Frank Pritchard would beef up the pack and would cause teams a lot of problems with his offloading game. He is highly rated in Australia. However the possible return of Gareth Hock has to be considered. Those two players are quite similar IMO.

Ben Cross would be an awesome signing, but I can't see us beating off NRL clubs to get him.

Would rather we keep Bailey then Feka

O'carrol has been far better than prescott this season, why would you let o'carrol go?



yeh hes quality, i dont think he can play prop though, and were not short of second rowers IMO

O'carroll is contracted till 2011.

Prescott, Fielden, Feka and Coley are the props out of contract.

Harrison Hansen and Phil Bailey are also out of contract.

Agreed re Davies - he deserves a shot next season IMO. He looks an excellent prospect.

I disagree they have been pretty similar and Prescott slightly better if anything after getting going after his injury preseason. If you look at the stats thats how it seems aswell.

[urlhttp://www.superleague.co.uk/statistics_player.php?hs1=2010&hp1=2020&hs2=2010&hp2=2304&stat=tries&season=2010[/url

I think people see the effort, commitment and intensity that Eamon puts in for a small prop and they seem to see him in a better light. Prescott always seems to attract a few defenders to put him down and i would image he averages more metres per carry.

If it was upto me i'd let Feka go although i like the guy and he is a decent player aswell as Bailey. Then bring in a top quality enforcer prop Ben Cross would be perfect and then maybe L Bailey.

Cross Riddell Fielden/Coley
Hansen Tomkins
Lockers

Prop - Fielden/Coley, Pescott, O'Carroll, Davies.
Second Row - Mossop, L Farrell, Tuson, Walker, Holland.

I'd liek to keep both Coley (1 year) and Fielden (2years reduced) if poss it would then give us options next year to be able to rest our top props against most opposition in the league whereas this year i dont think we can risk it very often.

Harrison Hansen - 2 year deal with a 3rd in favour of us
Paul Prescott - 2 year deal with a 3rd in favour of us
Andy Coley - 1 year deal with a 2nd based on appearances
Phil Bailey - 1 year deal with a second in favour of us (will combine playing,though not a lot, and assistant u'16s coach)
Iafeta Palea'aesina - Harlequins/Hull FC/1 year deal with 2nd in favour of us*
Stuart Fielden - Wakefield/1 year deal with 2nd option in favour of us*
George Carmont - Current deal will trigger 2nd year option
Michael McIllorum - 2 year deal with a 3rd in favour of us
Karl Pryce - Salford
*Whoever performs most consistent from now untill the end of July gets the contract

Signings :-

Josh Perry - 2 year deal with 3rd option in favour of us
Michael Shenton - 4 year deal
Brett Finch - 1 year deal with 2nd in favour of us

After looking into my crystal ball I foreseen the above, bookmark it and see what happens eh?

Them stats show that Prescott is doing much more work in defence.

It also shows that its a myth that Prescott drops the ball so much. Yes he could do with tightening up his carry but he's no worse then any of our other props.

All of our props seem to drop the ball much more than they should.
I think Prescott used to lose the ball a lot more than he has done this season.

If we play our cards right I think we have a big chance to upgrade the squad this offseason. We have a lot of money tied up in people like Fielden and Pryce, which could be used elsewhere (not that Fielden hasn't been very good for us this year, but he's got little time left and he's earning a packet).

I imagine Maguire has an idea of who he wants to keep and who he wants to bring in already. I shudder to think how good this team will be when he gets his own squad.

Pryce is not on big money. Fielden and Feka are, and at least one of those two will certainly go. If Pryce does go then I would expect his money to be used to upgrade some of the contracts of the younger players.

An open question - Would you release Harrison Hansen & Phil Bailey for Jamie Langley?

No

No way.

I'd not swap him for hansen never mind the two

For the pack I'd love either Carl Webb, Frank Pritchard. If we wasn't so lucky and blessed with as many 2nd rowers and have Locky at 13 I'd have love to of seen Mateo from Parra. Jacob Lillyman is a very underrated player I think as well from the Warriors.

If it's centres we're looking at with possible replacement for Carmont then theres Krisnan Inu from Parra and Steve Matai from Manly.

I'm sure Madge will know not what Wigan need to improve on and I expect us to see some new faces next year.

So you rate Harrison Hansen more than Jamie Langley?

Good call, and quite rightly so, IMO. Goulding & McIlorum are also out of contract, and I'd hope they get better deals.

Some great shouts there. Pritchard would be an immense signing for any side in Super League.

RE: Carl Webb - wasn't him being unable to get a visa the stumbling block for us not signing him?

Not much from Super League though in terms of recruitment. Forwards wise of any real quality I can only find Louie McCarthy Scarsbrook and Jamie Langely. Joe Westerman apparently wants out at Castleford, but I've never understood the hype that surrounds him.

no massive diffrence between the pair IMO

Agreed. Goulding has proved a very valuable player for us this season. Mike McIlorum has also had some great spells since his recovery from his injury and will only get better as the season progresses.

Now for a great debate - Cameron Phelps - should we re-sign him or not?

Now prior to Roberts' form you would have said yes, but no-one can deny how awesome Amos Roberts is at fullback & he is also down on a long term contract at Wigan. I can't see Phelps taking that spot from him and with Josh Charnley, Shaun Ainscough & Darrell Goulding all making claims for the other wing spot we might see the back of Phelps. I do rate Phelps, not as highly as some people, but the only thing I can see stopping him getting another contract at Wigan is the fact he counts on the quota. If he was a British player I would sign him up now, but with the quota coming down each season we need each player to be in the First team week in week out & not just a squad player, which at the moment I think Phelps is.

Someone at the academy game on Saturday reckons that we could build Hansen up to be a top class workhorse prop forward.

Thoughts?

I think your right regarding Webb which is a shame. I can't wait for when Ben Davies get's his chance in the first team though, he's getting good reviews at Widnes and he's always been a good player to watch whenever I've seen him. He has great footwork for a forward and has the size to back it up as well. I think Eamon is slowly but surely becoming a mini version of Shane Webke you know, obviously not in the same class but everything he does the way he runs the ball in and the size of him he gets through a tone of work and is a step ahead of Prescott at the moment who could find it difficult to secure his place if the likes of Mossop, Ben Davies and Liam Farrell start to shine. The future's shaping up pretty nicely though! We're finally starting to get the balance right.

I think Langley takes the ball much harder forward and hurts players a lot more than Hansen does. I think he can mix it a bit more with the big boys due to his frame. I see him as more of a prop for the future (Langley) than second row. Harrison Hansen gets through more work in defence, but Langley is also a great defender. So when you way it up between the two I would say Langley is by far the better player, but whether he would represent better value is another question & I can't see him ever leaving Bradford. It's all hypothetical of course.