I Fear for next season

[gillysmyhero]

With the players we are losing that we will struggle next season. I hope that I'm wrong.

[gillysmyhero]

Why is it cherry that we seem to be in transition more often than other team's. Every 2 yrs we weem to loose a big chunk of our team.

[DaveO]

Why is it cherry that we seem to be in transition more often than other team's. Every 2 yrs we weem to loose a big chunk of our team.

Now that is two very good points.

I am pretty certain IL said early on after he took Wigan over his aim was year on year improvement. The line on the graph would be upwards.

This has not happened and a big reason it hasn't isn't the lack of quality players to recruit but the fact we can't seem to hold onto the quality players we do have.

Has there been a single season with IL in charge where we have not seen a top contracted 1st team player who we would not want to leave, leave for some reason?

I don't see Wire losing anyone significant next season.

Leeds have had a very stable team for years and the majority of their overseas players seem not to develop homesickness or come up with other reason to leave - like simply wanting to play for another team when contracted.

I dare say if you looked hard enough you could find a player who did leave Leeds like that but it is obvious Leeds have been far more stable a side than we have.

Maybe the rather low key recruits we have for next season are an attempt to recruit players who won't leave so readily (but then our new stand off is only on a two year deal). If it is the snag with that is Leeds seem to get stability with quality players not journeymen.

[DaveO]

Grieg Eastwood, Ben Cross the latter didnt like the setup or the way Leeds played.

But they are the exception rather than the rule aren't they as far as Leeds go?

But yes Wigan seem to loose big players year on year, its Paddys last season next year why isnt there something to say we have offered him a new deal?

Paddy isn't quite the same thing. He is getting on a bit as a winger. That said I reckon he isn't a player we should just wave bye bye to as he out of contract despite the vintage.

When players are out of contract the club clearly takes a view if they should be retained like Fielden but I just get the impression even if we do want to keep certain players we fail to do so. Add to that we have the likes of Lima wanting out early and we agree to that I just don't see how we are ever gong to get a settled side.

Leeds have cracked this so what is their secret?

[Blackpool_Pie]

Why is it cherry that we seem to be in transition more often than other team's. Every 2 yrs we weem to loose a big chunk of our team.

I think the simple answer is the number of overseas players we've had in our team and also that we've been lucky to get some real quality players who would be wanted down under.

The reason Leeds don't lose their top players is that their top players are Sinfield, McGuire, Burrow, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan.

They have been able to keep hold of overseas players like Webb and Leuluai but then they've also seen their fair share of imports leave after a short while like Buderus, Hauraki, Cross, Eastwood.

We made the most of Melbourne's problems to sign some NRL standard players but it was inevitable that they'd want to experience the big league yet again. They were not long term solutions and perhaps Lenegan made a mistake in singing players who weren't likely to be in it for the long haul.

The club now have to build a strong side based on top British players who should be more likely to commit to the club for the long term.

Great post. I agree 110%

[kevccool]

Some of the posts on the forum are so sensationalist and if Leeds hadn't have got a penalty so close to the end these posts would be so different! Nothing hides from the fact that we are getting edged out in these big games pafrticularly at home. I was confident all week until I saw the teams warming up Leeds looked so much more relaxed as though there was no pressure on them and they could play with freedom - perhaps that is the key finish lower down and the expectation and pressure is off! There is one big difference between Wigan right now and the likes of Leeds, Wire and St Helens of a few years ago. In the big games when the margins are so small and tight and that is a quality kicker and kicking game. Sinfield, Briers and Long they are the difference between winning and losing in these type of games. How often do Wigan kick on the last only to see go straight to the hands of the opposition full back. How many testing swirling swerving high kicks did Wigan put up last night to test Leeds, how many 40/20 kicks do we come up when the pressure is on - not to mention drop goals! Leeds and Wire have cool smart cucumbers in Sinfield and Briers who kick intelligently for field position. We had Deacon for a while but look at the hiswtory books any team with dominance have had that type of player. Unfortunatley when you look at the history books and you see that Leeds have been in 5 of the last 6 Grand Finals you would think they were so dominant but that is simply not the case they just know how to win smart and that is what we need to learn quickly. As soon as Leeds took the lead last night the panic was obvious we were spilling the ball and couldn't get the simple things right. A game of two halves alright and I know we weren't helped by dubious decisions but it is funny how when you start to play better (the second half) that things and decisions start going your way - you make your own luck I guess we came up short but I am confident we have the right coach, the right backroom staff and set up but we need to recruit wisely and the top of my list is a Wigan born Sinfield - from a fan of rugby league isn't he superb and little Burrow I think he is awesome. Here's to next season look what Wire have done this season after losing out last season lets hope we can harness this dissapointment and use it to motivate us. Never thought I would say this but I am cheering on Wire now they deserve a Super League title the other options would be unbearable! Enjoy the off season lads and thanks for the effort and entertainment.

[Ron Doran]

Cherry.pie -
''We're going to have to go back to accepting another transition period in my opinion but at least there seems to be some good signs with some excellent academy players being produced. They do need a team of good experienced players to play alongside them though.''

Must agree with you on this, the youngsters are the future.
It seems that the coach will be damned if he does and be damned if he doesn't play them.
Well, if I was the coach I would be damned and play them. No other way, since they have come through the Academy.

[dave_highfive1]

We're nackered for the next couple of seasons!

Losing 5 key players and SW and IL don't even look to be replacing for high end names.

We need quality players who we can keep hold of and if SW and IL can't see that we're going through transition yet again then they should be sacked!

[doc]

Taking a longer term view our squad is young compared to some of the pensioners at Wire and Leeds. With the change in the Australian salary cap and the rules regulating the number of overseas players allowed they are going to find it difficult to recruit players of a similar quality.

The only down side to the policy of SW and IL of developing quality players through our academy and signing young players from other clubs is that it may become unstuck due to the change in the U20s/18s to u19s next season and the fact that it will not be possible to give over-age fringe players game time in the u19s competition.

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

With the players we are losing that we will struggle next season. I hope that I'm wrong.

George and Tommy will be the most difficult to replace. As for Finch and Lima, based on their performances in the second half of the season, which is when it realy counts, we could easily fill the gap. Fielden has not played all year so in effect we won't miss him. I think we will go ok next season however if you were to ask me would we reach the Grand Final of Challenge Cup Final then I wouldn't put money on it - then again it's no different to 2012!