BARROW Raiders are close to linking up with one of the north west’s premier clubs in a partnership that would see Super League talent fed into Craven Park. Before going into hospital for a successful quadruple bypass surgery last week, club chairman Des Johnston confirmed he had been in talks with both Wigan Warriors and St Helens about a possible loan arrangement. Full story here: www.nwemail.co.uk/raiders/news/b ... rPath=home picked this up on my google alert for wigan warriors (very handy) i know Leigh has been suggested in the past too. wonder which players they're after and who would you prefer as a link barrow or leigh? =red(mod edit. You've got to show a link to the relevant story. You can't just copy and paste the whole thing. Pemps)

BARROW Raiders are close to linking up with one of the north west’s premier clubs in a partnership that would see Super League talent fed into Craven Park. Before going into hospital for a successful quadruple bypass surgery last week, club chairman Des Johnston confirmed he had been in talks with both Wigan Warriors and St Helens about a possible loan arrangement. Full story here: www.nwemail.co.uk/raiders/news/b ... rPath=home picked this up on my google alert for wigan warriors (very handy) i know Leigh has been suggested in the past too. wonder which players they're after and who would you prefer as a link barrow or leigh? =red(mod edit. You've got to show a link to the relevant story. You can't just copy and paste the whole thing. Pemps)

It's great news if true. To send some 18-19 year old lads to play for Barrow would be great experience for them!

I would rather have Barrow as they are currently the top team in the second tier, overall I would rather have Widnes though come to think of it.

Millward is at Leigh so thats a no no.

Barrow will be my 2nd team if true.

Barrow are alright. Some of their fans are weird but they mean no harm.

They've been mine for ages, a good excuse for some weekends in top notch pubs in the Western lakes

Their fans were superb with us at the cup game.

Very hospitable.

Which is strange for Ovians

As a Barrow fan, I would really welcome some of Wigan's brightest talent pulling on a Raiders shirt. I know that most of the Wigan fans that travelled up the A590 for the CC game had a grand time (as did the home fans). Also, playing a few games at Barrow certainly did young Mossop no harm last season.

However, I'm not sure about the 'dual registration' system. Am I right in thinking that any players 'loaned' can be re-called at 24 hours notice ?? That would be my main reservation. How would that effect consistency and team morale ??

Reservations aside, I hope it comes off. Des Johnston mentioned in the article that he had expressed an interest in 4 players. Who do you Wigan fans think would do a job for us ?? We already have a good squad with the likes of Rooney, Catic, Luisi etc, so anyone brought in would have to be on that level.

Here's hoping it comes off

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.