: Mon Jun 08, 2009 12:19 pm  

Mother Feka wrote:

What are everyones opinions on Phelps? Personally I'd keep him because if we dont we are relying on 2 things: Ainscough being able to cope with a full season in SL, and Roberts working at fullback.

At the beginning of this season i really didnt rate him at all and couldnt understand why we had offered him a contract for this year but he has really made the fullback spot his own IMO.

I think he is worth at least another year if not for that for his ability to play almost anywhere in the backline. Even if he isnt given a starting spot next year he's worth a place in the squad incase of injurys (i'd rather have him than Pryce)

Also seems the Riddell leaving at the end of the year rumour is growing by the day, his wife isnt settling in at all and wants to go back, and IL has publically come out and said we are looking for a HB, straight after re-signing Tommy, so i cant see Piggy staying TBH.

Hopefuly for 2010 we could have something like this:

Roberts
Ainscough
Gleeson
Carmont
Richards
NEW SO
Sam
Fielden
McIlorum
NEW PROP
Hock
Joel
Lockers

Feka
Hansen
Tommy
Prescott

O'Carroll
Phelps
Mossop
Farrell
Thornley
Davies
Tuson

Can see Goulding going to Salford permanently (loving it there from what i've heard) Bailey, Smith, Coley, Flanagan out, Carmont, Phelps new 1 year extensions and sign 1 HB a prop and a new coach and were sorted

I think Phelps is worth another year but will then leave due to the reduction on the quota. This would allow us to send Pryce on loan and let Goulding go (just not good enough IMO )

If we could manage to sign a young (ish) top quality half back to patner Sam I think our backs would be sorted for a good while barring a couple of small changes. I can't see us finding the right aged half back so I think we will either stick with Tommy at 7 or bring in an ageing aussie.

For me we need 2 top draw prop forwards to start and intimidate our opposition because quite frankly Fielden and Coley(although he's been playing better) would struggle to intimidate a bunch of primary school children. An enforcer prop who can lead our forwards is needed to replace Coley, someone in the mould of Luke Bailey or Roy Asotasi. IL will need to pull of another Gleeson type deal but we have faith Ian! Then for 2011 we have Fielden off contract and we should replace him with a prop who is extremely hardowrking and gets through a lot of work in both attack and defense. There are 2 young, English, quality forwards in Sam Burgess and LMS (you know who I mean ) off contract at that time. Either one of these players would be fantastic and would give us a front row that strikes some fear into opposition, laying the platform for the backs.

With Mossop more than likely breaking into the team next season we look to have a good back row full of young Wigan academy players. In a couple of years (when Liam Farrell cements his first team place) Hock or Mossop will most likely move up to prop IMO and this means one of Prescott or O'Carroll will have to leave unfortunately but hopefully this can bring the best out of them. Ben Davies will also come in to provide strong competition in the front row so the forwards should have some decent quality and good strength in depth. Dare I say it, laying the platform for the backs?

: Mon Jun 08, 2009 12:25 pm  

I think a lot of the players who we would like (particularly props) are just out of reach (Petro, Price, Poore, Roy, Bailey etc). All those listed are all playing Origin.

Would it be better to focus our time and effort on bringing in UK based props as we did with Fielden? (He was once good)

Look at the likes of LMS? Sam Burgess? Luke Burgess? Even Ferriol?

I think it's more likely to get a cracking UK signing than Aus.

: Mon Jun 08, 2009 12:36 pm  

Last Son of Wigan wrote:

I think a lot of the players who we would like (particularly props) are just out of reach (Petro, Price, Poore, Roy, Bailey etc). All those listed are all playing Origin.

Would it be better to focus our time and effort on bringing in UK based props as we did with Fielden? (He was once good)

Look at the likes of LMS? Sam Burgess? Luke Burgess? Even Ferriol?

I think it's more likely to get a cracking UK signing than Aus.

all 4 of those would be excellent additions but are they the enforcer prop we are looking for?

LMS is a great player but i wouldnt consider him an enforcer, same with Luke Burgess. Sam Burgess could be but he seems to be going backwards at the moment. Ferriol certainly is but hasnt he just signed a contract? plus would he want to play in england permanantly?

: Mon Jun 08, 2009 12:47 pm  

[Gareth] wrote:

all 4 of those would be excellent additions but are they the enforcer prop we are looking for?

LMS is a great player but i wouldnt consider him an enforcer, same with Luke Burgess. Sam Burgess could be but he seems to be going backwards at the moment. Ferriol certainly is but hasnt he just signed a contract? plus would he want to play in england permanantly?

No they aren't the enforcer we are looking for but they are all quality players.

Sam Burgess is a great player but at the moment he is playing in a struggling Bradford side and being moved from position to position each week. i think he is relied upon by Bradford to get through a lot of work and be their main man. Give the guy some stability and take some pressure off him he would be a world class player IMO.

LMS is brilliant and we should really be pushing to get him signed up for 2011. I don't rate Luke Burgess as highly as others but he is still a good player, plays under his brothers shadow a bit. I am pretty sure you are right when you say Ferriol signed an extension with Catalans, he would do really well at Wigan but would look even better with a world class prop to start along side

: Mon Jun 08, 2009 12:50 pm  

[Gareth] wrote:

all 4 of those would be excellent additions but are they the enforcer prop we are looking for?

LMS is a great player but i wouldnt consider him an enforcer, same with Luke Burgess. Sam Burgess could be but he seems to be going backwards at the moment. Ferriol certainly is but hasnt he just signed a contract? plus would he want to play in england permanantly?

Who's LMS?

: Mon Jun 08, 2009 12:57 pm  

SiY wrote:

Who's LMS?

: Mon Jun 08, 2009 1:02 pm  

Given time I think Sam Burgess could be a cracking enforcer prop.

Maybe if he put on a little weight to add a bot more physicality to his game.

Remember a few years back when he repeatedly hammered Moi Moi? Who would have thought it!
That is the kind of enforcement our team would buzz off.

rl : Mon Jun 08, 2009 1:06 pm  

My choice of an enforcer and a player who can play prop as well as 2nd row is Jamal Fakir.
Also trouble is that he is regularly out due to injury, like now!
Might be worth taking a punt on as he won't be on a fortune at Catalans.

On the subject of Pryce, I think he will and should get another season. When signing him it was said that he was for very long term. Under that time frame I do think he'll come good. Stick with him!

: Mon Jun 08, 2009 1:06 pm  

SiY wrote:

Who's LMS?

typo, i meant MLS

: Mon Jun 08, 2009 2:03 pm  

http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/lhqnews ... 85764.html could we recruit another to our bad lads army??

http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/lhqnews ... 85764.html could we recruit another to our bad lads army??