That squad should be good enough to compete on all fronts, minus McIlorum, but add Ganson, Bretherton, Wells etc.

If we are looking at squad depth then we really do have a lot of depth.

Add to the above and the depth of the squad is huge. All with the exception of Partington have played 1st team in the past 12 months.

Macaully Davies
Liam Forsyth
James Worthington
Jack Higginson
Joe Bretherton
Jake Shorrocks
Josh Woods
Josh Ganson
Callum Field
Oli PARTINGTON

Add to that

Davies
Forsyth
Worthington
Higginson
Woods
Shorrocks
Ganson
Field
Partington

then we really do have a big squad. All of the above with the exception of Partington have played 1st team in the past 12 months.

1. Escare
2.Manfriedi ... still think if fit first choice?
3. Sarge ... imagine Gells has gone.
4. Gildart
5. Budge
6.Williams
7.Sam T
8. Clubb
9.Powel/Tommy... I would only play one, even if Macs gone?
10. Flower
11. Faz
12.Batty
13.Lockers
14. Joel T
15. Fpn ... I thought when he and T came off the bench together they give us impact and can change a game having Sutton and Joel also gives us options of mixing up with rotation.
16.T
17. Sutton
18. Powel/ Tommy ... I imagine they will find game time at 9 or through injurys for me if Powel plays hes got to do 80 how we go in the halves also.
19. Davies will start the season and I hope that uoward curve continues
20. Isa thought he played well last season will find a place most weeks
21.Hamlin bit of a unknown but I have a feeling he will go well
22.. Marshall can he kick on great natural finisher?
23. Wells looks like he will feature more and more future 13and captain?
24. Naverrette not 100% this guys coming back?
25. Ganson will this be the season we get our future 9?
26. Forsyth I didnt think he did anything wrong can he make it.
27. Shorrocks again can he kick on after all tge injuries.
28. Bretherton needs to improve
29 Higgy . Read shorrocks.

Still think we are a quality prop short but squad wise a prop heavy. I would have liked another backrower though Hamlin or Wells may be the answer long term. Looking at pre season FPN looks to be putting In the hard work, if he wants a move back to NRL he may go well. I think we are wing heavy and centre light. If we had brought Sarge in on the back of Gels or another centre then his signing woukd be great squad wise.
Questions for me, can our style change alowing forwards to take controle
Of games. If they do can a half back pairing of Williams Tomkins (if they are)
controle big games, with Powel at 9 and Escare at 1. Again we are looking at
Lockers to glue this together.

Thought McIlorum was going to Catalans.

You have missed Macaulay Davies who is the only natural back rower we have coming through. At almost 21 and having spent a season on loan at workington he is ready to kick on to the next level and really push for a spot in the side.

Your right I did miss him ... On reflectionI would still rather go into tge seaaon with a bit better ballence having said that I imagine the back row places will be covered by Lockers,Faz Batty, then Joel, Isa, Wells, Hamlin and even Sotton, FPN and Flower who have played 13 . This 8s 0robably season he needs to kick on.

The main question for me is the half back/hooker combo. Id certainly be more confident with Sam in the Halves than Escare and really like the idea of Tommy at 9(if rumour is to be believed and MM has gone). I do fear that there will be little change as Wane is a creature of habit. However if I was selecting the 17 id go :-

Escare
Budgy
Gildart
Sarge
Davis
George
Sam
FPN
Tommy
Flower
Farrell
Bateman
Lockers

Sutton
T
Powell
Clubb

Some excellent strength in dept behind that 17 and i was torn with 3 front rowers on the bench over a backrower but there is the inevitable rotation of Lockers to consider and I certainly think some of those can fill the void in a 'Gallen' type loose forward role and with the experience of Sam in the halves hopefuly the organisation will be there when Lockers isnt. Somehing that isnt easy to do as a fullback acting as an extra pivot

As long as Lealuai is no where near first choice 7 I’ll be happy.

As long as Lealuai is no where near first choice 7 I’ll be happy.

Question. Once a player has made his first team debut does he continue to count towards the salary cap in the following season even if not played?

It's the top 25 earners, so doubt that would be an issue unless they were injured, in which case they could be deregistered

Escare
Davies
Sarginson
Gildart
Burgess
Williams
S.Tomkins
Flower
Leuluai
FPN
Farrell
Bateman
O'Loughlin

Powell
Clubb
J.Tomkins (As a prop)
R.Sutton (As a backrower)

That'd be mine, apart from swapping Tommy with Powell.

I really like Powell, don't really see the point of having him if he doesn't start, whereas Tommy has more impact from the bench for me.

Hopefully we'll run with one hooker, both Powell and Leuluai can do 80 mins so I don't see the point of wasting two interchanges we could make better use of.

Escare
Davies
Sarginson
Gildart
Burgess
Tomkins
Williams
Clubb
Powell
Flower
Bateman
Farrell
O’Loughlin

Tautai
Sutton
Tomkins
Leuluai

I’m intrigued what the spine is going to be. I like that a lot of the players can play more than one position

Sam (Full back/ halve back)
Sarge (Centre/ Full back)
Escare ( Full back/ half back/ bench hooker)
Ganson (hooker)
Sharrocks ( half back/ hooker)
Tommy ( hookers/ Halfback)
Lockers (loose/ halfback)
Powell ( hooker/ Half)
Williams ( half/ hooker).

Think we’ll start the season like this

1.) Tomkins
6.) Williams
7.) Escare
9.) Powell

14.) Lealuai

Think the club have real high hopes for Sharrocks and Ganson ( part of the reason MM was let go IMO)

Lots of options excited to see how they all go. Let’s hope they all stay fit this time!

I would be amazed if we started the season with Escare at 7, Powell at 9 and Leuluai sat on the bench.

What do you reckon then Grimmy?

I just reckon Sam won’t move from FB yet. And Lealuai will add something off the bench more than Powell would.

So is Lockers. According to an article in Wigan Today he's said it's not been decided yet which I find totally baffling. Wane has known and coached all the potential spine players bar Escare for literally years and has had an entire off season to think about it. If he doesn't know what they are cable of by now and who is best for what position he never will.

What I predict/What I would like:

1. S.Tomkins/Escare

7. Leuluai/S.Tomkins

9. Powell/Leuluai

14. Escare/Powell

I think that is spot on except that I think SW will play Powell at 7 and TL at 9.

Of course it is just possible that Wane does know who he wants, but has decided not to publicise it yet as he wants to keep them on their toes. It's also possible that as the shirt numbers haven't yet been announced that there may be a late addition to the squad.

Or alternatively we could could just conclude that the coach is clueless, as I see you have, as you do every time you post. Still at least you are consistent. You must have been gutted when we won the WCC

I do think the coach is pretty clueless. I am not the only one who doesn't think he is up to it and there is plenty of evidence to support this view.

Please tell me you are not being serious by suggesting he's "decided not to publicise it yet as he wants to keep them on their toes". I assume you mean by "them" it's the players but given it's a team game it might be an idea to get the team positions settled before SL kicks off in less than a month. As to incoming players and shirt numbers I don't know why they are not out yet but what is the issue with getting them out now so people can buy them if they want and giving any new signings a high number, just as we would if we signed someone mid-season?

As to the WCC as I was as pleased any anyone else about that but I don't blow its importance up to be greater than what it is and like most people was hoping it didn't do anything to derail our league campaign as it has seemed to do for other clubs who took part previously. IMO it's about as important as the LLS in that the only fans who really care about it are those from the club that wins it (especially if they win nothing else that season).

Escare,
Davies (Manfredi) Sarginson, Gildart,
Burgess.
S Tomkins, Williams.
FPN, Leuluai, J Tomkins,
Bateman, Farrell, O'Loughlin.
Flower, Tautai, Sutton, Powell.

I'd start with Joel at prop for his size. I thought the best front row in SL last year was at HullFC with Watts, Houghton and Taylor. They are big mobile and skillful. I think FPN and Joel could match that. We have to start with the front row getting on the front foot and we need to start big!