We've been nearly-rans for the last three years, with a similar squad, so we're optimistic that even with the same players, we expect them to be faster, stronger and playing to a higher standard.
If it turns out Nobby was getting the best out of the same guys, then I can see a lot of depression settling in and Wigan/Leeds Andy to be the first for the 'Maguire Out' campaign.

Lets hope a certain prop is not bigger and the rumours not to be true.

We won something though? In all honesty I expect us and you to be seriously pushing Saints and Leeds. I think with the addition of Deacon you have got that player who will guide you round the field and leave young prodigy Sam Tomkins to work his magic, Who will be doing the goalkicking?

What rumours?

PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT

Deacon is surely a better opton though? Saying that, at least he will take a bit of pressure of him.

We've nowt to worry about next season.

We'll $hit um!!

Doubt Deacon will be playing everyweek, we've signed him as cover for the halves.

Pats better anyway IMO has landed so many pressure kicks for us

Don't ask me why , but I have the feeling that Deacon will get the number 7 jersey next year , and may well play the year after , if he has a good season.

By bigger I mean Muscle wise. Some of our backs compared to the aussie backs is embarrasing.

Yes maybe Feka needs to slim down but if he is fit, he could still be a great player at that size, but fitness and size go hand in hand in some ways.

TL to hooker and Deacon at 7 surely?

Nah, pretty sure the pig will play 6 Sam 7 TL 9 pig bench hooker mcirlorum

I wouldn't play Deacon at all bar injuries and very bad form, but that's just me.

He's not the player he was by a long way and some might argue that even in his prime he had major flaws in his game.

Good squad player to have, but that's all IMO.

100% Agree

I'd agree, however problems arise because we don't have the ideal player at 7 to match Tomkins at 6.

For me Leuluai is at his best at 9 which at present leaves only Deacon for the 7 shirt, but by moving Tommy to 9 we automatically then have to choose between McIlorum or Piggy for the bench spot.

To start the season I think we'll see:

6 Tomkins
7 Deacon
9 Leuluai
McIlorum

With Piggy in the background until he's proved himself worthy.

I would imagine that in the long run Lenegan and McGuire are planing on partnering Mellor with Tomkins.

6 Tomkins
7 Mellor
9 Leuluai
McIlorum

Deacon has after all been brought into supposedly mentor the young halfbacks within the club such as Tomkins and Mellor.

This is for me what makes RLfans such a great place to read, everybody has their own take on things and it's good to see different views and opinions of the same events.

For me personally McIlorum has even more to prove than Riddell, and didn't deliver as much last season as Riddell. I'll happily accept that Riddell didn't deliver what he's capable of (something I hope will happen under Maguire), but for me at the moment McIlorum has been very one dimensional in his displays at hooker and far from convincing for a spot over Riddell.

Of course it's only my opinion, and i'm not saying yours is wrong - like I said, that's what makes this place interesting, we all have our own views.

You are right people have their own take on things and in this debate, here is mine. McIllorum outplayed Riddell on several occasions.

I honestly don't know how anyone can say McIllorum has more to prove than Riddell.

Riddell and Pryce are the players with most to prove next season IMO and I am sure they have the opportunity to do so but can't fathom why McIllorum's name would be in the "got something to prove" list.

Dave

I'd agree Dave.

There were a number of games this year when McIlorum was possibly man of the match.

Yet I honestly can't think of one game where piggy was even in thre top 3 for man of the match.

whats wrong with feeling positive about our club........over god knows how many seasons we have felt miserable about the next season due to the previous off seasons stuff.
this year our club is looking PROFESSIONAL..
appointing a very highly thought of coach
new back room set up
we have even sorted a new accessable shop in the arcade
and we are getting the new shirt BEFORE christmas.

for gods sake lets be happy and enjoy this positivity.

When?

Now look at these and please tell me how McIlorum has outperformed Riddell.

[urlhttp://www.superleague.co.uk/statistics_player.php?season=2009&stat=tries&hs1=2009&hp1=2385&hs2=2009&hp2=2075[/url

And I'm not anti McIlorum. I identified him four years ago as a probable England/ GB player and have took a lot of stick on the Saints board for it.

I do defend Riddell on here because

1) IMO he has been an improvement on Higham
2) He has not been as poor as many have said on here.

If he had kissed the badge and done the Piggy jiggy he wouldn't have copped half the flack, but that says more about some of our "supporters" than it does about him.

Also I believe McIlorum has had more than his share off off field problems whilst he has been at Wigan, something that I hope Radlinski and Wane will be able to sort out.

Clean slate for ALL.
Lets see how the new regime judge their performance, and not the henchmen "supporters"

For me i haven't seen his game really kick on and develop this season over last - I thought he didn't show much development over 2008. I'd be looking for him to kick on next year being, and develop his game further - he has had a lot of plaudits for his strong defence, and I want to see him develop his distribution and a kicking game if he's going to turn into a great hooker.

We all have our own views, and mine contain a strong dislike of the 'impact hooker', and if he doesn't take a step up to the next level Joe Mellor is going to be pushing for chances in the halves and along with Deacon giving us more freedom with how we use Tommy (who I can definitely see being able to play a lot more minutes than the standard super league hooker rotation, along with having something of a kicking game) and Riddell (who I think may surprise even some of the people most down on him next season).

Next season both McIlorum and Goulding will be 21, and thats exactly the age where I think they need to establish themselves especially with some of the talent coming through the Academy and Reserves, hence me feeling he has a lot to prove next season.

Agree completely Rogues, being a Wigan lad and putting in crowd pleasing big hits in defence should be no more guarantee of a place in the 17 than the contracts and wages reasons that some people throw at the 'fan anti-favourites'

I firmly trust Maguire and Wane to put out the players who are performing their best and offering the most to the team, and i'll support their selections regardless of who they are.

A good example of the sort of thing i'm looking for is Scott Moore, who's the same age as McIlorum but for me at the moment has a far more complete game as a hooker than McIlorum. Longer term as defences tighten up to more like they are in the NRL, I think hookers will be having to put in far more game time and have to have an all round more complete game than many of the current Super League offerings.

You talking to yourself? First sign of going insane that isn't it

Apart from him not being a Wigan Lad I agree almosot 100% with your other comments.

Piggy was a disappointment this year, but merely on the basis that those who have seen him know he is capable of more than that (Especially in the opposing teams 20).

On the other hand I stil maintain that he worked with his other forwards last year and we saw improvements in the team's "Forward" play on more occasions than not last year and for me that in itself makes his buy worthwhile and made him better for the "Team" than Higham.

I am hoping for an improvement this year and if that does come along at even a modest rate i.e 20% I think he will prove that the decision to release Higham & bring in Piggy was the right one (Currently I think it was last year anyway).

Certain posters on numerous occasion posting that Piggy was "Crap", "Awful" or whatever else does not make that opinion fact, it's just their opinion.
Overall for me he was a 7/10 last year but his contribution was as a team player rather than an individual player and IMO we looked better as a "Team" for it.
I never saw Higham as more than a 7/10 starting 9 and even as an "Impact" hooker never produced those 9/10 performamces we hoped for when he signed.
If we could have kept Higham as an impact 9 off the bench fair enough but starting 9 IMO Never.

Tommy is the Best (Given experience as Mellor can't be ready yet!) option we have for 7 to play with Sam at the moment.

MM will have his own thoughts but for me Tommy & Sam at HB, Piggy starts at 9 and then he chooses Mickey Mc or Deacon for a subs spot.

One thing that Deacon's signing does gice us is options!

A lot of people were screaming about the Poophouse prop we undoubtably do need but at least we 6/7 options to play there!

We had 2 half backs at the club & if 1 got injured we would have needed a real shuffle of the Cards, this purchase allows a straight swap replacement if needed.