I understand entirely what your getting at and its only opinions but i personally think last off season he added some significant weight to his frame and it made a huge difference to his physicality. I would like to think he has done the same this off season and hoping he can step up to a front line prop. IMO he has more potential than Mossop as he's got more aggression and is more nimble on his feet around the ruck, plus his tackling technique is better.

I think the GF was Crosby's 26th or 27th game of the season.
The idea of an extra senior prop has plenty logic and perhaps either Lauaki or Powell were expected to be that man. It appears that neither may play much if at all this season.
Wouldn't surprise me if we went with what we've got at the moment. If an opportunity came to sign someone outstanding then it might be taken.
The props of Flower, Taylor, Dudson, Crosby and Pettybourne so seem to be what Wane is looking for these days. Big, mobile, skillful and able to do a high work rate and the capacity to play 60 mins a game.

Quote ="The Yellow Giraffe"Interesting article here with regards to Shaun Wane and his view on the supposed dying art of the impact prop. m.wigantoday.net/sport/wigan-war ... -1-6364760'" So now do you want to compare them? Quote ="The Yellow Giraffe"Cheers for that. But we were comparing Amor and Pettybourne. '" www.rlwc2013.com/player/mose-masoe/251 www.rlwc2013.com/player/eddy-pettybourne/233 We know that Pettybourne can do 50/60 minutes. You know Masoe can't. if that makes it better.

Quote ="The Yellow Giraffe"Interesting article here with regards to Shaun Wane and his view on the supposed dying art of the impact prop. m.wigantoday.net/sport/wigan-war ... -1-6364760'" So now do you want to compare them? Quote ="The Yellow Giraffe"Cheers for that. But we were comparing Amor and Pettybourne. '" www.rlwc2013.com/player/mose-masoe/251 www.rlwc2013.com/player/eddy-pettybourne/233 We know that Pettybourne can do 50/60 minutes. You know Masoe can't. if that makes it better.

Quote ="Rogues Gallery"So now do you want to compare them? www.rlwc2013.com/player/mose-masoe/251 www.rlwc2013.com/player/eddy-pettybourne/233 We know that Pettybourne can do 50/60 minutes. You know Masoe can't. if that makes it better.'" What's your point?

Quote ="Rogues Gallery"So now do you want to compare them? www.rlwc2013.com/player/mose-masoe/251 www.rlwc2013.com/player/eddy-pettybourne/233 We know that Pettybourne can do 50/60 minutes. You know Masoe can't. if that makes it better.'" What's your point?

I have no doubt he will be better than mossop in a season or 2. I watched all the plays offs on wigan tv and it was interesting on how good mossop actually played through out i think the poor world cup has twisted peoples opinion of him, he was defiantly first prop on the team sheet when fit. looking at the preseason pictures he doesn't look any bigger but i think as he gets older he will naturally fill out and when he does he will be one of the best in super league because its obvious he has the right attitude. But for this season with the big games i think we will be a little light.

One of the other players picked out Crosby as one to watch this season in an interview recently because he said he's huge after working hard in pre season bulking up.

I'm a big fan. I do hope he doesn't put too much weight on though because I think he can add a lot by being one of those athletic props that is mobile and gets round the field well. He has an aggressive streak that I like and will continue to improve.

As for Dudson he has an awful lot to prove IMO. He looks impressive physically nowadays but he needs to run his weight more, not die in contact and he also needs to work on his discipline. He'd be my 5th choice prop at this moment in time.

I think you have backed yourself into a corner here. Essentially Pettybourne has replaced Mossop. We were in no way short in the big games last year. Why would we be this?

because we have lost mossop, prescott, Lauaki, powell and hansen if things got bad leaving only 5 props and all of them being so young makes us light next year. Its hardly an unusual circumstance to have 2 or 3 props injured but usually a couple of youngsters can step up but we are already relying on them as first team props this season. I would feel a lot more comfortable having 6 first team props and a couple of youngsters pushing.

You are gilding the lily a bit including Prescott and Lauaki in your argument. Powell was a liability. Hansen played exclusively in the second row. We played with virtually a second choice pack for the first third of the season anyway. Prescott never played and Lauaki was poor. They won't be missed. Mossop may well be missed but who knows Pettybourne may turn out to be an improvement. From what I saw in the World Cup games at Wrexham and Salford he was impressive

Greenwood and Clubb can prop so can Burke. That's Eight by my reckoning I've probably forgotten someone. Why do people have to be so glass half full about this. From last season Taylor and Crosby will improve so will Flower. We will be stronger in the pack.

Just as an aside take look at the stats for average gain last season from Crosby and Taylor over Hansen who let's not forget does a lot of his running out wide. I am convinced we will be stronger.

Sorry to be so positive!!!

prescott fair enough he didn't play, but lauaki wasn't poor in my opinion just average but he was another actual prop with size and didn't struggle to make meters. Hansen played a little bit at prop if injuries got really bad and we don't have that option unless Clubb becomes a lot more physical. Mossop was first choice prop for Wigan and i really like Pettybourne but not sure if he will completely cover mossop who in my opinion became some what of a corner stone.

I am far from a glass half empty kind of person i was one of the few people saying we will be stronger last year. I just post my opinion and my opinion is we will struggle if a couple of props get injured. We have a very young team and we could do with a seasoned prop.

Biggest concern I have with Dudson is his indiscipline in defence. He cost us the game v Saints away last season.

I think he has a lot to prove this season and i think he is good enough to do it, hopefully he stays injury free. When he starts to get a good run of form up he picks up an injury and sets him back.

Of course ANY team would struggle without a couple of props. If Leeds lost Peacock and Leuleui they'd be a site worse off than if we lost Flower and Taylor. Would Wire cope without Hill and Asotasi? I reckon our squad is the best in the comp and best able to cope with injuries.

leeds would still have bailey and kirke as older heads and they would't get bullied as well as they have big presences and older heads in the 2nd row. I think warrington are skinny in the props as well like i said 4 pages back, in previous seasons they had hill, tyrone McCarthy and mike cooper as back up but they also have bigger presences and experience in the 2nd row. Im not saying we aren't the best squad in super league, what i am saying is I WOULD FEE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH ANOTHER PROP. not that we are doomed and going to get beaten up every game we play

I think we need another prop as well tbh. That's not to say the ones we have aren't good enough but its a long season and its nice to have that option to keep rotating. We bought Andy Powell for a reason and have Lauaki in the squad for a reason and if both of those go it's only natural to assume we'll want a replacement. We also let Tom Spencer go so that only leaves us with Greenwood as a realistic option from the youngsters.

There's no rush but another prop would be nice.

Burke and Hopkins as well. Not to mention Clubb who isn't a youngster but has played plenty prop

I'm taking real inexperienced lads you could take a punt on. Guys like Clubb, Hopkins and Burke should play plenty of minutes this year but probably more in the back row. They're good options to have filling in but I'd still rather sign a more experienced out and out prop to thicken out the squad.

I know we've done this one to death but Bailey and Kirke are in the 17 already and they are very ordinary players. Read what the Leeds fans think if Peacock were to go.

yeah i would agree with you after looking at the leeds team i guess there back up props would be brad singleton/kirke/achurch but one of them will be used in the match day 4 props. The only thing about leeds is they have a lot of senior players who step up in big games JJB, Delaney and Ablett.

im a Rovers fan, we seem to have gone the opposite way to a few opinions on here regarding smaller more mobile forwards with our new signings, Weyman, Poore and Costigan are all big guys. after reading a few of the posts im wondering if mobile is they way forward and if Rovers have missed the boat.

Bringing props in that aren't past it Aussies is the way to go.

time will tell whether there past it I guess. Thanks for your input though

i don't think there past it and majority of the time i don't think thats the problem, its more a problem of attitude for some reason.

could become very embarrassing for leigh this. will say the depth this season will be unbelievable.

We'll see. Good luck scraping the top 8, again.