Both Wigan and Saints have recruited very well. Wigan may have an additional signing to announce and later in the season Hock may return which will boost the squad further. Both club's squads have strengthened and both will be younger in 2011 than 2010.

Wire haven't brought players in that are stand outs and their first 17 squad has something like 10 or 11 players over 30 next year. Wire had better start recruiting soon or they will fall behind and very quickly. That's a lot of first teamers to replace in the next 2-4 years.

Leeds have Eastwood going/gone and no one of note coming in. Again their squad is getting older by the season.

I do think the top two next season could well be Wigan and Saints with Wigan just edging it due to their stronger U20s players coming through. Wigan's squad will be massive and quality all the way through!

Moore has had an average year it has to be said, although I'm willing to bet he hasn't had a decent run in any position - he's played 6, 7, 9 & 13 in equal measure this season. If he gets a regular run as Roby's understudy I expect him to improve significantly.

Hows Logan doing??? , I was talking to a saints supporter who went and watched the u20s final at the week end and he said he was impressed with Logan. But i ve never heard any 1 on here say ewt special about him

Thought that may have been a reason, but wasnt sure. Is he more suited to a starting hooker, with roby coming off the bench, or do you think roby will start?

Fair enough. I think there is very little to chose between the two sides.

Although I think this:

Amos Roberts - Paul Wellens
Darrell Goulding - Ade Gardner?/Foster?
Martin Gleeson - Michael Shenton
George Carmont - Jonny Lomax/Wheeler?
Pat Richards - Francis Meli?
Sam Tomkins - Leon Pryce
Brett Finch - Kyle Eastmond

...tells a completely different story.

Unsure really. I'm not able to get to the U20's games so I can't really comment. I just know he has signed full-time with Wigan next season.

I dont think we will have Gardner next year so would say it would be Foster, who's a pretty good player in his own right. If Steve Matai's agent is to be believed we made him a mega money offer, so it would suggest we have cap money spare and maybe another back to come in. At present though, yes, your backs look stronger.

Got some way to go yet, imo.

It'll be interesting when you play us with our pack :
Perry
Roby
Graham
Soliola
Flannary
Wilkin

Moore
Puletua
LMS
Clough
I think we might have something to say about you "having the best pack in super league".

I would take our 11,12,13 anyday of the week..although puleta is impressive on his good day.

You have a case, but what Rogues said was we have the best squad in the league and I agree with him.

Not part of the pack, but we also need Amos fit. If he can't recover, we'll need a replacement.

Too true and thats what will make the difference. Its a squad game and with the amount of fecking crying about injuries ive heard this season you would think people would concentrate more on their squad rather than just their starting teams.

Next season will be dominated by Saints and Wigan IMO.

Both have clearly the best set of forwards in the division.

Out of the two starting packs, I'd take Perry, Roby and Graham over the Wigan front row and Soliola over Tomkins/Hansen.

Not over Joel

We'll find out on Saturday



I dont remember seeing anybody tackle as hard in the Super League as what I have seen from Soliola. The guy is indeed a monster.

He is indeed but all round I would have Joel.

Is Hock still contracted to you?

We have a good pack for next season, granted it is not as strong as yours

The pack looks strong. Hock (depending on his return form) Hansen, Tomkins, Hoffmann, Lockers would get into most SL teams and some NRL teams.
Excellent to have other back up from Mossop, Farrell, Tuson-all looking like great prospects.

Front row isn't as strong IMO, Fielden needs another big season, this season he's been one of the best props in the game. Coley is on the way out and Prescott, O Carroll and Davis don't look like world beaters compared to some other props around the same age. Lima is an unknown at Wigan, but a good signing nonetheless.

It's the halves/hookers/FB which is a issue. They are the most creative roles in any team and we're unsettled.
Firstly is Sam better as a FB or 6? if you play Sam at 6 who's to play FB? Both Roberts and Phelps over two seasons haven't stepped up.
If we play Sam at FB who plays in the halves? Tommy can't organise or kick, but potentially has all the sills to make a great 9. So who partners the unknown quantity of Finch? Currently the favourite is an aging Deacon, who hasn't got the legs despite his excellent organising and kicking game.
Adding to that is McC good enough? despite his tough approach to the game is he creative enough? We all have noticed the difference in our team when Piggy leaves the pitch.

It's an issue.

Can Mellor step up and partner Finch as Deacon 'passes the torch'?

IMO if we continue to play the 'Melbourne way' with split halves we're better with Sam at FB. split halves means the stand off controls one half of the pitch as the scrum half controls the other. Meaning the stand off acts as a first receiver (basically another 7).

Sam is better attacking with depth, running on the arch causing the defense all sorts of options. If we play the 'old school Wigan way' with the SO as a second receiver off the SH then I'd put Sam at 6, but looking at our structure from FB Sam runs from depth (like Billy Slater) linking up causing all sorts of problems using his pace and footwork to cause all sorts of problems.

Considering this Deacon and Finch in the halves with either Mellor or a new signing to replace Deacon as he retires. That leaves us with an option to sign another 9 to replace McM to improve our creative options.

As odd as it may sound I would have loved to have Matty Smith in our team, he has all the skills we need to help add to our team, failing that, Michael Dobson.

I think up front the onus is not all on the props. The pack is the second row forwards as well and we have some of the biggest/best second row forwards in the game - Ryan Hoffman, Joel Tomkins, Harrison Hansen, Lee Mossop, Liam Farrell etc. Lee Mossop/Ryan Hoffman could step up to prop if needed and of course we have Gareth Hock to come back.

I wouldn't write Ben Davies off yet. He was one of the best props in the game for his age group and many pundits have tipped him for international honours in the future. Next season if he was to go to Huddersfield on a years loan it would accelerate his development greatly - as demonstrated when Lee Mossop went there for a short spell.

Paul Prescott could be in for a big season next year. I think he lacks some proper conditioning. He looks a little lightweight for a forward and could do with an excellent pre-season working with Mark Bitcom. Prescott is heading into his peak years as a forward and I think the best is yet to come from him. That Leeds performance was outstanding & had it been Stuart Fielden I think we would be bigging that performance up more. I wouldn't write Prescott off.

Eamon O'carroll just needs to get himself fit. I'm not sure how bright his future is at the club. I've always maintained he has never let us down.



Cameron Phelps I agree with, but that is a ridiculous thing to say about Amos Roberts. Amos Roberts was utterly outstanding when he was at fullback. Miles ahead on the clean breaks, tries, try assists, tackle busts and was a shoe-in for MOS. He's still in the charts for a few things, despite being injured, and even made it into the League Express Dream Team.

Sam Tomkins is brilliant at fullback - I've always maintained that too, but it's more beneficial in the balance of the squad to have him at stand off next season and move Amos Roberts to fullback. I'd sign Paul Deacon on as cover in the halves and move Tommy to 9.

1. Amos Roberts
2. Darrell Goulding
3. Martin Gleeson
4. George Carmont
5. Pat Richards
6. Sam Tomkins
7. Brett Finch

Without doubt that is the best backline in the country.

Puletua is MILES better than Hansen.

edit: just saw TP was on the bench in that line-up, ignore me (as usual!)

I wonder if Phelps may be a consideration for the halves - been playing there in u20s. So far nothing has been sadi as to if he is staying or not.

Pack wise Wigan do look very good for next season - I suspect Coley will go better (he was very good earlier in the season but seems to have faded a little recently) with Lima being able to offer more minutes than Feka, plus Prescott and O'Carroll it may be that Coley will have less minutes to do. I wonder how Hock will go - is it likely he will come back as Prop or 2nd row - where there are already a lot of players in contention. Interesting times.

When is Roberts out of contract? (and not soon enough is not a good answer)

Certain guys will improve and mature enough to demand a place in the starting 13 - my 2 for next season are Charnley and Farrell.