But he does let us down, in big games more often than not. He gets dominated with the ball and can’t keep hold of it quite often in contact (Warrington home game first hit up). He was dropped by Peet because of his lack of impact and then probably found a place in the squad by default after what unfortunately happened to Cooper and the lack of progress from Hill. He might do some work in defence and that’s more where the argument is to keep him as a senior prop but he’s blocking the pathway for either Hill or a space in the squad to sign someone else in the future.

We're probably on different definitions of 'big games' here. I'm talking about Cup semis/finals, play off games, Grand Finals and the World Club challenge. Warrington at home, in the middle of a lull for the whole squad isn't the type of game I'm referring to.

I'm the first person to get frustrated with him in the weekly rounds btw. He needs to find consistency and push himself week to week and not just wait for the type of big games I'm referring to. He's just turned 25, so now is the time for him to do that. I think he can do it and would rather that be at Wigan than elsewhere. If that's possible under the cap I don't know. In terms of him blocking Harvie Hill, I'm not sure it's just him. Dupree didn't crack any pots also (even in big games) and if Hill is good enough, he'll get past those two and claim a place.

At the Grand Final he ran a fantastic line that holds Parcell up and helps create the gap that Bevan goes through for his try, I guarantee Peet will be looking at those little details, beyond the big carries and tackles. Commitment to running good lines whether your going to get the ball or not, I don't remember much of it when we were running with the likes of Clubb and Flower.

I'm glad Byrne is staying. He's got the potential to be a great forward as we all saw towards the back end of 2023 before his unfortunate injury. He's shown glimpses of it this year but he's struggled to hit those heights again. He seems to struggle with his consistency as one week he's one of the stand-out forwards, and then he becomes a liability the next week. If you compare this to Havard who is consistently good every week, it's hard to justify putting Byrne out there. The new tackle rules this year and the upcoming "below the shoulder" rules for 2025 have diminished one of the best aspects of his game: his aggressive tackling. He enters the tackle very upright, putting him at risk of conceding a penalty with the new rules.

So we are less than two weeks away from when out of contract players (at the end of the 2025 season) are allowed to be contacted by other clubs, 1st December I believe.

For Wigan these players are:

Liam Farrell,
Liam Byrne,
Jacob Douglas,
Sam Eseh (one-year extension option),
Willie Isa,
Adam Keighran

Of the above do we expect all (apart from probably Willie Isa) to sign an extension?

It's going to be interesting to see how the change of date plays out. Signing over a year in advance of playing a game for a side comes with all sorts of risks and complications on both the club and the players side. A player could get a silly deal that they don't really warrant or they could sell themselves short. A club could over pay or they could nab a bargain. I could see the new owners at Hull FC throwing a couple of silly deals out for 2026.

In terms of Wigan, I think they and the players will be patient and see where we stand a couple of months in to 2025. I expect Isa retires, Faz plays year to year and the others could go either way. The most interesting one for me is Keighran and do we need to make room for Eckersley becoming a starter. Given Keighran is a fantastic goal kicker, it makes any decision even trickier.

Keighran was superb the back end of last year but I imagine he is on good money after we pinched him from Catalans so I wouldn't be shocked if we let him go and gave Eckersley the 3 shirt. Douglas should be putting pressure on Miski this season if he is to be retained also

Plenty to weigh up with Keighran. He takes a quota spot and pretty good money you'd imagine and keeping him potentially holds back Eckersley but he's a good player, offers good utility value and is an excellent goal kicker. Ideal world stuff, you keep him and Eckersley has the challenge of taking his spot or even a wing spot ahead of Miski (same with Douglas trying to do that) but we'll see.

It's awkward with Keighran because, based off a little run forced by injury, I have a feeling he's a better six than he is a centre. Unfortunately for him, though, he's nowhere near a better a six than Bevan! So I think he gives us a good cover option should Bevan get injured, he brings great goal-kicking and runs good attacking lines, as well as being a strong tackler. His discipline seemed to improve over the season as well, which was letting him down early on. On the other hand, King-Miski was a far more potent attacking combination than Keighran-Miski, and I don't know how much that was down to Miski often being crocked last season. My feeling is that I don't see any urgent need to replace him but, if he were to move on at the end of this contract, I would be comfortable with that too.

Keighran really grew on me last year.

Think when he filled in a 6 his confidence grew and then performed better in the centres.

I trust the club to get these calls right.

His first two thirds of the season was ok but you wondered if he had that switch in him that these Wigan players all seem to have, where they seem to go in to this big game mode and everything goes through the roof (concentration, intensity, aggression etc) and he proved in that last third of the season and in particular in the last 6 weeks or so that he definitely does. It was his defence that really impressed me and how he controlled his aggression and did not make those silly errors where he was tipping players or catching them high. He was machine like in the Grand Final and made a tackle in the second half on our line that was almost up there with the French try.

Not really worth its own thread but I think this offseason Tyler Dupree has been given the Patrick Mago treatment post 2022. Completed a boot camp prior to pre season training even starts and he looks to be the only regular first team player back in this week (along with the younger lads).

I think he needed a kick up the ar$e tbh

Looking at the footage Eseh, Walters, Hill and Chan are all in too as is our project signing from Oldham.

Dupree volunteered.

Hmm, I'm pretty sure he was given a nudge as well!

Article on George Hirst in Wigan Today, I was under the impression he was going to be loaned back to Oldham next season but according to him he's set his sights on a first team debut in'25.
Good lad, that's the kind of mindset we need.

i think that was the plan when he was signed, however, sounds like he's got the right attitude if he's going to be setting his sights higher and making his 1st team debut

Only getting on for 6 minutes in the Grand Final is a pretty big nudge, even Paddy got longer!

Anyone know what Mago has been doing in terms of off season and pre-season training. I know staying over in previous year really put him back in the frame and helped him play a big part this season - I think he played in every game ?

Interesting to see what shape he comes back this time.

Good to see Dupree having an early start, he did drop off quite significantly as the year progressed and I think shows how the players react positively to the competitive nature of the squad we have, it really keeps them on their toes.

It will be interesting to see how things go with Adam re his contract. He really improved in the latter part of the season, I think missing out on the Challenge Cup probably really motivated him and he significantly improved his defence and he was a great option at 6 together with being a quality kicker.

Obviously Eckersley has looked very capable at centre, FB and wing cover and I would imagine be pushing for a starting spot and lots of game time this year with an eye on et centre spot.

If we assume Eckersley can take on a centre spot next season and Farrimond provides cover for 6&7 with Douglas providing wing cover I can't see how we keep Adam another year on a decent salary much as I would like to. I wonder what his career aspirations are - whether a return to Aus is in his mind. Am I right in thinking he has a young family now ?

He hope he’s come back more determined than ever.

Could be a massive season for him next year.

Also getting anything from Chan or Eseh would be great. They didn’t impress me last year.

Mago has been training quite a lot according to his Instagram stories.

Prop squad no.s
8 Havard
10 Thompson
15 Mago
16 Byrne
19 Dupree
20 Hill
25 Eseh
26 Chan

I think you can add Ellis to that list too as a middle (which most of these lads are and Walters too potentially.