Wigan's reserves have gone unbeaten in their last two seasons and have some very talented young players. Because of their youth they are some way off first team rugby.
I'd imagine Wigan's idea is to give some of these players the opportunity to play against men at a far higher level than the reserve League provides.
Whilst Hill has played SL games another young prop in Makin hasn't. He's very good.
As has been mentioned Wigan have plenty of "middles" and the younger players could spend some time with Trinity.
The co operation between the two clubs could mean that Ellis and Powell come to Robin Park to see the Training and S & C facilities. Ellis might consider having a look with a view to investing in that side of his club with Powell's advice on that sort of thing.
You have a new owner in Ellis and Wigan's new owner takes over 1st December. I'm sure both men would not be doing this if both did not think is was in their own club's best interests.

You've said this a few times about ME spending the full SL Cap, they're not. He said Obviously a nice bit of change and probably the most of any Champ club this year but I don't think it competes with that year Toronto when they signed Sonny Bill etc. Tbh when Leigh came up DB said they'd spent more than a few SL clubs if I'm not mistaken.

Funnily enough it got mentioned tonight on the radio, how both were excited to see how Wigans' set up was obviously a big selling point for players and were looking forward to see what we could do moving forward to head in your direction as far as training facilities etc. Matt had already been over to Leeds to have a scan at what's happening at the stadium especially hospitality wise and also seemed keen to pick Hetherington's brain by the sounds of things. Why not hey, as a young owner coming into the game, hit the 2 biggest clubs and learn what you can in the process.

luppy I know where your coming from and no one would like a full team of local lads playing for our club more than me. We've put too much emphasis on imports over the years and neglected our own and this shows in the depth of the international squads. I think it creates more interest if you've got a sharlston or Ossett or Horbury lad in the team.
Matt Ellis and Powell have been basically left with hardly any players signed for this season so duel reg is the way for 12 months. We've simply got to win the cup and play off and this is a stepping stone to help us.
Wakefield trinity do produce players but it's no good realy if they keep us near the bottom so hopefully the new coaching regime can kick them on so they can make Wakefield a force without the players feeling the need to go elsewhere

Jeez, I never thought I'd type these words but....that's an excellent post Mopsey...now I need to go and lie down

Hull KR are doing dual reg with Featherstone.

Wigan also going dual-reg with Midlands Hurricanes... https://www.totalrl.com/wigan-warriors- ... agreement/

Wigan also going dual-reg with Midlands Hurricanes... https://www.totalrl.com/wigan-warriors- ... agreement/

I don't think any other Championship club has spent even £500k this year.

It's funny this year that a couple of teams like Feath and Leigh in the past have splashed the cash and given it at crack but obviously IMG has changed a few owner's minds on whether it's worth it or if they can afford it again. Toulouse has a new owner making a bit of noise, so I don't know what they're spending atm. Anyway from my point of view and everyone on this board hopefully with the new owner, coach, and experienced backing staff, plus the clear-out, and as you say more money spent than other teams,(can't say I've said that before) hopefully come to the end of the season it's all paid off.
But as you know and other sides have found out over the years, both in the Championship and also SL, splashing the cash isn't the be-all and end-all. Like what you did last year when you won the season easily but just didn't turn up in the one that mattered, that's all it takes for your money to have gone down the drain. With IMG coming in though it isn't everything that we win the comp, although the points would be a bonus, we just have to be up there in the league and the Cup.

No points for being 'up there' in the cup. Only for winning.

We have the advantage over all the other Bs that we started our development earlier. The decision to focus on the stadium was massive in IMG terms.
The others are now trying to catch up.

I do think league and Cup points will be important to us. They are points our completion already in SL can't get.

PT, what's the max total number of IMG points available to us on the results side of things in the championship.

The club officials at Fev knew last season it was now or never in terms of SL, and if promotion had been based on the regular season it would have paid off, but as you say in knockout games anything can happen. The IMG system is so unfavourable towards Fev that there's little point in making such a big financial push this year as even winning the Grand Final and the 1895 Cup would still leave us with zero chance of making SL.

Toulouse are not spending either, they lost their best player from last season Josh Ralph for financial reasons and still haven't replaced him at half back, they're a shadow of the side they were in 2021 when they were very good.

I'm not really sure where any opposition to Wakefield could come from this season, Bradford at least have the benefit of some continuity this year and might finish second by default unless York, who have made some good signings, finally come good. At the moment it looks like the weakest Championship since the pre-Toronto days and of course unlike previous years it's unlikely the play-offs will have much impact on who gets promoted.

It's quite a complicated calculation.
Give me a minute and I'll explain.

Sadly with the precarious state of the game and some of the clubs it’s the route we have to go down in the short term.

Hopefully in the next 5 or so years with the improvements being driven by IMG we can return to a system where winning and losing are the process by which teams position in the top flight are decided.