Wigan Warriors fans give their verdict on the club's recruitment and retention for 2024 so far

Stephen Ford

At the moment I am probably in the minority with my views with the current position on recruitment and retention for the 2024 season.

For the last two seasons, since Peet’s appointment, I believe that the current squad is significantly lacking experienced players who have won silverware and the overall the squad is unbalanced.

The new recruits so far on the whole do not address my two concerns on the squad.

On a positive note the new recruits have lots of potential and if they are successful then there is a good chance of keeping a relatively settled squad that is hopefully maturing into a winning squad.

Keighran at face value is a straight replacement for King with the added plus that he can also play halfback plus he can cover goal kicking if/when Smith is not available.

A good sensible acquisition.

Walters is definitely one for the future.

Prior to him signing I didn’t know much about him but since his announcement I have watched him more intently and he does some to have great potential.

I am not sure if he will play in the second or Prop but wherever he plays (I am assuming he will replace KPP) he could be a future international.

I think that Walters will be a good signing.

The Leeming signing is for me a bit of a puzzle.

I believe he left both Huddersfield and Leeds under a cloud and can’t get a regular 17 in the NRL.

At the moment O’Neill is developing quite nicely at hooker and I rate young Forber as an outstanding prospect for the hooking role.

Add Powell into the mix and unless there is a departure still to be announced (Powell?) we could start the 2024 season with four hookers in a squad of say 36 players which is totally disproportionate.

Chan for me and suspect the very majority of Wigan fans, is a total unknown.

Very limited appearances for Catalan and for a prop not particularly big.

He does come from “good stock” and could be absolutely anything.

Hopefully the coaching team can develop him and he could be another one for the future.

The Dupree signing came as a bit of a surprise as I thought that Salford were no longer looking to cash in on him but I was happy that he could sign for the current season albeit I hope that we haven’t paid the alleged £175k to acquire his services.

I see him as a direct replacement for Singleton and as such a potential significant improvement.

We have certainly acquired some very good potential but so far I am a little disappointed in that we haven’t acquired at least one, preferably two, proven experienced players.

Hopefully, cap space permitting, at least one more signing is to be announced.

Ellis getting a contract extension was good news and the more he plays the more he develops into an integral part of the squad.

Other players are still (publicly) awaiting news if they are to get contract extensions.

I suspect that Cust will depart at the end of the season together with Thornley.

Cust ultimately was disappointing at halfback and we have young guys coming through that will mean Thornley becomes surplus to requirements.

Not sure if Hampshire was signed on a two-year deal but if it was only a one year deal I am quite sure, injuries permitting, that he will be offered a contract extension.

Mago is a bit of an enigma.

Lots of potential but overall lack of fitness, poor defensive effort and lack of enthusiasm for me would mean an exit at the end of the season and hopefully recruit another prop to replace him.

I am assuming that Powell will not be retained which I understand re the signing of Leeming however, he has lots of experience and for me we have too little of this at the moment so his departure, unless we have further signings to be announced could be an overall negative.

The question of a contract extension for Isa I suspect will depend upon the extent of his latest injury.

Isa has been a good, albeit limited servant, and personally I hope that he gets another season to help the young squad in 2024.

It wouldn’t surprise me if further acquisitions are announced and I am certain more departures will be announced.

I am just hoping that there are no “surprise” departures such as Smithies to the NRL.

Interesting times.

Darren Wrudd

With a particularly undesirable reason for a weekend off this week it has given time to take stock of where we are, how we look and the future prospects of this great club.

Looking at this year, we have obviously just the one trophy left to hunt for and of course the League Leaders shield would be nice too.

Barring injury, we should be in a good position to challenge on both fronts and the long term planning of recruitment and dare I say, retirement, is beginning to bear fruit as we sit currently in second place on the league ladder.

It is really good news that players like O’Neill, Ellis and Miski are seeing this club as a career option and extending their deals as players of this quality are a boon to keep in the side. Add to that the immediate signing of Tyler Dupree at considerable cost, shows that we have serious intent for the year and are looking to bring more glory back to the club.

I have been quite surprised this year as signings for the following seasons are usually kept under wraps until the end of the current campaign and as early as June announcements came from the club for signings Kruise Leeming, Tiaki Chan and more recently Adam Keighran were joining our squad from 2024.

That is three high quality players, a prop, a centre and a utility back.

Two of them can kick a goal too.

Leeming I have always thought of in high esteem, an energetic leader and tough as they come.

Keighran is a direct replacement for Toby King who will sadly return to Warrington, his parent club.

Chan I think has a bit to prove yet. His dad was a fierce old bull of a prop with little grace but much in the way of biff and yet Tiaki is a much more modern shape of a player, so will hopefully bring the toughness but not the all out bulk of his pop.

Of course we will say goodbye to Toby King and have already lost Brad Singleton in the Dupree deal, and I suspect there will be a couple more players who have not quite reached their best Wigan form who will be let go to make room for the new blood.

Add to the list of course that we have some of the best academy players with five selected for the England squad. I particularly like Kian McDermott and Taylor Kerr, but if Jack Farrimond gets some game time he could be something special.

All in all we have a rather good squad backed up by a fantastic coaching team and at the head a leader in Radlinski who just breathes Wigan Rugby.

Most clubs if they were honest would be envious of what we have and how we consistently compete, with the way the squad is shaping up it seems that is only getting better year on year.

If we can persuade Mr Danson to work on the summer fixtures next year and do away with all this precious giving the grass a rest rubbish, get back to home/away fixture lists, we could have a bumper ticket year on top of a great squad to watch compete.

It’s pretty good being a Wigan Warriors fan isn’t it.

Glynn Bradshaw

I think the recruitment and retention for next year has pleased a lot of Wigan fans, with hopefully one more to come, as is rumoured.

I was a little bit surprised to hear about Leeming as I know how highly rated O’Neill is at the club, but hopefully he will give us an added threat running from dummy half.

Walters is a great signing, with his size, mobility and a decent offload.

Don’t know too much about Chan or Keighran for that matter although the latter’s ability to play stand off and the fact that he can kick goals is an added bonus.

Dupree as well looks an excellent addition, and all the signings look to have their best years in front of them.

The players we have retained are impressive too, the likes of Havard, O’Neill and Miski too have earned the right to extensions.

It will be sad to see some players move on, but we have to do what is best for the club going forward.

It will be interesting to see what happens to Cooper, Isa and Powell.

Personally I would still like to see us sign a top class stand- off, but don’t think this will happen.

Without getting carried away we can look forward with optimism to 2024, and with good luck with injuries, we can hopefully challenge on all fronts.

David Bailey

As the Warriors take a fully deserved but desperately unwanted rest, we can take a look at how 2024 is shaping up, in what will be our first year under Mike Danson's ownership.

To be totally honest, it's looking pretty good already.

Wigan have been far and away the busiest side in terms of recruitment, fine tuning the squad further with a series of impressive additions.

First up was the curveball of Kruise Leeming, the fact that not one journalist reported it ahead of time shows how quickly and efficiently the deal was done.

After all he was meant to be off to Catalans.

He will be a perfect foil and mentor for Brad O'Neill and at 27, his best days are surely still ahead.

Next up was the widely expected signing of Sam Walters from Leeds.

It was second time lucky for the Warriors after missing out on him when he departed Widnes.

A towering forward who can play in the middles or back row, a rough diamond that surely will get polished down at Robin Park.

I am hugely excited by this one.

Then came two signings, both from Catalans (the Dragons must be miffed with the Warriors recruitment after stealing Leeming too).

Tiaki Chan who seems an aggressive stocky young forward and definitely in the mould of a Shaun Wane type project player.

Adam Keighran, who I am led to believe rebuffed two contract offers from the Dragons after an impressive debut season, will slot into the centres nicely with Toby King returning to a very different Warrington Wolves under Sam Burgess.

Keighran is versatile and can kick too, which may alleviate some pressure off Harry Smith.

The latest recruit was obviously Tyler Dupree who has really hit the ground running.

WIth Brad Singleton going the other way, I believe it's an upgrade due to Tyler’s youth and also his impressive attacking skills.

In terms of retention, Matt Peet will be working with Kris Radlinski.

I am sure to piece the puzzle together to ensure pathway players are rewarded, the salary cap is maintained, and the balance of the squad as well as it can be.

Kaide Elllis has resigned for three years and i believe will be a pivotal forward next year with some young front rowers around him.

Cade Cust is injured again and that could spell the end of his time at the Warriors with Bevan French maintaining his hold at stand off and the hooking options looking pretty stacked.

Patrick Mago appears to be playing for a contract (why couldn't he have shown this effort the past two years) and I am unsure if Wigan will trigger his extension.

They may do if Cust departs and frees up the quota spot required.

Willie Isa and Sam Powell are both in the twilight of their careers and are a tremendous influence for the younger players.

I can't see Powell playing anywhere else, so I guess it's how his shoulder holds up and how he will be utilised as Peet surely has to run with Leeming and O'Neill interchanging at hooker next season.

I still think there may be a surprise incoming with rumours abound about a stand off but I am not sure that will happen.

Either way, as it stands Wigan's 2024 squad looks very impressive and the recruitment has been envied across the board by Saints, Leeds and Wire fans.

To coin a cheesy phrase: The future's bright, it's cherry and white.