SO this is what we pretty much know or what has been rumoured so far:

Outgoings

Bevan French - Will he stay, rumoured to have turned down a new deal to go back to the NRL

Budgy - departing to Salford

Hastings - Not confirmed he will be staying, rumoured to be going to NRL or RU

Tommy - Will he retire or go around again

Flower - Signed for Toronto if they still exist

Jack wells - Signed for Salford

Lockers - Retiring

Jake Shorrocks - Released.

Gildart - Will he go to the NRL?


Confirmed / Rumoured incomings

Bateman - Signed.

Jai Field - Rumored to have signed - Not confirmed

Joey Lussick - Previously linked but nothing confirmed



Big money available on the cap


Definitely need another winger and a back up Half / hooker plus French and Hastings to stay

I'd be very happy to retain one of French/Gildart/Hastings for next year. Fully epect all three to go down under.

It's obvious. Recruit Junior Paulo and Josh Papalii, and all out problems are solved.

You are Sergeant Pepper and I claim my £5

He's not, but I like his thinking.

Possibly inline with the Field signing, I'd love us to scout around the fringes of the NRL.

The NRL loan system this season has thrown up a couple of gems and showcased the depth outside of the starting 17. Guys like Hetherington & Grant have been great - I'm sure there's plenty others we could go for too.

I expect these to stay:
Leuluai - for some reason the coaching staff still don't want to give Smith too much gametime
Gildart - expect him to sign a 2 year deal with the 2nd year an option in his favour

We will also have Navarette presumably leaving.

With the reserves being postponed until 2022 (I think?) I predict we will go with a very lean squad with the tail-end made up of a lot of youngsters.

Is Benji Marshall still rumoured or gone quiet?

If Jai Field is to replace Hastings and we lose French, god knows who will play FB?

I really hope we sign Lussick, he looks to give 110% in every game.

I think Field will replace French at 1.

I expect Hastings to go also with him also being replaced with a signing more than likely from the NRL.

Lussick would be an interesting one and if we brought him in then Powell could play the Tommy role as hooker/half.

If some people get their wish (I would 100% take him but doubt it will happen) and we end up with Watson replacing Lam then that may perhaps persuade Hastings to stay and equally someone like Lussick to sign. I'm a fan of Sam Powell though so not sure where that leaves him.

We are desperate for a centre if Gildart leaves, and a quality one at that.
We also need a bully of a frontrower in the Liam Watts mould unless Burgess and Clark find some form/fitness.
Back row I think we're good.
Think we will sign a winger unless we choose to go with Bibby.

I expect the following to leave-

French, J Burgess, Hastings, Jake Shorrocks, Lockers, Flower, Wells, Rushton.

And incomings either confirmed or as close to-

Bateman, Field.

That leaves us needing a halfback and a winger IMO. I’d say another prop but I think Singleton is in to replace Flower and they won’t bring another prop in now until Clubb is off the books and once George Burgess follows. In an ideal world George Burgess gets fit and comes good and then we’re sorted. If Tommy plays on, I see no need for Lussick for 2021 but if he retires than he’d be a good addition.

Funny one with wingers, because we won't need a starter once Marshall is back. Maybe a loan opportunity? I'm not convinced by Hanley or Halsall.

I said the other day it wouldn’t be an absolute priority if there’s no money available. It would be nice to get one in but if we have to go with Bibby starting and Hanley/Halsall backing up then so be it. There is that much depth in the NRL though that I’m sure they could find one who wouldn’t be looking for a fortune. The guy at the Roosters (Ikavalu) who jumped in front of Ryan Hall in the pecking order after scoring 5 try’s is off contract for example. He’s only ever been back up in his career by the looks of things and whilst I’m not necessarily saying to sign him, it shows what depth there is when a guy can come in and score 5 try’s and play well enough to keep Ryan Hall out the side. Ryan Hall himself is available and as much as his best days are behind him, if he was cheap enough, I’d be happy to offer him a short term deal.

Bibby just isnt upto it

I think it's more the position the player would be in that would be the sticking point. You need someone willing to play for a reserve winger salary who is willing to sign for us knowing we already have Manfredi and Marshall. That's got to be either a youngster trying to prove himself or someone with baggage IMO. I'm not familiar with the player you mentioned but is he going to fly round the world for SL reserve winger wages knowing he's got two very good wingers ahead of him? That's why I'm thinking a loanee knowing he'll be first choice for months.

might be in front of Dom as he looks like hes lost bags of pace

Hanley has got pace and is pretty good under the high ball usually. I would not be surprised to see him given a run on the wing.

Very good but we're already paying Manfredi whatever a first choice winger earns, so a new player still comes in on reserve winger's salary and still has to get in ahead of two established starters. It's not like Manfredi is a crocked liability out there who any old winger would just know he would leapfrog.

A winger is a must for next season with Burgess going, Manfredi slowing down after a bad injury and not forgetting Marshall has to overcome his injury too - wouldn’t be a good idea going into next year with just Marshall and Manfredi as recognised wingers

Any winger who comes in has about 6 months of playing time to impress by the looks of things. If I were a 4th/5th choice winger at an NRL club then I’d certainly take that punt and then back myself to impress and try and hold the position. One thing any proposed signing could take in to consideration is the injury record of Manfredi and even Marshall himself. He’s had a few knee problems even before this major setback. If you can go from 4th/5th choice at an NRL club on similar money to what you could get for being a starting winger here for 6 months and 3rd choice at worst after that, I think it’s a no brainer really.

Is Lussick actually a rumour? Or just mentioned as he’s leaving Salford?

Yeah true. It's annoying how it works out isn't it? Imagine if Tom Davies was a bit younger and was just coming through now.

Hugely annoying to find ourselves in this position now just 12 months after having four good options. That was clearly too many but even then, they were never all fit at the same time and I think ideally you want three to choose from but for those three to have good injury records. We’ll need to be careful at the start of next year that we don’t have a real lack of pace in the backs. To lose French and Burgess takes two of our three quickest players out of the squad and the other (Marshall) is injured. If we’ve signed Field that adds some back in but you’ve not got much else in that department between Manfredi, Hardaker, Hankinson, Bibby etc and even more so if Gildart goes.

There was a piece from Furner at the raiders suggesting Harry Rushton might not be going to Australia after all due to Covid restrictions on travel.

If there is no reserve league and the game in general does not return to normal next season and with the number of players leaving the Under 18 academies because of being too old, I think you will find that there will be more players than usual leaving not only Wigan, but also all other clubs.

Bargain buys galore for the clubs outside the Super League providing of course, they survive financially.