How does everyone think we will do next season looking at the in's and out's of the squad? Personally I feel if Bowen turns out as good as we are expecting him to be I think we will challenge once again for all 3 available trophies. The club has developed a winning mentality since the arrival of Micheal Maguire and I dont for one second believe we will become complacent after doing the double. Our strength in depth is ridiculously good, we have a mixture of some of the best young talent in this country and vast experience, plenty players in the Wigan squad now have won Grand Finals and Challenge Cup's and know what it takes throughout the season to be winners. We have built something similar to what Leeds built when they had a run of winning Grand Finals. I think squad rotation is key, once again and wouldn't expect us to finish top. Most of the 25 man squad will get more than enough game time next season with us rotating most positions depending on the opposition. As I posted a few weeks ago, I feel we have 2 very strong first teams we can put out next season, every postion is covered at least once. The only position of concern at the moment for me is left wing, as good as Burgess and Manfredi look, im not sure they will be ready to play week in, week out, just yet. Id have like us to sign a specialist winger for 12 months and drip feed them both in throughout the season, unfortunately the chances are that there is nobody available anyway. Im confident in our coaching staff and the squad we have to go all the way again. Nobody has really strengthened THAT much from this season, id expect a challenge from Saints and Leeds with Wire maybe having a difficult season as they go through a "transition" period with the loss of Briers, Carvell and Morley.

I think we will struggle at the business end if the WCC is in Australia. Melbourne struggled last season and blamed it on getting ready for the WCC and flying halfway around the world and I think we may well go the same way

Business end as in Play offs? I dont see how a game in Australia at the start of the season is going to effect us in October. As I said, squad rotation is key again next season. We'll be fresh come play off time.

If it[i is[/i down-under & we have a couple of games in hand as a result, so long as we don't waste the advantage as we did last time, then I'm quietly confident.

I'm sure this will come back to bite me and I've never predicted us to win a trophy before but I do think we could do the double again. There's so much competition for places, a real quality pack, halves who have now proven themselves and I reckon Burgess, Hampshire and Tierney could surprise a lot of their doubters.


Oh aye, nearly forgot, Bowen and Charnley aren't bad either

We'll struggle. Won't replace Sam and the halves are poor.

"we'll win nowt with that Green and the other reject from Saints"

How we do will depend on the quality of the opposition.

Saints will be stronger next season. They have Walsh and Masoe as well as a stronger back line now that Wellens, Gardner and Melli are no longer first choice.

Salford will be a force with an excellent (for Super League) half back pairing and a coach who knows how to progress a team to the playoffs

Leeds will be weaker with nothing adding to the pack who are overly reliant on Peacock. Sinfield/Burrow/McGuire are one year nearer being finished

Warrington will miss Briers who since Tony Smith came in has been a revelation for them. Their pack will be weaker too.

Huddersfield were either a flash in the pan or are building up to something big. I think they rely on Brough too much. i don't think they will be as strong next year.

Catalans could be the surprise package if they get lucky with injuries etc.

I think the double double is on the cards for Wigan. With saints as the nearest challengers.

I think me like a lot of others will think twice before writing us off this season after thinking we had no chance of winning a trophy last year. The side proved me wrong then and who's to say they won't do that again?! We've got a very solid first 17 and a lot of depth and even more importantly we've got an awful lot of players who can and will improve as they gain experience.

If you asked me hand on heart to say we will win a trophy I probably couldn't but don't rule us out. One thing is for sure, it's going to be fun watching us! The thing that excites me the most is watching the young lads continue to improve. Guys like Burgess, Hampshire and Williams really are terrific. They can be anything they want to be and this could be their big break through years.

I think we can expect a strong showing from the usual doom mongers. They will be playing to their full potential all season, strong in attack, and brushing away the opposition like the typical "Flat-Track bullies" they were last season. Hopefully, they we be seen to be fading away at the business end, like last season....

It'll be the usual suspects once again I feel, Leeds and Saints will be much improved next year. Wire will be there or there abouts too.

Everyone now knows the best way to win the double, the hand has been played, whether others can replicate what we produced in 2013 is another matter.

It'll make a very interesting season.

Matty Bowen will set Super League alight, that's my only bold prediction for next year.

damn, have we now signed an nist

All will be well. One of the most impressive things this year was that, in every knock out game we won by over 2 scores, so there weren't any game in which the result was seriously in doubt into the last 10 minutes. The way we closed out games was the sign of a fantastic team.
Our spine will be nearly as good, and if we use Hampshire correctly, could be as good.
We just need a slight incremental improvement from our many developing props to be as strong in the forwards.
The 2010 model of Pat would leave a massive hole, but, as a winger he has probably gone as far as he can (if the World cup was any indication).
We will need a good place kicker. I have sufficient faith in Smith and Hampshire later on in the year, to be fairly relaxed that our coaches will sort this out.

Looking at the opposition, Saints may be marginally stronger, but they were so far back to start with I can't see them troubling. We can do to their big Samoan what good teams did to Feca. He's huge but he's no athlete.
Wire will be weaker unless they have some amazing signings up their sleeve. Myler will never be a playmaker, Ratchford is error prone and their hookers have too many miles on the clock. Nothing to fear there.
I think Leeds are the biggest threat, as their back line is very good, and they have some good young players. As many have noted, their spine has too many miles on the clock and they are over reliant on Peacock. I think overall they'll be no worse next year.

Can't wait!

Freudian slip or spell-checker not engaged?

As usual I'll be looking to see how our new signings go.
A lot of talent has been signed to replace talented men who've gone.
Pettybourne has looked good in the WC. Clubb is a strange one but I now have faith in the coaches that they have proved they are capable of improving players makedly. Sarginson, Hopkins and Bateman are very good signings and as for Matty Bowen, well he just a top quality player and will continue to be in 2014.

I think we'll contest for all trophies and I'd be very surprised not to see us win silverware next year.

Pretty fair comment there fella , but oddly no mention of the team that won the league ?

I am greatly optimistic about next season. By and large we had a young team last season who will be all the better and more confident from the experience and success of that campaign. I believe we have recruited very well in the replacements for the players who are leaving. Just a couple of niggles. The extra burden of the World club challenge, particularly as it is in Oz, will not help the cause and we will miss Pat's goalkicking. One final prediction - Bowen for Man of Steel. Have a flutter on him.

2014 The Year of the Wolfs!





But seriously, it should be a cracking season, Leeds and Wire will be our main rivals, wouldn't write off Saints also, tempting though it is. Will be interesting to see how Hudds go next season.

Being a miserable old stick, I didn't give them a chance last season and am happy to say I was wrong.

Given the above, what do I know?

Even with the quality we are losing (Sam, Mossop, Richards etc) I still feel a lot more positive about next season.

I am looking forward to seeing our new signings (particularly Pettybourne and Bowen).

Wigan A to win the league leaders and grand final, Wigan B to win the cup:

Wigan A:

Bowen
Charnley Goulding Thornley Burgess
Green Smith
Taylor McIlorum Flower
Hansen Farrell
O'Loughlin

Powell Williams Greenwood Lauaki


Wigan B
Sarginson
Manfredi Hughes Gildart Gelling
Hampshire Powell
Pettybourne Tomkins Dudson
Burke Clubb
Bateman

Crosby Tierney Lloyd Lever

We'll definitely be there or there abouts. If Bowen settles in quickly and stays fit he'll be a quality acquisition and help to fill the gap Sam has left, whilst also helping the young lads like Tierney and Hampshire to develop.

We need to establish who our regular goalkicker will be, and hopefully they can provide the 75%+ success rate that Pat has over the last few years. I think it will be Matty Smith.

Our main plus point for next year is our strength in depth and competition for places. In the outside backs someone needs to put their name on the 5 shirt and also challenge Thornley for the 4 shirt. With Sarginson, Gelling, Burgess, Manfredi, and possibly Lloyd, there's plenty of combinations to look at.

Smith and Green have some good quality youngsters behind them in Sam Powell, Hampshire and Williams so not worried about the halves.

In the forwards you'd think Lockers, Hansen, Farrell, McIlorum, Flower and Taylor would be in the first choice 17. That leaves Pettybourne, Hopkins, Clubb, Dudson, Crosby, Hughes, Andy Powell, Bateman, Burke, Greenwood, Lloyd and Logan Tomkins competing for 4 places.

All in all we've got a well balanced squad. You could argue our left side is our main weakness as it is an unknown quantity at this stage, but I am certainly more excited about our first season without Sam Tomkins than I thought I would have been once the inevitable day came!

Did you forget about Hopkins or don't you rate him?

We have the added pressure of expectation. Last season we were written off by many before the season which relieved a lot of pressure from the players. I'm optimistic we will be challenging for trophies but i won't attempt to predict a winner.

As for the opposition.

St Helens will be a lot stronger next year. They now have an organising half back and a couple of extra props they desperately needed.

Warrington are an interesting one. They've lost a lot of experience but i think they will still be up there. It's time for Myler to step up and show what he is made of. He's been in Briers' shadow for a while, the responsibility will either make or break him.

Leeds have too much quality to write off, they have an ageing forward pack but it's not quite over the hill yet.

Huddersfield will be big challengers next year. They've strengthened well and like ourselves 2 years ago have a good coach who will have learned a lot.

I can't see anyone else realistically challenging next year however injuries will no doubt have a massive say in who finishes where and who wins trophies.

Was just about to post the same thing