18 lads through the Wigan academy and 5 English born players, 2 of which are Wigan lads.

The only thing missing is the top quality imports, I hope next season that will come with Maguire's contacts and the fact I trust Wane to find the perfect prop.

O'Carroll hasnt really kicked on as expected, but I seen great improvement in Prescott towards the back end of the season. The back row is still so-so with the exception of OLoughlin. Gareth Hock will be a miss.

Amos Roberts wasn't a scapegoat last year. He was simply shiit last year.

harsh but true, on the amount of money certain players are on, they should be doing better, especially overseas players as we could easily put a young player in and they wouldn't do any worse and it would benefit us more in the long run.

personally i would i give Tommy number 9 and Deacon 7

Feka being given the 17 shirt is obviously a message that he needs to shape up or ship out! Can't really argue with any of the numbers. Still itching for 2010 though!

Only 2 props can get 8 & 10 and we have 4. It makes numerical sense to have an impact prop, who'll probably play 90% of his games from the bench, at 14, 15, 16 or 17.

As for your last comment, if MM has given the squad numbers out based on how he sees the team lining up, then number 17 is in the 17.

If so it's a bit unfair to single him out given there are IMO several other players in the same boat who have not been "demoted".

If you are going to demote Feka to 17 on the basis of having to "shape up or ship out" Riddell should be 19 and Roberts 20



Perhaps we should look at it as Coley being promoted rather than the other way around?

Dave

How can he when he's been injured for nearly the entire season? Before his injury he was our best prop forward in the squad. He was the most impressive player in the dire Wakefield (home) game & earnt himself a starting place the following week and Coley (considered our most form prop) was dropped to the Reserves.

I am looking forward to seeing Eamon O'carroll and Paul Prescott next season. Both players have been very unlucky with injuries, but have shown enough in the games they have played to highlight the potential they both have. Hardworking, well disciplined, strong prop forwards. They both have good leg drives and punch well above their weight. If the management team can bulk them up a few extra pounds (as they have made clear it is one of their goals) I think we could have 2 gems with us in O'carroll & Prescott for the next 10 years.

The nice thing as McGuire mentions in the article is that regardless of where your placed within the squad, train hard and show enough commitment and you'll get a spot in the seventeen.

Me thinks that the squad numbers have been announced purely from a point of view to put names on shirts, and were McGuire to announce another seventeen just before the season starts when he'll have had longer to look at certain players, we may have seen a few changes compared to this one.

Either way as long as everyone gets a fair crack of the whip then it's fine by me.


Piggy getting the 9 Shirt!

I agree. I said when the new shirts were launched people would want to know the squad numbers. Hope people have not already ordered a shirt with Feka no. 10 on the back for junior for Christmas!

They will get increased sales now in the run up to Christmas.

Dave

cant understand the fuss about Feka. He is an impact Prop clearly best used off the bench and his squad number reflects this.

I think it is more significant if anything that Fielden has been given a "starting" shirt, must be a confidence booster or at least face saving not to be "demoted" for Prescott, hope he repays his coach with some good displays.

MM has already said though players will be picked on form, so basically what number they have in the squad is of little consequence, they play well they will get a place in the 17 they dont they sit in the stands.

All the squad numbers would indicate to me that the players named in the first 17 will be given first shot at making the position there own, depending on pre season etc nothing more. Those that do will retain there place those that dont will have to wait for another chance, just like it should be.

i suppose the squad numbers are as expected,but guess what it does not mean by the end of the season that will be the playing 17,as a matter of fact may not be the starting 17.watch out for young mossop hes got the hallowed number 23 shirt.

He was a mixed bag imo.

It's unfair to call him sh*t imo but he didn't set the world on fire either. He's got loads of improvment in him and is on a long list of players we'd like to see get better in 2010.

I will say one thing in that the people who said Ainscough shouldn't be in the side because of his frailties yet thought Roberts should were wrong imo. They were both coming up with the same errors and infact Roberts probably made more(but did play more games). His experience edged him that right wing spot ahead of Ainscough for the 2nd part of the season but that was all it was.

He must do better but I think he can.

IMO try scoring should come ontop of experience for a winger.

Agree with you there, would have Ainscough in there ahead of Roberts

Not at the start of this season, but last season I would of after Ainscough playing so well with so much effort and passion. I feel we have turned him into a Kevin Penny rather than a Jason Robinson. I don't feel he can now reach his potential because had he carried on playing he would of kept gaining confidence.

Ainscough played on the left hand side though whereas Roberts played on the right. We score far more tries on the left hand side than the right, IMO he did well to score 12 tries, the same number as Scott Donald and coincidently also plays on the right hand side for Leeds where their top scorer Ryan Hall plays on the left.

If you check the stats, Roberts actually had a better season than Scott Donald of Leeds, but as the stats don't suit people on here they would still take Donald over Roberts despite statistically Roberts being better.

Would you not

?

Had BN & Co still been here maybe so, with IL, MM, SW, Radders and Deacs i'm sure he will be encouraged to work hard and will have been informed that he has a big future with the club.

Any player that can score 17 tries in the first third of his debut season has huge potential and with hard work and the right attitude he should have no problem breaking into the Wigan first team in the near future.

The Scott Donald of last year no, the Scott Donald of previous years yes. Roberts was in his first season as well last year whereas Donald wasn't but yet still manage to prove he had a better year than Donald.

Because he switched wings didn't he?

Correct.

I'd still take a poor Scott Donald. I have no confidence in him under the high ball and I don't rate him defensively. I know those aren't the main qualities you are looking for in a winger but if they are on a par in attack I'd go for Donald.