If this turned out to be true would they play when Wigan play Quins? IL seems to prefer to prevent players loaned out from playing against wigan. Would Quins agree to loosing 4 players for games against Wigan or would we let them play?

I think Mossop needs to up his game, personally I think a 5 year contract was too long, for a player not guaranteed significant first team action. For me, in no way shape or form on his form of last year should he get a place ahead of Farrell, who was outstanding .

Prescott is certainly worth his shirt over Mossop up front and we also have to remember Hock will be returning at some point.

I could handle Pryce going on loan if he was guaranteed first team rugby at another club, and as some have said re Phelps to use a quota spot on a player destined for a loan deal would be criminal.

Mossop was outstanding last year. He was just very unfortunate with injuries.

To be honest our second string could probably beat Quins anyway. A sad state of affairs if they are becoming a feeder club, but I for one would not turn them down. The chance to give ouryoung players SL experience whilst we take all the trophies is fine by me



O'Carroll, Charnley, Pryce, Marsh, Mellor, Tuson, Davies and maybe Mossop would be the main candidates for me.

Loaning Phelps would be an utter waste, he should be snapped up on a 1-2 year contract by any team outside the top 8 really.

i agree. i thought he was playing very well. MM had some problems with his defence, enough to drop him once or twice, but overall i thought he was one of our top players at the start of the season.

Disagree.

Granted there were glimpses but he lacked any consistency even when fit.

The potential is there, but for me both Farrell and Prescott are both far more deserving of a place. Farrell once he got his chance for me was one of our stand out players week in week out.

Long term I think Mossop will eclipse Prescott but on form,he will have to wait for his chance.

What's the issue with Mossop?



Assuming he can recover from the injury I would expect him to be challenging very strongly for a spot in the 17. Personally I'd like to see him tried out at prop. Anyway, IMO while he has a lot of potential to fulfil he has already established himself as a first teamer.

Don't think there is an issue, but we do have a strong squad and I do not think he has been as good as Farrell or Prescott. Yes he will be pushing and so he should be, but at the moment I feel he still has a lot to prove Tuson and Mossop for me start of next year just behind the obvious candidates and Farrell.

The only issue I see is the insane amount of competition we have in the forwards (before the injuries kick in). He isn't going to get much better bullying reserve packs.

In the back row he has O'Loughlin, Tomkins, Hoffman, Hansen and Farrell ahead of him at the moment, and with Tuson trying to get a look in. This is before Hock is back.

At prop he has Fielden, Coley, Lima, Prescott ahead of him, and O'Carroll is probably there too, with Davies sniffing around too.

I think after the preseason we'll know what the plans for Mossop are, if he bulks up a lot then he should be heading for prop.

Why would we extend Phelps and Pryce's contracts to simply send them out on loan?

I think your spot on there.

Mossop has the potential to be really top class either in the second row or at prop he is very much like a young Jamie Peacock and hopefully he can progress to become as good and maybe even better. He has a few small flaws to his game that he needs to iron out for me, like you say Farrell is much more complete at this stage in their careers at the moment.

Mossops best spells came when he played his first 4-5 games plus maybe a few more. I wouldnt loan him out though as hes definitely useful to have as a second rower against a big back as was proved V's StHelens on good Friday and Leeds mid season.

The players i'd have out on loan are between Mellor, Marsh, Davies, Tuson possibly King. Charnley is a tricky one at the moment, one of the reason i'd like us to sign up Pryce and Phelps is to use them as the primary back ups who will be in the reserves for large sections of the year but would be needed which then allows our young lads to go out and get some proper superleague game time consistantly. If we do sign them Charnley should also be allowed to go on loan. ( As Andy Coley seemed to want at the homecoming

)

Obviously we'd need the option to recall if we get severe injuries especially the likes of Tuson and Charnley.

In my view farrell is now ahead of mossop, he took his chance well and never looked back

I think we have short memories here. Prescott would have remembered this as a bad season if it weren't for the last two games. Fair enough he might start the year in the same form and keep Mossop out but I wouldn't be too sure of that, form seems to change for most players during pre season, particularly as neither will be playing rep games. When both are on average form I'd definitely prefer Mossop. Also people are just taking it as read that Hoffman and Lima will turn up in hot form, it may well be a case of giving them a game or two in the reserves while they settle in. I can't name many players who came to us from aus and were in form from day 1.

Without a doubt. For someone who only made his debut this year, he's done brilliantly well.

Absolute Rubbish!

Some of our first team squad will end up out on loan, be it for a season, month by month or dual registration. It has to happen given the sheer size of our squad, but its hardly done us any harm so far has it - Farrell, Joel, Mossop, Charnley....

You seem to have forgotten that we smashed you on your own ground last season!!!!

I know you're his biggest fan on here but come on, he hardly set the world alight bar those two games.

Isn't Prescott in the Ireland squad for the European Cup?

[url=http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=rleague/10/09/23/RUGBYL_Ireland.htmlNo, our representatives are McIllorum and O'Carroll[/url

I seem to remember he declared himself English and not eligible for Ireland after the last World Cup.

At least the lad has ambition.

Mossop was fairly poor at times last year and needs to work on his defence and general game, hence being dropped at times last year. He has a lot of potential but is far from a certaintly in the 17. I would definately be starting off the season with Prescott in a prop spot before him.

And I know your O'Carrol's but that doesn't alter the way I look at the game in front of me.

25 league/PO games this year plus cup games so maybe 28 in all suggests to me that a certain coach doesn't think he's had a "Bad season" up until the last 2 games Would you?

I know your O'C's biggest fan but 17 games in the last 2 years seems to show to me that he may be suffering from trying to punch above his weight at this level.
You saying Prescott has been average or had a Bad season barring 2 games is ludicrous when he has dropped bigger names than prescott this year when they haven't performed to what Madge deems Acceptable i.e FEKA/Mossop etc
IIRC I don't remember Madge dropping Prescott when Fit all season so he must be doing something right?

I hope ALL PLAYERS stay fit at Wigan and that Madge then picks his squad how he wants to on his terms.
What I don't like is the way some seem to look negatively upon certain players to try and get their favourites picked ala Ainscough over Roberts.

Would Prescott get in my 17 if everyone Fully Fit? Maybe/Maybe not next season.
For the season just gone he would get in my 17 every week with only Mossop in his early season form pressing him (I would still have used Mossop in the 2nd row for last season whenever possible to let the lad get a bit more physical maturity into his game as the way Madge coaches his players to play takes a lot of physical prowess to play like that every week).

Your best rugby merely coincided with our worst!



That's not as much of an insult as it sounds though, we have a really good second string



What is the Quins team lining up like as it is? That would give us a clue who you'll be taking (if this is true, which I hope it is).