Bevan has signed long term, shocking but brilliant news

We've got such a settled side now with ready made replacements coming through for our shall we say senior players, a bit of luck now and we've every chance of going on a trophy filled run

Looks like this thread will essentially be redundant for a while with the French news. Cooper will surely be replaced from within (assuming he leaves). Maybe an overseas back rower to replace Willie Isa?

A back rower with a similar profile to Kaide Ellis when he came over would be a good replacement for Isa. Some NRL experience, plenty to prove, hungry for a chance and not costing the earth. If Cooper and Mago were let go I think we can replace from within and that is likely the plan in the next year or two.

When Isa goes we will still have Farrell, Walters & Nesemba.

I think we already have our 4th secondrow/utility forward in Chan.

I expect us to go into the market when we have to replace Faz but in then I don’t see any front line signings for a while.

We have Havard and Eseh yet to play and with the exception of Cooper all our props are either in there Prime or well before it.

I could possibly see us dip into the market for a Prop is Mago takes up an offer elsewhere and Copper retires.

Chan could well be that 4th option in the second row. He seems to have been signed to play in the middle though and didn’t look comfortable in the friendly at Wakey. You can never write a guy off in a position after one game though. It’s probably not a question they need to answer just yet. We’ve not seen Walters playing full time in the second row yet and we need to see more of Nsemba before probably knowing what’s needed.

I've said before that we could with a Curtis Sironen-type player. The NRL seems full of these powerful, mobile second-rowers.

All different opinions, but I'd like to see us sign a workhorse second row.

We've got size and athleticism in Walters and Junior. What Wigan have always had however is a world class defender. Someone who leads the line and sets the tone. We've had Smithies, Hansen, Bateman, Cassidy and Isa too. Some have obviously been better than others, but I don't see that in the makeup of this season (without Isa) and not at all for 2025.

Personally and I know it's only early days, but I think we're really missing Smithies.

We could do with Bryan Fletcher type signing

Everyone could do with one of those

I’ve a funny feeling that Isa will go round again.

I think we will look to promote from within. Don’t rule out a return for Nicholson.

Id be surprised if he doesn't to be honest

I was under the impression he had a job to jump into after this season

Ok that may change things, is that with the Club?

I'm not sure I just heard this would be his last season as he has something lined up for next

Ok thanks.

He’s made his bed surely? There were rumours last year he was looking for a return.

Surely the extensions and promotions from the Academy will wipe out Coopers and Isa’s wage? I certainly can’t see a significant signing unless maybe Mago leaves.

If that's the case then fair enough - we need to keep pushing the academy lads in the way we have been. Maybe the one minor error was signing another middle in Chan and not looking for a project backrower.

I'm not sure we even need any more signings. It could be counter productive in that there's already players who need to be brought through. Eckersley, Forber, Douglas, Makin, Eseh and Chan to name but 6. Some major potential right there. In addition, many of our first teamers are in the early parts of their careers. Havard, Walters, Nsemba, O'Neil, Dupree, Smith etc still have most of their careers in front of them.

For the first time in a long time, signing more senior players is probably not the way to go.

Yeah, I agree with that, maybe Chan could play second row? He looks better built for playing on the edges but I know he sees himself as a middle but I think his lack of size will mean he will struggle to reach the top.

Looks like a great bloke with a fantastic attitude but seems an unnecessary signing atm.

i think the club made some signings last year, certainly with rule changes in mind with Eseh, Chan and Walters, with all 3 of them being between 20-22. All have potential, some 1st team games under their belts and potential to develop into 1st team players at Wigan. As we've seen we havent started with what anyone would consider our 1st choice rotation of props (Thompson, Cooper, Havard, Dupree - subject to personal opinion to add in Hill, Byrne and Mago), so our large number of props is looking justified at the minute as we've been able to hold our own with a rotation last night that is probably way down the pecking order (Thompson, Hill, Chan, Mago)

if you look at a couple of the other threads about our best rotation of props for this year, and all see Eseh / Chan outside of that initial rotation, especially given Harvie Hill is really stepping up

whether the club see Chan as a prop or backrow, is probably yet to be seen fully and he certainly wouldnt be anywhere near the current starting 17 if everyone was fit

He runs in hard but he must be the lightest prop in the league, or not far off it. He must be 6 foot and 15 stone if that.