The announcement of Finch, Lima and Hoffman signing have inevitably brought with it troll posts from fans of other clubs regarding our import policy.

All sensible posters recognise these signings improve us vastly, and with the likelihood of 4 overseas players leaving us this year it is also progression regarding our aim to have a British core to the squad.

That said, how do we as fans consider the balance between home nurtured and imported talent in the squad at the moment and what would we like to see happening regarding overseas player recruitment in the coming years?

I personally don't think our forwards are a problem at all. As of next season, there is only going to be Lima and Hoffman who are non-federation trained, with most of our pack eligible to represent England, and the majority of our back row have come through the ranks at Wigan.

Similarly, our halves are fine. I think Tomkins and McIlorum have a long term future at the club and have both obviously come up through our academy, Leuluai is federation trained (I think) and then we have one class overseas player in Finch.

Our current backs concern me a little more however as we only have two players in 5 starting positions who are federation trained. I'd imagine Carmont (who has been an excellent signing for the club) will have his last season at Wigan in 2011 so ideally I'd like to think one of Marsh or Charnley will then be ready to get the number 4 shirt. I don't follow the academy squads as closely as I'd like, so is there anyone coming through who could be ready for the number 1 shirt in a couple of years?

In conclusion then, Wigan are clearly one of the leading SL outfits at promoting young, English talent. I personally think far more emphasis (and reward regarding salary cap constraints, but that's a different argument) should be put on SL squads including products of their academy, rather than just English players they have signed from other clubs. I'd like to think by 2012 Wigan will have a squad made up of mainly Wigan lads and a few federation trained players complemented by 4 or 5 quality over seas players. I also think Lenagan shares those views, and the signings of the Storm trio are completely consistent with this aim.

Keep it up Wigan!

Think Marsh has gone RU mate. I know Ian Thornley has

Josh Vievers has been getting big raps playing at full back for the u20's but hasn't really had a sniff at a first team spot yet

Can we expect any academy players who havent started for the first team yet get a game next season?

Marsh hasnt upto now. IL having stated today that he has two years left on his contract Also hes not to happy with Thornley going.

I think that is a good summary. I have just read the [url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/super_league/wigan/8834917.stmBBC news item[/url on the signing and IL's quote was:

"I reject totally the accusation that Wigan are concentrating on overseas players, we're not," added Lenegan.

"Our policy is clear, we want at least two-thirds of the team to come from Wigan."

On the same page is a link about Wigan signing up 8 youngsters and we already have Mossop and Sam T on five year deals. I am sure other contracts will be dished out when current contracts for various home grown players expire as well.

Dave

I'm all for the best players been in this league, whatever their nationality.
The only niggle I have is I was hoping we would get Finch :'(
But congratulations on three massive coups, and no doubt congratulations on the next 2 yrs GF wins.

Correct, Marsh is still a Wiganer and will remain so for the foreseeable.

I cant remember what game it was may have been England U16, but I'm sure from numbers 1-5, 4 of these positions were represented by Wigan players. So that shows at this moment in time we have 4 of the best players in them positions in England. It makes a nice a change as the majority of players brought through Wigan have been in the forwards.

I dont think we will ever have an all homegrown team, certainly not one that is successful year on year but what we need to find is the right balance of players. I think IL has got it spot on where he is looking to have a majority of home grown players and also a few imports in key positions. The future is certainly exciting for Wigan Rugby League.

Anyone know what is happening with the proposed signing of Anthony Quinn? Are we still in the hunt for him or have our attentions turned elsewhere?

If it is true that Phelps and Pryce will also leave at the end of the season, we are looking very short of cover in the full-back/wing positions?

I don't think quinn was ever an option it was agents using wigan to up offers elsewhere

Bailey, Feka, Phelps also certainly not renewed i would say

Excellent summary, IMO. IL has said that he only wants a small number of top-quality overseas players, and these signings demonstrate that policy.

We've already seen a good number of local lads come through to become regulars this year, with lots more to come in the next couple of years. Add to that the fact that Prescott & O'Carroll will be coming into their prime (25+) by then, and the future is looking very bright.

As far as backs go, it's a pity about Thornley, but I definitely see Charnley & Marsh coming through, and possibly King, Russell & Veivers geting the odd game. Also, there's still time even for Ainscough to get his act together - he still has another year on contract. Another possibility is Joe Mellor, depending on how he eventually comes back from his injury - possibly to replace Finch when he leaves.

Last time i heard he was still in Crete!!!!

































Zorba the Greek!!!!




Maybe i'm just too old for these forums!!!

Guns of Navarone was his best film (my favourite).

....So next year we will in all likelyhood have.......

1. Roberts/Phelps
2. Goulding
3. Gleeson
4. Carmont
5. Richards
6. Sam Tomkins
7. Finch
8. Lima
9. Leuleui
10. Coley (hopefully)
11. Joel
12. Hoffman
13. O'Loughlin
--------------------
14. Fielden
15. Mossop
16. Hansen
17. McIllurum

With Hock, Prescott, Farrell, Tuson, O'Carroll, Mellor, Charnley, Marsh, Davies in reserve!!!



The rest of the league might as well give up now!!!

Thank you for your post. They are good players, but one step at a time, we ain't won anything yet.

Just swapping feka for lima makes such a difference ie having a player who can play for more than 20 mins a match

The more i think about it do we need both fielden and prescott? Id rather davies get a chance next year..

Hat to break it to you but Finch is not that good. I suspect he'll be more of a Tim Smith than Trent Barrett.

BTW I do hope you release more overseas players than you sign. All clubs - including my own - need to rely less on overseas players. I still see no need for Leeds to have signed Delaney for instance. You can't quote the signings of 16 year olds as evidence of reliance on youth though. Every club does similar every year. The proof is whether any of them make it to first team.

Goulding, Hansen, Lockers, Ainscough, McIllorum, Tuscon, Farrell, Prescott, O'Carroll, Davies, Joel Tomkins and Sam Tomkins all came through the Wigan junior set up and have all played 1st team for us this season and 10 out of that 12 are regulars in the 1st 17. Proof enough?

Dave

He's no Cooper Cronk or JT, but he's a great experienced player with the qualities we're missing at halfback (and yes I've seen plenty of Finch play before you ask). As for youngsters coming through and making it into the first team, from the wire game on Friday Wigan had the following players who had come through our academy in the 17:

6. Sam Tomkins
12. Joel Tomkins
13. Lockers
14. Paul Prescott
24. Darrell Goulding
11. Harrison Hansen
25. Liam Farrell
29. Chris Tuson
23. Lee Mossop

With 15. Michael McIlorum and 21. Eamon O'Carroll out injured as Academy products who would have played, 26. Ben Davies, 22. Shaun Ainscough & 27. Stefan Marsh all having come through the academy and played in SL for us

Not bad going in my book at bringing our youth through, and that's excluding all the current SL players at other teams who've come through the Wigan academy.

Stop being rational, we all know we do nothing but bring in overrated imports at the expense of young players and break the SC regularly to do this...

You cant seriously suggest Finch is closer to the standard of Tim Smith. I doubt any Wigan fan will take any note and nor should they, he may not be a great player but he sure will do a job for us and give us some much needed organisation. He did well after his move from Parra last year for the Storm.

Don't worry, BW, the fact that he's a 'Rhino' speaks volumes about his agenda. The fact that he trots out cliches about Wigan not having home-grown players in their first team, despite the reams and reams of evidence to the contrary, says all we need to know about his knowledge.

There's nothing we can do about these people. They're just out there.

[urlhttp://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/rugby-league/wigans-local-heroes-may-pay-price-of-aussie-raid-2030378.html[/url

What a joke of an story, I cant believe someone will get paid for this



Considering Mossop is on a 5 year contract, I reckon he will be here for the future

That's Dave Hadfield: no surprises about the number of wrong assumptions in that article.