why would these three want to come to a championship side

You would know all about that so tell us the answer?

Just for debate and to get the thread back on topic, how about this...

Main Priority - HEAD COACH; I would say either Jason Demetriou or Ian Watson but I don't think anyone has any clue where IL's head is at!

Offer contracts; Minikin in at #3, Parcell in at #9, Kenny Edwards in at #13, Marc Sneyd in at #7 who are all OOC. Put a good offer in to Fifita at Wakey also but I guess the NRL return may sway him. I don't follow NRL as closely as some but I would imagine we could entice an enforcer type prop forward over should one be available.

Release; Joe Burgess* (contentious), Dan Sarge* OOC, TL & SO'L (Retirement) and look to offload Tautai who is under contract. If we lose TL, SO'L to retirement it is simply a must keep them on as coaching staff!!!

Retain; Clubby (Good value contract), Hamlin.

*Joe Burgess; may well go on a hot streak and make it impossible for us to release him but he is a high earner and with Davies/Marshall/Manfredi all better value for money and Escare/Hankinson/Mullen all capable to cover he is a sacrifice I would make.

* Sarge; simply not value for money, on a good contract and with injuries he just cannot find any form, not a great resigning and to release his salary cap is essential. I think Minikin from Cas would be a great replacement.

Potential 2020 XIII with cover in brackets.

1. Hardacre (Escare,Minkin)
2. Marshall (Davies,Mullen,Hankinson)
3. Minikin? (Hankinson)
4. Gildart (Hankinson)
5. Manfredi (Davies,Mullen,Hankinson)
6. Smith/Escare (??? We are weak)
7. Sneyd (Sammut, Shorrocks, Powell,Parcell)
8. Fifita? (Navarette, Hamlin, Bullock, Clubb)
9. Parcell (Powell, Shorrocks, Ganson, Sammut)
10. Flower (Navarette, Hamlin, Bullock, Clubb)
11. Greenwood (Isa,Hamlin,Paisley,Wells, Byrne)
12. Farrell (Isa,Hamlin,Paisley,Wells,Byrne)
13. Edwards (Hamlin, Farrell, Isa, Kibula)

All "Pie in the sky" I know, some of the incomings may not even be available or even want to play for Wigan but with some shrewd negotiating it could happen. We are terribly weak at half back and relying on Harry Smith or Morgan Escare is worrying but I just don't see anyone else available.

The key is a head coach and if we lose Lockers he must stay on to coach, maybe even as a 2nd assistant with John Winder.

Looking at this you're in trouble & like us in in 2014/15 in a for a few seasons of mediocrity.

If it’s just a hypothetical scenario I’d respond as follows.

If Lockers feels up to another season, we simply have to keep him.

Minkin? I fail to see any improvement on what we already have and I’d rather keep Sarginson than bring him in.

Burgess? No wonder you say contentious. Releasing Burgess would be crazy not just contentious. He’s by far one of our best attacking threats and is our best winger.

If it’s blank canvas time I’d say we need to tie Lam down to at least 3 years and give him the time and freedom to bring in players that suit his philosophy.

Personally, I’d release Powell first, then Clubb and Tautai. If TL retires and Williams moves on we have some cap space to spend.

We simply have to prioritise halfbacks and we need to go marquee. If Williams goes then that’s where the biggest investment needs to be. 2 top class imports would be my preference as there is genuinely nobody in SL I’d want us to get. Snyed is just not for me (debated in rumours thread). Gale perhaps if he’s over his injury issues. Trueman or Richardson maybe but by no means the ready made and finished products.Only one out of those three.
If we nail down 2 good half backs with Shorrocks, Woods and Smith in reserve, then we need 2 proven props. With the reduction is subs, Saints mobile props are having a field day. I like Bullock and Flower and they’d be my starters next season. We need to add mobility and size which is not easy. A Luke Thompson type would be perfect.
A centre would be my 3rd priority. I’ve said before (not everyone agrees) but with some good coaching and a full preseason I think Joe Burgess has all the attributes I’d want in a centre. He’s fast, big, strong, athletic and can pass to the right and tackle. It’s just his positional sense that needs to improve, hence the coaching and Pre-season needed. If we are to replace Sarginson then someone like Branden Williame or Bill Toupu would be good but hard to see them being released.
Our squad is very left side biased and in an ideal world we’d balance it out with some naturally right sided players.
As you say though mate, all pie in the sky but nailing down the long term coach has to come first. If not Lammy, Trent Barrat yesterday said he wants to coach in Superleague!

Coach - Lam or Trent Barrett to be given 3/4 years

Retire - SOL & TL

To leave - Williams, Tautai, Isa, Hankinson, Sarginson, Sammutt, Powell, Clubb, Marshall

Bring in - hard to say..we need a new centre. 2 dominant props who are hard hitting and big runners (Fifita and Watts maybe)

2 new halves - Sandow is available..Hastings..Sneyd..Gale take your pick

New hooker - Parcell at Leeds is decent

Josh Jones is going well at the minute
Adam Milner and Mcshane at Cas would be good additions with Junior Moors

Dream on.

Hastings does not like Wigan, He is never coming, He is at his level of standard at Salford

He still looked the best half on the pitch this afternoon.

Sarginson was very good yesterday, will he ever get any credit?

People are missing a vital point here. You can't simply just get rid of a contracted player. You'd have to pay them off which counts on the salary cap.

The power is with the player if you want to get rid of them, unless they want to leave, which means that you pretty much have to pay the rest of their contract. How do you then replace them if you have already used up their salary by paying them off? It just doesn't work.

Is this a fact or is it just that he was a paid a lot more to stay at Salford?