well thats fair enough then. tbh i dont want him myself anyway Id rather that dedicated 7 everyone else wants, a prop and probably a centre too unless does anyone know if carmont is renewed yet?

For me, the centre issue is a big one.

To start with, I don't see any halfback anywhere in GB - apart from Eastmond (who will not stay in RL, never mind come to Wigan) - who I would cheerfully see Tommy L dropped for. Even Ratchford, who is very promising, would find it difficult getting a first team shirt (though I'd hope we are sniffing around him if he's truly available).

We have to face the fact that, if we are genuinely looking for a new play-making halfback rather than just another support man like Deacs, this would involve dropping Tommy to the role of bench player, which I doubt he'd accept easily, if at all. There would be some fall-out in the team and among the fans.

However, no-one would deny that Carmont's shirt will soon be up for grabs. And again, barring a big (and very unlikely Aussie signing), I can't see anyone over here who is a likely candidate to fill it, apart possibly from Shenton - though, in a naff Castleford team he's starting to look overrated, plus he's not IL's type (i.e. he has no Wigan connections), and he's probably going to Saints anyway. Kevin Brown, however, could fill the no. 4 shirt very adequately, and at the same time provide cover for the halves without pushing any of the current halves' noses out.

That said, of course, we have two very exciting young centres in the reserves, so maybe this is a load of kerfuffle over nothing.

The upshot is that Brown might be the sort of versatile signing we could make good use of, but whether versatility is something IL and MM are currently looking for is another matter.

I know I'm repeating a point I made earlier but its an important one - Brown would not take a centre shirt at Wigan or anywhere else. And that's not just based on my personal opinion, its based on a conversation I had with Brown a year or so ago when he said and I quote - "I'm a halfback, I love playing halfback and its stupid to play me anywhere else".

It'll all depend on what is happening to Riddell. If he goes (and I hope he doesn't, as I've been one of his biggest backers) then it's a possibility that Tommy will go to hooker with Sam at 7 and brown at 6.

As you all know I am not a fan of scooter hookers, which is the role that Tommy plays when at 9.

I have always been a big Kevin Brown fan, and would like to see him back at Wigan, but I'm not sure how he would fit into the jigsaw. One thing is for sure, if he was to come back then Maguire must have a plan and a position for him.

Can you think of others who have come back and been a success?

If he was being totally honest with you - to the point where he would refuse a Wigan deal if he can't get a guarantee he'll be playing regularly in the halves, then I guess he won't be coming to Wigan.

I don't think any player at Wigan is these days in a position to dictate where and when he will play.

Very few come back and are a success. Betts was a disappointment on his return and he was probably on twice as much money as his first stint. Connolly was good in his second stint but not as good as his first.

I can't think of any player who's returned to us whilst still in their prime. Brown would be the first in my memory.

does Joel Tomkins count after his brief spell at widnes?

Keith Holden

Bill Ashurst, but not to the same extent.

No, nor should anybody have that right.

But if Brown was still of the opinion today that he should play halfback and nowhere else you can sort of see where he's coming from. After several years of struggle, he's finally started to realise a bit of his potential at halfback in the Huddersfield side and people are starting to take notice. Possibly Steve Mcnamara may be one of those.

I don't think it would benefit Kevin Brown at all to come back to Wigan with as you say no guarantee of a halfback slot and a possibility of going back to playing the role of the versatility player and getting shifted around the team. Won't do him any good and it won't do Wigan any good because in my opinion he's a confidence player. He loses that and he could turn into the 05/06 Brown again.

Im sure MM has players in mind in every position who he likes but I think he will reserve judgement until he has seen a full season from what he has got. Look at KP for example, a few weeks back he was ready for the knackers yard but now he starting and playing ok.

FWIW i cant see how anybody would get Brown in to replace Tommy so he would have to play elsewhere if he did sign. MM doesnt seem like the kind of guy who will take any crap so if he does sign Brown he will have to play where MM tells him to.

Does MM see Sam as a Billy Slater type fullback?

Fair enough.

As I say, I can be persuaded either way in this discussion. Not that I'm a Lib-Dem or anything.

You would really want Kevin Brown as your last line of defence?

I wonder if Tommy can be made into more of the organising scrum half that we're looking for, and if that's a large part of the reason Deacon was brought in. Tommy's only 24, remember, so still developing his game, and we've got him for at least 2.5 more years.

I think we've seen signs under Madge that he's being given more of that role, and many have commented that we look a lot less structured when he's not on the field. With Deacon to work with, his long kicking game should improve, too.

Further down the line, we've got Joe Mellor, if he's still as good after his injury as he was before.

At fullback, no, but both he and Sam are two of the best defensive standoffs around.