According to this weeks league express - surely if he is considering coming back to the UK we should make a move though?

Was awesome before leaving us IMO and will end up an England International IMO. Understood at the time he wanted to go to the NRL but surely if he wants to come back here we should be making sure its to wigan and not widnes?

What's everyones thoughts?

would love him back....

but, as good s he is, HOW many back-rowers do we have?

Honestly?

I think Tuson is showing more potential than Flanagan.

Very happy with what we have.

Don't think we should sign him.

Faz, HH, Joel are all better players. That's not including Hoffman, Tuson and possibly Hock.

Very good signing for Widnes tho.

Very exciting time to be a Vikings fan as they've got plenty of cap space to play with. I'd be looking at a massive name plus looking at guys like Long, Gleeson, Carmont, Flannagan plus players from the team that goes down.

For me, especially with the loss of gleeson we should be looking to mould tomkins into a W/c centre which he is more than capable of IMO.

I would then go with Second Rowers of Farrell & Flannagan with hoffman likely to go back to aus next year, with Hansen and Tuson in reserve- Its not that many second rowers IMO. Would like to see Tuson have a crack at hooker anyway, think youd see the best of him there.

Would be a luxury signing. If Hoff decides not to take up his 2nd year AND Joel ends up being a revelation at centre then maybe it could happen. We'd still have Hansen, Farrell, Tuson and Hock in the mix though even if those were the circumstances come the end of this season

I think that we must be a team in decline if Flanagan was ever to be considered a luxury signing.

He did a very good job toward the end of the season and his defence was very, very good. However i think his reputation has been inflated far to much.

He is a steady eddy and not much else.

Joel Tomkins will NOT become a world class centre. He's got potential to be a good one but he'll never be as good as Gasnier, Hodges, Cooper or Inglis.

There are some very good centres available next season. I'd be gutted if we played Joel there to sign Flannagan.

I meant luxury in the sense that we don't really need him and he would probably be asking for an inflated wage due to that inflated reputation you're talking about

Thought we had 1 st refusal on flanninghan if he came back and we wanted him back anyway

We don't need Flanagan back. He's been no loss in my opinion.

I don't think anyone is thinking of next year we need a few players but if madge goes another coach will want his own signings not the ex coaches so were do we stand on signings for next year

I'll stick my neck out here and say I really rate Mark Flanagan and would definitely consider making a move for the lad.

What for? I could understand if we were short of back rowers but we really can't move for them here at Wigan. Far bigger priorities. Hooker, Full Back or Scrum Half for me.

Good for Widnes imo, would be a solid addition to their team

But in reality Flanagan wouldn't make our second row, so no big deal

Hoff will bugger off to souths with madge.

Poor man's Ginger Pearl



IMO The Hoff will sign an extention anyhow.

11. Ginger Pearl
12. Hoff

14. Hansen

Reserve: Tuson + Academy Lads.

Dont need him.

I'd agree with that.

He would be a very good signing for Widnes but not at Wigan (even in the slightest)

If we had room in that backrow i'd love to fit him in but we don't which is a shame as I thought he looked a super prospect in his half season in our first team. He's got a great work ethic and some good ball skills but we're well stocked in that backrow.

Him leaving actually seemed to open the door for Liam Farrell which has been no bad thing. As good as Flanagan was he's not in Farrells league who has been a revalation since coming into the first team and along with Joel, Hansen, Hock and Tuson will fight it our for our second row spots for the next 5 years+.

maybe we got it...and didnt want him??

Unless Flannagan has turned into a world class centre then no.

The last time i checked he was a back rower and by all accounts seems to have fallen way down the pecking order at Wests with the coach preferring the clubs other up and ocming young players in front of Flannagan.

However i do think from the players perspective that the move to the NRL has proved to be the right one and that there will be quite a few clubs interested in his services for 2011/2012.

If Widnes do want him then they will have competition, just not from Wigan.

Didn't we originally sign him as a stand off?

Just what we need. Another second rower........

Id get him back at the drop of a hat.
the guy is a young british kid at the time he left us he was playing very well, hes been one of the best players in the nrl and some people think he isnt good enough!?!?!
hoffman is crap, lets get rid and get a british lad in the team rather than keeping a aussie on a shed load of cash.

I rated him at the time, but to be honest I'd forgotten about him. Presumably that means he can't have made THAT much of an impact with us.

We've plenty second rowers. Pass.