Any more to come?

[Blackpool_Pie]

The more I think, the more I'm slightly concerned we haven't actually strengthened our squad all that much for next season. We have lost some great players and are gaining some good players to replace them. We also have 2 younger players signed who I don't expect us to see much if at all next season. Also talks of Hill out on season loan and Shorrocks leaving. I think if that happens and we don't have anyone else coming in, we won't be as strong as last season. Cooper isn't back until halfway through the season and Thompsons fitness can't be relied on just yet. It is a bit of a concern. I feel like losing Smithies, KPP and King are huge blows.

Do we have any whispers on anyone else potentially coming in? Please don't mention the F word

[fozzieskem]

Gut feeling is Wigan are not as strong as last season,losing Smithees will be a bigger blow than perhaps we realise if he had stayed then I'd say on balance the club would have been on par with last season but we shall see.

Do I think anyone else to come in? short answer is no

[bertina]

Gut feeling is Wigan are not as strong as last season,losing Smithees will be a bigger blow than perhaps we realise if he had stayed then I'd say on balance the club would have been on par with last season but we shall see.

Do I think anyone else to come in? short answer is no

I agree with the hole Smithies will leave, but I honestly don’t think overall we are weaker than last season, especially in the pack.
Dupree from the start.
Walters
Thompson
Eseh
Chan
Leeming.
And of course, Nsemba and Hill with another season under their belts.
I’m pretty happy with the ins and outs.
If anything, I think we could do with another centre.

[medlocke]

December 1st

[Blackpool_Pie]

Gut feeling is Wigan are not as strong as last season,losing Smithees will be a bigger blow than perhaps we realise if he had stayed then I'd say on balance the club would have been on par with last season but we shall see.

Do I think anyone else to come in? short answer is no

I agree with the hole Smithies will leave, but I honestly don’t think overall we are weaker than last season, especially in the pack.
Dupree from the start.
Walters
Thompson
Eseh
Chan
Leeming.
And of course, Nsemba and Hill with another season under their belts.
I’m pretty happy with the ins and outs.
If anything, I think we could do with another centre.

Dupree from the start - granted
Walters - KPP
Thompson - Smithies
Eseh - Won't play much if at all
Chan - Shorrocks
Leeming - Powell
Keighran - King

I don't see where we are better there in all honesty. I'm still absolutely gutted about Smithies. He will be a huge loss.

[fozzieskem]

If we even see either Chan or Esseh this season is be amazed if anything Junior is way ahead of the pecking order I'll agree Dupree is a class act and I do have high hopes for Walter and Keighran.

The big variables are Leeming and Thompson get those two going then Any shortfall could be offset but for me just as Smithees was growing into his role he's upped and left it's a huge hole for me.

[NICKYKISS]

I’m confident the signings will strengthen us but lets just say they keep us on a similar level. I still think we’ll naturally be stronger because of a couple of factors-

1-We couldn’t get a really settled/strong 4/5 prop rotation out there at any point in the season. Fingers crossed it looks like we’ll start the season with 5 or 6 experienced options and then we’ll have Cooper to come back.

2-Loads of players are that extra year on in their development. Guys like Byrne and Havard needed that off season break they’ll have had. We’ll get another off season in to O’Neill, Hill, Nsemba, Eckersley etc and that is massively important at their age. I also think the confidence Harry Smith will have taken from his man of the series performances for England will be huge for him/us.

I agree with the above comments regards Smithies. A big loss that but I’m confident we’ll cover it.

[morley pie eater]

I've posted this before:

[Conversation with Marvin the Paranoid Android in Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy:]

"Cheer up, Marvin. Look - the sun is shining."
"Yes, the sun is shining, but no doubt it will rain tomorrow."

Or this:

[Monty Python's Holy Grail.]
"No, please! This is supposed to be a happy occasion! Let's not bicker and argue about who killed who."

I thought pre-season was a time for optimism?

Reading what you miserable beggars say makes me think that watching yawnion might be a better option.

"Cheer up" they said, "It might never happen. "So I cheered up, and, sure enough, it happened."

Fwiw I think we'll storm it next year. Our strength in depth in the forwards/middles will mean everybody pushing for a place and only the on-form props getting in. With Havard, Byrne, Cooper, Ellis, Dupree, Thompson, even Walters a available, who will relish facing us?

Back that up with French Field Marshall Wardle (see what I did there?) and the current England game manager, a choice of goalkickers. . . . we're not the bookies' favourites for no reason.

Then again, if you enjoy your misery, feel free.

[Big stick]

I’m happy with the squad and with the new additions I’m excited about what we can do. Our big issue was the forwards and we now seem to have that down, well on paper.
Smithies will be a miss for his defensive work however I doubt our defence will fall off a cliff because he’s left. I expect who ever comes in will be expected to put the work in, in defence. Really looking forward to the prop interchange, I feel we’ve got the right balance of big powerhouse props in Thompson, Mago and Dupree and the fitter more engine props in Ellis, Byrne and Harvard. Exciting times

[DaveO]

Gut feeling is Wigan are not as strong as last season,losing Smithees will be a bigger blow than perhaps we realise if he had stayed then I'd say on balance the club would have been on par with last season but we shall see.

Do I think anyone else to come in? short answer is no

I agree with the hole Smithies will leave, but I honestly don’t think overall we are weaker than last season, especially in the pack.
Dupree from the start.
Walters
Thompson
Eseh
Chan
Leeming.
And of course, Nsemba and Hill with another season under their belts.
I’m pretty happy with the ins and outs.
If anything, I think we could do with another centre.

Dupree from the start - granted
Walters - KPP
Thompson - Smithies
Eseh - Won't play much if at all
Chan - Shorrocks
Leeming - Powell
Keighran - King

I don't see where we are better there in all honesty. I'm still absolutely gutted about Smithies. He will be a huge loss.

The only one there is a question mark over in my opinion is Keighran v King. The rest are all at least as good as the ones they replace or better. Smithies came on well last season but Thomson is a quality player. Walters is a top signing. The club decided Leeming and O’Neil was better than Powell and ONeil and they are not going to be proved wrong. That is why Leeming is here and Powell isn’t. Shorrocks is a squad player and Chan is at least as good. Don’t see any issue.