Early Predictions for 2014 : Tue Nov 12, 2013 3:54 pm  

How does everyone think we will do next season looking at the in's and out's of the squad? Personally I feel if Bowen turns out as good as we are expecting him to be I think we will challenge once again for all 3 available trophies. The club has developed a winning mentality since the arrival of Micheal Maguire and I dont for one second believe we will become complacent after doing the double. Our strength in depth is ridiculously good, we have a mixture of some of the best young talent in this country and vast experience, plenty players in the Wigan squad now have won Grand Finals and Challenge Cup's and know what it takes throughout the season to be winners. We have built something similar to what Leeds built when they had a run of winning Grand Finals. I think squad rotation is key, once again and wouldn't expect us to finish top. Most of the 25 man squad will get more than enough game time next season with us rotating most positions depending on the opposition. As I posted a few weeks ago, I feel we have 2 very strong first teams we can put out next season, every postion is covered at least once. The only position of concern at the moment for me is left wing, as good as Burgess and Manfredi look, im not sure they will be ready to play week in, week out, just yet. Id have like us to sign a specialist winger for 12 months and drip feed them both in throughout the season, unfortunately the chances are that there is nobody available anyway. Im confident in our coaching staff and the squad we have to go all the way again. Nobody has really strengthened THAT much from this season, id expect a challenge from Saints and Leeds with Wire maybe having a difficult season as they go through a "transition" period with the loss of Briers, Carvell and Morley.

Re: Early Predictions for 2014 : Tue Nov 12, 2013 4:01 pm  

I think we will struggle at the business end if the WCC is in Australia. Melbourne struggled last season and blamed it on getting ready for the WCC and flying halfway around the world and I think we may well go the same way

Re: Early Predictions for 2014 : Tue Nov 12, 2013 4:08 pm  

bazdev wrote:

I think we will struggle at the business end if the WCC is in Australia. Melbourne struggled last season and blamed it on getting ready for the WCC and flying halfway around the world and I think we may well go the same way

Business end as in Play offs? I dont see how a game in Australia at the start of the season is going to effect us in October. As I said, squad rotation is key again next season. We'll be fresh come play off time.

Re: Early Predictions for 2014 : Tue Nov 12, 2013 4:17 pm  

bazdev wrote:

I think we will struggle at the business end if the WCC is in Australia. Melbourne struggled last season and blamed it on getting ready for the WCC and flying halfway around the world and I think we may well go the same way

If it is down-under & we have a couple of games in hand as a result, so long as we don't waste the advantage as we did last time, then I'm quietly confident.

Re: Early Predictions for 2014 : Tue Nov 12, 2013 4:28 pm  

I'm sure this will come back to bite me and I've never predicted us to win a trophy before but I do think we could do the double again. There's so much competition for places, a real quality pack, halves who have now proven themselves and I reckon Burgess, Hampshire and Tierney could surprise a lot of their doubters.


Oh aye, nearly forgot, Bowen and Charnley aren't bad either

Re: Early Predictions for 2014 : Tue Nov 12, 2013 4:30 pm  

We'll struggle. Won't replace Sam and the halves are poor.

Re: Early Predictions for 2014 : Tue Nov 12, 2013 4:32 pm  

Conroy wrote:

We'll struggle. Won't replace Sam and the halves are poor.

"we'll win nowt with that Green and the other reject from Saints"

Re: Early Predictions for 2014 : Tue Nov 12, 2013 5:09 pm  

How we do will depend on the quality of the opposition.

Saints will be stronger next season. They have Walsh and Masoe as well as a stronger back line now that Wellens, Gardner and Melli are no longer first choice.

Salford will be a force with an excellent (for Super League) half back pairing and a coach who knows how to progress a team to the playoffs

Leeds will be weaker with nothing adding to the pack who are overly reliant on Peacock. Sinfield/Burrow/McGuire are one year nearer being finished

Warrington will miss Briers who since Tony Smith came in has been a revelation for them. Their pack will be weaker too.

Huddersfield were either a flash in the pan or are building up to something big. I think they rely on Brough too much. i don't think they will be as strong next year.

Catalans could be the surprise package if they get lucky with injuries etc.

I think the double double is on the cards for Wigan. With saints as the nearest challengers.

Re: Early Predictions for 2014 : Tue Nov 12, 2013 8:28 pm  

I think me like a lot of others will think twice before writing us off this season after thinking we had no chance of winning a trophy last year. The side proved me wrong then and who's to say they won't do that again?! We've got a very solid first 17 and a lot of depth and even more importantly we've got an awful lot of players who can and will improve as they gain experience.

If you asked me hand on heart to say we will win a trophy I probably couldn't but don't rule us out. One thing is for sure, it's going to be fun watching us! The thing that excites me the most is watching the young lads continue to improve. Guys like Burgess, Hampshire and Williams really are terrific. They can be anything they want to be and this could be their big break through years.

Re: Early Predictions for 2014 : Tue Nov 12, 2013 8:29 pm  

I think we can expect a strong showing from the usual doom mongers. They will be playing to their full potential all season, strong in attack, and brushing away the opposition like the typical "Flat-Track bullies" they were last season. Hopefully, they we be seen to be fading away at the business end, like last season....