Looking Forward

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

I have now written this year off but I am grateful of a CC win in what has been a disappointing last three months.

Many players are heading through the exit door and we should have a sizeable chuck of salary cap/transfer fees to spend on new recruits. The question are: Will we spend it? How will we spend it?

I thought that I would start the ball rolling.

If all the rumours are to believed then we will need to replace the following players: Tomkins (Sam); Richards, Mossop, Tusson, Prescott, Hock. I believe that to be somewher in the region of £900k to £1m in salaries. We have to date signed two players: Pettybourne and Hopkins. So I am considering them as direct replacements for Mossop and Tuson.

Our lack of pace on the left has been evident for some time, so I would like Briscoe to come in for Paddy. I am a big fan of Kirmond so I see him as a replacement for Hock. Adam Walker from HKR would be my choice to replace Prekky as I don't think that we could prise Hill away from Warrington. That still leaves me with the problem of replacing Sam and the fact that we need a strike centre, a good half and a hooker that brings something else to the party. Going for an Aussie full back will eat up a chunk of Sam's salary so I would like Tommy Makinson. Lunt from the Giants or Clarke at Cas would be a big bonus at No9 and I would flog Blake Green to whoever would take him. Chase or Dobson would have been ideal but now they have both signed elsewhere I would promote Ryan Hampshire (as the addage goes - if you are good enough you are old enough. Finally, I need a centre, unfortunately I can't think of one who fits the bill who would be available - any suggestions would be welcomed.

[Kittwazzer]

I have now written this year off but I am grateful of a CC win in what has been a disappointing last three months.

Many players are heading through the exit door and we should have a sizeable chuck of salary cap/transfer fees to spend on new recruits. The question are: Will we spend it? How will we spend it?

I thought that I would start the ball rolling.

If all the rumours are to believed then we will need to replace the following players: Tomkins (Sam); Richards, Mossop, Tusson, Prescott, Hock. I believe that to be somewher in the region of £900k to £1m in salaries. We have to date signed two players: Pettybourne and Hopkins. So I am considering them as direct replacements for Mossop and Tuson.

I was under the impression we'd signed Sarginson as well?

[Aluaka]

Sarginson has signed - so what position will be play? Stand off? Fullback? Centre?

[DaveO]

Many players are heading through the exit door and we should have a sizeable chuck of salary cap/transfer fees to spend on new recruits. The question are: Will we spend it? How will we spend it?

That is going to be interesting to see.

What we should be trying to do is bring in players who improve the team but what I fear we will do is sign stopgap players as IL has this vision of a Wigan produced (read cheap to run!) team.

Rumoured signings like Bowen or Hodgson from Wire would be what I would expect Salford to make as they are starting from scratch and have no reputation or pedigree to interest players like Briscoe.

So for me the test will be, will our recruitment be like that of a side aspiring to be mid-table such as Salford or one aspiring for more honours?

I fear we will recruit as a mid-team table team would and as a result that is where we will end up.

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

Many players are heading through the exit door and we should have a sizeable chuck of salary cap/transfer fees to spend on new recruits. The question are: Will we spend it? How will we spend it?

That is going to be interesting to see.

What we should be trying to do is bring in players who improve the team but what I fear we will do is sign stopgap players as IL has this vision of a Wigan produced (read cheap to run!) team.

Rumoured signings like Bowen or Hodgson from Wire would be what I would expect Salford to make as they are starting from scratch and have no reputation or pedigree to interest players like Briscoe.



So for me the test will be, will our recruitment be like that of a side aspiring to be mid-table such as Salford or one aspiring for more honours?

I fear we will recruit as a mid-team table team would and as a result that is where we will end up.
[/quot

We shouldn't even contemplate signing players unless they can improve the team. There is no reason , given the amount of salary cap being freed up and the transfer income that IL will receive from transfers, why we should not be signing the likes of Briscoe, Kirmond etc. in fact , we should be in a position to recruit any player in SL.

[cpwigan]

We are stuck with the worst coach in SL so we need players who can create tries for themselves. Hence, we should have signed Chase but that boat has sailed. Carney, Dixon and a great overseas dynamic left centre.

[neilboardman]

Manfredi or Burgess are both capable of replacing Richards and i would like to see a full back come in for a year (if tomkins has left) just to give time for a young lad to come through, so perhaps Bowen who has already been rumoured. I would also try an get Hampshire to be playing half back as he looked decent there the other week.

[cpwigan]

The problem potentially Neil is overloading the team with youngsters. If you are Burgess or Manfredi then you want an experienced centre inside you. We have overloading / pushed youngsters too fast / asked too much too soon in the past and it has backfired big time with the majority leaving the club to enjoy long careers elsewhere.

The balance IMO is currently very precarious.

[Mike]

another thing about signing a player to give a youngster time to develop is that the player prevents the youngster getting game time. Then the coach is criticised either for playing the kid too much or too little.

I'm not sure if a young player has ever come through into the first team and not looked good enough only to be good enough after another year not playing in the first team. they've either got potential to make it in the first couple of appearances or not IMO. I will admit that a lot of fans judge too harshly but players like Murphy just aren't going to get back in the team by being gradually introduced.

my point is we should just play the kids in the team and deal with it if they don't cut it. Don't sign an aging player to keep them out. This only works if you bring them into a successful team one or two at a time BTW.

[The Eclipse]

I am surprised that Matt Russell hasn't been mentioned, he has had a really good season with Gold Coast u/20's and that experience should fast track his development along with his natural maturity.
His best footy is in front of him and would be a good signing for any SL club.