I think it all depends on who come in. Loosing Coley and Hoffman will definitely affect us and O'Carroll going takes away a bit of that strength in depth that we have. Although hopefully a fit fielden will be returning.

I'd certainly like us to be in the top 2 but realistically I can see us struggling a little bit and probably ending up in the top 4 somewhere. After Madge leaving and losing some experienced players I think we can expect a "transition" period next year.

We will just be background for Gareth Thomas's Hollywood blockbuster.

And we don't even know how much piping there will be on next year's kit, if any at all.

Sheer lunancy. What's IL playing at?

As proved this year the play offs are a totally different comp to the league season and as much as you want to finish as high as possible top 2 isn't a 'must'.

I'd want a top 4 spot and hopefully am appearance in one of the finals. I also want to see guys like Mellor, King, Crosby and Hughes get plenty of opportunities to se us up for the departures of guys like Carmont, Finch and Fielden over the next 2 years.

Transition- Yes

Accept total failure during the transition- not at all.

Wigan got knocked out a game short of the Grand Final in 2004...if someone had made a prediction like this back then they wouldn't have been too far off the mark!

I think Wigan have just demonstrated how much harder it is to defend a title than win one.

You'll be back there or there abouts next year.

A transition year doesn't mean that a club can't challenge for honors whilst in the process. If you've got the youngsters and replacements ready and waiting there shouldn't be a problem IMO. The problem arises when either you don't have the players to step up. Or you continue to ignore the fact that players are getting older and need replacing, yet don't do a damn thing about it.

We can have another cracking year next year, challenging for every honor going, and in the process blood plenty of youngsters, just not all at the same time of course.

The only thing that will worry me in regards to next year, will be if we let Deacon go around another year, and let the likes of Carmont and Pat go another full season without giving them a rest, an intern let some great youngsters get a chance in George and Pat's absence.

I just want to keep the trophy cabinet ticking over, even if it is just the league leaders shield. I want success.

What would you rather have though: Success or Announcements?

Reality check.
This team in the last two years has won the LL shield, the Superleague Trophy and the Challenge Cup. The U20 team have just finished top of the league and won their fourth consecutive Grand Final.

Why does everyone think it's going to go "tits up"?
Lunacy.

That actually made me laught out loud

I can see us being stronger next season, wane will have us drilled on our defence! He hates conceding points.

It's not supposed to be a transitional season and according to IL the legacy of Madge and the new systems introduced is that he wants a trophy a year and expects at the very least to get to a final.

That is what the man said http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/15149056.stmrl

Seems entirely reasonable for a club like ours to set that kind of benchmark. In fact having won the GF and LL in 2010 and CC in 2011 I'd hope the next ambition is to win the lot much in the same way Wigan set themselves a goal of the "grand slam" when we won all four trophies in the 90's.

That is not arrogant or any such thing either. It represents ambition which is what sport is all about.

Whether we will have the personnel to meet IL's objectives in 2012 never mind my desire for the club to go further is hard to say. At the moment it's just players out and none in and we all have our opinions of where the team needs strengthening but most people agree it does need strengthening in certain positions.

If it's not strengthened then Wane (assuming he is the coach) will have a hard time matching IL's ambition.