For the pack I'd love either Carl Webb, Frank Pritchard. If we wasn't so lucky and blessed with as many 2nd rowers and have Locky at 13 I'd have love to of seen Mateo from Parra. Jacob Lillyman is a very underrated player I think as well from the Warriors.

If it's centres we're looking at with possible replacement for Carmont then theres Krisnan Inu from Parra and Steve Matai from Manly.

I'm sure Madge will know not what Wigan need to improve on and I expect us to see some new faces next year.

So you rate Harrison Hansen more than Jamie Langley?

Good call, and quite rightly so, IMO. Goulding & McIlorum are also out of contract, and I'd hope they get better deals.

Some great shouts there. Pritchard would be an immense signing for any side in Super League.

RE: Carl Webb - wasn't him being unable to get a visa the stumbling block for us not signing him?

Not much from Super League though in terms of recruitment. Forwards wise of any real quality I can only find Louie McCarthy Scarsbrook and Jamie Langely. Joe Westerman apparently wants out at Castleford, but I've never understood the hype that surrounds him.

no massive diffrence between the pair IMO

Agreed. Goulding has proved a very valuable player for us this season. Mike McIlorum has also had some great spells since his recovery from his injury and will only get better as the season progresses.

Now for a great debate - Cameron Phelps - should we re-sign him or not?

Now prior to Roberts' form you would have said yes, but no-one can deny how awesome Amos Roberts is at fullback & he is also down on a long term contract at Wigan. I can't see Phelps taking that spot from him and with Josh Charnley, Shaun Ainscough & Darrell Goulding all making claims for the other wing spot we might see the back of Phelps. I do rate Phelps, not as highly as some people, but the only thing I can see stopping him getting another contract at Wigan is the fact he counts on the quota. If he was a British player I would sign him up now, but with the quota coming down each season we need each player to be in the First team week in week out & not just a squad player, which at the moment I think Phelps is.

Someone at the academy game on Saturday reckons that we could build Hansen up to be a top class workhorse prop forward.

Thoughts?

I think your right regarding Webb which is a shame. I can't wait for when Ben Davies get's his chance in the first team though, he's getting good reviews at Widnes and he's always been a good player to watch whenever I've seen him. He has great footwork for a forward and has the size to back it up as well. I think Eamon is slowly but surely becoming a mini version of Shane Webke you know, obviously not in the same class but everything he does the way he runs the ball in and the size of him he gets through a tone of work and is a step ahead of Prescott at the moment who could find it difficult to secure his place if the likes of Mossop, Ben Davies and Liam Farrell start to shine. The future's shaping up pretty nicely though! We're finally starting to get the balance right.

I think Langley takes the ball much harder forward and hurts players a lot more than Hansen does. I think he can mix it a bit more with the big boys due to his frame. I see him as more of a prop for the future (Langley) than second row. Harrison Hansen gets through more work in defence, but Langley is also a great defender. So when you way it up between the two I would say Langley is by far the better player, but whether he would represent better value is another question & I can't see him ever leaving Bradford. It's all hypothetical of course.

Workhouse being the right word there. He would need to bulk up quite considerably and run with far more aggression. He is an awesome defender and gets through a tone of work.

However I don't see a 'top class' forward in Harrison Hansen. A solid pro on a modest wage.

I was speaking to Hansen yesterday, his op went well and he is targeting early July for a return.

I'd say yes, but as the utility back that he is, not with the #1 shirt. AFAIK he's not on a huge salary, and could fill a useful backup position in the squad for a year or two till the youngsters you mention (and others!) force their way in.

fair points but tbh I don't think hansen gets the credit he deserves for his go forward or his atacking play plus I'm sure he whould be on a lower pay scale as well

Another great shout from that list is Eric Grothe who can play full back, wing or centre. As I've said it depends on what Madge is looking for, either short term or long term but he is also another great kicker if we get any serious injuries in the backs. I don't think he'd want to come over just as a cover back though sadly, he's been a good player for Parra over the years and if he does come he will probably want a good wage.

The only thing Hock will bring back to the team is disruption, penalty's, lost ball and 4 games out of 20 where he looks awesome, we haven't missed him, lets move on and sign somebody better from the NRL

i cant see us retaining feka tbh,
fieldens past his best imo, coley is solid.
prescott and o carroll are young lads learning the trade, but good props.

i think we need one enforcer type prop to replace feka and fielden,

which leaves us with 6 props
coley, "enforcer", o carroll, prescott, mossop and the prospect ive heard of , but not seen yet, davies.

then we have another prop coming through who sean wane was raving about at a pre season do.............greg burke.

People said the same about a number of players that wouldn't change, Coley for example has been a penalty machine over the last couple of players and also had the habit of the knock on here or there. Under the new coaching staff we don't know how Hock will turn out again but I'd like him to get another chance first before people make up their minds on him. Probably best leaving that to the coaches don't you think?

We also have a lot of money tied up in Feka!

Hock will be immense under Maguire. He will receive the ball in a gap not with four tacklers knowing he is going to receive the ball.

Depending on which forwards are available, I can see us keeping Coley on his current form, possibly keeping Fielden but I think Feka will be released as, imo, he isnt Maguires type of forward.

Get Luke Bailey or Carl Webb in, then we will have Hock back and our pack will be more than a match for anyone.

I mentioned Luke Bailey again to the lads in the Melbourne office, I got laughed at again, something along the lines of 'why would you want to sign a sheila who'll be 31 next season?', and 'is SL really that bad that Bailey is considered a top drawer prop these days'

Can't say whether I agree with them or not as I haven't seen enough of Bailey for the past 2 years to comment.

He got back into the national side last season so he cant be that bad.

If i was going to pick a back out of that list i'd look no further than Cooper Vuna.

He's slipped off the radar a little as of late but what a player he'd be in SL! At 22 as well he’d be a weapon I’d make room for regardless of the options we already have across our back three.

What about Josh Perry as well?

It seems as though Saints are closing in to sign him. Good player though and would probably do a good job for them, personally my first choice would be Inu who under Maguire would shine IMO. When he first came onto the scene at Parra he was sensational along with Hayne, Tim Smith and Mateo.