How Many Players Are We Off Becoming A Top Team?

[Wiganer Ted]

Not many players from being a trophy winning team again.

Gelling has to go right centre with Joel and Manfredi. At times last year they were unplayable, that has to be recreated in the off season so all three "hit the ground running". Sarginson left centre (and not used as a prop) with Gildart reserve.

We need additional pace up the middle so Hampshire has to be given his chance at 6 with a prolonged number of games, Williams to 7 with Smith as reserve. Sam will add a great deal of pace probably both in the middle and wide out.

When MM goes off he MUST be replaced by a player who started and is up with the pace of the game. Powell off the bench has failed for two seasons now.
MM at 9, Ryan 6, George 7 with George to 9 when MM goes off to be replaced at half back by Smith or Powell.

Forwards to remain as at present. The props will start next season far better than this and that is certain for me.
Back row, depends how Lockers goes. With Faz, Bateman and Lockers on Intl duty then Joel, Isa and Connor may be used early season.

Equally improtant is that we develop a plan b and c. Our plays were worked out by opposition clubs 2014. They know what we will do when they see the 19. We need to vary it so we are not as predictable.
Turn up again next year with the same old same old then it will be another same old same old trophy less season.
Change and improve things then silverware will be back in the cabinet.

[Wigan_forever1985]

we need a classy halfback, someone who can dictate the flow of the game Willian's is not the answer he is a fantastic player but he is a chancer an highly skilled opportunist not a controlling player

We need a half who tells everyone what their doing and controls from the pitch, someone who makes the right calls at the right time with a great kicking game

I would of added centre to this list but I be,I've we unearthed a gem in gildart, he is already streets ahead of sarge IMO

[keptinthedarkfans]

A Scrum Half and a Right centre.

We have a scrum half in George Williams, he's a natural 7.
Stand off and centre needed.
Does Hampshire fit the stand off berth?
Centre needed and possibly a winger if Josh jumps ship.

rumour has it Hampshire at Cas next season on a season long loan. even so don't think he is the answer at 6 agree Williams at 7 tho.

[DaveO]

We are a top team already.

We just need a bit of an X Factor and Sam will give us that. Bowen has been a good player for us. But Sam will scare teams to death and give some freedom to our backline.

If you think just swapping Bowen for Sam will fix it I think you are going to be very disappointed.

Whether Sam is streets ahead of Bowen is debatable anyway and while Bowen was inconsistent he did things this season I am not sure Sam can do. Different style of player and while we will gain some things from Sam's return hopefully, we will lose some skills as well.

The weaknesses in the team are the same as they were at the start of the season.

Centre. Gildarts emergence has occurred by more luck than judgment in my opinion but at least that may have solved one centre position but we need to recruit another because neither Sarge nor Gelling are good enough.

Goal kicker. Without a goal kicker we will lose close games as we have done this season which will cost us trophies as it did this season with the LLS.

Hooker. If Wane persists in subbing Mick Mac by the clock we need a decent replacement. The intensity goes down markedly but Wane keeps doing it.

Prop forward. We need another hard tough prop forward. Mossop is not good enough at the moment. We are too "nice" as a pack and need a Craig Smith type to give the opposition something to think about.

Winger. Who is going to replace Budgie? The two we have both play on the right. Might be OK I suppose swapping one of them over but it's not a given.

Scrum half. Smith is proving not good enough.

Coach. This the biggest weakness of the lot. Wane is tactically naive and despite obvious problems staring him in the face all season they only get addressed when his hand is forced. He even thinks (yet again) we were "dumb" in the GF when he has told us numerous times were have been "dumb" throughout the season. Goal kicking has been a long term issue he only turned to Bowen for at the death. He seems to pick players who he likes (e.g. Gelling, Powell) because they train hard, not because they are any good.

If we aren't going to sign anymore players we need a new coach to sort the lot we have out. Wane has proved he can't eradicate the issues and doesn't seem brave enough to do things like drop Smith.

It's not realistic to think we can recruit all those players so if I had to pick one would be another centre (ideally a goal kicking one) with the coach sorting things out at scrum half and elsewhere in the side though I am not confident he can or will.

We will just have to rely on standards in the league dropping further now Leeds have lost a few players instead.

[menpond]

Weak to say Leeds were destined to clean up this year. We were rubbish,lionslead by donkeys.

[TrueBlueWarrior]

Weak to say Leeds were destined to clean up this year. We were rubbish,lionslead by donkeys.

cp?

[thegimble]

A Scrum Half and a Right centre.

We have a scrum half in George Williams, he's a natural 7.
Stand off and centre needed.
Does Hampshire fit the stand off berth?
Centre needed and possibly a winger if Josh jumps ship.

rumour has it Hampshire at Cas next season on a season long loan. even so don't think he is the answer at 6 agree Williams at 7 tho.

Should have gone this season. We need to know if he is good enough for SL.

Is there a chance of a swop just like Patrick?