My theory is that wane dropped Sam to give him a rest obviously but more importantly compare Murphy to Russell and see who will replace Sam when he moves into the halves. Of course I'm probably wrong but if Wane thinks we can win pots with lockers in the halves and FAX at 13 then we've got problems. I'm sure they'll have some plan brewing, I think, I hope...

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Elima went in with the elbow when up against Mick Mac hence the slap. He'll be out for two I guess and to rub salt Elima laughed it off. We were very poor, we could quite easily moan about an inept ref, Goulding getting injured by Pryce's professional foul and some very dirty Bradford tatics but at the end of the day we were poor.

Looks like Sam wont be starting tonight, hope he's on the bench though in case it goes mammaries up a la Widnes.

I just feel that losing Tommy and then moving a world class 13 takes a large amount of potency away but we hardly broke sweat last night and still ran in easy tried.

Josh looked much better with kicking, long may it continue.

Bulls in admin, how much longer will Salford last?

Can't make my mind up when it comes to Joe Mellor. He's certainly nothing like the player he was pre-injury but we might be better playing Lockers in the position where he's a world class player and bringing back Joe. You just wanted to see something more from him but then again Widnes must be one of the worst sides to play in SL and a HB is never going to shine in a shte team.

Anyone else hear the rumours Burrows was at Wigan yesterday?

Don't know if it was just me but that all felt very flat and quite hardwork to get enthused. Game was okay I suppose though I think the U20s give a tougher game in the practice games. Anyway Friday might be tougher, that's if the game goes ahead...

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quite possibly seen the last of Tommy. Pointless game has potentially ruined our season.

So what you're saying is that we should move the highest paid player in SL to his natural position? ;-)

The highest paid player in SL happens to be the best FB by a country mile and needs to stay there, and will stay there, Wane asked me if that was okay.

I might have mentioned this before but I good mate of my mate who I go to games with is a scout for Paramatta, he occasionally comes over here and go to watch a few players (we go with him). He is a Wigan fan (and former player) so always trying to get an angle on what we're doing. Anyway, top and bottom is that HB's are getting so rare big money is being paid for their salaried. An AVERAGE HB in the NRL now starts at $350k P/A, top HB's are looking at more than double that. We have to really go for what is available in SL.

Sam's best position is FB, he's the best FB in the league by a ridiculous margin and he loves playing there. Matty Russell is good, maybe great in a few years but he'd be a huge drop after Sam. The more I think about it the more I think Chase will come. Yes, he's a proper Tommy Tanker and I dare dare say he'll get a shock when/if he starts training with Wigan but I do think he's Wane's sort of player. Whatever happens, one eye will be on Hampshire and Williams, if those two keep on progressing at the same rate we'll have the two best HB's in the league.

Changing the team...McNamara, the Steve Kean of RL? Even fat Gary Schofield, the most one-eyed Leeds lovin' Wigan hatin' person in the world is asking how Goulding and Micky Mac haven't made the squad whilst six Leeds players are in there.

Sam is just too good at FB to move him. I'm more convinced than ever that Sam will stay at FB and we'll bring in a 6 & 7. We will not replace like for like BUT look at Warrington, they need to replace Briers and Monaghan sooner rather than later, Saints have struggled to fill the HB positions successfully and as for Leeds, well it's a mess. All clubs have or will have the same problem in getting quality HB's. The only way forward is to recruit from either within or try to snap-up what is out there in SL, the days of importing a top half are over. Matty Smith shows promise and he's young. For me you're then left with two; Brough and Chase. You could say Dobson but I don't think he's as good as he's going to get and that frankly is not that good. looking forward, we have some fantastic young players coming through the academy so I do think we'll be in a better position than most.

Anyway, has Mr Lenegan let us down yet? NO, and I say that knowing full well I've been a critic of certain decisions in the past and have always been proved wrong.

Whilst I don't think Smith is a top class HB I can see what Wane likes in him and I do think he's probably at a similar level to Tommy when he first came, he's also a reasonable hooker so that's a bonus. I think in an ideal world you don't want to move Sam, his attack as the third man in that three axis attack with the HB's is devastating and whilst I think Matty is very good for his age he's a million miles from Sam's ability. However, if quality isn't available then we might be best with Sam at six and adapt the game plan. I suspect Smith will come in at seven and so a reasonable job, six might be filled by Chase. Why Chase? I think he could do two-three years which will give us time to develop our promising young HB's. Don't like him though.

I've changed my mind about the props, I think we need to replace Lima. Sam Moa will do.

Unfortunately at a wedding so a write-off today. Snapped ligaments my mate says, shame, the lad has been immense. Think both Precky and Flower are due back this week. Was told during the week that Finch has verbally agreed a deal in Oz but was still considering a very good Wigan offer. I suppose we should be happy(ier) that he's not going to another SL team or reneging a contract like Madge and Lima. Will be a problem replacing Finch and Tommy.

Just at the moment I'd go as far as saying this is as good as Wigan have been in SL. I'll also really get excited and say that Sam is quite possibly approaching Hanley's level and I never thought I'd see a player of that calibre in a Wigan shirt for a long long time!

I think Lauaki is in 'steady' camp. He's not the penalty machine he was for Hull and runs quite hard. I do think that Mossop and Dudson will be the two best props in SL, so when you've got them two plus Lauaki, Flower, Precky, Crosby, Spencer you've got to think we've got a young, hungry group of forwards, Fielden might just supplement it for another year.

Sam is most natural at FB IMO but I do think he's a better HB than anybody we're going to sign and I'm not sure who we've got in the kids that'll step-up (not seen enough of Powell to comment). Saying all that, our pack is tearing so many holes in defences players like Matty Smith and Danny Brough might look world class! Oh and Matty Smith is a half decent hooker.

Think we'll beat Leeds.

Hopefully Wane will draft a couple in. Defo need to a couple of half backs and a forward to replace Lima. Think we may struggle friday v Leeds with the forward situ but hopefully we will have enough with some young lads. With our backs at the min we score at will!

I don't think we need to replace Lima, as it stands we will have; Mossop, Prescott, Lauaki, Dudson, Flower, Spencer, Burke & Crosby. Possibly Stu will get another year if he can prove his fitness. Biggest problem will be what to do with Matty Russell. He's hot property with three teams I know of wanting him for next season so do we accommodate him or let him go? Move Sam to 6 and put Matty in at 1? There's also a complete lack of quality available for the half back slots. All noises I've heard are that Matty Smith has signed so don't know what will be done with the other position, can't see Soward coming over and the only other OOC player is Brough. Still, in Lenegan we trust.

Leeds will muscle-up on Friday and gave our pack a rough ride but at the moment we look capable of scoring from anywhere in the oppositions 40.

Finch definitely off too Souths I've just been told. No replacement lined-up but four players in talks, three from SL one from NRL so you can say two from four at the moment.

Lots of talk about Gaskell from Saints for next season, not a bad shout.

My favourite win for a long time. Every aspect was top-drawer stuff. I'm sure the beak will take their revenge on a few of our boys but what the hell, we only need 11 men!

Here's one to consider, starting team for first game of next seson

Russell

Charnley

Goulding

Thornley

Richards

Tomkins,S

?????

Prescott

Mcilorum

Mossop

Hansen

Hock

Lockers

Players in bold all academy lads.

Tommy' strength in the halfs is his defence more than anything, it'll be a loss. Brough? nah,not for me.

Now edited NOT to include Finch

Mrs Koi is off on a Hen weekend so no playing out for me on Sunday, not that bothered actually.

I see Lima is off, Madge doesn't really think much off contracts does he?

Hope some serious recruitment is going on behind the scenes. In Lenegan we trust.

Sharks (without Gallen) beat the Storm.

That'll do me for the weekend.

Bit of a nail-biter that one!

How bizarre was that announcement?! Would've been hilarous if they told us to keep it down before the game. Got to love the BBC shed, not sure if they nicked it from aintree or martin mere!

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Haha, we were rubbish but still didn't need to get out of third to see them off. Some classic comments from the Saints fans, they really are bad losers.