I think if we can keep him hes an extra (big) body to be able to call on but he is too erratic in his performances and is taking the place of Hill who, imo, has shown more than Byrne has

Can people please point to where Byrne has put a run of 3 or 4 games together where he’s been dominant in any area? You can do that for Thompson, Havard and even Mago this year but Byrne, I just can’t think of anything other than one shot on Navarette last year. He’s a very average prop with no major ceiling above where he is now. At least with someone like Hill there’s a chance he could break out given the chance.

We have already lost one prop, no need to weaken ourselves further. Last season is proof that a big squad with plenty of prop options is the way to go.

The coach clearly feels Byrne is the prop he can trust most in our biggest games after Havard and Thompson. He was straight on when Thompson had to move in to the second row in the GF, he started in the World Club Challenge ahead of Dupree, Mago and Hill and he still got a place on the bench in the Cup final, even though I would say his form wasn't the best around that time.

That's good enough for me to want him in our squad and to think that he must be a pretty good player. He needs to find consistency and to improve and I think he will because he's just turned 25 and that is still pretty young for a prop forward.

i posted on the Leeds forum a couple of week ago about Byrne, and that you'd get a mixed response
i personally think he would go well, as he'd currently be starting prop with Oledski, and the main reason you are looking for props is that your current crop arent good enough (taken from Leeds forum) with the exception of Oledski who is being asked to carry the full pack week in week out

one thing that is noticeable with Byrne is that he is better when he starts than coming on mid game, but that hasnt just been him this past season. I think Thompson and Havard are both capable of 80 minutes and at intensity, so he's struggled to get up to pace and make an impact in some games, but that has also been labelled at Mago and Dupree too this season. The main thing to take away though is that when it mattered at the business end of the season, all 3 mentioned had an impact when they came on

Byrne is alright, a very steady prop. He'll rarely miss tackles and hits quite hard - a couple of times has gotten that wrong, although I noticed he went 16 consecutive games without giving a penalty away (since 14th June against Cas) - Havard also has a similar record. With the ball he's your average prop - not 1 offload, break or try in the whole of this year.

Byrne can play long minutes and is probably a player who needs longer spells to get some momentum going. If he is still with us in 2025, I hope we go away from having 3 props and a hooker on the bench and instead go with 2, as well as a second rower and then a hooker. The end of season set up meant minutes were so limited for the bench props and I don't think it helps them and we then lack cover for other positions. We didn't do too badly on it mind

I'll say it again: the size of the 17 squad should be increased, by at least one, so teams can have a utility back on the bench

I disagree.

Clubs can already choose to put a utility back on the bench, they choose not to because it isn't value add.

They choose not to (mostly) not because it has no value, but because it's judged that the drawback of fewer props on the bench outweighs the advantages.

I wouldn't mind some sort of developmental spot on the bench, like a rule where an 18th man needs to have played less than x amount of games (20/30 etc) which could then be used to carry somebody like Farrimond, Kerr etc and get them opportunities when you get an injury or a game is safe/over.

It's hard for any back up prop when Havard and Thompson do so many minutes per game. Mago seems to have fashioned a role for himself as a real impact sub, but both Byrne and Dupree have struggled, and I suspect part of that is simply due to the lack of game time.

I'd like to see a six man bench with substitutions ( no interchange) once you're off you're off.
You could maybe have an eight man bench but with the proviso that two of those players had to be under twenty one on the opening day of the season.

It's not helped for sure but in the case of Byrne, I feel like his worst form of the season was probably when he was playing more minutes around the time Havard was still injured in those early months. He just wasn't in great form but I thought he finished the season well and he did get more minutes in some of the latter games, when Thompson and Havard had their minutes managed.

It's impacted on Dupree without a doubt IMO. He did start the season pretty well, when Havard was injured and Cooper went down and he was getting more minutes but after his suspension for the Cup final, his time on the field and form dropped away. He needs to really throw himself in to pre season and then when the games come find some intensity again and make a case to play more. He just looked a bit too comfy plodding along IMO in the second half of the season.

Thanks for your thoughts on Byrne.
He seems similar to Oledzki as far as the fans are concerned.
Solid yet not spectacular, some like him some don`t but homegrown and steady isn`t a bad thing to have in a salary capped sport.
Think our hard yards might be coming from our wingers this year with Hall and most likely Sivo doing the hard graft!

Byrne is signing for us (Hull FC) According to his wikipedia page anyway

Isn’t that similar to what Sam Tomkins was suggesting?

Wigan have been approached about Byrne but don’t want to let him go.

Under contract and played big minutes in the Grand Final.

Already lost Cooper and props are hard to come by.

I think he’ll be staying.

Not sure about Sivo doing the hard yards. I’m sure he will initially but the reason he fell out of favour at Parra and is being moved on is because of his low work rate and willingness to carry early out of his own half.

3/4's through the season I thought Bryne was finished at the club and on his way out especially when he was sub but didn't come on. He was either not getting selected after missing a number of games through poor tackle technique and when he did play he would come up with soft errors, usually dropping the ball in tackle or sloppy ptb.

The last few games of the season though he played more minutes and I can't remember a mistake or poor tackle. I think he's obviously put alot of work into his technique at bending his back more in the tackle - and i suspect Wigan have been working hard in the background with him on this.


I think he still has a lot to offer and if he puts the work in I think he can mature now into a very good prop for Wigan. and he's a very big body who can take alot out of the opposition. He won't do the spectacular stuff, but he's the sort of prop every team needs to take some sting out of the opposition forwards.

I didn't see that, but to me it makes sense.

Quote ="Rogues Gallery"I didn't see that, but to me it makes sense.'" I was wrong, he went much further than what you suggested but it was the same in principle. https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/sk ... he%20sport.

Quote ="Rogues Gallery"I didn't see that, but to me it makes sense.'" I was wrong, he went much further than what you suggested but it was the same in principle. https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/sk ... he%20sport.

A lot will come down to what he is happy with I guess. He is at best 4th choice behind Ellis, Havard and Thompson and he's not as good an impact prop as Mago. I think Dupree has more potential but Byrne had moved past him by the end of the season.

He's up the pecking order with Cooper gone but could be under pressure from Hill.

This year showed it's good for us to have depth at prop but if he wants more than 10 minutes here and there he will probably be looking elsewhere.

Sam Eseh is a bit of a forgotten man at the moment. I hope he has an injury free offseason as if he does he could make a massive impact next year.

The lad has bags of potential, just hope he realises it at Wigan.

Eseh and Chan have to prove themselves in 2025 so the off season will be vital for both of them.
Can't see Byrne going anywhere as the bench props were so important to the success of 2024.
Prop is the most attritional position and therefore with injuries and suspensions having a significant number of quality props is essential.
Starting with Havard and Thompson in every match next season won't happen. We therefore need any number of props to get us through those times without a drop in intensity.