Would it not work both ways though? We could maybe take some of Barrows young players and give them games in the reserves which is quite a high standard probably not too disimilar to the championship anyway.

Barrow are a fantastic little club and I would love for Wigan to have a connection with them.

We have many young players coming through who I would love to get more experience elsewhere this season who probably won't get in the first team. Thornley comes to mind IMO as does Davies as unless we get injuries he won't play too many games. Walker would also be great in the championship as he is so hard working. Goulding perhaps might benefit but its make or break for him so he should probably stay in super league.

Although this is great, I thought we were getting a connection with one of the Sydney clubs?

I could see the likes of ainscough, o'carroll and farrell going there for a while if true.

Maybe Ainscough but I feel we can really put Farrell and O'Carroll to great use this season.

Agreed.

I'd imagine players like Davies, Vievers, Tuson, Mellor etc would be more like the guys they'd be looking at loaning out.

I'd hope guys like O'Carroll, Ainscough and Farrell will be right in the mix here. We need them to put pressure on the rest of the squad in the knowledge if they get a crack they're more then able to get the job done.

Oooh that will ruffle a few feathers.

I think anyone who is unlikely to get a good run in the team can be loaned out, but why loan out players who can benefit us?

I personally think Farrell could have the same impact that Tomkins had but maybe not as noticeable as his position is not as pivotal.

I really believe that Mossop, Farrell, Davies and Thornley will really become true first players in the next couple of years and we already have quite a few who have made it into the first team and will stay there.

For the first time since 2003 we will start to see some real consistency in the team and hopefully the results.

I'm sure it would benefit the likes of Neil Holland, Sam Gee and John Walker.

Three players who I have a lot of time for, but may not get many first team opportunities this season, so a loan spell could help them develop against better opposition.

Still can't believe he didnt get a game at all last year

I watched a dvd of the reserve grand final, and IMO Holland, Gee and Walker were the stand out players ahead of even Joe Mellor

I said the same when watching the dvd.

Holland really impressed

What about Ben Davies? Always impressed me when I've gone watching the reserves play.

Heard rumours about loans to Wakey, Widnes etc.

Maybe to Barrow now?

Does he have a future at Wigan?

He certainly does, he is an outstanding young prop. His leg drive is great and he gets through a lot of work.

Davies
Mossop
Prescott
O'Carroll

Could be our future pack for years to come.

Good prospects though they are, I'm not sure O'Carroll or Davies are quite good enough for a long-term future at Wigan.

Maybe that is justified with O'Carroll as we have seen plenty of him at first team level but at the same time he has been out for ages. It's harsh to make that judgement this early with Davies. He is the best prop in the reserve league IMO, second to Mossop.

Hard to say really, props mature older than other positions. I like them both at the moment though, O'Carroll was our form prop for the first few games of the season before he got injured.

Most props probably hit their best from 27 onwards.

If it'll help some of are youngsters get to that next level and then eventually go onto benefit the first then I'm all for it.

Without being disrespectful to the NL1 i would hope players like Ainscough, Davies and Farrell do not go on loan to Barrow, they are SL standard players and need to play at SL level, all could get a place on loan with SL clubs.

If they are to improve NL1 is not the place in my opinion to do that, but for most of the others it would be a great move.

What's the crack with the U20's next year? Are you allowed a certain number of players over 20?

Although Maguire meeting with Millward next week. There is the thought that your players would be closer to hand at Leigh, who are now enjoying excellent training facilities at LSV.

Although we are wary of Millward I'm ok with players going on loan to
Leigh.
When Millward left Wigan he said he understood why and that he'd no problem with Wigan as they had been open and honest with him all the way through about the squad's form and the club's league position.
He said at the time it was events at Saints that bothered him, not Wigan.

We have so many young quality players who now need to play at a level above U20s. No club can take more than three players from one club on loan and four maximum. So perhaps more than one club may be involved.
Whether these rules have changed under dual registration I don't know but I believe they applied to loan deals.

All players I rate very highly, but, due to the competitive nature of our club at the minutes they are behind in the pecking order. I'd like to see Gee & Walker especially get a couple of games this year. Both look outstanding young players.

Really?Or a slight exaggeration?

They could surely get a loan with Nobby at Celtic...............they've only got Jordan James and Tommy Lee haven't they?

Merging with Widnes according to the VT.

But yeah, could see a few players going to Celtic.