Ryan Sutton and Dom Crosby?

[Firestarter]

Bateman will be our next 13.
Sutton will be a world class prop in a year or two imo.
Its about time we gad a prop who can burst a tackle,pass a good ball and hit a gap.
He reminds me of a more mature danny sculthorpe.
Tautai is also doing a great job

[Panchitta Marra]

Worldof difference at Wigan CP. Hence why Lockers does so much play making. Sutty has no playmaking in him but he is a fantastic runner.

My point is there's only a world of difference when O'Loughlin is there. When O'Loughlin is missing we haven't even tried to replace him like for like because there aren't many players anywhere who can do what he does.
When Bateman plays loose forward he plays nothing like Lockers, and many considered him to be the most likely successor.

In the long run I do think Gregson could be a ball playing loose forward although he's got a long way to go and another injury setback is bad news for him.

Is Liam Farrell a long way off being capable of doing what lockers can?

[nathan_rugby]

I don't believe any player at Wigan is capable of emulating what lockers brings as a 13 at Wigan.

I think with Tomkins back we will focus on combinations between 1, 6 and 7 and use 13 as an extra prop or second row.

That being said, having a ball playing 13 brings a great advantage and should never be dismissed. I just don't see the creative ability, passing accuracy and knowledge for Bateman, Farrell, Tomkins or Sutton to emulate. Mark my words, they will never be ball playing 13's.

Haven't seen Gregson play much so can't comment - does look very very small however which is a worry.

[Southern Softy]

The only reason I raised the possibility is that a serious loose-forward can turn a very good team into a great team. They don't come along very often and if you look around SL at the moment, there are hardly any of this type, so the position just becomes another forward. What Andy Farrell and SOL brought is the strength of a forward and the ability to pass and kick, allied with an eye for an opening when working with the half-backs and full-back.
I like Liam Farrell a lot and see him as an ideal world-class second-rower - same for Bateman - both could play in the centres, if required. Before he went to Union, I thought Joel Tomkins might be the answer but probably not now. Ben Flower seemed to be the next in line last season.
I wasn't Sutton's greatest fan, although he's been vastly improved this season and seems to have most of the requirements needed. As opposed to, say, Crosby, who has been outstanding this season but will always be a prop (and there's nothing wrong with that). Sutton has been very useful in the second row and chimes into the line very naturally. His tries prove that.
I just thought that although I'd like SOL to go on as long as possible, we need to look to the future and Sutton has become a much more versatile player this season.
Sorry for the long-winded stuff but it wasn't a casual comment and I think the club needs to plan ahead - it's what we've always done and it's why we are where we are.

[cpwigan]

No PM other than as a non passing LF. Faz strength like Sutton is as a runner.

Here is something that crossed my mind recently. Tommy playing LF when Lockers is not fite/retired.

[TrueBlueWarrior]

.....or MM loose and Tommy hooker!

[cpwigan]

Another possibility but I think Tommy as an ex half back is a better passer from LF.

[Firestarter]

[quote="TrueBlueWarrior"].....or MM loose and Tommy hooker![/quote
I e been saying this about mm for years

[Panchitta Marra]

No PM other than as a non passing LF. Faz strength like Sutton is as a runner.

Here is something that crossed my mind recently. Tommy playing LF when Lockers is not fite/retired.

Tommy will certainly be a good line link passer if does play 13 CP, hhis tackling is strong too.
Not a bad suggestion.

[nathan_rugby]

I think we would be most likely to see MM at 13 and Tommy at 9. But I think this would be more for defensive and forward running style. I can't see MM linking up in the line like SOL does.