Makes sense, Sia hasnt been a centre in years, and J-Lo is first choice fullback

Would seem to make sense but personally I wish we'd just scrap squad numbers and play with positional ones

Not sure why they would move LMS from 10 to 8 when he has worn the 10 practically all of his career, and also think Wilkin would want to keep the 12 even though he will probably play more 13 than Manu will

Also not sure if it's just an error but if you look on the shop website at personalising the new kit, Masoe has been added to that list at 8, the rest are still last years list but can't see them adding a player with a number he wasn't going to be wearing on there...could be wrong though

Some of what I've put could be wrong mate, will just have to wait and see.

I'd be surprised if Wellens isn't number 1. I can see him keeping it out of sentiment, but I hope the numbers above is how it is.

You have to give Walsh the 7 shirt and you can't give lomax a none starting number. I'd imagine he'll get the 1 and I'd imagine wellens will get the 18 shirt, playing much less, being 18th man a lot so he can transition into a coaching role (via waterboy

) of course it's all conjecture at this point!

I read on here that swift has been given his squad number for next year (and is indeed the 5 shirt) so we must be near to announcing it

I don't know if there's any more signings to come (what with rumours still around) but I imagine things like the 6 and 14 shirt won't be sorted yet and we'll only announce the squad numbers after they are sorted

Wellens will wear 17, his original squad number I believe.

I drove past Cowley yesterday and saw Amor in a training top with a number 10 on it. In which case maybe LMS could drop out of the first 13 numbers.

What number was LMS before he moved to 10? Was it 15? I reckon Laffranchi might become 8.

Masoe is no 8 on the superstore for shirt orders.

Jonny Lomax is 100% wearing the 1 shirt so Wellens will be wearing another shirt, I believe 17 as Yellow Giraffe has said.

I was close enough

principle still stands!

Good spot



Seems a good move as you can imagine that there will be a lot of demand for that name and number.

They have also removed Meli, Puletua, Perry, Ashe, Speakman and Yates from this list but other players like Forster and Hand remain so that would hint that they have not been binned off (at least not yet).

With the news of Steve Prescott's passing all the normal message board threads seem
largely irrelevant.

However retiring the No1 shirt from the squad altogether would be a fitting gesture.

Steve Prescott man of steel award would be more fitting I think.
Don't think anyone would argue with changing the name of the award and I think it may happen

I think there's a few selection headaches

LMS was great at 13, but wilkin would be the obvious choice.
Where does wellens fit in.
We have Percival ready to challenge Jones and turner if they don't perform

Although I understand your sentiment I don't agree with retiring shirts for any reason.

When LMS lined up at 13 we were just using 3 starting props, I imagine in the games Brown chooses to use this tactic we might well see him there again or another one of our regular props. I suspect we mainly went with that tactic because our only ball playing 13 was being used as an emergency scrum half and our pack was performing like pansies and needed the extra big man on the park to give us go forward.

If we are making the hard yards as we should be with the forwards we've now signed I suspect we will play with Wilkin in a more traditional loose forward pivot role which will mean we will hopefully play with a bit more invention and be able to work up a real plan b. Saying that if Hohaia continues to be useless and Wheeler stays as resilient as glass nails I wouldnt be shocked to see Wilkin partnering Walsh with maybe Flash playing 13.

I think Wellens will fit in where required, personally I think its a waste of cap space and I dont see any real benefit to having him take up a bench spot but it looks like sentiment has come before sense and we have another year to watch Wello struggle around the park (getting in the way) looking lost and a shadow of his former self



I think most people expect Brown to use both Percival and Jones in the centre with Jones doing stints in the back row where I personally think he'll end up when Percival is ready to nail down left centre permanently

i dont see how Wello can get into the 17 now?

I agree with you on the wello comment. He can only play fullback. If he's not our fullback then he shouldn't play at all in the 17. He's absolutely awful in any position other than fullback.

Also, IMO wello is behind lomax, swift and tommy at fullback which makes keeping him a totally amazing decision in a sport that has a salary cap!

Only through sentiment.... don't rule it out.

Just a guess from a Wiganer;

1. Lomax
2. Makinson
3. Turner
4. Jones
5. Swift
6. Hohaia (My condolences)
7. Walsh
8. Masoe
9. Roby
10. Amor
11. Soliola
12. Wilkin
13. LMS

14. Laffranchi
15. Manu
16. Clough
17. Wellens

18. Beaumont
19. Flanagan
20. Wheeler
21. Walker
22. Gardner
23. Percival
24. Richards
25. Walmsley


There's probably people I've missed, probably some glaring errors that I've made, but squad numbers mean rather little these days TBH.

I'd be quite happy to bin off squad numbers for pure positional ones. I understand this will never happen due to the money made from "personalisation".

I would propose that the Steve Prescott Foundation logo should be added somewhere to the shirt and a small percentage going to the fund itself. If not that then a small gesture like a white SP in a black circle on the players sleeves would be a nice touch

When squad numbers first started, I'm sure they continued to use 1-17(15) for the challenge cup. I'd like to do that, if only to remind us of which numbers play where.

They are on the saints website now

Wello 17.

Not a bad looking team for 2014.