It seems likely that Wrench will be used on the wing in future which sounds good to me. Ashton and Wrench must be the fastest pair in Super League and decent centres with them should work well.

So is the plan for Thewlis to play wing and cover for Dufty and Wrench comes in to cover on the wing? I know there’s talk of Dufty going but if possible I’d like to keep him, when he’s on it he’s absolute class and I think under Burgess he’ll be on it more often than not.

FB Dufty with Thewlis as cover

Wing: Ashton, Thewlis, Russell, Wrench

Centre: Tai, King/NRL Centre, Wrench, Bruines

Halves: Williams, Drinkwater, Dean, Hayes

Backs seem ok depth wise, especially as Ratchford could cover in there as well if needed. Concerns probably hooker, backrow and some quality at prop?

Have you forgot Fitzgibbon, was a long time a go since we signed him. I know it was said somewhere about Ratchford covering hooker next season but how far off is Doolan getting his chance. And Was said we still looking for a prop.

No hadn't forgotten Fitzgibbon, but we have Currie and Fitzgibbon 11 & 12 and Nicholson 13. we have players like Philbin & Harrison who can do a job in the backrow, but we feel a little light there.

We need a prop minimum, ideally 2.
But on topic. I would have hoped Wrench would be the centre of 2024.
We’ll see what the off season does to him.
Competition his healthy.

I assume if you're bringing in 2 more props you would try and get rid of someone already in the squad?

Wrench will be 22 at the start of next season. He isn't a kid. I can understand us nurturing him back slowly after his acl injury, but if he's not being selected, his age should not be a factor.

He's 22 next month though. If not now, then when?

Not every person develops at the same time.

When the medical and conditioning staff who work with him day in, day out are confident that he is not taking undue risk of further long term injuries by playing every week.

Raised my eyebrows at the signing of 2 centres.
Combined with what Chambers said about Wrench, and we've currently got King and Ratch for next year.
5 into 2 doesn't go.

Ratch to back up hooker?
King - depends which King we get. Could play 'on fire' or be loaned out.

Exactly what I read into it and hardly the Love Affair reported by others.

Or when mata'utia is injured.

Off to Widnes would seem to confirm this view!

I don't think Thewlis or Wrench are wingers. Yes, they are fast, but that's about it. Surely we will see Wrench gradually introduced to centre whilst Thewlis will eventually take the full back spot. The ACL injury took Currie more than a year to recover from, so hopefully Wrench will be physically and mentally a much better player next year. For me though Wrench still needs to up his game at centre to be an automatic first choice pick but it sounds as though the coach has no doubts that he will get there.

Agreed WO.
But whilst Thewlis is quick, I certainly don't see him as an out and out speedster like top class wingers or full backs.
I appreciate there's a lot more to make a good full back than speed and I can see him getting there if he continues to develop.
I also think it would be a good thing if he eventually moved out of the firing line when taking the ball up on the early ptb's. The number of head hits he seems to take compared to other wingers is frightening.
He's incredibly brave but needs to be protected from them.

He's a bit like Welsby, who also looked very average on the wing. I've no doubt he'll be a top class, intelligent fullback and first choice soon enough. I just wish he had a bit more pace and acceleration, but you can't have everything.

Connor's footwork and speed to setup the Nicholson chance was top notch, and there aren't many centres around with the ability to beat a man 1 on 1 like that.

Debate truly over. The lad is class, and should be part of the first team core for the next decade.

I thought he was poor last night to be honest. Released the ball at the wrong time on a few occasions.
Not writing him off, but he'll need to improve to make the team on a regular basis.

First game back after an ACL though. He wasn't any worse than a lot of players, but he DID show a lot more potential to create things than Mata'utia. I'd sooner have Wrench in the team developing his game.

Agreed, I'm not writing him off and at least he looks to create.

He wasn't great with 3 errors but got to give him a sustained run in the side. He has a bit of X factor about him.

To be fair he nearly levelled it near the end with that break only for Bennison to hold Nicholson back. it was a dead cert try.

watched the farewell video the club posted on saturday, interesting that Matautia seems to think that wrench is going to be first choice centre next year.