Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Sep 04, 2013 11:30 am  

Grimmy wrote:

Goulding's not a superstar but he links with Charnley well and it is good to have players who have been at the club for a long while (That's only Goulding, McIlorum, Hansen and O'Loughlin after this year). I doubt whether there are any players available who are much better anyway.

Collis signed a new contract in June, why weren't Wire, Huddersfield and St Helens chasing his signature if he's so good? It's not like Bridge, Wardle or Turner are better centres than Goulding. Could it be that he stands out in a poor team, whereas Goulding looks average in a great team? I've not seen too much of Wakefield so maybe he is a hidden gem but I'd be loathe to get rid of a long serving player who is doing a solid job for ought less.

Why is it good to have players who have been at the club for a long while? The only players who should be at the club are players who consistantly prove to be outstanding. If they're standards drop, they're out.
So we should only be interested in players who Wire etc are? I don't agree, we spot talent and go for it. Plus, how do we even know what other clubs are upto?

And no, Collis looked good playing origin. And no, Wigan aren't great.

Standards are everything.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Sep 04, 2013 12:42 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

Goulding's not a superstar but he links with Charnley well...

Can't recall many occasions this season (or last for that matter) where he has used pace or footwork to get Charnley away.

He also always seems to come in too far when defending, leaving Charnley no option but to leave the touchline and go with him thus creating easily exploited space for opposition wingers.

A decent, unspectacular player but doubt he'd replace any of the RH centres from any of the teams with us in the top 5.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Sep 04, 2013 1:02 pm  

Last Son of Wigan wrote:

Why is it good to have players who have been at the club for a long while? The only players who should be at the club are players who consistantly prove to be outstanding. If they're standards drop, they're out.

Stability is important. Look at Danny Maguire, Rob Burrow, Kylie Leuluai, Ryan Bailey, Jamie Jones-Buchanan and Carl Ablett at Leeds. They have all played in all 5 of Leeds' recent Grand Final victories, and yet none of them are particularly outstanding, technically better players will have been available in that time in most if not all of their positions, but Leeds kept a settled squad of solid players together with a few stars and it paid dividends, big time.

Last Son of Wigan wrote:

So we should only be interested in players who Wire etc are? I don't agree, we spot talent and go for it. Plus, how do we even know what other clubs are upto?

I'm not saying we shouldn't look at players unless other clubs are in for them, it's just surprising that a player who is apparently clearly of a higher calibre than Darrell Goulding would sign up to Wakefield for three years with little fuss, particularly when there is a lack of quality centres even at the top clubs.

Last Son of Wigan wrote:

And no, Collis looked good playing origin. And no, Wigan aren't great.

Standards are everything

Yes he played one game for City origin (not to be confused with state of origin) 6 years ago, scraping the barrel a bit mentioning that I meant Wigan are great in comparison to Wakefield rather than us being a team of world beaters.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Sep 04, 2013 1:47 pm  

ksm1701 wrote:

Can't recall many occasions this season (or last for that matter) where he has used pace or footwork to get Charnley away.

He also always seems to come in too far when defending, leaving Charnley no option but to leave the touchline and go with him thus creating easily exploited space for opposition wingers.

A decent, unspectacular player but doubt he'd replace any of the RH centres from any of the teams with us in the top 5.

He tends to get the ball to Charnley early, even in difficult situations which is what I rate him for, granted his defence could improve though and he does seldom try to do anything himself

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Sep 04, 2013 2:19 pm  

Ok you seem to want to argue the merits of Goulding, I feel your standards are evidently lower than mine. Disreguard Collis and I still think Goulding isn't good enough.

Stability only works if you've got quality players long term, not 'solid' players. Those sort of players can always be improved upon. Goulding is clearly in that bracket.

It would be interesting to know how old you are or when you started watching Wigan, I don't mean that in an offensive manner, I've just noticed fans who grew up in the Farrell/Radz era have a lower expection and rate players higher than those who grew up watching the likes of Edwards, Greg, Hanley, Bell etc.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Sep 04, 2013 3:06 pm  

Last Son of Wigan wrote:

Ok you seem to want to argue the merits of Goulding, I feel your standards are evidently lower than mine. Disreguard Collis and I still think Goulding isn't good enough.

Stability only works if you've got quality players long term, not 'solid' players. Those sort of players can always be improved upon. Goulding is clearly in that bracket.

It would be interesting to know how old you are or when you started watching Wigan, I don't mean that in an offensive manner, I've just noticed fans who grew up in the Farrell/Radz era have a lower expection and rate players higher than those who grew up watching the likes of Edwards, Greg, Hanley, Bell etc.

I'm not saying Goulding's brilliant, even at his best I've never said he should ply for England (as loads of others did) and I was originally sceptical about him being given the 3 shirt last year. I'm just saying I'm not convinced there are many better options out there, it's only worth getting rid of him if we can bring in someone markedly better. As much as I'd like to, we can't just go out and sign an Iro or a Renouf in the current era. We're limited to failed/over the hill NRL players or players from mid-low table SL clubs, who I tend to think are there for a reason more often than not.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Sep 04, 2013 3:27 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

I'm not saying Goulding's brilliant, even at his best I've never said he should ply for England (as loads of others did) and I was originally sceptical about him being given the 3 shirt last year. I'm just saying I'm not convinced there are many better options out there, it's only worth getting rid of him if we can bring in someone markedly better. As much as I'd like to, we can't just go out and sign an Iro or a Renouf in the current era. We're limited to failed/over the hill NRL players or players from mid-low table SL clubs, who I tend to think are there for a reason more often than not.

Exactly, it's not about how good he is relative to past wigan centres but how good he is compared to the others available now.

Goulding has our third most try assists and I think is solid in defence. Charnley seems to me to have been solid when playing with Goulding and left isolated when not. He also has a really good short kicking game which is great for forcing restarts.

I know its only a couple of people but I really can't believe Goulding can be coming in for criticism. With the constant turnover we've experienced and are continuing to have, to call for Goulding to be replaced is bizarre to me.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Sep 04, 2013 3:51 pm  

In the modern day superleague Goulding is more then adequate. He's solid enough in defence and gets good early ball to Charnley.

He probably wouldn't have been a first choice player for a too end club 5 years back though. That shows the standards of the competition up.

If we were to make a play for a centre you'd think it would be one to play left side but I don't think we will.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Sep 04, 2013 6:51 pm  

Sam now wants to play Rugby Union in 2015. “I am not one of these people who is all about league and says union is rubbish,” said Tomkins, who was at Saracens’ ground at Allianz Park on Wednesday as the new ambassador for Shock Doctor, the sports protection range. “Seeing England play at Twickenham in front of tens of thousands of people, that is what would do it for me. "The international scene in rurgby union would be what I would want to get into at some point if I could.” "How players get looked after in union off the field far outweighs league by 10 times.” The next few weeks will be his last in a Wigan shirt for a long time, I just wish he'd stop selling him self at every opportunity and concentrate on Wigan. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/10286811/Wigan-Warriors-rugby-league-star-Sam-Tomkins-keen-to-switch-codes-in-time-for-2015-World-Cup.html

Sam now wants to play Rugby Union in 2015. “I am not one of these people who is all about league and says union is rubbish,” said Tomkins, who was at Saracens’ ground at Allianz Park on Wednesday as the new ambassador for Shock Doctor, the sports protection range. “Seeing England play at Twickenham in front of tens of thousands of people, that is what would do it for me. "The international scene in rurgby union would be what I would want to get into at some point if I could.” "How players get looked after in union off the field far outweighs league by 10 times.” The next few weeks will be his last in a Wigan shirt for a long time, I just wish he'd stop selling him self at every opportunity and concentrate on Wigan. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/10286811/Wigan-Warriors-rugby-league-star-Sam-Tomkins-keen-to-switch-codes-in-time-for-2015-World-Cup.html

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Sep 04, 2013 7:18 pm  

Sam Tomkins wrote:

I have not made any plans for the next two years

Funny that I'm sure his contract with Wigan was for five years.


(although obviously we are all fully aware that he has signed for NZ Warriors so that five year contract is irrelevant).