True, But my point was if Wigan have the option of moving him on, and a cashed up NRL club want to take a punt on him we should do. Where would we play him? On the wing instead of Charnley/Richards? Not a chance.

Drop Sam and play Amos at fullback? Yeah right. So where apart from centre (where we have a genuine skill gap) would he be required?

1. Sam Tomkins
2. Charnley
3.
4. Carmont
5. Richards
6. Finch
7. Mellor / Leuluai

I cant see why we need him. But your right, hes not going to leave the wedges hes on at Wigan easily.

Roberts could slot in on that right wing with Charnley being given a shot at centre allowing J Tomkins to take the Hoffs place in the backrow.

I was all for giving Joel a go at centre but the more I see him the more I think it won't work out. He doesn't have the footwork for the position IMO.

Roberts to right wing and Charnley to centre seems favourite. Josh played 3 when on loan at HKR.
Joel returning as right sided 2nd row with Hock replacing Hoffman as left sided 2nd row. That's if either are good enough to keep HH out of the starting line up.
Mellor appears best bet to 7 should Deacs retire. Not played first team rugby yet but he would be surrounded by experienced players in Lockers, Finch, Tommy, etc. Mellor would learn an awful lot from those guys.
Having gone through all that, if an International top class centre became available and was prepared to come to Wigan then I'm sure IL & SW would bring him in.

If we aren't going to play Roberts, can we just do what Wire did with Hicks and buy him out of his contract. If you do it before the season starts then it doesn't count on the cap at all and enables you to get a replacement in.

Downside is obviously that you will end up paying an extra players wage out.

I agree 100% with the highlighted section but not regarding Charnley. For me he's an out and out winger, hence the need for a new starting centre.

It would have to come from overseas as there are very few centres from over here who I'd want, even not OOC. If we stumped up some cash, Briscoe would be awesome.

Don't know how you could see Briscoe as a potential centre but not Charnley tbh. Charnley has a huge size advantage and although limited a recent-ish history of playing at centre for HKR (and he was superb in that time).

I'm not sure of the last time Briscoe played a game at centre and of the 2 he seems the more permanent winger. He's a fantastic winger mind and him on the outside of Charnley would be sensational.

If i may be objectionable for a second.

Why do people think that Charnley is a shoe in for a centre berth?. Apart from a few games at HKR last year does anyone have a real argument as to why he would be a success

Currently he may have the physique and the pace, but i have not really seen enough to say he could make the switch. He is certainly a little rusty in defense although granted he can throw a ball around when he wants.

For me he is an out and out winger and he continues to improve week in week out in that position.

I am not adverse to giving him a run out to see what he can do, and i will save my final judgment until then

Well said

Michael Maguire sees him as a winger, so that's where he's best. He'll stay there, to this centre malarky

I am not saying rubbish to it. I am skeptical though until i see him play there for a sustained period of time.

We won't know till we give it a whirl and to me we need to weigh up our options on that side. IMO Joel isn't improving at centre, Marsh isn't ready and is probably a winger the same as Goulding and Roberts.

As for signing a centre I'm stumped as to who we could get that's of the right quality.

Lenagan will come up with something though.

Tom Burgess please

With Leon Pryce going to Les Cats does this mean that Dureau is available? I guess that depends on the whole Todd Carney tale coming to fruition, or not. Plus, what does it mean for Thomas Bosc? Are his injury problems that bad? He's only 27 I think

I don't think you can do that; I believe it has to be the first year of the contract. Hicks had just renewed his deal with Warrington.

I can't see how that would make a difference. If we wanted to then we could just get Amos to sign a new 1 year deal with like £1 difference in wage - then subsequently release him from that?

Any contract termination payment will count on the club's cap in the year it is made.