Was watching "Boots 'n' All Online" from last week (reviewing the Cas game) and Terry O'Connor was going on about us getting rid of to many good players and came up with this "Wigan Departed XIII"

1. Shaun Briscoe
2. Dave Hodgson
3. Paul Johnson
4. Chris Melling
5. Martin Aspinwall
6. Danny Orr
7. Luke Robinson
8. Jerome Guisset
9. Terry Newton
10. Danny Sculthorpe
11. Danny Tickle
12. Bryn Hargreaves
13. Stephen Wild

Just out of interest who out of that lot where we wrong to get rid off? And who if any would you have back now?

For me only Shaun Briscoe is a major loss. Newton maybe at the time although I think we got his best years out of him.

Thoughts?

Id take Briscoe and Newton the rest are not big losses.

Briscoe...maybe Tickle?

Newron and Tickle

Newton by about 10 country miles

I think Chris Melling would have made a really good fullback. He was also a very good captain of the academy team when he was at Wigan and a very good organiser.

It's a shame he got those bad injuries so early in his career.

Id take Briscoe, Newton and Guisset

Not in the thirteen but I can't help feel that we should have kept hold of Lee Gilmour.

I came up with an extremely similar team to that a few weeks ago Bilko and everyone shot me down about it. But i think it could challenge our current team. They have all gone on to achieve bigger and better things. I'd maybe move Johnson into 2nd row

They aren't great players but i'd still take some over the players we have now;

Newton over Riddell
Briscoe over Mathers
Guisset over Coley
Johnson/Wild over Bailey i think PJ is a better centre than both Wild and Bailey but Wild is still a quality player.
Dobson over Smith(does this one count btw?)

And possibles would include

Colbon over Phelps
Godwin over Mcilorum


Briscoe
Richards
Johnson
Carmont
Roberts
Tomkins
Dobson
Fielden
Newton
Guisset
Hansen
Lockers
Tomkins

Feka
Tommy/Godwin
Hock
Prescott

Is that a better team than we have now? Better halfs, Hooker, Props and a solid centre spot only 5 overseas imports also

If we could have kept them, Briscoe, Johnson, Gilmour, Long, Guisset, Newton, Tickle, Wild, Melling & Kev Brown.

For the current squad id have Briscoe, Newton and Guisset. All the others who have gone im not too bothered about.

I'm surprised they put Robinson in at 7 ahead of Long TBH. I suppose they were looking at their respective Wigan careers, of which Long's was quite brief.

Briscoe & Newton.

Kept Melling? for what reason?

I was absolutely gutted when Wild left.

And you were quite right to be shot down IMO and if you read Bilkos post he does not think any apart from Briscoe and Newton were losses and even Newton is a qualified opinion so he agrees with those pulling the trigger



I'd go further and remind everyone (again) Briscoe had no alternative but to leave when he did.

I think of that list Hodgson was unlucky as he came back from a serious ankle injury, Tickle was a Millward victim and I think Orr would have been at least as good a 7 has TL has been but even with those players letting them go was not the end of the world.

For each one you can say why they were let go [uwhen[/u they were let go and without mentioning the circumstances at the time of [uwhen they left[/u it is all too easy to fall into the trap of saying the decision to let them leave was wrong when for most if not all of them it wasn't.

Dave

Tickle was replaced by Fletcher. Fantastic piece of business.

Given they both played for us in the 2006 season, no he wasn't.

Dave

He quite clearly was.

Tickle was ok, but didn't offer any great boost apart from goal kicking.

I'd have back, L Robinson to partner S Tomkins.
Briscoe/Melling at Fullback
Wild at Second Row/Centre

Dobson and Briscoe are the two main ones who have played for us and now play for another SL club that I’d take back in a sec.

Briscoe at 1 and Dobson at 7 would strengthen out team now so much.

IMO Dobson is a must signing when he’s off contract in 2010 cause him and Tomkins at HB would be something very special.

I think even Briscoe himself has said he'd like to come back so that's enough for me! I'd have Kev Brown & Hodgson back too.

Newton, I would have said yes a season ago, but is he what he once was? I ask that as an honest question having not heard much about his performances recently rather than saying "I think he's past it."

Newton, Tickle and Wild.

great name change