Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Apr 21, 2021 8:00 am  

It would be nice to think there’s an unsolvable issue between Watts and Radford but it’s been a couple of years and times a great healer. You would think if there was still an issue between the pair, that the Cas management would’ve addressed it with Radford prior to offering him the job. He’s an important part of the Cas team and I’d be surprised if Radford in automatically means they’ll be shifting Watts on. It’s certainly worth having the conversation with them but I’m not holding my breath.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Apr 21, 2021 8:09 am  

jonh wrote:

Radford to Cas looks a done deal.

Wonder how that’s sits with Liam Watts?

Also I wouldn’t be shocked to see Price go mid season now with Powell replacing him and Radford coming in from the wilderness so I’d hope Rads would at least pick up the phone.

The other rumour doing the rounds is that we’re in for Trueman.

It makes Watts leaving unlikely IMO. Powell is leaving but Cas aren’t going to want to hamstring the next guy by having a fire sale.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Apr 21, 2021 8:42 am  

100% Warrior wrote:

The other rumour doing the rounds is that we’re in for Trueman.

It makes Watts leaving unlikely IMO. Powell is leaving but Cas aren’t going to want to hamstring the next guy by having a fire sale.

That Trueman rumour seemed a total 2+2=5 job to me. The day Hastings is announced as leaving it was just one line saying Wigan are interested in him. I think Wire will throw 300-400 grand at Cas and they’ll take it and then that leaves further exits they can avoid unlikely as you say.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Apr 21, 2021 9:42 am  

The Whiffy Kipper wrote:

Bibby and Isa are doing a great job at wing and centre, If it continues then why change it, Just keep Hardaker at fullback and sign a big quality centre from down under, Preferably a goal kicker, Then we ignore the ramblings of Grimmy and pair up Field and Smith and then bring in three quality props to replace GB, TC and hopefully MC

My god, I'm saying sign someone and you're saying use what we have got. The world has turned upside down!

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Apr 21, 2021 10:15 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

It would be nice to think there’s an unsolvable issue between Watts and Radford but it’s been a couple of years and times a great healer. You would think if there was still an issue between the pair, that the Cas management would’ve addressed it with Radford prior to offering him the job. He’s an important part of the Cas team and I’d be surprised if Radford in automatically means they’ll be shifting Watts on. It’s certainly worth having the conversation with them but I’m not holding my breath.

Yep agree with all that.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Apr 21, 2021 3:58 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

That Trueman rumour seemed a total 2+2=5 job to me. The day Hastings is announced as leaving it was just one line saying Wigan are interested in him. I think Wire will throw 300-400 grand at Cas and they’ll take it and then that leaves further exits they can avoid unlikely as you say.

And me. Just seems like one of them that’s decided round a newspaper table in the morning. I can’t see it but if he did sign him and Smith would be some partnership. Wire will do what Wire do and throw silly money at players rather than develop their own. Without changing the topic it’s another reason why they’ll struggle to win a title.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Apr 21, 2021 4:38 pm  

100% Warrior wrote:

And me. Just seems like one of them that’s decided round a newspaper table in the morning. I can’t see it but if he did sign him and Smith would be some partnership. Wire will do what Wire do and throw silly money at players rather than develop their own. Without changing the topic it’s another reason why they’ll struggle to win a title.

Slightly disagree with that one.

For me Truman is the type of signing that Wire do very well i.e players from SL who go onto have very good careers for them. Over the last decade they've had guys like Ratchford, Hill, Clarke, Hughes, Lineham etc who I'd all class as good buys. What really let's Wire down are the Aussie imports - Austin, Goodwin, Widdop, Sandow, Roberts, Waterhouse, Simms etc all had big reps & probably bigger salaries but didn't deliver like the already established SL players did.

They do need to produce more talent, but I'd argue they're on par (if not slightly ahead of us) at snapping up SL based talent.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:01 am  

sergeant pepper wrote:

Slightly disagree with that one.

For me Truman is the type of signing that Wire do very well i.e players from SL who go onto have very good careers for them. Over the last decade they've had guys like Ratchford, Hill, Clarke, Hughes, Lineham etc who I'd all class as good buys. What really let's Wire down are the Aussie imports - Austin, Goodwin, Widdop, Sandow, Roberts, Waterhouse, Simms etc all had big reps & probably bigger salaries but didn't deliver like the already established SL players did.

They do need to produce more talent, but I'd argue they're on par (if not slightly ahead of us) at snapping up SL based talent.

Fair point re SL signings. The point about throwing silly money at players still stands though (I don’t think you were trying to bring it down). I know we’ve had a our fair share of in hindsight bad investments but we’ve always had our academy to fall back on. That plus effective coaching and putting in the right staff and practices in the player pathway are a huge reason why generally we’ll always be there or there abouts most seasons

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Apr 22, 2021 9:36 pm  

If there is any truth in the Trueman rumours, it certainly wouldn’t be based on his performances against us. It was another game where we’ve handled him without any fuss. It’s not to say he’s not shown the odd flash against other teams but I wouldn’t be getting in to a bidding war (well unless it was done to drive up the salary costs for Wire).

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Apr 22, 2021 10:27 pm  

With my England hat on I'd say it would be great to have two young British halfbacks at a top club, but with my Wigan hat on I'd be partnering Smith with an experienced aussie. A lot of the old antipodean halves do seem to come over and be able to play well (unlike the forwards), they are just that far ahead of us in that position that even one who is past it can still be one of our best. That's where I'd be putting the marquee allowance next year. Get someone experienced in who we can expect to hit the ground running.