Chris Hill - Leigh Centurions

Big, young British prop with great potential.

Wouldn't sell any season tickets though

NL1 props are not what we need

IMO we are a decent centre, a house prop and a general SH away from breaking the Leeds and Saints dominance

If we can break in a centre (Soliola/Reddy/?) and a prop (Luke Bailey, Petero, Lynch) for the 2010 season because I think Tommy will be our 7 for next season (don't know why just think he won't let McIlorum go and it would be a big mistake to let Tommy go) that leaves us with a side of

Richards
Roberts
Soliola/Reddy/?
Carmont
Ainscough
Sam
Tommy
Fielden
Riddell
Bailey/Petero/Lynch
Hansen
Tomkins
Lockers

Feka
Hock
Prescott/Eamon
McIlorum

Prescott/Eamon, Mossop,Farrell,Flanagan, Goulding backing up

Carmont and Fielden will more than likely leave at the end of 2010. If Fielden regains some form we could keep him on a reduced contract. Shenton comes off contract at the end of 2010 so he would be ideal to replace Carmont and LMS would be ideal to replace Fielden if Stu leaves. I think McIlorum will have had time to prove how good he can be and if he isn't up to it I think we should keep Tommy as interchange hooker and let him go or if he shows good form we should keep him and let Tommy go and go for either Dobson or Myler for SH as both are off contract, at the moment I would prefer Dobson but if Myler continues to develop and play like he did on friday we should definitely consider him. That would leave us with a side of

Richards
Roberts
Soliola/Reddy/?
Shenton
Ainscough
Sam
Dobson/Myler
Fielden?/LMS
Riddell
Bailey/Petero/Lynch
Hansen
Tomkins
Lockers

Feka
Hock
Prescott/Eamon
Tommy

That side would be one of the top in the country and very capable of winning trophies. The youngsters would be coming through as well as it seems likely that by the time Riddell leaves Logan Tomkins willl be ready to take the plunge and we can move Tommy or McIlorum up to starting hooker. By the time Bailey/Petero/Lynch leaves Eamon and Prescott will both be ready to play super league every week. Mossop and Farrell will be pushing Hansen etc hard for places and will give the coach (whoever that will be) a big headache when they come in due to injuries and suspensions

Do we want to win things? Then lets get real. Let's look at our team.

1 Richards (Decent full back but not 100% under the high ball, would move him to the wing)
2 Roberts (Really needs to improve his work rate, shocking under the high ball considering he's played FB so often)
3 Bailey (Steady Eddie. nothing more)
7 Tommy (I like him, but a better 9)
8 Fielden (Gone, past it, for what reason isn't the issue anymore, the true is he's gone)
10 Coley (Will be seen as a poor signing by the time he leaves)
13 Lockers (Better as a SR, not good enough to be a ball playing loose or capt.

Future (Which would be nice)

1 Briscoe
2 Richards
3 Attacking fast big strong centre
4 Carmont
5 Ainscough
6 Tomkins
7 Dobson/Myler
8 New hard as nails prop, not an enforcer but an intimidator, some one with presence
9 Riddell
10 Same as 8, lets build a pack other teams are scared of.
11 Hock
12 Lockers
13 J Tomkins
----------------
Feka, Prescott, Tommy Farrell (Looks really good in the reserves)
-----------------
Sell:
Mathers
Fielden
Coley
Goulding
Phelps
O Carroll (Yep, A tough one, but I don't think he'll make it)
Smith
--------------
Points of concern
------------
Hansen
Roberts

I do like to read this thread, it's like watching Blackadder.
Same old stuff repeated time and again but it's still funny.

Why does anybody think that any of the players people are placing in their Wigan teams for 2010 or 2011 would want to come to Wigan?

I'm not saying they don't but it doesn't stand to reason that they do either. We were in negotiations with numerous players last autumn. Who signed?

So what do you suggest we do? Do we target the best players or give up on them because they may not wanna come?

I also don't think anyone has said anyone really said anyone who we don’t stand a chance of signing have they?

We don't stand a chance of signing Lockyer or Carl Webb for a start.

Keep our halves, Tommy is a main driving force in the team at the moment. Everything possible must be done to keep him at Wigan.
Sam T is assured a place for a long time to come.
Beefing up the pack is a priority, it has been for the last two years but nothing done yet. This will depend on those leaving or have contracts re-negotiated and subsequent money which is available.
Departures may depend on signings although some may go as we bring players through from the academy.

here here. i really feel that TL just does not get the credit or respect he deserves. and our pack needs a big bad mo-fo prop who loves the tough stuff.

Of course we target the best players. I'm referring to the posts on here which suggest that we have international test stars sat waiting by the phone for IL to call and they'll drop everything because we're Wigan.




Give over. Some of the posts on this thread are things like 'when Bailey, Phelps, Smith and Coley go, we can replace them with Sonny Bill and Gasnier cos they don't like France and get Lockyer and Folau in as well with [ithe rest of the Barrett money[/i'!

You know the ones.

Guess your right although Gasnier and SBW could well be potential targets

Yes but others name players such as Lynch, Myler, Dobson. Very realistic targets.

Pat under the high ball- when I think about it, it's more of a positioning issue. Watch the likes of Briscoe and Webb, as more natural fullbacks they read the game and positioning of the position better.

Really? Myler and Dobson are both under contract until after the 2010 season.
You recently mentioned Briscoe. He is under contract at Hull KR until the end of 2011.



It is a positioning issue. It is no coincidence that Leeds got 2 40/20's the other week and repeatedly found the floor. That was Bluey doing his homework.

Very true but on Friday myself and others have commented how well Richards read the game and his positioning for all of the Salford kicks was almost perfect. I think proof of that can be seen in the extended meters he made from kick returns. Friday was one of his best games he’s had at FB for me and long may it continue as we finally found a way to get him more involved with the attacking aspect of the game.

Pat is getting better each week at 1 and with Rads now on the coaching staff I’m sure a few pointers will be given Richards way. Lets not forget both Vievers and Rads can help his game no end and I’m more than happy for Pat to continue at 1 till his contract runs out.

Btw Amos is on a 4 year deal so anyone who thinks we can easily get rid of him is in for a massive shock. We have our back three sorted for a the next three years now and it’s a strong one which has plenty of room for improvement as well I’d go as far to say in two years I’d fully expect it to be one of the strongest in SL

Pat should be kept at full back IMO he is one of the sfaest pair of hands in super league and is going to continue to improve his positioning (which was excellent on Friday) every week

I think people are writing Amos off to quickly, he obviously has the speed and talent to be a good signing for us. Give him a few more months and games before judging him. We won't see the best of him until the dry weather comes around like it is with all Aussie signings. A quality centre who can provide him with decent ball is a must for next season as he will score tries and a fair few at that

Hansen is a very solid player and every top team has a few of these. We should keep him until the likes of Mossop and Farrell have come through and if it is then the right thing to do to let him go then so be it

Letting a player as young as Eamon with the amount of potential he has is ridiculous. He has been one of our best players so far this season and I think it would be a huge mistake to let him go