If you go with a 5 prop rotation in games next season one of Cooper, Singleton, Havard, Byrne, Ellis or Mago misses out. If you go with a 4, then 2 of them miss out. I’m not sure I recall a time we were as strong there for a good while.

I’d love to keep French and if we do and can get a good centre in, the side looks very exciting for 2023.

If we went with the 5 prop option (something I like as it gives us more size) it further highlights what a mistake it was to give Isa a 2 year deal. One of those props will be playing 13, or interchanging with Smithies,

who you'd think is a banker to start.

Can we really say that's a quota spot well used?

You have got a quality forward there guys, very sad to see him leave Wire, one of our own that I thought would be at Wire till he retired.

Nothing wrong with rotating the man to miss out to keep them fresh or having competition for places. Really think we are looking upwards at the moment and Cooper is a good addition on friendly terms (contract length)

We deffo got the better side of the deal

Tough one for me. I find myself agreeing and disagreeing with him going. On one hand I just don’t see where he realistically fits in to our team, even without Cooper. We’ve got Havard, Mago, Ellis, Singo and Byrne well in front. The addition of Cooper for me means one of those 5 is also going.

On the other, his game against Cas was the best I’ve seen him in a long time. He was direct, aggressive and effective. But we don’t see that often enough which is why he’s so far down the pecking order.

Ultimately I think he needs game time and he will get that at Warrington. I think he has the potential to develop into a good SL front/back rower but that for me is his exploit of limitations.

He will be, he’s just playing a Wigan till he’s finished. #onceawirealwaysawire

Cooper is comfortable at loose, gives you the option of 3 props at any one time.

Agree on this. He's been our best forward by a mile and has been effective against every team we've played. Sad to see him go - you've got one of the best props in SL there IMO.

Not sure on the Partington thing though. We've just bought Mickaele (forgot how to spell it), Kasiano and Dudson. Strong rumours we have Paul Vaughan (Aussie prop) and are possibly after Josh Maguire, plus the props we currently have. So I'm not sure where he would fit in.

At this rate Powell will have to choose a pack full of props. I am sure that Wire will be releasing some of the current props as realistically they can’t justify having so many in a salary capped sport.

Starting for England tomorrow

Two good 20 min stints. His metres after contact are something we’ve been missing in a forward. If he could get an arm free and offload with people like fields, batty, Faz and french running of the back of him we’d cause a lot of teams problems.

He's a step up from any prop we have now or have had in many years. He's an athlete, not a plodder.

Our front row next year has potential to be the best in the league, amazing to think that last year it was one of the worst.

It’s amazing what can happen when you go out and buy decent props!

It’s probably been my biggest frustration over the years in that we haven’t always got that quite right but I’m pretty confident we are going to do very well next season… even more so if we hang on to KPP and bring in a quality Centre.

Yeah, if we get Wardle to come in and keep French that’s us set to improve again next season, I don’t see us needing anymore recruits outside of maybe another centre? But we would have Wardle, Thornley, Halsall, KPP and then Isa and Bateman if we get desperate. I personally don’t think he’s a superstar but I think we will miss Bibby, he’s solid enough at centre or on the wing and his injury record is good, I’d certainly prefer to keep him over Thornley or Miski.

Thornley I think is doing a great job, he isn’t a world beater but we are using him to his strengths and he won’t be costing us the Earth.

Miski I’m a bit more comfortable with if the rumours are true in relation to Wardle joining as whilst I do like Bibby I genuinely think Wardle has top class potential.

If we are retaining French, whilst Miski is a winger it gives us opinions if Field picks up a knock too or needs a rest. The fact we seem to be recruiting quality British players means his quota spot isn’t a huge issue going into 2023.

Wardle and Cooper in, with Hardaker and Bibby out (and maybe a fringe player or two) would be fantastic business. We need a period of being calm on the turnover of players front and those two would feel like we’ve really targeted exactly 2 areas we need quality in. We need a quality centre and I still feel like we’re shy of one experienced, top class front rower. One bad egg out in Zak and an upgrade coming in for Bibby would be excellent news. Fingers crossed it happens.

I’m led to believe he will be joining us immediately.

This would be great news and some thing I suspected may happen after their upturn in form with him not in the match day squad.

I got a text last night saying he was refusing to play for Wire so this makes sense.

This would make sense given what I was told and his relationship with Powell.

Would be a big boost for us to get him across for the rest of this year and would take us another step closer to catching Saints.

Not disputing he is a good player but refusing to play (if true and l am not disputing it) because you don't like the coach is a bit unprofessional

EW

That is my worry is he that type to down tools if he doesnt like what he sees hope he isnt ,class player hope he is a class act.Time will tell I suppose.

As I mentioned from what I had been told there was a major rift in the camp and due to the fact Cooper is such a dominant figure some of the players backed him over Powell.

I was told from a very good source he was “toxic” which got one poster very upset.

That though doesn’t mean he will be toxic in our environment and both Briers and Wane will know what he is like before signing him.

Powell handled his introduction to the club poorly and the damage was done with some players very early on with rifts formed which could never be fixed.