It would be a shame to lose Josh and I hope he can get back to his best in Wigan colours, however IF he were to go I think he could be comfortably replaced and I expect he would free up a big slice of Cap.

Can we afford to keep a player in the team who is out of form at the expense of someone who was in form before an injury? Yes, I realise that Manfredi may come in and stink the place out and if he does he will be dropped and replaced by Charnley. However, given his good form when he has been in the team and his scoring rate, I cant see that happening

Charnley needs to get his head out of his backside (and the backside of the represent clothing people he constantly plugs on twitter) and get it back in the game

Of course it does, that's the whole point of competition for places. It's not so much "dropping players because we can" as playing the best (on form) players available at the time, and for all Sarge's faults, there's no better option at centre at present. Dropping Sarge would weaken the team; dropping Josh doesn't (IMO).

Quite right. Josh is unfortunate to have Manfredi as a potent alternative, and the centre spots will be the same if we ever get Thornley, Gelling and Sarginson fit at the same time. There is, however, an obvious clash of personalities between Wane and Charnley which is a real shame. We've all seen Charnley perform at the highest standards, albeit it been a while. I'd love to see him back to his best and would hope the coach, as the older, wiser, more experienced man would try to help him rather than spurn him.

I agree with this, but at present this season we have two strong attacking wingmen ahead of Josh. As a professional sportsmen, the onus is on Josh to oust one of the two of them through his own performances rather than by giving emotive interviews to newspapers.

I don't really understand why he didn't see this coming. Wigan watchers have known for a couple of years that the club has had two very exciting wingers emerging through the junior ranks. I'd have thought Josh would have upped his game in response, whereas in fact the opposite seems to have happened. It's true that his injuries were very ill-timed, but that is a hazard all sportsmen have to face.

As to the risk of losing him ... it's probably very real, but I suspect we were facing that anyway. As others have alluded to, he was allegedly 'putting himself in the shop window' two year ago when he was down in Aus. And even if that's not true, and he only decides to go because he's been dropped, that shows a poor attitude. I'd love to keep him if he can get back to his best. But if he can't, would it be so massive a loss?.

On current form, no. But I can't belive his best years are behind him at his age. Fingers crossed it all works out and we have him and Manfredi firing on all 6 next season.

I think that's right. A combination of injuries to himself and our first-choice centre haven't helped him fend off competition for his place within the squad. The MEN article looks like a dummy-spit to me. Of course it must be frustrating when other players, like equally out-of-form Sarginson, don't get dropped because there isn't a junior breathing down their neck. But what are the coaching staff supposed to do? Throw in a young lad who isn't ready for first-grade just to teach a first team regular a lesson?

Suppose that would satisfy some on here for whom consistency in team selection is more important than old-fashioned values like wanting to win the game.

Both Burgess and Manfredi are/were top try scoring wingers this year, and Charnley hasn't played as well as anyone, including himself had hoped.
Sarginson has been fortunate in that Gelling and Thornley have been injured or I'm sure he too would have been stood down for a few games.

Bowen was dropped for nine games and replaced by Hampshire. o.k. Bowen made those two bad mistakes on Friday but he had been excellent in the previous two games v Leeds and Huddersfield.

Anyone who thinks that Charnley was the only players to have the see me is living in some sort of parallel universe, and if they don't believe it happens at every other club then they have no idea of how sport (or business) works. It was Charnleys choice to make it public.

maybe thats the issue here. maybe he still treats the players that he coached at junior level as "kids".

Maybe there isn't an issue? Maybe there will always be small issues just like any business?
Strange how these rumours only seem to surface after a loss?

It's only 3 months ago that after the Cas loss David Furner was on his way over and Waney was being sacked Sunday afternoon.
That was a Leighth rumour that was total B0110x - Maybe some people would rather surround thereselves with rumours and unsubstantiated claims?
You know the type, the ones you used to avoid in the pub but now get internet air time.
Think Saddened but without the Anti Wigan agenda, just a constant neccessity to know better than everyone else and will leave no stone unturned in their relentless quest to prove themselves right and everyone else wrong.

on many accounts I agree, Manfredi was on fire before his injury, and deserves his spot in the team, however there is a much bigger issue to manage if Wigan step back and consider future planning.

Currently out of

Hampshire
Bowen
Burgess
Charnley
Manfredi

2 of the list are on their way next season. Burgess is in form and a massive asset to the team but in the long term the improvements he makes this season are more likely to benefit the Roosters rather than us, in the process we could lose Charnley who we need to get upto speed as in theory he'll be one of our two starting wingers next season.

If anyone is dropped it should be Bowen. He's not a long term development and quiet frankly is a FB who makes glaring errors which cost us points if not the game, especially in big games. He's patchy, one game looks the part, the next is full of costly errors.
The natural replace as we've seen is Hampshire, but is this a good thing? He's a 6, been tried and dropped as a FB on numerous occasions, this is not the way to develop Rocky mentally or a a first teamer, if you are going to give him game time, rest Smith and let Rocky and Williams play 6 and 7, even if it means spelling him off the bench or moving Smith to 9 for a period of the game giving Micky a rest.

So who for FB? Keep Manfredi, Josh and Joe on the pitch, one of them to FB, all fast, great runners from broken play, all big lads who can catch.

Let's not alienate the players who are going to serve us in the long term.

I feel for Josh. It looks like he's carrying the can for a very poor team performance. To exclude him from the 19 is unfair.

I can't agree with people about his form. He's hardly had a pass since he's been back apart from at Huddersfield, where I thought he was excellent.

However, Manfredi has earned the right to be in the team when fit. It really is that simple.

Bowen was shocking last week, but on the back of two outstanding performances against Leeds and Huddersfield, deserves another chance.

It might be worth putting Josh in at centre for a few games, let Joel go back in the pack. I think Bateman needs a breather after the shifts he's put in this season. We are in danger of burning him out.

I don't see why it's unfair to drop Josh. If it wasn't for Manfredi getting injured he would have really struggled to get back into the team. When Manfredi got injured he should've known this was his big chance to perform and stay in the team.

The truth is, he hasn't performed at all. He's been extremely ordinary and now that Dom is fit I honestly can't disagree with the change to the squad. Dom was brilliant before his injury and deserves another go.

[/i

This for me this is the telling point, why make it public.

He says he can't see himself playing for any other Superleague side, so maybe he fancies his chances in the NRL or with RU.

Why was Logan Tomkins dropped for Powell then?