For me that was the best game McIlorum has played for about a month. The games before that I thought Riddell was our best player at hooker, however yesterday it looked like Riddell was still on holiday.

McIlorum will come good for us but he still needs to work on his distribution, he throws too many suspect forward passes for me when its not needed. I dont think he is good enough to be our first choice TBH but I hope he would prove me wrong.

We will have to agree to disagree, as I think he has outshone Riddell all year, yes his distribution needs work, but that is down to our coaching staff who should be pushing this every training session.
One thing he has that Riddell does not is punishing defence, I would like to compare how many tackles he does with riddell in the time they are on the field.

He should get the 9 jersey next year, if he carries his current form into the end of the season.

Minnecello/Hunt (can't see us signing Hunt) But would take a chance on Minny.

Not keen on bring in a 32 yr old Kidwell when we have plenty of options in the backrow. The yound reserve lads deserve their shot, they've been brilliant this season.

Doesn't look like we're gonna get a 7 in who's around the 23-25 mark so we might as well go with what's available in
Lockyer
Orford
Jones

All getting on but all great players.

Think Lockyer would now be more suited to play the organising 7 letting Sam run off the back of him as a second receiver, Lockyer hasn't got the legs anymore to be a 6.

Basically plays a 7 in Aus now, usually with split backs.

I agree.

Wish we hadn't signed Riddell. Sooner have Tommy and McC in the interchange. We looked a different team when McC was on the pitch.

Lets get Logan, Kidwell and Lockyer or Orford in and fill the rest of the side up with Lockers, pat, Carmont and a raft of kids.

They'd have leaders and protection to allow them to do their thing.

Phelps
Roberts
Gleeson
Carmont
Richards
Lockyer
Sam
Fielden
McIlorum
Logan
Kidwell
Lockers
Joel

Feka
Prescott
Tommy
Mossop/Hansen

I like it

Logan as tried twice to settle into the english way and both times hes gone back after one season..to much of a risk IMO

we should never have got rid of logan- he was a machine when with us

Kidwell and Orford out of that lot.

We didn't, he wanted to go home.

We need to get out of the habbit of looking to Australia for players, i would personally only look for a fullback as we need one pretty sharpish because Phepls is ordinary, Minichello if he is fit would be great. Before his injuries he was one of the best if not the best in the world. Other than that i would want to stick with our own, or at worst bring in an experienced British prop.

My ideal team for next year would be,

Minichello
Ainscough
Gleeson
Carmont
Richards
S.Tomkins
Leuluai
R.Moore
McIllorum
Coley
Hansen
J.Tomkins
OLoughlin

Palaeasina
OCarrol
Mossop
Riddell

Richard Moore isn't the same player as in past years after his illness i'm afraid and i'm not sure he was ever quite good enough.

Minichello i wouldn't touch with a barge pole unless he were willing to sign a cheap pay as you play deal.

Minny
Ainscough Gleeson Carmont Richards
Tomkins Lockers (At 7, lost a lot of his pace for a 6)
Tronc Tommy ANOTHER NEW PROP
Mossop Lockers
Tomkins
-----------------
Feka Fielden McC Flanny/Farrell

Frank Puletua is a great call to replace Gareth Hock.

Personally though I don't think we need to be searching the NRL to bring in too many overseas players. What is wrong with the group of Wigan lads we already have? We have the best reserves team in the league and a fantastic crop of youngsters coming through. Why not invest in our youth like Saints and Leeds have done?

Why should we look to find a new second row forward when we have - Lee Mossop, Liam Farrell, Mark Flanagan?

I think Lee Mossop is more than capable of filling in for Phil Bailey next year and Liam Farrell eventually for Gareth Hock.

We already have Joel Tomkins and Harrison Hansen or maybe even Sean O'loughlin if the coach decided to swap Joel and Lockers around as some are suggesting.

Even at prop forward I don't see why we need two prop forwards. We have Feka, Fielden, Prescott and O'carroll (pressuming we got rid of Coley) I would agree that we would need one more forward and perhaps loan out Eamon O'carroll and start next season with NEW prop Feka Fielden and Prescott but with another prop forward I feel Prescott would be excluded from the squad along with Eamon O'carroll and there goes two promising young prop forwards. In fact promising is a bit of an insult they are two good prop forwards.

Why not just look to bring in one prop forward to replace Coley and loan out Eamon O'carroll.

So next season we have - New prop, Feka, Fielden and Prescott (O'carroll on loan)

Then when Fielden is off contract bring back Eamon O'carroll and have - new prop, Feka, Prescott and O'carroll. If we decide that this is too lightweight or that one of O'carroll and Prescott doesn't quite cut it then we can bring in another prop forward and at least say we gave them a chance. Rather than just excluding both props when they were starting to get a decent run in the side.

I also don't see where a fullback would come in. We would have to get rid of Phelps, so lets say we do - we would have Roberts, Richards, Ainscough and a new fullback. That would most likely lead to Sean Ainscough being excluded from the side. Why lose such a promising talent?

I agree that we need a new halfback but I don't see where one fits into the side.

We have:

Leuluai and Sam Tomkins at six and seven.

McIlorum and Riddell at nine.

Leuluai has just signed a new three year deal, Riddell is here for two more years, Sam Tomkins you would hope that we would keep here for the next five years and McIlorum you would also think will be kept. So where does the halfback fit in?

People suggest moving Leuluai to hooker but that would give us three hookers - how can that work?

Also suggestions include loaning out McIlorum - why? He's shown how he can change games for us this season. Just replay the Hull KR match if you need reminding. Why let other teams benefit?

The solution for me would have been not to have signed Mark Riddell or Amos Roberts on such long contracts. Roberts signed for four years and Riddell has signed for three. We should have recognised the talents of Sean Ainscough and Sam Tomkins & should have planned forward to include them in the squad.

Now we are in just one big mess IMO and I haven't even mentioned the coach!