It seems like there is a lot of people that share my genuine concern about our recruitment policy in the last 18 months but sadly, there doesnt appear to be any signs from within the club that its going to change.

I havent been to the fans forums held by IL but I would be interested to hear if anyone asked him whether he was consciously making an effort to promote youngsters from within rather than looking for established players for the here and now ("on the cheap"icon_wink.gif as some may call it.

The point I was trying to make is that even in relatively recent times we have gone abroad for players to do a job and even the players that havent been world beaters in the NRL like Carmont have gone on and done great things for the club. Now we seem to prefer playing second rowers out of position to fill that gap.

Similarly with the halves, Green left and I genuinely believe that 3/5 years ago we would have got in an established player to keep things ticking over until something better became available or an academy product became up to the task.

In an ideal world, I would hope to see Wigan sign a centre, a hooker/halfback and two props for next year. Realistically, I expect it to be a replacement for Patrick plus Sam with some big news that we have signed some academy players to long term contracts

I think I'll wait until I see what our recruitment is, before being content or critical.

I can understand the comments from both sides of this debate so far to be honest.

teams such as Catalans, leeds and wire have announced recent signings of a good calibre and it all seems pretty quiet from a wigan point of view. we already know we have sam back at FB next year but that doesn't fix the whole team where it is needed and we all know there are a number of areas of concern at present and for the short term future (based largely on opinion, of course). on paper sam may be a better player than most of the oppositions teams recent signings but those signings appear to show how the other teams are plugging gaps and improving their squads with dependable and proven players. what have we done other than re-sign sam?

I fear another year of "blooding youngsters" which is what wane wants. why did wigan feel the need to showcase a game in London for the blue chip community? are we actually that skint? it all seems too much of a coincidence if you ask me. I love wanes passion and his thoughts on an all local based first team set of players but this is simply not going to work in the modern game. especially when he won't even play some of our youngsters half of the bloody time anyway! a very bizarre situation we are in at the moment I think.

we may do well in the super 8's but I fear a year of doom and gloom next year and I wouldn't be surprised if we won't be in a position to contend a trophy in the next few years if the club carry on with the current recruitment policies. we have a great squad don't get me wrong, but its not good enough to simply refuse or not commit to building on it.

I think Tautai has done o.k. He averages around 75 metres a game and 20 tackles. His ball retention bar the game at Warrington when he got concussed and probably should't have come back on has been fine, and he doesn't miss a lot of tackles or give away many penalties. Partick has been a disappointment, he is rumoured to be in the top 3 quickest players over 30 metres at the club, and I think we all expected more.

As for recruitment, it's a balancing act. Next year we have Sam coming back but also have Gildart, Bretherton, Shorrocks, Waterworth, Gregson etc coming out of the U19's with no place to play. What do we do with them? Bretherton is about 6'4" and 16 stone now at the age of 19!!
Look at Ryan Hampshire, he's rightly peed off at the moment because he has nowhere to play. If we go to the overseas market then some of these players may be forced to leave, can you imagine the uproar on here if Hampshire or some of the ones mentioned leave?

A major concern for me is not identifying issues it is addressing them. The club identified a lack of size as an issue after the Roosters game and went public with this concern and to address it sign Patrick and Tautai to add to our already small pack.

Both were signed to play up front but clearly for all to see Patrick in particular was woeful and moved back to the second row where he still lacks size but it is less easy to exploit.

2 seasons on we still need size and there has been plenty on the market.

I don't think there will began uproar when Rocky goes given how he is being treated in relation to opportunities.

Young players are great some teams need young players to freshen the squad up, we don't at this stage, we need experience and leaders in the pack and you don't find that in the youth system.

We need to utilise duel reg/loan options for these lads on the cusp of coming through, get some real game time at SL level to see if they can cut it before they step up to Wigan first team level.

I think looking who has already been signed we could have brought stop gap experienced players in for next year without compromising junior development utilising duel reg/loans in our favour.

A number of SL clubs have been crying out to loan some of our young fringe players but instead they go unused at Wigan.

It's obviously a fine balancing act and you're right about potential uproar. I don't want wholesale changes but I do believe we're in desperate need if a big, experienced prop. He would help guide lads like Bretherton who I agree is a superb prospect. He is a fabulous size for a young prop but I still wouldn't want to throw him in on a regular basis alongside our current set of props.

I agree. I don't think we're actually too bad IF we have Lockers and Joel in the back row as that does give us some size and Lockers has that ability be run like a prop, second row or be a ball handler. The problem is of course we can't rely on his fitness for more than 60 - 70 % of the games.

I'd like to see Bretherton used a bit like Ryan Sutton has this year, a couple of games played than rested or dual reg'd for few. A big rough prop would be a handy acquisition though.

To answer Jonh. We have put a lot of the younger players out on loan/dual reg this season. Logan Tomkins to Salford, Burke and Greenwood to HKR all on loan. Then Tierney, Doran, Connor Farrell, Powell etc have all been used on dual reg at Workington. I'm guessing we'll have to do the same next year.

Hampshire has had quite a few games this year, I was hoping for around 15 - 20 but he is in a strange/unique position as being a very valuable squad member and back up for #1, #6 and even #7 and there haven't been many injuries in those areas to date.

Iv seen enough of ryan over the years to know how good he is at half and what qualities he's got and he ain't no full back he needs his hands on the ball. Just play him or please let him go. Biggest regret of my life taking him to wigan. It's a short career let him go and have one.

Its a strange one with rocky. Next season could we not go with of a 1-7 of:

1. Sam t
2. Charnley
3. Gelling
4. Sarg
5. Manfredi
6. Rocky
7. Williams

As other have said we are crying out for an experienced prop/ pack leader because atm our pack isnt good enough to protect a potential 1-7 like i named above.

I can't see us recruiting anyone else for next season ,we'll have Sam to replace Bowen and Manfredi will replace Budgie and obviously Larne will go back other than that I think we'll have the same squad as this season

You have to get the balance right if players are out there to improve your squad sign them. If players are already in your system and ready to improve the team promote them.

The needs of our team are fairly obvious and we are not going to get that internally for next year.

We can't chase rainbows on the hope these young players will all make it at Wigan as invariably they will not.

Players leave clubs and go on to have good careers. You don't see Leeds moaning about losing Kyle Amor for example. Great Prop but Leeds strengthened and let him go.

How many of the juniors are apart from Rocky are/will be ready for regular first team within 2 years?

Woah, woah, woah - do you not know how the internet works?

We've "missed out" on every player signed by another club, doubly so if they were signed by a rival. If we were actually trying to sign them or not is immaterial to the debate.

Every signing we've "missed out" on (see above) "will come back to haunt us".

Interesting just listening to lenagan on wigan tv:

Millwall was chosen instead of qpr and fulham because QPR was 3x more expensive and fulham was 5x more expensive

I'm all for investing in youth and he quoted williams and rocky as examples but whats the point of mentioning rocky when he isnt being played?

Recruitment said wigan spend right upto the cap..might just be me reading into to but we may be in for afew more "project signings"

I've made my mind up we've got a team built on the cheap scenario. It's going to bite us in the sooner rather than later and two seasons without a pot will underpin that because I sure can't see us winning owt this year I'm afraid.

Sorry, but I was being sarcastic........ I don't understand why we just don't buy every player whose available... I wish I was a Leeds fan

So what do you advocate?

Say nothing until the night before the first game of next season so we definitely know who we have/haven't signed? Would we then be allowed to comment on our transfer policy.

Also how is it now ok to be in the mix for players but never land one? It's like Saint Pats saying they were trying to sign Paul Gallen but offered him a pack of space raiders and a few pints after the match. Sadly they didn't get him but at least they put thier name in the hat eh.

Until I'm doing the buying, I'll wait to see what happens.... We are already signing the best player to come to the SL from the NRL..... I'll reserve judgement until I see the full roster for next season... Till then it's all opinion and supposition..... I'm sure many on here would be much happier supporting a team like Wakefield, apologises to Wakefield fans, then they could be really miserable...

i would love to have rocky at the rhinos and there's definitely going to be more opportunities to make a spot there his own than he is going to get at wigan
i'm pretty sure that we were after your lad whilst he was playing for normanton,if so why did he/you choose wigan?

I've decided to embrace the internet and panic like mad because it's 7 months until the start of next season.

I don't think anyone is panicking at all. I think there is justification for concern given our dealings last year after identifying our weaknesses and failing to sign anyone to improve those weaknesses.

I think that's fair. IL talks about wanting to be the best side in the world. Well, watch the Roosters, the Bunnies on song, even the boring Broncos; they all have forward packs to put ours to shame, even though I believe we have good strike players out wide, we will not get close to these teams without better metre-munchers.

The Broncos have been one of the most entertaining sides this year. Some of the rugby has been superb.

On Wigan, isn't the whole way the team plays going to change with Sam Tomkins back on board? I still think he'd be better at 6/7 and letting someone else return kicks etc, but in attack he's going to be the main focal point. I wouldn't underestimate nhow different you are as a team with him back.

As for Leeds, we had to sign a half-decent prop (Galloway) as we're losing the two who've been there for almost a decade - at the same time. I'd be surprised if we were in for Hampshire, as I hope that Sutcliffe gets given the chance to make the 6 his own.

This forum has been sadly lacking a decent thread for ages. We have one here were people were contributing nicely, expressing opinions and voicing concerns eloquently and pleasantly then you had to get involved in the way that you have, throwing disparaging comments around. This from a moderator too. No doubt I will now be the subject of some rapier like put down, and we all know how much you crave the last word, so go for it.

A little OTT - who is panicking?

FWIW if you wait 7 months then you'll be 7 months too late. You only need to look in the press to see that we are currently in the period where the majority of deals/contract extensions are being finalised.

History shows that May, June & July are the main times for wrapping up NRL signings. Edie was June, the three Storm guys in July.

I await a sarcastic response, although it won't address any of the points above.