: Mon Feb 16, 2009 12:14 pm  

post wrote:

Props off contract at end of season

Luke Bailey - Gold Coast
Steve Price - New Zealand Warriors
Petro Civoniceva - Penrith
Fuifui Moimoi - Parramatta
Justin Poore - St George (Young lad and not as established as the rest but has potential)

Also Joel Reddy is off contract, a right centre for parramatta, young lad and a cracking player.

Joel Reddy would be an awesome signing for any SL side, he impressed me whenever I seen him play last year. Could be a possibility to replace Carmont/Phelps.

: Mon Feb 16, 2009 12:30 pm  

Mini Rogue wrote:

Joel Reddy would be an awesome signing for any SL side, he impressed me whenever I seen him play last year. Could be a possibility to replace Carmont/Phelps.

Trouble is, if plebs like us can identify a young and cracking player there's good odds the the NRL Coaches will already have their eye on him.

: Mon Feb 16, 2009 5:02 pm  

post wrote:

Props off contract at end of season

Luke Bailey - Gold Coast
Steve Price - New Zealand Warriors
Petro Civoniceva - Penrith
Fuifui Moimoi - Parramatta
Justin Poore - St George (Young lad and not as established as the rest but has potential)

Also Joel Reddy is off contract, a right centre for parramatta, young lad and a cracking player.

Lenagan has mentioned 2010 being the year we'll be free from salary cap restraint until he's blue in the face so if he doesn't deliver at last a couple of real quality players(including a halfback and prop) i'll be very dissapointed.

Any of the props on that list would be superb with my preference probably being for Bailey as he's just about the age we should be looking at in that he has very good experience yet isn't over the hill.

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 4:10 am  

look at your own english juniors

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:58 am  

I was just going to say something along those lines... all those calling for english players to get a chance are the same ones calling for Coley out and an Aussie in...

Although to be fair, there's a bit of a dearth of top drawer English front rowers around, so if an Aussie is to come in that is probably one position that we do need to recruit from overseas.

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:42 am  

Memony wrote:

I was just going to say something along those lines... all those calling for english players to get a chance are the same ones calling for Coley out and an Aussie in...

Although to be fair, there's a bit of a dearth of top drawer English front rowers around, so if an Aussie is to come in that is probably one position that we do need to recruit from overseas.

If a top drawer Aussie is available, we shouldn't hesitate to try and buy him. But to be fair, players like that are few and far between. Such a policy wouldn't stop us developing and fielding plenty of our own juniors. We have plenty of juniors who we've developed that we could field right now - it's Brian Noble who appears to be stopping that.

: Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:46 am  

Memony wrote:

I was just going to say something along those lines... all those calling for english players to get a chance are the same ones calling for Coley out and an Aussie in...

Although to be fair, there's a bit of a dearth of top drawer English front rowers around, so if an Aussie is to come in that is probably one position that we do need to recruit from overseas.

imo, lms is the prop we should target for 2010 (dont know what his contract status is)

rl : Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:08 am  

Who are the Wigan juniors who could be promoted to the first team front row and do another 25 rounds this season of SL plus CC and maybe play offs?
Names please.

Re: rl : Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:19 am  

Father Ted wrote:

Who are the Wigan juniors who could be promoted to the first team front row and do another 25 rounds this season of SL plus CC and maybe play offs?
Names please.

There are two in it already. I think our junior development people have already done their bit as regards the front row.

The problem is, if we sign another prop I doubt we'd keep both O'Carroll and Prescott. And to lose one of those would only be worthwhile if the new signing was a real top-class pro. For this reason I doubt we'll see a new prop signed until Coley's contract has expired, which I think is the end of this year.

rl : Tue Feb 17, 2009 2:10 pm  

Agree and disagree about Prescott & O'Carroll.
Agree they must be kept, disagree they are both ready to play another 25 rounds of SL, CCup and play offs.
This is where we need another prop asap. Coley isn't doing it, whether he steps his game after being dropped we'll see.
If Lonee's go and there's one spot left I'd try and get a prop.
We are on the right path with youth dev after IL & BN bringing in the accelerate squad.
The mere fact that they are full time on three year deals means they are going nowhere and will get full time training, fitness and conditioning.
IMO none are ready yet for a full season of SL but progressively will be. McIlorum being the first, O'Carroll behind him but not by too much.
The rest have to be introduced at the right time and in the right games.
Their future is assured at Wigan and Wigan's in them. It's only a matter of time for them all and that can only be assessed on a individual basis.
Our current problems are due to the management of the previous decade, not since 1st December 2007 when Ian Lenagan took control.
Brian Noble inherited a complete and utter mess with regards to the playing side of things. It will take time and I think he should be allowed to see it through and benefit from the rewards in the near future.