many good federation players around, we have just recruited two of them. Add to that our great production line and we are well set for the foreseeable future. Saints need to find replacements for Walmsley and LMS, trying to bridge that gap with Matautia and Knowles reminds me of where we were a few years ago.

One guy on Redvee is predicting that Delaney will be mullering Thompson in 18 months, we shall see.

Does this mean we now have a player good enough to make the Saints team?

I just don’t see how we keep all these forwards unless someone is leaving. Probably the pessimist in me. Can just see Smithies making way for Thompson

Glad it’s finally announced no point keeping it a secret as most people seemed to have guessed he was on his way,now if it pays off and he returns the player he was when he left to go down under then it’s a hell of a signing but I guess it’s a wait and see I suppose.

I seem to remember a statement a few years ago where he said the only way I would sign for Wigan was if I was short of money, but.....my Dad's a millionaire.
This is the guy who wouldn't take a salary cut during the pandemic, and refused a Covid jab, all sounds a bit me,me, me.
Can't help but think it'll go t*ts up long before the four years are up.

If we look at the picture over the next 3-5 years and who Wigan would expect to lose compared to Saints, there is no doubt who would look to have the bigger rebuild job on. If I listed our best 6-8 players, I’d say only Farrell from that list is over the age of 30 going in to 2024 (he’ll be 33) If I listed Saints best 6-8 players, one in Roby is retiring, his replacement is 31, Makinson will be 32, Lomax 33, Walmsley 33, Paasi 32, Sironen 30 and Welsby/Dodd have been linked with the NRL.

Now we could lose Field/French as well over time but the older guys like Cooper and Isa aren’t players we’re hugely reliant on, so the core of the squad should be settled and many of the players are yet to hit their peak years. Saints have found one gem in Delaney to add to that player pool and cushion any exits but finding replacements internally or externally for guys like Makinson, Lomax, Walmsley or somebody like Welsby would be nigh on impossible because they’ve been that good.

People are wondering why we have signed so many props,, the week we go into a playoff game down our 3 of our best props.


Exciting time to be a Wigan fan at the minute.

Hope Thompson is given time and hope he kills it for us.

He wanted to much money if you get the Thompson who played for Saints he'll be a great signing if you get the Bulldogs version!!
Plus he left Saints on very bad terms refused to take a pay cut to during covid

How much did he want? So what you are saying is that Saints have the money but were not willing to spend it on Thompson as they thought he wasn’t value for money? If true, it will be interesting to see how they choose to spend it.

As for the falling out, that is water under the bridge. Why cut your nose off to spite your face?

It’s not finished yet.

We are likely to see a number of teams (especially the big players) complete signings as they attempt to close the gap on Saints. The big elephant in the room though is, can Saints maintain their previous standards? A large chunk of their team will need to be replaced over the next few seasons (Makinson, Percival, Lomax, Walmsley and Clark who are all federation trained) are all coming towards the end of their careers and it is not going to be easy to replace them with the same quality. Thompson, who would have counted £50k against the salary cap was an obvious choice. They are going to have to make Welsby a marquee player otherwise he will be off. Some tough decisions ahead for our neighbours.