It doesn't necessarily need to be a prop but we do need a forward with more aggression.

The halves and Thornley looked promising on Friday so hopefully we will feel more positive about the centre and halfback positions as the season progresses.

The only club now without a wealthy benefactor is Castleford. It has been suggested they are around £2.5m in debt so one would suspect they may be tempted by a cash offer for one of their players.
Their best prop IMO by far is Craig Huby, 26 years old and a reasonable goal kicker too. They'd certainly want real or even unreal money for him.
The other prop would be Keith Mason, aged 30 and we all know about him. With Hock and Fielden gone it might work.
Otherwise it maybe London where we'd look and to me Kaufusi is a big man. Can put it about too. Think he's about 28.

Huby and Kaufusi would be better than Wood although it may take some cash to free them up.

I'd take Lopini Paea from Catalans, big aggressive prop which we need, maybe even take a punt on Simon from Catalans, he's a big lad.

Australian press hinting that Sam's representatives are sounding out an NRL club for next season. Can't say I'm surprised, but it does make a mockery of the "not speaking to other clubs for 3 years" comment. Only small consolation would be a large fee and/or player exchange? (You never know, Billy Slater may fancy a gap year!)

[urlhttp://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/nrl/englands-sam-tomkins-eyes-nrl-contract/story-fnca0von-1226570334432?sv=d428b0c1fce30612f4b651aa65f479a9#.URAWagmd8Rw.twitter[/url

Phil Wilkinson Tweeted "Rumours are true, Wigan are keen to sign Warrington prop Paul Wood - deal is not done yet (& would be surprised if it happened before Fri).".

Quote ="Wigan Peer"Phil Wilkinson Tweeted "Rumours are true, Wigan are keen to sign Warrington prop Paul Wood - deal is not done yet (& would be surprised if it happened before Fri).".'" Is Paul in the right frame of mind to be playing SL currently? I am not posting this to make light of mental health, just unsure if he would be able to offer 100%? www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyl ... attle.html

Quote ="Wigan Peer"Phil Wilkinson Tweeted "Rumours are true, Wigan are keen to sign Warrington prop Paul Wood - deal is not done yet (& would be surprised if it happened before Fri).".'" Is Paul in the right frame of mind to be playing SL currently? I am not posting this to make light of mental health, just unsure if he would be able to offer 100%? www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyl ... attle.html

Quote ="tugglesf78"Is Paul in the right frame of mind to be playing SL currently? I am not posting this to make light of mental health, just unsure if he would be able to offer 100%? www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyl ... attle.html'" Only he knows, but a new challenge may help.

Quote ="tugglesf78"Is Paul in the right frame of mind to be playing SL currently? I am not posting this to make light of mental health, just unsure if he would be able to offer 100%? www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyl ... attle.html'" Only he knows, but a new challenge may help.

Why let Fielden go and sign Wood? Spend the best part of 2 years getting him fit to let another club gain the benefits, IMO Fielden had a good game at the weekend, as good as I've seen him for a long while.

Wood is an average prop, doesn't offer anything we don't already have, hardly a suitable replacement for Lima.

I can't believe we let Fielden go and then potentially make a Knee jerk reaction and sign Paul Wood, who in my opinion isn't as good as Fielden and not that much younger than him! Bearing in mind Fielden has had virtually two years rest and recovery time. Doesn't seem to make much business sense to me, unless Fielden wasn't prepared to accept what would ahave been a revised contract.

That can be the only answer, surely??
If not, the Club needs their bumps feeling! (there's a joke in there somewhere

)
However, I also agree that Wood isn't the right man... we need a tough, fear no-one, pack leader to:-
i) guide us around the park
ii) bring on the younger players.
Trouble is, there's not one out there that would't cost us the Earth to entice.
It doesn't need anyone on a long term basis... the right twilight player would be OK if we can get a season or two out of them (dare I say, a Morley or a Peacock?

).
If anyone remembers those dark days, when we signed Peter Smethurst to do, and who actually did, just that.

A Quentin Pongia type Prop signing would be the perfect answer.

I dont think anyone can question the toughness of someone who played on with that injury in the grand final!!!...

Fielden didn't see eye-to-eye with Wane. They fell out and he wasn't offered a new deal. Not much else to it.

Huddersfield have got a very good player who's fighting fit & rare'ing to go.

I always saw Wood as a decent player, solid and not afraid of graft. Hes not spectacular or a big name but he is experienced and will do a job. Mossop,Prescott, Dudsen, Taylor, Flower, Wood is an impressive choice of props and offers some depth. People state they want a tough prop. With his heroics in the final, toughness isnt someothing that can be questioned. Hes quite a big unit so although the signing doesnt excite me its a an extra body that has performed and held down a place in a team that is superior to ours so on that basis I would say he is good enough for Wigan.

Wane has played down the reports linking us with Paul Wood. States he knows nothing about it. www.loverugbyleague.com/news_108 ... ation.html

Wane has played down the reports linking us with Paul Wood. States he knows nothing about it. www.loverugbyleague.com/news_108 ... ation.html

Quote ="lothlorian"Wane has played down the reports linking us with Paul Wood. States he knows nothing about it. www.loverugbyleague.com/news_108 ... ation.html'" Predictable really. FWIW I think Wood is an OK prop, will do a job for us but I certainly wouldn't deliberately go out to sign him. There are better props potentially available (Keith Mason, Lopini Pea (sp?))

Quote ="lothlorian"Wane has played down the reports linking us with Paul Wood. States he knows nothing about it. www.loverugbyleague.com/news_108 ... ation.html'" Predictable really. FWIW I think Wood is an OK prop, will do a job for us but I certainly wouldn't deliberately go out to sign him. There are better props potentially available (Keith Mason, Lopini Pea (sp?))

I think he can do a job. We're lacking size and power, both of which he has. In big games last year our forwards got owned by bigger more aggressive packs.

If that is true then Wane needs to learn how not to fall out with players i.e. get them to do what he wants without getting senior and respected players backs up. Man management I think it is called.



I think so to. While Fielden isn't a Pongia type player which as Jonh said is what we really need he is closer to it than Wood so if we let Fielden go and sign Wood that has got to be poor business by the club.

Can't see us signing Wood.
I think it's people putting 2 and 2 together and getting 5.
He seems to have had some sort of fall out with Wire, we're short on forwards and he's a Wigan lad.
Doesn't mean he'll be a Wigan player.

I wonder what he was doing coming out of the DW yesterday at 3pm, getting into his sponsored 62 plaste Nissan Mokka?

#justsayin

he would have a job driving a Nissan Mokka its made by Vauxhall...

Deal to be done friday. According to family member.

I'd rather sign a back row then a front rower tbh but another body to add depth to the squad is fine by me. There is certainly going to be some competition in that front row going forward.

Hopefully that will drive some really agressive performances by the guys in possession of the starting shirts.

At a push Eric and Flower could drop back to SR.

What about Kylie leuluai as a potential , playing for Hunslet, could get 1 good season out of him?