Right business end of the season. We have 3 wingers after 2 spots and a few options for the centres.

I'd go

Manfredi (that right foot step near the line is too good)

Bateman (needs to be on the field for 80mins, normally a rock in defence)

Gelling ( cops flack but can be a match winners, his form before his hamstring injury for dream team worthy, strong carries coming out of our own end aswell)

Burgess ( I know he's going but this kid is an absolute match winner)

Leaves out Josh (not playing bad but the other wingers are better), Gildart ( glad he's got game time this year, but bit too inexperienced), Joel ( better in the backrow) Sarge ( injured)

What are your thoughts

Honestly?

That we need another centre.

I know that's not possible for this season, but we now should now be looking towards next as well. In that regard, the wingers are fine, but Thornley has gone and it looks like Sarge is going. Meanwhile, Oli is too young to get regular first team outings, though hopefully he'll still be given game-time.

Excluding Bateman and Tomkins, who are better infield, we're left with Gelling, and he himself is not everyone's cup of tea - including mine, I'm sorry to say. I think he can be good on his day, but I'm not sure that's enough if we want to step up to the next level.

For me, we need to sign a quality centre from somewhere in time for 2016. I'm not saying a megastar - that's near enough impossible. But Ian Lenagan and Brian Noble (I think it was) clearly did some diligence on the-then little known George Carmont, and what a recruit he turned out to be.

For this season I totally agree. There's no sentiment in selecting Charnley over two players who are having far better seasons. I've also been hugely impressed with Gildart and have banged the drum for him to be given a chance for a while but come the play off semis I'd prefer the experience of Gelling.

With Farrell out I think the centres wings should be a combination out of Charnley, Burgess, Manfredi, Gelling, Gildart. I want to see Bateman back in the pack to cover Farrell.

Leave Bateman in the centres as Patrick played ok at second row is best position.

I would love us to look at bringing in Bill Tupou next season. He has been fantastic for Wakefield is comfortable either on the wing or in the centre and so covers us if we pick up a knock in either position although I would expect he would on this years form get a starting shirt ahead of Sarg.

I would like Josef Wardle from Huddersfield, I think he would be a great signing.

Injuries may still play a part in the selection of the 3/4.
SW's selection v Hull will be interesting.
He left out Gelling and Burgess last week and they may well be in on Friday. Gildart will be worth watching as I suspect he'll be in after his two games so far in the first team.
I do think SW will go - Bowen, Manfredi, Gelling, Gildart & Burgess.
Bateman 2nd row and Patrick to miss out.

I would really like Wigan to give Charnley a game at centre, I know Burgess will not be here next season but by giving Charnley a try out at centre it gives Wigan an option if a good winger becomes available.
Also I think wingers may be easier to bring in, because finding a good centre is like the proverbial needle in an haystack.

Someone has also mentioned Joe Wardle at Hudds, I have been impressed with him even though I do not think Hudds would let him go.

Totally agree about Charnley. I think he played centre as a youngster?
Bateman is not and never will be a centre and neither is Gelling.
Hopefully Gildart can claim one place in the near future and maybe Charnley can be the answer to the other centre position.
I used to love the Charnley of 4 or 5 years ago when he could score from anywhere and had the confidence to take people on. These days he seems incapable of a full length of pitch try and he feeds off kicks for try opportunities. Sad really.

Charnley played centre on loan for hkr and he made kirk yeaman look like a right charlie so i wouldnt have any hesitation with playing charnley at centre

Sarginson is going nowhere, he said in a Q&A with sky sports on Twitter a few weeks back that Wigan have taken up the option on his contract so he's staying for next year.

He may never sufficiently recover from this injury. Having to operate twice, on separate occasions, then wait for recovery, he won't be back for the start of next season. He can't even walk at the moment, and has lost a load of leg muscle over the past two months. Although Wigan have kept him on, we may be short another centre come February.

Interesting to read Wane state that Gildart is still one or two seasons off being a regular starter:

[urlhttp://m.wigantoday.net/sport/wigan-warriors/gildart-set-to-tick-another-box-1-7451296[/url

If Sarge leaves (which I don't think he will btw) we would surly have to sign someone to fill the gap till Gildart is ready.

It would be very interesting to see what happens if Sarge does leave as a top draw centre like Carmont could change the whole look and feel of this side.

Spoke to Sarge a few weeks ago.

Wigan have took up his option for next year and he's happy to stay, but will move on to a new challenge in 2017.

Don't mind when players serve then contract and if they want to leave.

Going off early form think Gildart will take over in 2017

why would a top 4 team let one of it's best players and one of the best centre/2R in super league leave?

Maybe the player wants to leave? He would have a much better chance of winning something at Wigan than Hudds. I wonder if Crabtree will regret staying at Hudds as if he had signed for one of the big 4 clubs he would have some winning medals to look back on when he finished his career.

You are quite right... Fans often can't understand that players are players, and don't necessarily feel the same way about a club as they do... Crabtree would have been a wonderful addition to a strong pack, rather than being the person carrying one. Had he been in the Leeds team during his career, blimey!

Crabtree had the offers- (including Bradford in their heyday- but Crabtree chose to stay with hudds who had dropped out of the top flight) he's a hudds fan and whilst ever hudds want him he will stay. The club is in his heart.
Wardle still has two years on his contract. He is playing his best ever rugby in the second row- I can't see him moving to Wigan where they have big competition for places in that position when he can play every week at hudds.
Nice that Wigan are looking at hudds players such as mcgilvary, Wardle and Patrick, though- suggests that the comment about winning stuff may not be entirely accurate....Hughes has played very well at hudds whilst Patrick has played his most average rugby for some time at Wigan so we are doing something right.

Wakefield fans used to console themselves with the 'knowledge' that Solomona was Wakey through and through. Until he signed for someone else. Lots of things can change during a player's career, not least the coach he plays under, the chairman who pays him, his team-mates etc. However, I will concede that Crabtree seems to be very loyal to Hudds. With Wardle it remains to be seen.

Funny you should mention coaches. Crabtree was unhappy playing under tony smith- has openly said he didn't think smith managed him well- so much so that he's revealed he applied to join the police force. Rather than join another side he would have given up on professional rugby league. Smith leaving happened at the right time for Crabtree!

Wardle grew up in Halifax and played in the Bradford academy -I'm sure his heart isn't at hudds in the same way- but I can't see he'd want to leave a regular first team spot at hudds to be a squad player at Wigan.

Gildart and Bateman for the rest of the year

Difficult to argue with that, particularly if Faz is back. One dodgy performance against Hull was forgivable, but there's no way Gelling can keep his place after his showing against Saints.

Gelling makes me smile most of the time but not on Friday. That offload was unforgivable and I actually have the impression that sometimes he's taking the mick and isn't taking his game seriously enough on purpose.

I say that but if you offer me the centre options of him, Gildart and Bateman for the remaining games, I think I'd still have Gildart as the unlucky man. He's inexperienced and didn't have his best game the other night. I'm a big fan but would I want him thrown in to the heat of a semi or final over Gelling? I don't think I would tbh.

But, turning that on its head, who's more likely to do something daft; Gildart, or Gelling? Although the idea of Gelling in the second row off the bench still has legs,Ii think.