Im not expecting any players to come in before the end of the season (although a few more loses and TS might be forced into something)... But when the season ends, im fully expecting a bit of an overhaul.

if nothing else happens, Waterhouse and Monaghan will be leaving. This will give us 3 quota spots and PLENTY of cap space to go with the 300-400k (or whatever it is).

So what do we need?

* Top of the list must be a Scrum half, or a stand off... maybe BOTH.
* Next up there is a hooker to replace Monaghan - Clark from cas is a done deal according to some.
* A second row - someone to help westwood out and bring some much needed running power to our pack.
* A Prop - looks like were short up front. Hill cant do it all on his own. Unless one of our other props all of a sudden starts playing like a man possessed, recruitment is needed.

I make that 3 or 4 players and that's the absolute minimum.... You could make a case for a few other positions as well if you really wanted to.

Buy, buy, buy...Typical Warrington mentality.

How about manage and have faith in your youth system, promote within.

Thats fine but surely when we lose players like Briers, Waterhouse, Monaghan then replacing them with youth is going to be rather difficult. We are bringing youth in other areas and I have no problems with us buying some great players to replace great players like all other clubs do.

Yes, lets pick players that aren't good enough to fill key positions... BRILLIANT idea.

Matty Bowen
Anthony Gelling
Blake Green
Matty Smith
Scott Taylor
Ben Flower
Eddy Pettybourne
Dan Sarginson
Tony Clubb
John Bateman
Jordan James

What's your point? The majority of our squad are from the youth system. Look at the starting team against St Helens, half of them are academy products.

Wigan have one of, if not the best utilised youth systems in Rugby League and balance the squad well.

I don't even know what I gave you that response because you already know it.

How about manage and have faith in your youth system, promote within.

I think this is something we are aspiring to and starting to do as Saints, Wigan and Leeds have great youth academys and we are finally coming up to speed in this area but for now we do not have good enough youth to replace the quality players that are leaving so we will inevitably have to buy in these key areas.

Now if Wigan never bought anyone in recent years in these key positions you would have a leg to stand on but you clearly dont.

Don't know how old Waterhouse is but i think he is one of our better players & if he still has gas in the tank is worth keeping.

Wigan has a population 100k bigger than Warrington with 3 possibly 4 times as many youth sides. Yes lets try to compete with that, you play to your strengths, yours is your vast amount of youth players, ours is our vast of amount of pounds in the bank.

This

You realise you can scout from outside the Warrington area right? The physical number of clubs in the area is irrelevant (which isn't actually that low, certainly no less than in the st.helens area - yes Wigan have a tonne and playing in the youth leagues you feel like you're going there every other week but that's another complaint.)

Salford have picked up players from the Wigan, St.helens and Warrington areas this year. Saints have picked up a few from Cumbria and Leigh, Wigan sign players from Gloucester! Youth teams don't need to be local boy done good any more - it helps getting them in with the scholarship system (which btw is awful) but certainly not required

No but if two clubs are competing for a signature and one of those teams is your boyhood club, the other has to offer something special or substantial to turn your head

I think you'll find that it isn't. To come close to that figure you'll have to include Leigh and other district towns like Skelmersdale.

1. Ratchford
2.Atkins
3 new player
4.new player/grix
5. monaghan
6 new player
7 new player
8 hill
9 higham (clark next year)
10 new player
11 waterhouse
12 westwood
13 Grix/ harrison

So which club bought an aging Welsh RU forward halfway through last season.....

It's a good job Wigan brought Feilden through their youth system a few years back so he could inspire them to not being relegated.................. Oh, hang on

Bearing in mind that every team will fill their three quota spots that leaves fourteen places in the line-up available. We had seven players from our academy system playing against cas which if my maths is correct is also half the team. It seems any other club is allowed to buy players and escape criticism except warrington. Personally, i want to see top class players playing for my club and i don't care what postcode they were born in or whether they came to us from another club.

Q) How many new players to fix the mess?
A) One - Benji Marshall.

Good call bwood

1. what happened to brad dwyer looked a good player? From Wigan so the attitude of you don't have a big youth population is silly.
2. Ben currie one of the best prospect 2nd row? From Wigan
3. you just let two good props leaving in cooper and tykes
4. how is GOB going to learn the game if you just drop him
5. Matty Russel one of the best young full backs around

If anything you should be questioning why aren't you doing better with the squad you have and to me its simple, tony smith is a poor coach but a good manager.

Forget Benji, he doesn't want to come to SL, you'll never see Benji in a Wire shirt and you'll never see him over here.

Ben Currie is from Golborne which is Warrington according to the Post Office

ok wigan academy and then you signed him as a youngster still doesn't change the fact that your catchment area isn't bound by a sign board. and doesn't change the fact that in all honesty you still have a quality squad but not a quality coaching staff to get the maximum results clearly.

I'd say it points to the fact that the problem isn't with the youngsters but some of the seniors.

As for clearing up the mess :

Stand-off and a scrum half
Prop with a bit of devil in him
Centre or winger with genuine pace