Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Mar 25, 2021 9:35 pm  

sergeant pepper wrote:

That's a good point. It's almost worthwhile having a squad of very good players, but maybe not ones that the NRL will want (older guys, ones that left the NRL or SL level players).

Look at Saints as a perfect example. They've got a very, very good squad but outside of Thompson, who has obviously left, there's not many players there that will be attracting the eyes of NRL scouts. Compare that with some of the players we've had over the last 5 years - Bateman, Williams, Sutton and now Hastings and they are right in that bracket of players the NRL like to sign. Just like Thompson was.

That's not to say that Saints players aren't good or wouldn't be able to play in the NRL btw. It's just if you were an NRL scout and had to pick between Lomax or Williams, you'll always pick the younger guy.

Found myself thinking along those lines about Gildart. Wanting him to be good but not so good that he leaves.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 26, 2021 6:25 am  

sergeant pepper wrote:

That's a good point. It's almost worthwhile having a squad of very good players, but maybe not ones that the NRL will want (older guys, ones that left the NRL or SL level players).

Look at Saints as a perfect example. They've got a very, very good squad but outside of Thompson, who has obviously left, there's not many players there that will be attracting the eyes of NRL scouts. Compare that with some of the players we've had over the last 5 years - Bateman, Williams, Sutton and now Hastings and they are right in that bracket of players the NRL like to sign. Just like Thompson was.

That's not to say that Saints players aren't good or wouldn't be able to play in the NRL btw. It's just if you were an NRL scout and had to pick between Lomax or Williams, you'll always pick the younger guy.

you'd pick the better guy, maybe they did enquire about Lomax but also they might have known about Wigans NRL policy so its easy pickings

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 26, 2021 7:13 am  

Grimmy wrote:

Found myself thinking along those lines about Gildart. Wanting him to be good but not so good that he leaves.

I personally don’t think Gildart is anywhere near NRL standard and is very lightweight compared to the majority of centres in the NRL.

His injury record isn’t good at all.

I don’t feel like he has improved much the last couple of years. Feels like he’s plateaued a bit. Not sure whether it’s the injuries, constantly changing wingers or he’s just reached his level.

Good player, better than average but not NRL quality nor someone on track for being remembered as a great centre. That being said, who are the good centres in super league at the moment ?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 26, 2021 7:27 am  

Hastings has tweeted “ Don’t believe everything you read.” so hopefully that’s put to bed.........for now.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:01 am  

Pieman wrote:

you'd pick the better guy, maybe they did enquire about Lomax but also they might have known about Wigans NRL policy so its easy pickings

Depends what you class as the better guy. There's the better player today and then there's looking at age, potential and injury record.

As another example, Naiqama is probably better than Gildart (subjective I know), but I doubt many NRL side would pick him over Gildart.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:13 am  

sergeant pepper wrote:

Depends what you class as the better guy. There's the better player today and then there's looking at age, potential and injury record.

As another example, Naiqama is probably better than Gildart (subjective I know), but I doubt many NRL side would pick him over Gildart.

really? you think they would pick an unproven guy over a proven guy if the wages were the same? why are teams after french and hastings instead of smith and hanley?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:19 am  

Gildart is comfortably good enough for the NRL. I’m stumped why people think it’s full of superhuman freaks because it isn’t. Yes there are more players at elite level then there are over here but there are plenty of averages ones as well and Gildart is a good player. It may be that one of the lower sides would pick him up but he’d get in plenty of teams.

On a side note I noticed Bevan French post on Instagram a picture of himself on a plane to the UK, so that’s good news.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:22 am  

Pieman wrote:

really? you think they would pick an unproven guy over a proven guy if the wages were the same? why are teams after french and hastings instead of smith and hanley?

Of course. Are you just saying they look at how they are performing today and sign them up?

There's a world of difference between Gildart Vs Naiqama and Smith Vs Hastings too. If I'm an NRL side looking for a centre and it's between the first two then I'm picking Gildart. More upside, younger player that's not going to potentially retire in 2/3 years.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:26 am  

sergeant pepper wrote:

Of course. Are you just saying they look at how they are performing today and sign them up?

There's a world of difference between Gildart Vs Naiqama and Smith Vs Hastings too. If I'm an NRL side looking for a centre and it's between the first two then I'm picking Gildart. More upside, younger player that's not going to potentially retire in 2/3 years.

but he might want to go home after 1, how else are you going to look at them how they will perform in 3 years?? They might have retired with injury gone off form etc, you can only look at past and present regarding form

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:27 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

Gildart is comfortably good enough for the NRL. I’m stumped why people think it’s full of superhuman freaks because it isn’t. Yes there are more players at elite level then there are over here but there are plenty of averages ones as well and Gildart is a good player. It may be that one of the lower sides would pick him up but he’d get in plenty of teams.

On a side note I noticed Bevan French post on Instagram a picture of himself on a plane to the UK, so that’s good news.

I think he just needs a consistent, injury free season.

He's the best centre Wigan have produced in 20 years, but is his body up to it? It's not dissimilar to Lomax, who had plenty of potential but suffered with injuries around the same time.