Which 4 would you choose?

We have an abundance of competition for prop positions next year.

Which 4 would you choose?

Clubb
Burgess
Flower
Bullock
Clarke
Partington
Navarette
Byrne
Havard

I think my choice would be Burgess and Flower to Start, then Clubb and one of Bullock / Clarke to come off the bench as first choices

Reserves starting team would be Navarette and Byrne with Partington playing 13.

What are you thoughts?

Burgess & Bullock starting

Flower, Byrne as “starting back ups” if you will

Clarke, Clubb, Navarette, Havard (blood slowly in) to fight it out for the rest.

Personally I’m starting to see Partington as more of a back rower than a prop but happy to see him in the “starting back up” line up.

At seasons end I think we’ll see Flower, Clubb and Navarette moved on. Opening up a lot more opportunities for Havard who I think has the potential to be a superb prop forward but will need time to grow into the role. He’s been awesome at U19 level but the step up to SL, especially in the prop forward position is a huge, huge step to make for an 18yr old.

Clubb
Burgess
Flower
Bullock
Clarke
Partington
Navarette
Byrne
Havard

A saying springs to mind when I see this list. ‘Quantity over quality’.

Clubb- should have never been resigned. Makes me shudder to think could be one of our 4 props.
Burgess-needs to step up and return to former form. Been way from his best over the past few years.
Bullock-needs to drastically improve his D and fitness.
Clarke- looked bang average playing for Leigh in a lower league.
Partington- offers very little in attack. Average in D.
Naverette-so unpredictable. Can be solid or can be god awful.
Byrne-good prospect.
Havard-too young and untested to comment.
Flower-arguably past it. Suffered from injures last season. Don’t know if they effected his performances or if he’s just had his day. Looked bang average last season.

I think all of this is spot on. I think Burgess, Bullock and Clark are the three we have to pin our hopes on. If they can have good pre-seasons and hit their best form then we have something to work with. Maybe Flower has a chance of improvement next year if he can stay fit but as said in the other thread I think this will be his last year at Wigan.

The re-signing of Clubb was bizarre. I think the club value his off-field work as a leader and motivator but as a player he's way off. A really disappointing decision as it was an opportunity gone begging. He'll have some decent games during the year but ultimately in the bigger games he's found wanting.

Havard and Byrne are still developing - too early to assess. Navarette far too inconsistent - can't really be trusted in big games.

That leaves Partington who for me despite all of the hype is far too small. Non-existent as an attacking threat. He's aggressive and he hits above his weight but overall not a long-term prospect in a title seeking team.

Starting
Flower and George Burgess

Bench
Bullock and Clark

If we play 5 then Partington

FB 6 French
RW 2 Marshall
RC 1 Hardaker
LC 4 Gildart
LW 23 Bibby (ease Manfredi back in the reserves)
SO 31 Hastings
SH 7 Leuluai
P 19 Bullock
H 9 Powell
P 10 G.Burgess
SR 16 Smithies
SR 12 Farrell
LF 14 Flower

S 15 Greenwood
S 17 Partington
S 22 Clark
S 28 Smith

A season too far for Clubb and Lockers unfortunately

Where would sammy kibula have figured in that list had you kept him?

Tough to say. I got the sense Lam wasn’t impressed with his commitment to pre season last year and he never got a look in. If he was still here and he threw himself in to pre season then he may have made a breakthrough but initially he probably would’ve been 8th or 9th choice.

I may be in the minority but I’m really looking foyti seeing Clarke in a Wigan shirt.

I personally believe he will be a real asset IF he has his head screwed on the right way.

I remember watching him at Bradford and thinking this kid could be something a bit special.

He has undoubtedly lost his way a little but I think there is a very good player in there if he commits to it.

Minority you are.

From what I’ve seen he’s lazy and ineffective in the Championship. He needs to improve his game 100 fold, any less and he’s a failure

The downer on Clark already is a bit unfair for my money. The guy was poor for Leigh granted but he hadn’t played for months when he went there, he’d had a tough time being frozen out at Cas and had clearly let his fitness slip. They’re possibly not good signs but the Cas fans (prior to him Signing for Wigan) will tell you how good he can be. He turned our game against them last April around and we struggled to handle him. He turned up for training at Wigan two weeks earlier than he needed to and if he’s committed to that and got himself in better shape, he has the natural ability to make a good impact for us.

Al lof those props are better prospects than Kibula hence why we released him.

10th behind Havard

I agree with this. He’ll be a big hit in the friendlies IMO

That’s the magic of it IMO. I don’t have high hopes for him, as many don’t but it’s for him to come out and prove me wrong and be an asset. For me that’s one of the greatest things a player can do.

He’s certainly not coming with much expectation. It’s totally the opposite of George Burgess and it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if come the end of the season people are really happy with Clark and underwhelmed by Burgess and a lot of that will come down to expectation and reputation.

Fingers crossed both will smash it though.

Just keep scrolling down and he might be there??

In terms of the front row I’d go.

Burgess
Powell
Bullock
Greenwood ( give him pre season on the right edge)
Farrell
Smithies

Flower Clark O’Loughlin Tommy,

Partington Clubb Bryne Havard Navarette as reserves

Who partners Hastings though? I'm not a big fan of Leuluai in the halves but French and Smith only have one SL game each in the halves going into the season, and French didn't look good in his.

I'm more than happy to give French a chance. He played about 60 mins over 2 games in a team he'd only been involved with for a few weeks. Didn't know the moves/calls, etc.

It may turn out to be a bad move, in which case we shift him to fullback or wing and go with Tommy/Shorrocks there and start introducing Smith.

Whatever half back pairing we will have it will be better than last seasons without a doubt

For me :

Burgess and Bullock, direct to make the hard yards and tire the opposition out, two big men to start the game.

On the bench Clarke for a bit of impact and Flower aswell.

Seen Flowers quotes on wigantoday.net?

Fuming he’s had the number 10 taken away, says he’s worked 9 years for that shirt. Feels let down by the club.

I hope the ‘I feel let down by the club’ line has been meant out of context a little because he should feel anything but tbh. I don’t see him as a bad apple of any sorts, in fact probably the total opposite but he needed to word that more carefully ‘if’ he means he’s disappointed that the club have given his squad number to somebody else. ‘The club’ have given him a career at the top level, plucking him from a team that came and went in a couple of years, the club have helped him develop in to a good player, the club have helped him win honours, the club stood by him when he cost us a Grand Final and got banned for half a season and the club have stood by him through numerous injuries. He’s been a good player for us, I really rate him and believe he can get back to his best but that line sounds horrendous.

Agreed. I felt a bit let down by him in the 2014 final!