Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Oct 19, 2020 9:19 am  

Ruddy Duck wrote:

This season, 19 players in the Under 18 Academy and 42 players in the Scholarship have never played a game for the club which is very sad for the young players concerned.

It has now been announced that 17 new young players have been signed for next season's Scholarship with only two from Wigan St Judes and none from Wigan St Patricks, Ince Rose Bridge, Orrell St James, Shevington Sharks etc which make me ask the question, are youngsters in Wigan no longer interested in playing the game like in the past.

Over many years, Wigan St Patricks has been renowned for for being a conveyor line for producing players for Wigan Warriors, so why is that no longer the case.

Is it a indication of how the game in Wigan has no longer got the pulling power that it had during the days of Central Park?

If that now the case with fewer young players coming from the local amateur clubs, no games being played during the pandemic situation at the DW Stadium and no games being played at Wigan in next years World Cup Competition, we all should be very concerned about the future of the game in Wigan and not have the blazy and arrogant attitude that Rugby League in the town is still bigger than Football, especially with so many non rugby newcomers now living in the Wigan area.

In my opinion, all went pear shaped when we moved from Central Park, which may have been out of date, but had at least it had some character and atmosphere unlike the DW Stadium which is too big for the attendances now and has no atmosphere as a result of being a all seater Stadium.

The average attendance at the DW over the last twenty years is higher than at Central Park over the last twenty there.

Even the last five years attendances at the DW which has seen a fall are better than the last five at Central Park.

How many of Saints and Warrington scholarship signings for next year have come from their respective towns, same for Leeds?

It's been a difficult year to judge young players, with no games.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Oct 19, 2020 9:32 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

French back to Parra to play fullback with Gutherson going to centre is the rumour from the Aussie press this morning.

They would be stupid to move Gutherson from Fullback, he is at the centre of everything they do well, he would be absolutely wasted at centre.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Oct 19, 2020 9:40 am  

Tricky Dicky wrote:

Matty peat is fine on the defensive side., its the attack that needs a full sorting out. Not been the same since deacon left and winder took over

I would take Iestyn Harris back in a heartbeat too. Our attacking play when he was assistant coach was the best we've played in SL.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Oct 19, 2020 9:50 am  

Ruddy Duck wrote:

This season, 19 players in the Under 18 Academy and 42 players in the Scholarship have never played a game for the club which is very sad for the young players concerned.

It has now been announced that 17 new young players have been signed for next season's Scholarship with only two from Wigan St Judes and none from Wigan St Patricks, Ince Rose Bridge, Orrell St James, Shevington Sharks etc which make me ask the question, are youngsters in Wigan no longer interested in playing the game like in the past.

Over many years, Wigan St Patricks has been renowned for for being a conveyor line for producing players for Wigan Warriors, so why is that no longer the case.

Is it a indication of how the game in Wigan has no longer got the pulling power that it had during the days of Central Park?

If that now the case with fewer young players coming from the local amateur clubs, no games being played during the pandemic situation at the DW Stadium and no games being played at Wigan in next years World Cup Competition, we all should be very concerned about the future of the game in Wigan and not have the blazy and arrogant attitude that Rugby League in the town is still bigger than Football, especially with so many non rugby newcomers now living in the Wigan area.

In my opinion, all went pear shaped when we moved from Central Park, which may have been out of date, but had at least it had some character and atmosphere unlike the DW Stadium which is too big for the attendances now and has no atmosphere as a result of being a all seater Stadium.

Wigan is definitely still a very strong area for youth and junior rugby. I've just counted up nine of the 29 sides at that age group are from clubs in Wigan and Leigh, plus two more in there from Chorley and Leyland who are obviously nearer to us than any other SL club. When I played it used to be that you only really got picked up if you played for Pats or Judes, or had a good game against them when a scout was watching. That killed the team I played for as the best players left for those clubs and the rest were left struggling to put out a bare 13 in a division they were no longer competitive in, before folding. Hopefully that has changed now if we are casting our net wider.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Oct 19, 2020 9:53 am  

homme vaste wrote:

They would be stupid to move Gutherson from Fullback, he is at the centre of everything they do well, he would be absolutely wasted at centre.

Absolute quality player isn’t he. All seemed a bit of guesswork in the report and I’d say they’d be as likely to play French on the wing and move Ferguson in to centre as they would be to move Gutherson. It all centred around them probably having to replace Jennings after his issues.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Oct 19, 2020 10:12 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

French back to Parra to play fullback with Gutherson going to centre is the rumour from the Aussie press this morning.

Yeah apparently he's homesick,Widdop is supposed to be going home at the end of the season,his family have already gone home and left him on his Todd

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Oct 19, 2020 10:20 am  

warrior1872 wrote:

Yeah apparently he's homesick,Widdop is supposed to be going home at the end of the season,his family have already gone home and left him on his Todd

French has been quality for us and is still putting in the performances so fair play to him. Widdop on the other hand has been a huge let down for Wire. It can’t be easy if his family isn’t happy and 2020 is a funny old year so everyone will get cut some slack. You win some and lose some I suppose. Covid May have played a part in French wanting to head home but by the same token it may have benefited us in getting Bateman back.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Oct 19, 2020 11:19 am  

warrior1872 wrote:

Yeah apparently he's homesick,Widdop is supposed to be going home at the end of the season,his family have already gone home and left him on his Todd

There is FAR MORE than just Homesickness in French's decision making
We have to accept that he has had a difficult time personal wise over the last 4/5 months, and yet conducted himself ultra professionally and his effort and performances have maintained to a high standard.
If he does decide to go, then he will go with my best wishes as he has treated Wigan very well in the circumstances and it's not always easy to have to make these decisions

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Oct 19, 2020 11:55 am  

French is definitely going home. From what I got told from a first team player,he isnt settled and there was uncertainty on whether he was going to come back after lockdown but as other posters have said, he’s due a lot of credit. Too many Overseas players decide they’re going home and lose interest whereas French has still been one of our best players in every game.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Oct 19, 2020 1:30 pm  

Jukesays wrote:

There is FAR MORE than just Homesickness in French's decision making
We have to accept that he has had a difficult time personal wise over the last 4/5 months, and yet conducted himself ultra professionally and his effort and performances have maintained to a high standard.
If he does decide to go, then he will go with my best wishes as he has treated Wigan very well in the circumstances and it's not always easy to have to make these decisions

Yes, to all of that.