Re: Next seasons team, how will you rate them.

[Kittwazzer]

Prescott is among the best props in Super League when he's at his best, but he's been at his best for 4 or 5 games this year and he's played in 8. That's not enough.

Can't argue with that. Never known a forward to be so injury prone. Only have to look at him hard and he bleeds!

[medlocke]

I should also add that I think we need to sign another hooker. We can't keep tiring McIlorum out game after game because there's no one good enough to cover for him. His fitness levels aren't as high as Roby's and the way he throws himself around is bound to have an effect and makes him a high risk for picking up injuries.

From what I've seen Logan Tomkins isn't good enough, not even as second choice. I know some might point out that McIlorum wasn't rated highly at times but McIlorum is different. He was outstanding for the under 20's and got a call up to the first team. He was impressive for a young player but struggled with consistency and didn't quite reach his best. He has done this season.
Logan Tomkins on the other hand has been reasonably good for the academy and hasn't really done anything in his first team outings.

As it stands he hasn't done much to suggest he could be a first choice if McIlorum got injured and that means we need someone else.

I don't think Carberry is an option either. I know lots of academy watchers rate him but I just don't see it; at least not at hooker. He's doing much better at loose forward in my opinion, whereas at hooker he was predictable, could run the ball well occasionally but distribution was poor and he lacked vision.

A back up hooker, either a promising young player or even an experienced player could be a very important investment. I mean just look at Mickey Higham! He's doing really well for Wire after filling in for Monaghan.

If Bradford need to offload players then L'Estrange, Diskin and O'Brien could all be worth a look.

I have said it before and i will say it again, Julian Rinaldi would be a good cheap optiuon as back up/on the bench hooker

[Panchitta Marra]

I should also add that I think we need to sign another hooker. We can't keep tiring McIlorum out game after game because there's no one good enough to cover for him. His fitness levels aren't as high as Roby's and the way he throws himself around is bound to have an effect and makes him a high risk for picking up injuries.

From what I've seen Logan Tomkins isn't good enough, not even as second choice. I know some might point out that McIlorum wasn't rated highly at times but McIlorum is different. He was outstanding for the under 20's and got a call up to the first team. He was impressive for a young player but struggled with consistency and didn't quite reach his best. He has done this season.
Logan Tomkins on the other hand has been reasonably good for the academy and hasn't really done anything in his first team outings.

As it stands he hasn't done much to suggest he could be a first choice if McIlorum got injured and that means we need someone else.

I don't think Carberry is an option either. I know lots of academy watchers rate him but I just don't see it; at least not at hooker. He's doing much better at loose forward in my opinion, whereas at hooker he was predictable, could run the ball well occasionally but distribution was poor and he lacked vision.

A back up hooker, either a promising young player or even an experienced player could be a very important investment. I mean just look at Mickey Higham! He's doing really well for Wire after filling in for Monaghan.

If Bradford need to offload players then L'Estrange, Diskin and O'Brien could all be worth a look.

Could Matty Smith not fill the role Cherry, a bit like what Tommy did for us.
Waney took Macca off on Friday night and put Matty in at 9, probaly our only option on the night with the squad of players we had, but it didnt seem disasterous.
Sam Powell looked OK in the halves against Hull FC, and is hopefully on his way to full recovery from his broken leg (mentally as well as physically).
Just a thought.

[medlocke]

I have said it before and i will say it again, Julian Rinaldi would be a good cheap optiuon as back up/on the bench hooker

Rinaldi has his moments but I don't think he's consistent enough and he hasn't been that impressive while back at London. Having said that there isn't much quality available in any position.

Fair enough, but with some good Wigan coaching and great players around him, he could do a job and add something different for 10-15 mins a game while Mickey has a rest

[Exiled Wiganer]

I am less concerned than others seem to be. We only have one part of the picture at the moment - we know who's leaving. If we sign no one else we will be in trouble, but that is unlikely to be the case. On the plus side, Smith is settling in ahead of time. We have a lot of players who are improving, and Wane has already shown that he can bring the best out of players this year.
I am confident that there is further improvement in Goulding, Gelling, Powell, Dudson, Mossop, Flower and Hughes, and that others from our stable of juniors will emerge ready to perform at SL level.
We are losing Leuluai, Roberts, Fielden, Lima, Carmont and Finch, and so, even with Smith and Thornley coming in, we will have some salary cap to play with.
On that basis, let's get a good prop, a good 6 and a good hooker, and rely on Thornley/Gelling to cover centre, and Smith to cover 7...

[Matthew]

My concern is that today's side was well beaten and also lost against a whinoes side by letting the occasion get to them; next season the side (at this point in time), looks to be weaker than our current side.

With Leuluai out and Finch at less than a 100%, I hope that we are not getting a preview of what we can expect next year. Because out of the side that fared so poorly against dire, we will lose some of the better players!

I think that Hughes is as likely to be given the centre slot as Thornley and where Gelling fits into that mix is also up for debate. Either way, I think that it will take some time for them to fill the gap that will be left by Carmont retiring.

Smith has done OK, but I don't think that he and Green (if he is signed) are in the same bracket as TL and Finch, the youngsters will hopefully start to get more game time; however it will take them some time to get up to speed.

Lima will also be a big miss as one of our better props and certainly depth in the props could be something that is a concern.

All in all, it looks as though next season could well be a "transition" year - even if we do sign some seasoned players.

[Kittwazzer]

All in all, it looks as though next season could well be a "transition" year - even if we do sign some seasoned players.

We said that last year and IMO the team has exceeded expectations. I'm staying optimistic!

[TrueBlueWarrior]

I think next year we will be even better believe it or not, couple more good signings, less injuries hopefully, young players year wiser, Wane a year wiser etc. I have no concerns!

[DaveO]

The half backs are a concern. As said the one we have (Smith) and the one we are linked with are not as good as those leaving and the difference in quality is not small IMO.

I also agree we need a hooker and a replacement for Lima. Can Fielden do that? Will he still be here?

I am also concerned about Wane as coach. I wanted him as coach because I thought he we would get continuity from Madge. Instead he has decided to do things differently in several areas and this has backfired.

Full contact training has led to injuries (such as Lima's eye socket) and has tired the players out IMO.

Wane's attacking approach has looked very attractive against lesser sides but the better ones have done to us what we did to them under Madge.

He has also failed to cope with the injuries a side inevitably gets. Playing Lockers at 13 and it working against two lowly sides seemed to convince him it would work in a cup semi-final. It didn't as it never does against good teams.

Resting players that would have normally played v Widnes away cost us 2 points and may cost us the league. It will certainly mean he can't rest players now if he wants to win it whereas I expect the likes of Leeds and Saints to do so with no eye on anything other the the GF. So I expect us to go into the play offs tired. If we do this will be down to Wane IMO.

If we win nothing this year will he learn from it? I am not so sure. He was plainly determined to do things differently than Madge so I can't see him adopting a different philosophy for next season.

[BigJeffLima]

Some of use may think im daft but ive always said i would like to see tuson as a hooker!