I think Leuluai's a great player! Surely you would find a place for him in the team. Carmont's getting older of course but he's still playing well enough for another year IMO, in fact I'd say he's been our form back this season closely followed by Phelps.

We will get injuries at some point next season so the fact he can play 6,7 and 9 is a great asset to our team, and he will always do a pretty good job and even a class job as he did last friday.

Surely next season it will create competition for places which can only be a good thing.

I love Leuluai as a player as he puts his all in and it's great to see and I think he loves playing for Wigan. If you ask most United fans about their favourite players and alot will say Park and Tevez because they work so hard and are both decent players.

It also gives us options to change things for certain games if we need to or even during a game.

The post of mine you replied to was based on a cold hard look at the facts in terms of who was out of contract, who wasn't and what the needs of the team are supposed to be.

If people say we need a new 7 that means TL isn't good enough as a 7. Yes?

If we have two hookers contracted for next year, which we do, why do we want to use salary cap money on a third?

It is academic of course because we have signed him up but the question is, is IL making the tough (and yes controversial) decisions needed to improve the side?

You mention Phelps well that is another tough one for IL because he is also a fans favorite but he is also a none federation trained player and a quota player so if IL wants to recruit two overseas players then he has got to go.

Tough job being a chairman!

Dave

But if we recruit a 7 and given we have Riddell and MM where does he play? Or where do they play? With a salary cap I don't see how we can afford a player of his experience as a utility player.

So I suspect we won't be recruiting a 7.



Unfortunately with a first team squad of 25 (that is what is funded by the salary cap) competition for places doesn't exist across the team. I know what you are saying regarding his utility value but having kept him on, the question is can we make the improvements necessary given who else is out of contract (Hock doesn't count as to replace him would cost as much if not more than his wages)?



The don't have a salary cap to consider. TL does put 110% in (as does Phelps). Is that ultimately good enough?

Dave

Great Question!

Sean O'Loughlin, Sam Tomkins, Paul Prescott and Thomas Leuleui.

I'm not picking holes or being pedantic, but me and my cousin found that Coley was the oldest in the squad at 31, according to the website!

I was a lot suprised, even went and got the calculator to triple check my maths!

I had missed that one, I only did it off the top of my head so

I would get rid of

Smith
Phelps
Coley
Fielden
Bailey

I would keep the rest. I was unsure of Riddell but he is the best starting hooker at the club at the moment and if we get him fit I think he could come good.

I would keep.

Richards
Gleeson
Carmont
Ainscough
Tomkins
Tommy
Feka
Mossop
J.Tomkins
O'loughin
Flanagan