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Just updated the new squad. Good to see so many Wigan bred younsters in the side. Hope they can do the job.

Are these official squad numbers for 2003? I was wondering about getting a name and number on my new shirt and was worried about number changes, are these official? Cheers Mike!! Would like to have seen Bibey/Wild/Sculthorpe get higher squad numbers than O'Loughlin though!!

I got this from TotalRL.com so it should be correct. They may add more players during the season - like last year. Rickey Bibey was 21 last year and Wild was 19 last year, I think they've only moved players when gaps from last year were available and the players were added to the squad during the season.

If the numbers represent the playing positions these three are in the wrong spots.

Wilde should be the automatic second row replacement for Furner. Wilde is a second rower, Tickle is a loose forward.

Are the club trying to upset Wilde now? Jones went to Saints and now Wilde is out of the starting 13 in favour of a player brought in form outside.

As to Ainscough, well I think everyone would agree his best performances were as a winger last year - which is what he is.

So to see the club try again to play him as a centre is not very inspiring. As a resut Hodgeson is also forced out of the first 13 when he ought to be Connolly's replacement.

Dave

This squad is very intresting actually, potentially it has the ability to win the league, but potential doesn't win championships, the here and now does, and with no new additions to the squad i have a feeling we aren't going to win SL.
And is farrell going to start as a 2nd rower or what?

from hodgson downwards basically every1 outside the first XIII and as i asume that will be the 13 thats starts in the challange cup tie, the worry is that it has no experience at all, well excepy hodgson's 2 tests for GB, now that is a worry if we lose to or 3 experienced heads like faz, lammy, oneill or oconnor the kids have no experience at all in big games

buit potential greatness may come from that, its like man utd a few years ago, when fergie sold ince, hughes, kanchelskis, pallister, bruce and brought in the nevilles, beckham, scholes and nicky butt, and everyone said "u cant win nethin with kids, all these lads were were utd fans all excpet butt who is a man city fan!! but they had no ezperience and now 1 is the most famous man and superd rolemodel and a dammmed fine footballer and the rest all good as well and they have speared the era of man utd dominance that we now see ending, is this wigan generation - locky, wild, bibey, sculthorpe, robinson, briscoe, aspinwall et all the same?? i think it just might be

patience is key in 2003!!!

It looks a very small squad weight wise to me.Very mobile but lose our first choice props and we are feather weight.Craig Smith showed himself to be one of the worlds best props before he came over he yet since his arrival he has badly failed to make an impression bar two or three games.I know many people didnt care for Harvey but he at least brought some size into the team and some experience.I think Danny Sculthorpe looks very promising for the future but i noticed when he took a hit up he seemed to be very weak physically.I think he will find it hard stepping up to SL level next year on a permanent basis.
Unless we can keep our first choice 13 fit i cant see any joy next year.Sorry to be such a pessimist but i really cant.
What we really need is a real,tough hard nosed prop who has no fear and will take big hits all day and hand them out as well,someone like Adrian Morley.

JohnM wrote:

{What we really need is a real,tough hard nosed prop who has no fear and will take big hits all day and hand them out as well,someone like Adrian Morley}

And who do we play every 4th or 5th week when Mozza's been banned again? And he seems to have been incredibly injury prone since going Down Under, although the bout of 'flu is just unfortunate. Mr Raper rates him, so he'll no doubt try his best to get him to Wigan in 2004, but I'm afraid I've no time for the guy. Will him and Cassidy be able to stand in the 2nd row together without fighting? (I know the Robbie McCormack incident was a long time ago, but I've still not forgiven Mozza for that)

Hence the reason i said someone like Morley.I didnt say we need Morley himself but i suppose only a fool wouldnt want Adrian Morley in the team.

Ok, but to read the press sometimes you get the impression that Morley is so important and so special that there is no-one like him!