You're going to have to explain that one.

So far i am seriously underwhelmed by our rumoured recruitment.

Leaving we have Hoff, Coley, O carroll, Davies all confirmed.

I think Deacon will do another season and thus why we advertised for an additional assistant coach a few weeks ago.

Rumoured to be coming in we have Lauaiki, Flower, Dudson and Thomas.

Sorry Wigan but if this proves to be true wire will move away from us at the top of the table as this isnt strong enough.

Wire are releasing King and Anderson and have signed Waterhouse, Ratchford and Hill.

Saints are losing Jammer and Pryce and have signed LAFranchi and Hoihio

i know this is an old one or been on several times

I was asked about Sonny Bill yesterday

Cant see it personally, but I am wandering about our signings for next year

Losing lots of experience and the young ones coming through haven't really had a shot this year. Saints IMO have bedded in lots of young ones and they will benefit from it

We have a good strong squad but it needs to be maintained by bringing in quality signings and promoting youngsters who have showed they can handle it at SL level. at the minute it appears that we dont have either for next year

surely Friday would have been a chance to give a couple of the players a rest ahead of the playoffs. Goulding, Marsh, Roberts must all be chomping at the bit to get a game along with Mellor, Logan etc

Who?

Very good that.







Very very good

Im not too impressed by Saints' recruitment. They are losing two of the best players in SL. Get Hohaia under the high ball and he panics. Laffranchi has been going through the motions for the past season and a half.
As for Warrington, I think Ratchford is vastly overrated and King is a class player who'll no doubt get a starting place in the NRL. Waterhouse is a very clever signing by Tony Smith while Hill is one for the future.
If our rumoured signings are true then while I wouldn't be overly happy it certainly wouldn't be a disaster. Dudson is one for the future like Hill, and Flower, whilst young, has impressed for both club and country. I think Thomas has played really well for Crusaders but can't see him getting anywhere near the starting XIII for us. Lauaki has bags of potential and maybe just needs a decent coach to realise it.

Well for starters Hohaia is having yet again another knee reconstruction, plus coupled with his less than impressive form this season, isn't a fantastic signing IMO. Lafranchi is hell of a hard worker but isn't a prop, and the fact he'll be covering for Graham makes it even worse.

Waterhouse is a great signing for Wire no doubt about it. When we were linked with Ratchford most people on this board weren't in favor of us signing him, including myself. I may be wrong but I just don't see that much from the guy to suggest he'll be a class act. I think sometimes because their a Wigan lad fans want to sign them just for that. As for Hill what's to suggest that he's any better a player than Duson or Flower? Those two have both been playing in SL at least. In fact take a look at both their stats in comparison with Coley's. They stack up really well all considering.

Personally I's be happy with us signing Dudson and Flower. Yes their both are little raw at present, but they have the potential to good players for us. Thomas I can understand, but only if he's free. My gripe would be with Lauaki. But seeing as nothing's confirmed yet, I won't blow my top.



And don't forget we've got some cracking lads in the reserves, who I'm sure under Wane will get a chance next year that they perhaps didn't this year under Madge.

Dont think that any of the 2 sides you mention are really that improved taking into account who they will see leave. King is one of the best players in SL at present and Ratchford well not many on here moaned when we did not get him. Graham is a massive lose for Saints.

If we dont sign Deacon for another year we might struggle, but we might need to sacrifice a season to allow for better recruitment for 2013. We are going to miss Coley but if Fielden is fit then the front row will be better. Think we need to hold on any judgement until the new coach and all players we sign are confirmed in full.

This time it's both his knees that are giving him problems. He's a doubt for the 4 Nations and if indeed he does need another knee reconstruction it'll be his sixth I think.

I've been flowing the thread with interest over on the Saints board.



I don't know what it is about Saints and injured players, but it does seem as soon as their signed by Saints a curse befalls them and they become injured.

Do we need to recruit that much?
Hoff is going and will be replaced by Hock.
Coley is finishing, next season we have Fielden back.
O'Carroll won't be missed as sadly we've not seen him for two years.
Davies was a surprise but perhaps Dudson is his replacement.
Deacon will be the difficult one if he retires. Mellor or Powell would be his obvious replacements.
Shaun Wane was the coach of the U18s and U21 (U20s now) and will have a very good idea of who is going to make it and who won't.
He's now been asst to Lammy for a number of years with the U age squads and asst to Mcguire for two years.
The rumours that I don't get are Laualki and Thomas. I just don't see what either have got to offer Wigan RL. There again they are just rumours at present.

Talking of Lam, he's just been re-appointed coach of PNG.

Has he any of his original knees left !!!

Have you ever read 'The Island of Doctor Moreau'?

Has he got a surgery in Platt Bridge ?

He wishes! Standish Lower Ground opposite Farmfoods.

Gutted if we sign Luauki, not going to have the blind faith of waiting to judge them in Wigan shirt, this lad doesn't deserve to wear the cherry and white.

If there are no decent players available then promote from within, I would rather have Dom Crosby in the team than Luauki any day, would rather have Marsh or Goulding in than Thomas.

I thought we were only going to sign world class players and we are linked with Luauki? Don't make me laugh.

If we were signing Thomas I would only do it if we were using him as bait to sign someone like Powell to play prop form Union.

Agreed.

I thought now with Lenagan in charge we'd only be signing truly class overseas stars like Hoffman, Finch and Lima.

Lauaki is not this, there is no way his signing can be justified. I wouldnt even want him if he was English.

Thomas I can kind of understand seeing as we're not even paying his wages, he'll only play a handful of games and he will bring massive publicity to the club i.e bringing more positive than negative, but Lauaki just beggars belief.... Hopefuly its true that hes signing for Widnes

God help the poor lad if we have signed him. He is hung drawn and quatered already on here

We have signed him

Not a rumour or anything like but I'm just after opinions.
HKR played Craig Hall on the left wing v Cas and showed some very good touches but again let himself down with errors.
Bearing in mind he came from the Hull FC academy where it appears lads are coached well, although as soon as they make the first team they go backwards by some degree. Hall has followed this format.
His natural position seems to be left centre.
Does anyone think he may be a decent signing for us?
He has all the attributes with pace, height and can read the game. With quality coaching that he would get at Wigan could this improve him to an extent he could fit in the first 17 at left centre. He would also probably fit into IL's wage structure.
Thoughts?

This coaching problem at Hull FC is perhaps one reason Lauaki may be on his way here. Someone must see something that could be developed with quality coaching.

True, but he'd need to improve significantly on some of the performances we've seen from him at Hull to even get near the Wigan first team.

I've always rated Hall, not the biggest but he has a rugby brain, if he beefed up a little I would take a punt on him rather than Thomas any day.

have the Rangi Chase rumours gone cold? I was told last night it was a done deal with Amos Roberts going the opposite way and Joe Mellor on loan for 12 months.