What I believe is our strongest 17 compared to how I actually think Wane will line up is slightly different.

I would go

1.Escare
2. Davies
3. Sarg
4. Oli
5. Budgy
6. Sam
7. Williams
8. FPN
9. Tommy
10. Benny
11. Faz
12. Bateman
13. Lockers

14. Powell
15. Clubby
16. t
17. Joel

I actually thing WANE will have them line up as follows

1.Sam
2. Davies
3. Sarg
4. Oli
5. Budgy
6. Williams
7. Tommy
8. FPN
9. Powell
10. Benny
11. Faz
12. Bateman
13. Lockers

14. Escare
15. Clubby
16. t
17. Joel

Flower better than Clubb, Tautai or Sutton? Don't think so, time that lad got shipped out

Every time I think of a best 17, I get to the starting props and bench props and get stuck. I have pretty much no faith in any of them.

To have not signed an out and out prop (counting Hamlin as more of a loose forward) this off season on the back of the performances from the lot of them last year is pretty staggering.

IMO FPN is by far our best prop and last season he was playing how Wane wanted him play, it wasn't good and any impact he had the previous season gone. Even though I like Clubb, Sutton & Tautai they would struggle to get in to a top SL starting side, as you said when it comes to our props we have issues. If I was a prop at Wigan and Wane continued to pick his mate i'd leave like Crosby

As has been said, the way we played last season was the reason for our props and therefore the team's downturn in form.
Play to our strengths and I think we have a front row to match anyone's.
If we don't change and improve then 2018 could be another troubled season.
Get it right and anything is possible as basically we have a very good squad.

I'd go:

FB Escare
RW Davies
RC Sarginson (assuming Gelling is gone)
LC Gildart
LW Burgess
SO Williams
SH S.Tomkins
P Nu'uasala
H Leuluai
P Flower
SR Bateman
SR Farrell
LF O'Loughlin

S Clubb
S McIlorum
S Tautai
S J.Tomkins

Nu'uasala is so frustrating, one very good game then three full of surrender tackles. Very nearly had Sutton or Isa in there instead.

agree 100%

I think (if we are to lose Gells and Micky) we’ll see Sam move to 6 and Escare to 1. This is logical.

We need a kicker, Escare is a kicker.
We need creatively and spark in the halves, Sam has creativity and spark.

Only issue with this is defence. Sam is a far better organiser thab Escare.

If TL is at 7 then we can kiss this season goodbye.

Escare
Davies
Sarginson
Gildart
Burgess - think he’ll have a better year looking injured throughout last year
Williams - hopefully pre contract extension form
Tomkins
FPN - hopefully end of 2016 form
Tommy
Flower
Farrell
Bateman
O’Loughlin

Tautai - hopefully pre contract extension form
McIlorum
Clubb
ISA

JTomkins
Powell
Hamlin
Marshall
Sutton
Etc

That squad should be good enough to compete on all fronts, minus McIlorum, but add Ganson, Bretherton, Wells etc.

If we are looking at squad depth then we really do have a lot of depth.

Add to the above and the depth of the squad is huge. All with the exception of Partington have played 1st team in the past 12 months.

Macaully Davies
Liam Forsyth
James Worthington
Jack Higginson
Joe Bretherton
Jake Shorrocks
Josh Woods
Josh Ganson
Callum Field
Oli PARTINGTON

Add to that

Davies
Forsyth
Worthington
Higginson
Woods
Shorrocks
Ganson
Field
Partington

then we really do have a big squad. All of the above with the exception of Partington have played 1st team in the past 12 months.

1. Escare
2.Manfriedi ... still think if fit first choice?
3. Sarge ... imagine Gells has gone.
4. Gildart
5. Budge
6.Williams
7.Sam T
8. Clubb
9.Powel/Tommy... I would only play one, even if Macs gone?
10. Flower
11. Faz
12.Batty
13.Lockers
14. Joel T
15. Fpn ... I thought when he and T came off the bench together they give us impact and can change a game having Sutton and Joel also gives us options of mixing up with rotation.
16.T
17. Sutton
18. Powel/ Tommy ... I imagine they will find game time at 9 or through injurys for me if Powel plays hes got to do 80 how we go in the halves also.
19. Davies will start the season and I hope that uoward curve continues
20. Isa thought he played well last season will find a place most weeks
21.Hamlin bit of a unknown but I have a feeling he will go well
22.. Marshall can he kick on great natural finisher?
23. Wells looks like he will feature more and more future 13and captain?
24. Naverrette not 100% this guys coming back?
25. Ganson will this be the season we get our future 9?
26. Forsyth I didnt think he did anything wrong can he make it.
27. Shorrocks again can he kick on after all tge injuries.
28. Bretherton needs to improve
29 Higgy . Read shorrocks.

Still think we are a quality prop short but squad wise a prop heavy. I would have liked another backrower though Hamlin or Wells may be the answer long term. Looking at pre season FPN looks to be putting In the hard work, if he wants a move back to NRL he may go well. I think we are wing heavy and centre light. If we had brought Sarge in on the back of Gels or another centre then his signing woukd be great squad wise.
Questions for me, can our style change alowing forwards to take controle
Of games. If they do can a half back pairing of Williams Tomkins (if they are)
controle big games, with Powel at 9 and Escare at 1. Again we are looking at
Lockers to glue this together.

Thought McIlorum was going to Catalans.

You have missed Macaulay Davies who is the only natural back rower we have coming through. At almost 21 and having spent a season on loan at workington he is ready to kick on to the next level and really push for a spot in the side.

Your right I did miss him ... On reflectionI would still rather go into tge seaaon with a bit better ballence having said that I imagine the back row places will be covered by Lockers,Faz Batty, then Joel, Isa, Wells, Hamlin and even Sotton, FPN and Flower who have played 13 . This 8s 0robably season he needs to kick on.

The main question for me is the half back/hooker combo. Id certainly be more confident with Sam in the Halves than Escare and really like the idea of Tommy at 9(if rumour is to be believed and MM has gone). I do fear that there will be little change as Wane is a creature of habit. However if I was selecting the 17 id go :-

Escare
Budgy
Gildart
Sarge
Davis
George
Sam
FPN
Tommy
Flower
Farrell
Bateman
Lockers

Sutton
T
Powell
Clubb

Some excellent strength in dept behind that 17 and i was torn with 3 front rowers on the bench over a backrower but there is the inevitable rotation of Lockers to consider and I certainly think some of those can fill the void in a 'Gallen' type loose forward role and with the experience of Sam in the halves hopefuly the organisation will be there when Lockers isnt. Somehing that isnt easy to do as a fullback acting as an extra pivot

As long as Lealuai is no where near first choice 7 I’ll be happy.

As long as Lealuai is no where near first choice 7 I’ll be happy.

Question. Once a player has made his first team debut does he continue to count towards the salary cap in the following season even if not played?

It's the top 25 earners, so doubt that would be an issue unless they were injured, in which case they could be deregistered

Escare
Davies
Sarginson
Gildart
Burgess
Williams
S.Tomkins
Flower
Leuluai
FPN
Farrell
Bateman
O'Loughlin

Powell
Clubb
J.Tomkins (As a prop)
R.Sutton (As a backrower)

That'd be mine, apart from swapping Tommy with Powell.

I really like Powell, don't really see the point of having him if he doesn't start, whereas Tommy has more impact from the bench for me.

Hopefully we'll run with one hooker, both Powell and Leuluai can do 80 mins so I don't see the point of wasting two interchanges we could make better use of.