From what started the season we will have lost Madge (with a good but inferior replacement) Hoffman, Coley, Probably Deacon, O'Carrol also with seemingly inferior and less replacements.

Next year we will lose Fielden, probably Finch and Luluai just as the salary cap is raised down under making it even more difficult to attract top quality quota players.

Much as I have faith in the youth system what I thought would be a period of dominance might be a false dawn.

Dont get me wrong we are currently in a great position but I would like to know more about how we intend to replace these players and build our future so that we dont have to wait 12 years for a GF win and 9 years for CC success.

Maybe ive just had a bad day at work!!!

Put your trust in Ian Lenegan, he hasn't done much wrong so far.

He's not exactly going to make potential signings known, but they won't be $h!t!

Regards the NRL salary cap, every SL club will be in the same boat, so coming out on top over the next 4 or 5 seasons may well depend on a clubs youth system and ours is up there with the best.

We're all doomed!!!!

In all seriousness, just because we haven't been told that there's anything happening, it doesn't mean that nothing is happening. All we have heard so far is rumour and conjecture to this point with regard to new signings. It wouldn't surprise me if Leneghan had an ace or two up his sleeve given the amount of cap room and number of quota spots we'll have available

But don't forget about Gareth Thomas. We'll be fine!!

This is very true. Better the players coming through the system the more it should benefit the teams who produce the most youth talent and turn it into quality in SL. Wigan, Saints and Leeds will benefit more through this than anyother sides in SL. The three clubs over the last decade has produced some great players and still are. I do think that we will see fewer players from the NRL coming for a pension in the SL. It wont completely stop but it will defenitley drop in numbers.

This will take effect inside the next 2 years and sides that need to replace ageing players will see them drop down the table quickly. Unless they can do what the 3 sides i mention can do.

In all seriousness, yes, i am worried.

The fact of loosing all that personel from the club DOES worry me.
Faith in IL but i am worried

We have a few things to sort out that's for sure and I am concerned about how our squad will look like next year, but more so the year after.

This year with the playing personnel that is leaving in Hoffman, Coley, O'carroll, Davies and soon to possibly Deacon with the rumoured Thomas, Flower, Dudson and Lauaki I can't believe anyone can possibly say we've improved the squad for next season - as it stands.

The year after if Joel Tomkins stays as a temporary centre we will need to find a replacement for George Carmont. We're on borrowed time when it comes to finding a replacement for him.

Brett Finch and Thomas Leuluai have both intimated openly in the press about possibly returning to the NRL. To lose both of those key players would be a massive loss. We'll have to have found a replacement for Paul Deacon next year (no idea as of yet where that will come from) then we will have to find another halfback to compliment that replacement. Then to lose Leuluai we'll need to find a new hooker! McIlorum has questions marks over his game and Logan Tomkins is nowhere near Leuluai's standard. No-one internally is. Do they have the potential to be?

Ian Lenagan has a tough couple of years ahead of him getting the squad right. If we could tie down Leuluai and Finch to long deals that would be superb. Overseas players who compliment the talented homegrown lads we have.

We need to be shrewd in the market. Hull FC signing Jamie Ellis. Warrington Wolves signing Chris Hill and Stefan Ratchford. Widnes Vikings signing Ben Davies. Other clubs are realising the importance of British players as the quota comes down and the salary cap in the NRL increases. We have one of the best (if not the best) junior system in the league. I hope we can find a centre/halfback/hooker from somewhere!

How can anybody talk about inferior replacements when we dont know who they are?



Players have come and gone forever at our club and every club. We have had and lost some of the best players to ever play rugby league and managed to move on. Its a difficult job but it happens for every club. Weve got the best collection of young players in the league imo so most clubs will be a lot worse off than us.

Well, O'Carroll & Davies have barely played, so as such they're not much of a loss. Hoffman, class though he is, I'm not too concerned about as we have plenty of options in the back row (though maybe one less if Hock doesn't sort himself out).

It's centre that concerns me - if JT is still at centre the year after next he can hardly be called a temporary centre, and he's there because we weren't in a position to replace Gleeson part way through the season. So far, I'm not convinced by Joel in that position, and as you rightly say, Carmont leaves in a year. However, if you, me & pretty much every other Wigan fan can see this, I'm sure IL & SW can as well, and I'd expect one of our big signings to be in this position.

Leuluai is tied into a long term contract, but unfortunately we all know that if a player wants to leave, he'll probably be allowed to - and he'd be a massive gap to fill in attack & defence. Finch has 2 years left (?) so again we don't necessarily have to worry. Either way, I've still got a lot more faith in the current regime to have back-up plans & continuity in mind than I have for a long time.

I have made this point on anther thread. Wane isn't going to be start with as good as squad as Madge had yet will be expected to do as well.



A lot can happen in a season so I am just concerned about the 2012 squad and coacing staff. Wane deserves a chance and has the Wigan ethos Madge took to a new level. I just hope he gets to choose his players and assistant and doesn't have them foisted in him whatever the supposed marketing or PR benefits.

What about the rivals, Warrington are set to lose Matt King and the squad is ageing.

I am not sure if Saints are going to be massively stronger next season.

Wigan are still at an advantage in terms of personnel the only danger is if Wane struggles to step up to the plate then Warrington will have the edge on having a top coach.

But Warrington's squad will be quite different in 2013 so if Wigan do go through a rocky season they just need to hang in there and can have a chance to move back in front in 2013.