2018 Team : Sat Oct 21, 2017 9:18 am  

1. Escare
2. Davies
3. Gelling
4. Gildart
5. Budgie
6. Williams
7. Tomkins
8. Flower
9. Micky mac
10. Clubby
11. Faz
12. Batty
13. Lockers

Subs 4 From:

T
Joel
Tommy
Powell
Isa
Sutton
Hamlin

Squad Players

Manfredi ??? Subject to Injury
Wells
Marshall
Higginson
Shorrocks
Field
Ganson

If that team can stay fit for most of the year, on paper its definitely good enough to Challenge for honors next year.

We have the attacking ability as long as we play open and entertaining rugby and not the dull as dishwater dross that we have served up for the past 2 years. Thoughts:

Re: 2018 Team : Sat Oct 21, 2017 10:56 am  

I think for a few of them it's about getting fit rather than staying fit. Burgess, Joel, Sutton and Sam need a big winter of fitness training as opposed to boozing. Bateman was flogged at the back end of the season although still performing well. Just hope the tour down under doesn't set him back even more. Faz, Clubb, Mickey were showing signs of weariness too. Escare, Manfredi, Shorrocks and Flower is anyones guess how they come back and we flogged Lockers to death. We need more depth, IF we can stay fit then yes it's a decent enough side BUT.... that isn't going to happen. We should have shipped out Joel, Flower, Mickey, Sam P and possibly at a push Gelling and brought in new blood. Same mistakes are going to be made and nothing much will change for me i'm afraid.

Re: 2018 Team : Sat Oct 21, 2017 12:01 pm  

We desperately need a big Prop or 2.

Re: 2018 Team : Sat Oct 21, 2017 12:23 pm  

Sam will be FB - can't see Wane moving him sadly, Tommy at 7 so same old I'm afraid. Still too lightweight in the pack and limited from dummy half.

If this is the case we may make the top 4 BUT I expect Saint, Warrington, Cas, Hull and maybe Leeds (I think McGuire and Burrow will be big misses for them) all being serious threats. Other teams are improving - I wonder where we are because I do not see any improvement from last season.

Re: 2018 Team : Sat Oct 21, 2017 1:49 pm  

By the looks of things, 2018 will be a re-run of 2017.

To do what you always did, and expecting different results is a sign of madness.

Re: 2018 Team : Sat Oct 21, 2017 1:51 pm  

I'm afraid I'm inclined to agree with the doomsayers on this one.

The lesson of 2017 seemed to be that the Wigan playing/coaching structure is thoroughly broken. We weren't just a good team struggling for form. We were a rank poor team, who didn't seem to realise just how far behind the pace-setters we had actually fallen.

At the end of it all, the only way forward that I could see involved big changes to both playing and coaching personnel.

That hasn't happened yet. However, I didn't expect it to happen overnight for all the reasons others have mentioned. I can only hope that longer-term measures are now being taken, and that releasing a few of our lesser performers will only be the start of it.

Re: 2018 Team : Sat Oct 21, 2017 2:17 pm  

FFS can we PLEASE just get someone who can kick the blasted egg in a straight line

Re: 2018 Team : Sat Oct 21, 2017 2:50 pm  

I saw enough last season (albeit rarely) to agree with the O/P. The team of 2017 had far better rugby in them than came out. I'd say Saints away in the middle 8s was superb but as I said, rugby like that was rare.

The injury crisis ripped all the early season confidence out and we never recovered from it, yet still only missed top 4 by a whisker. We need to rebuild but it can't happen overnight but I'm confident that we'll be better next year and with a bit more luck, we'll hit some form and build some confidence.

Re: 2018 Team : Sat Oct 21, 2017 10:02 pm  

Looking at the Squad listed and the coach we have makes me feel like i do when i look out the window at storm Brian today...

Re: 2018 Team : Sat Oct 21, 2017 10:27 pm  

Unless some big signings in the prop department are made and a decent half its going to be more of the same, i think we as fans have kidded ourselves into thinking the squad is chock full of quality its not and its gossamer thin when the injuries come a calling as we found out to our costs fans last season.