Happy with the signings, though neither are going to be that senior leader we need in the forwards.

As far as I'm aware nothing has been officially agreed with Sivo we have just offered him a 2 Yr deal whether he's accepted it or not I'm not too sure yet. But any deal would depend on opening a quota spot.

It wasn't me who linked us with Bousquet but he doesn't seem to be the type of middle the club are trying to recruit hence why Palasia & Jenkins have been brought in.

Sivo and Byrne for Sangare and Momo would be a trade up for sure

With Mike Cooper retiring I’d be surprised if Wigan lose Byrne as well but who knows.

If sangare goes , I would look
Somewhere other than prop with the 2 new ones, Mik, Holroyd, lisone, TNW and Bentley as a fill in.

McDonnell, Bentley,Gannon and iirc both Ruan and O'Connor can cover back row.

One of the new signings has played back row abit too I think.

Either way, would still be nice to trade up Sangare for another steady forward

I think Ruan and sangare may leave, sending Ruan to FC when we were busted was a clear message.

As you say Maybe Jenkins could play second row as
Well.

Interesting to see where it
Goes in next few
Weeks

Your last paragraph is arranged to look like a pack formation, intentional?

Sadly not that clever Seth. Typing without my glasses on.

Fairly happy with business done today. I have seen a few comments on the signings not being the pack leader we need, I am not sure many of those are available at the level of quality we need. Before a particular poster says pangai jnr - he isn’t a pack leader. He is often suspended, he gave up the game once before, he is potentially unbelievable but it’s mainly potential.

As a few have said I’d feel very happy to trade sangare for Byrne. I also wouldn’t be overly sad to see lisone leave for Byrne and to bring in an NRL back rower.

Conner as utility, Jack out on loan, mom to leave with a larger NRL back to come in would be very nice.

Only lingering question is who is going to do the kicking. The drop down to whoever replaces Martin feels large. Conner can’t kick every goal if he isn’t on the pitch all the time

Is the guy Sinny trained with back in the day still around?.
I remember how big a difference that made to his skills.

Ruan is gonnnnee

Yep, clearing the decks and creating as much cap space for more incomings. I feel he won’t be the last departure announced within the next couple of weeks.

Blease said on the pod tonight kicking isn’t a ‘headache’ for them but they are looking at it. He was quite coy but there’s obviously going to be be some movement in the squad, Ruan is reported as left tonight.

Miller will be the kicker or at least he will get first dibs at it

I have no doubt that Jake Connor is a starting centre and also kicker.

‘Yes we are very interested in utility in the backs who is also a good kicker’

Justin Sangare and Paul Momirovski for me, maybe Toby Warren as it hasn’t gone to plan for him.

Prop - Oledzki, Holroyd, Lisone, Palasia, Jenkins, TNW, Littlewood.

SR - McDonnell, Bentley, Gannon

When you look at that we need another Second Row, with Jake Connor coming in and taking Momirovskis place.

I'd have Littlewood down as back row rotation, giving us McDonnell and Bentley starting, then Gannon and Littlewood competing. As others have said Jenkins and O'Connor can also play there too in emergencies.

I'd still like to see Connor for utility value and Siva replace Mom and then we are in good shape. If we can offload Sangare and bring in Byrne that would also be good business.

If Connor does come, we need to send Jack out for a full season loan where he plays every week. Somewhere like Featherstone or Halifax (assuming they recover financially)would be good.

This is what I've got for player positions next season, I've added Jake Connor because the deal is 99% done. I can only see Momirovski or Sangare being moved on now from the rest of our contracted players as they we're on the list I was given last month however I can only see Sangare leaving if we are able to find a replacement such as Liam Byrne etc like other have said, Brad Arthur wants a big mobile back to select from so with the two new props announced yesterday Sangare is still in Arthur's thoughts but he would be 5th/6th choice you'd imagine now. If Momirovski leaves hopefully it means the Sivo deal is happening and then I'd imagine Handley could be moving to centre or Jake Connor could even start there.



FB- L.Miller, J.Connor, A.Edgell

W- R.Hall, A.Handley, R.Lumb

C- H.Newman, P.Momirovski, N.Mccormack, M.Simpson, J.Smith

HB- B.Croft, M.Frawley, J.Sinfield

P- M.Oledzki, T.Holroyd, S.Lisone, K.Palasia, C.Jenkins, J.Sangare, T.N.W

H- A.Ackers, J.O'Connor

SR- J.Bentley, J.Mcdonnell, M.Gannon, T.Warren, B.Littlewood

LF- C.Smith

(J.Connor covers every position 1-7)

(Palasia & Jenkins could cover back row if needed)

(J.O'Connor covers LF as well)

Has there been any concrete news that Wigan want to off load Byrne?

No. And Mike Cooper has left them since then.

Peter Smith now reporting Momirovski is off home to take up a coaching gig with the Chooks.

That to me means Conner and Sivo will n and that would be us done IMO

I guess that would be a good recruitment cycle, but I would still have liked a big bodied 2nd row to give us a big pack. I think collectively our current backrows are too small, but note either of yesterdays recruits can fill in at 2nd row too. A large out and out 2nd row would have complimented McDonnell / Gannon and Bentley.

I have concerns with Gannon because how is he going to avoid head collisions next year? Is he ruled out for the rest of the year as soon as he takes a bang to the head? I would love him to succeed but not sure how this will be possible.

If Sivo comes in as well, would there be much need for another prop/2nd row? Assuming the starting wingers are Handley and then Hall/Sivo rotation, you've got some big metres coming out of back play, hopefully taking the workload off the props (which are already looking a lot better). I wouldn't be complaining if they went and got another forward, mind.

Unless were looking at some UK based players?