He and Bowes must surely be the 2 youngest hookers playing SL this weekend.

Good to see someone coming in

He has all the potential to be a very special 9.

On core skills and hooking play he is the most talented one at Wigan but 3rd in the pecking order due to age and experience.

I said to my mate a few weeks ago we should be looking to bring him in. If he adapts to SL quickly he could be a very good pick up for us, the risk obviously is he is untested at this level but he’s too good to be playing age group or championship rugby.

Confirmed on the club website... https://wakefieldtrinity.com/trinity-ad ... -to-squad/

Confirmed on the club website... https://wakefieldtrinity.com/trinity-ad ... -to-squad/

Any relation to Saints Legend Paul Forber?

Lad will be busting a gut to impress and show he is ready. Good move.

Glad to see the club are active in finding reinforcements. I really rate Bowes but to expect him to do 80mins is a big ask.

Wonder if Mash got him on mates rates from his old pal Peets

I think there is some good mileage in that relationship.

They have another very good junior player in Junior Nsemba who is a big athletic strike second row another been going very well in the Chsmpionship but not quite able to crack the first team just yet.

I expect Wigan to recruit a secondrow mid season after not replacing Bateman and when they do I think we could/should move for him.

We have good 2nd rowers in law and mearns why develop other clubs youngsters,nsemba who i have seen on more than and is good very good and will have a future at wigan so dont see the point i developing him for them ala senior.although the stupid rules the rfl (or i assume the rfl)have set in regards pay does make it harder to blood our own youngsters

There's Dane Windrow as well who is desperate for a chance.

Yes forgot about dane

We have to view this season in isolation and if we can bring in someone who improves our team in the short term then we need to do it in my opinion.

If we were sat mid table then I would totally agree use what we have and develop them, however we are in a dog fight for our SL existence this year.

We need to do anything we can to survive and if that means bringing in players who can help us do that then we need to do it.

It is a short term approach I agree and is far from ideal but it it one that beyond 2023 could have a massive benefit for Law, Windrow and any other junior players on the cusp of first team rugby.

Nsemba is s natural strike second row who I think could offer the ability to change a game off the bench in a way that others we currently have in the squad couldn’t.

Nsemba played 1 sl game when wigan played all there reserves/academy lads at hull kr and 3 for Whitehaven and currently back playing reserve grade,for me he should of been man of match in grand final opposed to halsall but reserve grade isnt that great.the thing with wigan is they are not afraid to throw the youngsters in which is easier for them compared to us has they have that many good experianced pros around them but there still not playing, forber for instance is behind brad oniel who without been disrespectful doesnt seem to set the world alight.for me the issue is we as a club are spending 300k a year on youth development but bringing in other clubs youngsters and giving them the experience to kick on. Personally not a fan in this i understand why for a couple of reasons one been most dont appear to be ready but until they are tried who knows .that said i hope tom rips it up on friday

Wigan tend to introduce them fairly slowly unless they are special.

They tend to get sent out on loan to Championship teams in their last year at Academy, then if they pass that test they generally play 10 games the year after in SL, if they pass that test then they start to be introduced.

Forber id by far in my opinion the most natural 9 Wigan have. He’s better than Powell and O’Neil already in lots of ways in my opinion he just lacks that experience and to be tested at the top level which is I guess where this move comes in useful for his development and hopefully again in the short term for us.

If it doesn’t work out he is back at Wigan in a couple of weeks.

As you know I’m passionate about player development and I’m optimistic we have some future SL players within all levels of our junior pathways we just need to do anything and everything we can to ensure we are at the top table beyond this year.

It’s a short term policy that will hopefully benefit our developing players in the medium and long term.