Report from Phil Wilkinson on Twitter saying we’re interested in 25yr old Barrow prop Joe Bullock and would sign him as a “project player”.

I mustn’t be the only one to wonder why we’re signing project players rather than seasoned props when we’re in need of a boost in the propping department. We’ve already got Hamlin, who for me has been vastly under-utilised this season, as a “project” and now looking to sign Bullock under the same banner. I get that the Gelling project came off for us and he probably is sorely missed but I can’t help but feel we should be limiting “Project Players” and certainly not having more than one in any given position.

In one sense I can see the long term benefit to Wigan with these project players but I can’t shake the niggling feeling that we ought to put our eyes firmly on signing seasons pro’s for positions where we need them; one is a prop.

Do we need a boost in the prop department? I felt we did before this season but they’ve all been superb in the main (Tautai has only just come to the party) and Navarette and Hamlin are applying plenty of pressure to what you’d think are the first choice four (Clubb, Flower, Sutton and Tautai).

If Sutton goes then maybe we do but if the club have faith in Navarette and Hamlin stepping up and they feel Bullock (along with the likes of Jack Wells) can slot in to the sort of back up role (with the hope of him being more then that) Hamlin is covering this year then I’d back their judgment. The likes of Clubb and Flower started out as players we deemed ‘projects’ as well. We also have the option if guys like Joel Tomkins and Isa stepping in at prop as well.

The talk is that this lad from Barrow is a good player and he’s doing it in a stronger championship then guys like Chris Hill and Walmsley came from (not that I’m saying he’ll hit their level).

This makes sense to me if he isn't going to be on too high a wage. Prop is a position where you get injuries and need to be able to rotate, especially given that we are always reliant on one or two young props in the 17 every week, who will eventually burn out if they don't get a rest. He appears to be highly rated at Barrow and, as already pointed out, the Championship is a very tough division these days.

Definitely yay for me we could even come to an agreement with Barrow over lending him back for a season he is still young for a prop he will probably peak in about 2-3 years

Hopefully more Hill or Walamsley rather than Sam Hopkins.

Hamlin, Navarrete and Bullock as “Project” props? For me that’s too many, certainly for the same position.

With the potential signing of Bullock does this mean the end for Navarrete? I certainly hope not, he’s been impressive this season - as has Hamlin.

As well as TT has been going this season I still think he’s first on the release list. Been far too inconsistent during his time here IMHO. I’d hope Hamlin/Wells could step up into his place sooner rather than later.

Navarette has signed for three more years and has been starting some games so I guess Wane is starting to see him as a more established option then as a project. There’s work to do for him still but he’s clearly got a future here.

It’s all on Sutton for me. If he goes I’d like a replacement in addition to Bullock in an ideal world but by the looks of things we’re going to have more pressing matters such as a new fullback and maybe a new centre, halfback and second rower.

Hamlin is on a two year deal so may leave after next season to return to Oz. I think if he is any good he will be off back home. Sutton is supposed to have left so I can see some sense in recruiting another prop.

At 25 this lad has the advantage of being more physically mature than any of your young players coming out of the academy. With the lack of a reserve grade unless you get some sort of freak it's hard to see how a young prop can be gradually progressed into the first team more so than a back. If this signing is true Barrow have basically been acting as Wigan reserves to produce a prop who at 25 ought to be physically ready to give it a shot in SL.

That said I don't think the club does itself any favours labelling players as "projects". He's 25 so he can't play in the academy set up so he is simply a new signing. It's as if the club is afraid of the reaction if we announce a new signing from Barrow so are excusing it by saying he is a project player.

I'd be more bothered if he was another 19 year old not 25 year old but for him at 25 the only way he is going to play is if he can break into the first team so he's not a project at all in my eyes.

Perhaps the question should not be "Project Players Yay or Nay" but "When are we going to sign a top player"? Apart from Hardaker who is only (potentially) available because of his past issues anyway I can't remember the last top player we were linked to despite senior players supposedly leaving.

He's not exactly new to the Wigan system, he was in the Wigan academy a few years ago, as a winger.

Interesting to see a lad who came through our academy and was not considered good enough being brought back in another position. I always think that the salary cap means that we cannot make full use of our academy.

Or maybe not having a proper reserve grade competition?

Speaking of props, whatever happened to Bretherton?

Finding it hard to disagree with anything you’ve said there Dave. As for your last question could you have classed FPN as a big name? I’m leaving ever so slightly towards yes, despite his questionable performances. Prior to that Brett Finch/Ryan Hoffman I’d say.

It’s not really IL/SW’s policy to bring in big name recruits, it’s more their style to bring in developing players from either the academy or elsewhere, though not its biggest fan it is financially cost effective and we certainly can’t say it hasn’t produced success; whether we like the style of play or not.

I said this on another post but years ago we were clamouring for more British talent coming through the ranks and less Aussies. Now it has happened we’re now almost clamouring for the opposite, we can’t have it all ways. Perhaps we’ve swung the pendulum too far to British talent and need to find the balance, but thinking about in from an England RL perspective; coming within 6points of a World Cup, again can we really argue it isn’t working?

Replacing a 22 year old NRL-bound prop for a 25 year old Championship prop is such a Wigan thing to do.

He got injured in one of the pre-season friendlies or reserve games.

I just can't see Sutton as a starting prop in the NRL. Well,we'll see, I suppose.

Signing a prop from the lower leagues is nothing new for Wigan. Even with a plethora of world class talent in our 1991 squad we nipped over to lowly Rochdale and signed Neil Cowie. He didnt do too bad did he?

To be honest, I don't think Wigan do this enough. Other clubs have had much success signing players from the lower leagues where we rarely do these days.

Fully agree. It’s been frustrating to see teams like Saints, Wire and Leeds have success with guys like Walmsley, Hill and Hardaker whilst we never seem to look that way. There doesn’t seem a better time to be looking at the Championship either because the league is stronger then it’s ever been and lads like Bullock have been impressing against full time professionals with very good pedigree at higher levels.

I'll give you FPN though I suspect many had never heard of him before he signed. As to the general point I am not suggesting we max out the overseas quota for the sake of it as many clubs did in the past but given IL was one pf the main proponents of the marquee rule that we actually make use of it assuming Sam T is off and we have a slot available. Sport is supposed to be entertaining and I'd like to see a signing that didn't give the impression the club's motivation was always cost first.

It may be cost effective to bring in developing players but it's basically boring if this a repeated time after time. I also wonder what the motivation is to[i bring in[/i developing players when we supposedly have the best production line going. They just get in the way of the home grown talent and you still don't know how they will turn out. I don't put this potential signing from Barrow in that bracket and as someone else said this seems like a Neil Cowie type of recruit.

It certainly doesn't help these lads who bloom a little later than others.

Hill was at Wigan until he was 16 and then the club let him go along with Stef Ratchford, both deemed not good enough by dean Bell and ironically Shaun Wane.

Hill clearly seems to be a late bloomer and maybe this lad from Barrow can be the same. I saw a picture of him from his Wigan days online when he was a winger. He was like a pipe cleaner and he must now weigh about three times as much.

So was Tommy Makinson, but I don't think that was Wanes call, Brian Foley?

You bring up a very interesting point there in your second paragraph re why we’re bringing in developmental players when our production line is supposedly the cream of the crop, it almost contradicts that statement altogether. With two developmental props in our ranks currently, bearing in mind Navarrete looks to be ‘graduating’ soon; are we saying our academy props aren’t up to scratch?

As for your first point again I’m inclined to agree. Fans want to see big name signings who then kick on for the club but it falls back to the fact that the approach we’re taking now is working. Would IL/SW want to change a winning formula? Even so I think SW would be far too stubborn to change the approach. On the flip side using Walmsley as an example, if Bullock turns out to be as good as AW; would we complain at another developmental signing? Probably not.

There’s pro’s and cons to either way and for me I’d like to see a balanced approach whereby we are in for and signing big names but we’re keeping a keen eye on the future whether that be the academy (my preference) or developmental signings.

We have four or five excellent props in the academy. Byrne, Partington, Kibula, Barnes, Kilner, Havard. Also Jack Wells who sadly has missed all the season so far.
However they are very young, hopefully the reserve league gets fully implemented next year to allow them do develop further.

On that point the reserves are at home tonight v Bradford Bulls at Robin Park, kick off is at 6 p.m. Bradford beat them earlier in the season.