Gannon will definately be too old by then. I reckon he'll hang up his boots before SL 2012.
Likewise for Webster, can't see him lasting a full season at that level.


If Smith could hack it at SL in 2012, I'd love for us to take him with us. But he wouldn't be first choice for mine. He'll be 32/33 then, so it really depends on what he feels like, and whether he performs over the next 18 months.

1. James Ford – Yes (as a Centre)
2. Dean Gaskell - No
3. Richard Varkulis - possible
4. Toa Kohe Love - No (too old)
5. Paddy Flynn – Yes
6. Anthony Thackeray Yes (if only his kicking game was better he’d be a top SO)
7. James Webster No (too old)
8. Steve Pickersgill – Yes (Injuries permitting)
9. Mark Smith – Yes (with another good quality hooker)
10. Jim Gannon – No (Unfortunately will probably miss out due to age)
11. Lee Doran Possibly (as a squad player)
12. Dave Allen – Yes (He’s done well since his return. He’ll get even better imo)
13. Chris Gerrard – Don’t know (I’m not too sure where he even fits in now never mind SL)
14. Thomas Coyle – Yes (a handy squad player)
15. Shayne Grady - Yes
16. Gareth Haggerty - Yes (Injuries permitting)
17. Ben Kavanagh – Yes (Has a good step for a big lad. This is dangerous close to the line. A bit like Sam Burgess)
18. Scott Yates – No (I don’t think he’ll make it as a FB and there doesn’t seem to be any other option for him, unfortunately)
19. Matt Gardner No (has improved but I just can’t see it tbh)
21. Matt Strong – Possibly (He’s done no wrong but could do with getting bigger and more game time)
22. Dean Thompson – Yes (has shown real promise very quickly)
23. Dave Houghton – Yes (Getting better with every game)
24. Danny Hulme – Possibly (far too early to say, but the signs are good) 80)
25. Anthony Mullally – Don’t know

That leaves us my definates:
1. New Signing
2. New signing
3. James Ford
4. Shayne Grady
5. Paddy Flynn
6. Anthony Thackeray
7. New Signing (we need to make this the star signing and must be a good tactical kicker)
8. New signing
9. Mark Smith
10 Gareth Haggerty
11 Dave Allen
12 Ben Kavanagh
13 New sighing

Squad:
New signing - top quality hooker to spell, or be spelled by Smith.
New signing - another experienced prop
Thomas Coyle
Steve Pickersgill
Dean Thompson
Dave Houghton
Danny Hulme


That’s a minimum of 6 new signings but, we may actually need 8 or 9. Coming from a £300,000 squad to a £1.6 million squad, we may need more than 6 to compete, and PC may have to be a bit more ruthless than me. Obviously some of the possibles could be kept to fill out the squad.

I would keep

James Ford
Paddy Flynn
Matt Gardner
Shayne Grady
Dean Thompson
Anthony Thackeray
Danny Hulme
Steve Pickersgill
Ben Kavanagh
Dave Allen
Dave Houghton
Anthony Mullally
Gareth Haggerty
Thomas Coyle


The rest will be released or retired IMO, SL is such a huge step up.


I make out that we would need 12 coming in, out of the above only a few would get in a regular SL starting 13 imo.


1. New Signing
2. Paddy Flynn
3. New Signing
4. New Signing
5. James Ford
6. Anthony Thackeray
7. New Signing
8. Steve Pickersgill
9. New Signing
10. Gareth Haggerty
11. New Signing
12. New Signing
13. Dave Allen

14. New Signing
15. New Signing
16. New Signing
17. Ben Kavanagh

Quote VM
"I make out that we would need 12 coming in, out of the above only a few would get in a regular SL starting 13 imo.


1. New Signing
2. Paddy Flynn
3. New Signing
4. New Signing
5. James Ford
6. Anthony Thackeray
7. New Signing
8. Steve Pickersgill
9. New Signing
10. Gareth Haggerty
11. New Signing
12. New Signing
13. Dave Allen

14. New Signing
15. New Signing
16. New Signing
17. Ben Kavanagh"

As an outsider I would have to agree with VM's view of the squad. Grady has looked one of your best players from what I have seen of you this year and I reckon if he continues to progress he would be a capable SL player, Flynn too. Allen is class imo and should be playing SL now (no disrespect to Widnes).

Another question is, from the 14 players mentioned above, who would be willing to go full time?

Out of the players you'd keep quite a few are young and IF we do get into SL it will be another 2 years in their development so by then they might be ready, I was thinking of Thompson,Houghton and Hulme specifically.

Haggerty wouldn't be a starting prop IMO he's best at coming off the bench.

I think we need to go down the Aus route for a SH and prop.

For me, no one in the Widnes side could hack it in SL.

For Leigh, Only Chris Hill has an outside chance. The rest of our squad have no chance.

The gap is far too big in my opinion, but the 3 year gap of non promotion will have an obvious affect.

No doubting that Widnes have potential SL players, but to make the step up after 3 seasons in our division will do them no good.

Just my opinion of course, but you can probably count on one hand the amount of players who could make the step up in Champ and C1.

I think everyone seems to be in agreement. The young ones haven't done a lot wrong and if they improve further in the next 18 months then no reason why most of them shouldn't be given an opportunity. The only player I think I would disagree with is Matt Gardner, he doesn't take a lot of credit, but I think he's done really well for us and maybe worth a shot - if we get there. Jim Gannon is another I give a go to - if he wants to carry on that is. He seems to keep himself in really good nick and as things stand, doesn't look like he's on the way down as yet.

The only younger players that would be at risk would be Scott Yates and Mathew Strong -they are not [ithat[/i young anymore and haven't yet established themselves as top Championship players, never mind SL players. I think both Yates and Strong would be 24 by then, but 18 months is a long time and if I was either of them, I'd still believe there is enough time to show what I could do.

To say noone could hack it is a bit harsh. Unless by hack it you mean stand out or be a star. If you look at the Cas and Hull KR teams they still have players who played in their promotion years, so it would be prudent to think some would still be able to make the step up.

Thackeray and maybe Haggis...

I'd hope we'd do a similar thing to Hull KR and faze out almost all of our NL player over 2-3 years max..

I'd also HATE to see us take any player to SL based on sentimental reasons.. If a player is not good enough - and lets face it if they haven't secured a move to a SL club in the 5years we've been in the lower league that is a fair indication they aren't upto SL standard

Nes

OOPS i meant joel tomkins the secondrower.Not the scrumhalf.

I always thought Gardner was most confident under the high balls out of Flynn,Ford and any other players who have played winger/full back over this season's games.

At Leigh Hill, Bibey, Lulu, Nash and the 4 DC lads. Would also take Higson, Meekin and Ridyard as possibles.

SuperLeague????

Ford - as a centre
Flynn - wing
Thackeray - halfback
Pickersgill - bench frontrow
Smith - bench 9
Allen - squad player
Grady - squad player
Hulme - squad player

Doesn't make good reading does it?

Gaskell - nowhere near good enough
Varkulis - nowhere near good enough
Kohe Love - too old
Webster -not good enough, too old, too slow, too predictable
Gannon - too old
Doran - nowhere near good enough
Gerrard - nowhere near good enough
Coyle - not good enough, overweight and not suited to top level
Haggerty - nowhere near good enough, lazy
Kavanagh - not good enough, lazy
Yates - nowhere near good enough
Gardner - nowhere near good enough
Strong - nowhere near good enough
Thompson - not gonna be good enough
Houghton - not gonna be good enough, no athleticism
Mullally - no idea whats happened to him

Did I say not good reading? I mean bl00dy frightening!