For me it was 1-Hoffman 2-Finch 3-Lima. From what I'd seen of Melbourne and after speaking to a couple of mates on Australia he was definitely the signing I thought would have the biggest impact.

You only have to look at the try numbers the guys outside him rack up over the course of a season and thats including every year he's played at Wigan not just the Madge era to see how good he is.

Carmont will leave a massive hole in our side imo.

I've got to agree with that, I think he's massively underrated and will take some replacing!

Definantly! Hoffman was the guy I had seen the most of, he has played for the roos on numerous occasions and stood out as well as playing in major games for Melbourne. He is an awesome player and he has a habbit of coming up with important tries. At just 27 we have signed a player in his prime with more experience than most players his age. When we sign overseas players he is exactly the sort of player we should look at, low risk, top quality. No more signing players who are over the hill or too unproven.

charnley looks a better prospect at centre now than goulding ever has done imo. If carmont is going to retire at the end of the season the club needs to make a decision as to who will be his replacement by mid way through this season in my view. In my opinion we have 3 options. Put charnley there, try to develop joel as a centre or sign a ready made big name. Personally i hope charnley kicks on this season and stakes his claim.

I think everybody hopes that, but if he doesn't what do we do?

I think this is a problem for us at present. Owing to the criticism of other fans, we have been lulled into thinking that the only moral response is to promote from within.

For our own sake, we must certainly do that if we can - i.e. if we have someone in the junior ranks, like Sam and Joel were, who is virtually kicking the first team door down. But I seem to remember we promoted Goulding a year or so before he was ready, and things went so badly for him that he almost left the club. There was also the example of Nicky Stanton, who we were assured by countless fans was ready for first team duty, but who was neglected to the point where he left. That was a sad development, but Stanton is no longer plying his trade in Super League, which suggests to me that he wasn't of the required standard after all.

If a marquee centre from abroad was available and we could afford him, it would be wrong of IL not to at least consider that option. We clearly have a policy now of packing the team with local talent. But there should always be space for really good signings from overseas.

And Charnley would only have to wait another season until Gleeson's contract was up.

If Hoffman leaves at the end of the season we could go for a big name centre to replace him as weve got second rowers coming out of our ears. Charnley will have a chance this season imo but if he isnt quite ready we do have options to work around the situation.

think we'd all like as many wiganers in the team as possible.

however, when push comes to shove and pat comes back from injury youd be hard pressed not to drop goulding given how dangerous amos is

www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/spor ... gue_break/

www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/spor ... gue_break/

Depends whether Roberts finds his old form or not, he looked far from his best at the weekend even if he did get two walk-ins.

Charnley will just get better IMO, if Gleeson or Carmont gets injured throughout the season they will find it hard to get their place back, ala the Amos/Goulding situation last year.

For 2012 I think the only signing we need to make is a Halfback/Hooker depending on where Leuluai will be playing, unless Deacon plays on for another year... ?

Deacs will move into coaching after this season, you don't have to have insider knowledge to know time is catching up with him. Next year I reckon the 17 will be something like:

1 Roberts
2 Goulding
3 Gleeson
4 Charnley/Pryce
5 Richards
6 Sam
7 Leuluai
8 Fielden
9 McIlorum
10 Prescott
11 Hansen/Hoffman
12 Joel
13 O'Loughlin

14 Lima
15 Finch
16 Mossop
17 Farrell

with Hock roatating at prop

Cant see Sam moving from FB any time soon. For me its Sam at 1, Finch starting at 6 and Amos/Goulding fighting for the 2 jersey.

Me too;

1. Sam
2. Goulding
3. Gleeson
4. Charnley/Pryce
5. Richards
6. Finch
7. Leuluai
8. Fielden
9. McIlorum
10. Lima
11. Hansen
12. Joel
13. O'Loughlin

14. Hock
15. New Hooker
16. Mossop
17. Farrell

IMO Hock and Mossop will overtake Prescott once this season is over, he will struggle to get a new contract unless he comes out with some unbelievable form. Coley will be a massive loss but I think Hock can fill the gap he leaves.

Seems like a good kid. Very focused, very driven and has a strong work ethic.

If we want Josh Charnley to take over from George Carmont then he needs games at centre. At the moment, I can't see him displacing Carmont from the side at centre (or Gleeson) unless one of them gets injured. Possible spell on loan might have to be taken, but the lad needs Super League game time if he is to take over from Carmont next year.

Personally I hope Carmont stays with us another season and Charnley/Marsh/Goulding/Pryce have another year to stake a claim for the spot and rack up some more first team rugby.

When Charnley was at HKR he played right centre.
From that I always thought he was the long term replacement for Gleeson. Agree he does need first team games though.
If Carmont went at the end of this year then Goulding to 4 and Amos at 2. That still leaves Charnley on the outer and us again wondering where his games will come from.

Goulding isn't a centre, he's far too selfish.

I agree. Decent winger for sure, I've just never EVER seen why he is supposed to be a natural centre. Similar to what I've seen from Marsh so far (although obviously Marsh has a lot more to prove generally, and could well develop more).

IMO, I've already seen more potentially in Charnley than I have in Goulding. Charnley went to Hull KR and stood out, did Goulding really stand out that much when he went to Salford? Or was he just decent?

Goulding was initially played as a centre when he 1st broke in to the team and has since been moved to wing. Nothing I have seen suggests he will move back to centre whereas IMO Charnley will be a long term replacement for either Carmont or Gleeson.

Charnley has always struck me as much more of a winger than a centre. Marsh is also being preferred at centre than Charnley so I am guessing that Maguire and Wane see Charnley as more of a winger too. I think Goulding will replace Carmont with Charnley getting the wing spot. Either way I dont think Charnley will be ready for the centre spot next season and would like him to get a lot more game time first. I certainly cant see Marsh getting it.

If Pryce does not step up this year then we need to be looking to recruit a centre for next year in my opinion. Any other possible replacements are 2 years off first team week in week out and Goulding will never be good enough for the centre birth.

What is Charnley like in defence? Goulding is his equal with ball in hand, it was his woeful positional skills in defence that cost him the No.3 Shirt

I feel bad constantly bagging Goulding over his defence, especially as against the Dragons he was having to cover for an injured Gleeson, but there are times when he seems hopelessly out of position.

As we entered the stadium on Sunday night, a friend said that we had no chance of winning with Goulding on the field. One chink in your armour is all a team like St George will need. And he was right - they didn't need to attack us anywhere else on the field, because that right wing was an open door to them.

Goulding always seems like an honest hard-worker, but I'm not sure he'll get too many starts once Richards regains fitness.