Whoops, at a stroke Catalans may not be as strong next season after all. Their next coaching appointment is absoultely crucial.

Mick Potter ????

1. Sam
2. Charnley
3. Goulding
4. Carmont (

)
5. Richards
6. ?
7. Smith
8. Prescott
9. McIlorum
10. Mossop
11. Hansen
12. Hock
13. O'Loughlin

14. ? (a prop)
15. Flower
16. Farrell
17. Lauaki

18. Fans
19. Hughes
20. Dudson
21. Gelling
22. Thornley
23. Crosby
24. Murphy
25. Russell
26. Logan
27. Powell
28. Lloyd
29. Burke
30. King
31. Carberry

I'd like us to sign a bench hooker too but I don't know if that cap will stretch. Could be worth playing Logan in the lesser games at least. I think all these 80 minute games are catching up with McIlorum, and we could be in for a nasty surprise if he gets injured and we haven't given Logan enough exposure. As for Tuson, he puts in a lot of effort but I just don't think he's talented enough to ever make it and the game time would be better spent on Hughes. Hope I'm wrong like.

gives them one hell of an incentive to see him off in style though

Murphy
Charnley Hughes Carmont Richards
Tomkins Smith
Dudson McM Fielden
Hock Hansen
Lockers
..................................
Flower Mossop Faz ANother

That team is good enough to beat any other in the competition. The true fact is that there are not many good teams about. Outside of Warrington, Leeds and Saints who is likely to finish above us in the league ladder (it's a four team competition)?

As for JH, he is going to be a class act. Unfortunately the RFU and NRL will come calling at some point!

Have Fielden and Carmont signed new deals?

Carmont is almost certainly leaving as is Fielden.

I think unless we sign anyone else that is the way we will go. Our props look too lightweight for me though and I wouldnt be comfortable starting the big games with Mossop and Prescott. At least 1 more experienced prop is a must imo.

Have faith.

We have looked far too lightweight at times this season, especially against Warrington. With Lima and possibly Fielden leaving I only see the pack being weaker next season without at least one addition. Younger forwards can only take you so far and an experienced dominating prop would improve the pack no end.

Above all else, I have complete faith that Wane will not have Wigan go into a season with a weak front row.

I think that if Fielden leaves then we need 2 new props.

Mossop and Prescott are particularly injury prone and Dudson and Flower have both been injured this year.

It is rumoured we are signing an NRL prop but if Fielden leaves we need another IMO.

1. Sam Tomkins
2. Josh Charnley
3. Darrell Goulding
4. New Signing
5. Pat Richards
6. Blake Green
7. Matty Smith
8. New Signing
9. Micky Mac
10. Lee Mossop
11. Harrison Hansen
12. Gareth Hock
13. Sean O'Loughlin

14. Paul Prescott
15. Liam Farrell
16. Gil Dudson
17. Eric Lauaki

18. Ben Flower
19. Anthony Gelling
20. Jack Hughes
21. New Signing - Prop
22. Matty Russell
23. Logan Tomkins
24. Sam Powell
25. Tom Spencer
26. Dom Crosby
27. Rhodri Lloyd
28. Jack Murphy
29. Iain Thornley
30. Greg Burke

I think we need to sign a centre as relying on Gelling/Thornley/Hughes next year is a big ask - Only one has even played centre at a super league level IIRC. Signing someone classy with experience for a year or so would not hinder their development and give them someone to learn from, we cant have just Darrell Goulding as our only experienced centre for a full super league season. Two new props is a must with Lima and Possibly Fielden leaving (Obviously we'd only need one if Fielden stays) and Blake Green seems nailed on to me.
Our halves really worry me next year, they are a massive step down from Finch and Leuluai.

1. Sam Tomkins
2. Charnley
3. Goulding
4. Signing
5. Richards
6. Signing - (Blake Green)
7. Smith
8. Prescott
9. McIlorum
10. Mossop
11. Hansen
12. Hock
13. O'Loughlin

14. Dudson
15. Lauaki
16. Farrell
17. Hughes

19. Flower
20. Gelling
21. Thornley
22. Russell
23. Powell
24. Logan Tomkins
25. Lloyd (25 is a good number for youngsters!)
26. Crosby
27. Murphy
28. Burke
29. Spencer
30. King
31. Carberry

I can't see us getting 2 new props and a centre as well as Green tbh. Wane has pretty much said Thornley was brought in to replace George. One more prop may come in but even with Lima and possibly Fielden leaving that still leaves us with Prescott, Mossop, Lauaki, Dudson, Flower, Crosby and Spencer.

Who would actually be available for these positions anyway? The only realistic props within SL I can think off would be Taylor from HKR and Patrick from Hudds. One of those alongside this rumoured NRL prop would be nice! Good, experienced centres are few and far between, especially from with SL.

My squad for 2013 would be:

1. Sam Tomkins
2. Josh Charnley
3. Darrell Goulding
4. Ian Thornley
5. Pat Richards
6. Blake Green
7. Matty Smith
8. Paul Prescott
9. Mike McIlorum
10. Lee Mossop
11. Harrison Hansen
12. Gareth Hock
13. Sean O'Loughlin

14. Epalahame Lauaki
15. Gill Dudson
16. Liam Farrell
17. Ben Flower

19. Stuart Fielden/new prop
20. Chris Tuson
21. Jack Hughes
22. Anthony Gelling
23. Logan Tomkins
24. Dom Crosby
25. Tom Spencer
26. Sam Powell
27. Jack Murphy
28. Matty Russell
29. Rhodri Lloyd
30. Greg Burke
31. Liam Carberry
32. Ryan King

Not seen them very often this season, are many other u20s likely to step up next year?

I always remember reading Alex Ferguson's autobiography and him advising that in management 'don't have a lot of your contracts expire at the same time'. Basics really, you don't want half your team leaving in one off season.

I think with Lima, George, Finch and TL leaving at the same time we may be in for a bumpy ride next year, unless IL waves the cheque book on a couple of decent signings. Not convinced Blake Green will be the answer, he has spent half the season on the side-lines through injury and when i have seen him he hasn't stood out, i hope i am wrong.

I don't think we have any youngsters ready to fill the void just yet, although we have some promising talent in the 20's and out on loan.

As I have said before on here IL is a business man and at a club forum last season he stated that 'we had made a profit for the first time in five years'. The season before in 2010 he was committed to bringing youth through rather than splashing the cash on big names, fair enough. (Not sure what has a happened to our club forums, not had one this season).

So with that in mind you would have to say Marsh, Mellor and Spencer will come back from being on loan and possibly feature with the likes of Crosby, Lloyd, Gelling, Thornley, Powell, Hughes, Logan, Russell and King gaining more first team appearances. (It is an impressive list of youth product!!)

It will be interesting to see what will happen with Marsh, will it be the Goulding effect where he comes in a claims a shirt of will he become a permanent addition someplace else like Widnes.

Food for thought!!

MELLOR AND MARSH HAVE SIGNED FOR WIDNES NEXT YEAR I BELIEVE. (oops caps lock)

Team looks weaker than recent years, also lacking experience across the team.

I'd go for something different, although I was very much for 'playing Sam at 1' think I was the first to actually call it, I think it's not time to move him up to 6 as looking at our team we are predictable and have no spark in the halves. Smith is a good 7, but Green? We need someone with that off the cuff skill factor who can run the line ragged.

Have Sam as a deep lying 6 off Smith who can get the forwards going operating around the ruck first man plays.

Sam from this position can still link up in the line where he sees fit, left or right side. a deep lying 6 plays slightly behind the line, they can read and see what's happening with the opposition line. Sam could be perfect for this.

With Sam operating from 6 the 1 can still link up either with the 6 or on the other side of the pitch offering another attacking option, time to leave the split halves.

Murphy/Russell
Charnley Hughes Gelling/Thornley Richards
Tomkins Smith
Fielden McM Dudson
Hock Hansen
Lockers
-----------------
I have also left Goulding out. I feel he is defensively sound but lacks strike, this is something we'll need more than ever from the centres without Carmont. Gelling is coming on leaps and bounds in the reserves (don't forget he's very young) and Thornley is a big natural centre.

I'd offer Fielden another deal, he's the experienced enforcing prop we need. Got through the hard times. Against Saints his work rate was good and his drives had the anger we need, ideal for when we play the likes of Wire.

Dudson is excellent, gonna be outstanding. Start with these two bringing on Mossop and for me Flower/Eric.

I haven't seen anything to make me think that Smith is a better player than Blake Green although they do have different roles. At his best Green should be a pretty good replacement for Finch, it's whether Smith can replace Leuluai that's the biggest worry.

As for Goulding/Hughes, perhaps it's worth thinking back to the home game against St Helens were Hughes filled in at right centre. We had the same defensive strength in that game but lacked the attacking ability that Goulding brings to the side.

There should be some healthy competition for places in the centres next year, particularly from Gelling if his under 20's performances are anything to go by, so Goulding would not be an automatic selection next year. However his performances this season have been excellent both in attack and defence. He's made a good number of clean breaks and a fair few of them have been off his own back and most of them have led to tries.

There are positives and negatives with all our centre options next year but from what I've seen Goulding is by far the most intelligent, his decision making is spot on and his handling is swift and accurate. It's quite possible that Gelling, Thornley and Hughes have more potential at centre in the long run but I don't think there are many issues with Goulding's game.

It's perhaps worth mentioning that he has more try assists than any other centre this season and that's despite Wigan attacking far more often down the left hand side.

Goulding has his strengths without question, however I think overtime Hughes will become more of a threat to defensive lines than Goulding. I have also seem Hughes fill in for Goulding (v Hull at the DW) where he looked such a handful.
Hughes is a few years younger, overtime I think he could be a future star at Centre.

I wouldn't disagree that Hughes, Gelling or Thornley could become better centres although I think Hughes' long term future is in the back row and he's the natural replacement for Gareth Hock.
Playing in the back row makes the most of his best ability, which in my opinion is his ability to run excellent lines. Against Hull in the under 20's at the weekend he was the best player on the pitch by far and was able to do exactly what comes naturally to him; breaking through the line and getting the pass away. His ability to break the line is reminiscent of Hock and Joel Tomkins.

I'm not against Hughes playing at centre of course, in fact I suggested he would make an excellent centre after last years 9's tournament and also when it was announced Joel Tomkins was leaving, however I think he's just got a little bit more to give in the back row.

It's not a huge issue though. I think he's a great prospect so for me the important thing is making sure he's in the team.

Hughes is a backrow forward, Goulding is a centre. But I do agree, JH will be an future international player as long as RU don't spirit him away!

I think Jack could be successful in the centres or backrow. Considering the amount of backrowers we have in comparison to quality centres I'd play him in the centres.

The size of the team alone with a 3/4 line of Charnley Hughes Gelling/Thornley Richards would be impressive, all of which are agile to boot. I'm not saying size makes the team, but they'll still be very imposing and have lots of strike. Especially with the likes of Hansen and Hock inside of them in the backrow.