Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jun 01, 2021 12:43 pm  

Pemps wrote:

I assume we'll also be losing Clarke and Clubb, along with Bullock.

You’d have to think so. I’d be happy with Mason, a powerful forward from the NRL and Burgess back on a sensible deal (that reflects the risks). That’s three but I’m being greedy and it reflects the fact that we need depth. The club may feel they need to sacrifice any deal for Williams but so be it if we can sort the pack out.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jun 01, 2021 1:43 pm  

moto748 wrote:

Kata was an improved version of Hurrell, so I wasn't surprised NZW swapped them. Is he still in Union?

If anyone in the squad can hold their head up after this unimpressive start, it's surely Bibby, who deserves a bit of credit in the bank for his efforts thus far this year. And push come to shove, we have youngsters that can slotted into the centres from time to time, such as KPP, Halsall. But as we have seen, we can't keep relying on kids up front as we have been doing, without beefing up the squad by bringing in at least one new prop.

Joseph Leilua for me.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jun 01, 2021 1:49 pm  

Sweaty Betty's wrote:

Joseph Leilua for me.

hes a right sided centre we need a left

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jun 01, 2021 4:12 pm  

Pieman wrote:

hes a right sided centre we need a left

In my view we need two.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jun 01, 2021 4:25 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

You’d have to think so. I’d be happy with Mason, a powerful forward from the NRL and Burgess back on a sensible deal (that reflects the risks). That’s three but I’m being greedy and it reflects the fact that we need depth. The club may feel they need to sacrifice any deal for Williams but so be it if we can sort the pack out.

We do need to leave spots for the lads we have coming through IMO. If we limit their opportunities too much then all this experience we have given them will end up being another team's gain. I'd say something like

8. Signing
10. Singleton
13. Partington

14. Signing (Mason?)
15. Havard/Byrne

19. Byrne/Havard
20. A project signing

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:06 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

We do need to leave spots for the lads we have coming through IMO. If we limit their opportunities too much then all this experience we have given them will end up being another team's gain. I'd say something like

8. Signing
10. Singleton
13. Partington

14. Signing (Mason?)
15. Havard/Byrne

19. Byrne/Havard
20. A project signing

We do need to be careful not to halt their progress but we also need to get away from over burdening them. I think we’re doing that at the minute because there is so little experienced quality around them in the middle. I look at Byrne and he’s still developing and I’d prefer that we were dipping him in and out of the side. Havard is having a bit of a second season time of it but again, we shouldn’t be as reliant as we are at the minute on him. Even Partington, whilst older than those two is being asked to bang out game after game after game and he’s a young player himself. Unless you are an exceptional talent, it’s unusual to be a prop/middle forward, playing big minutes each week at 20-22 years of age and it’s even more unusual to have 3 of them in the same side.

It’s the lack of faith in Bullock and Clark that really hurts us and then the lack of output from Big Tony when he does play. Those three plus the exit of Burgess has left us decimated really. Those first few three are cracking young players but I feel so sorry for them most weeks. They’re on a hiding to nothing at times.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:28 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

We do need to be careful not to halt their progress but we also need to get away from over burdening them. I think we’re doing that at the minute because there is so little experienced quality around them in the middle. I look at Byrne and he’s still developing and I’d prefer that we were dipping him in and out of the side. Havard is having a bit of a second season time of it but again, we shouldn’t be as reliant as we are at the minute on him. Even Partington, whilst older than those two is being asked to bang out game after game after game and he’s a young player himself. Unless you are an exceptional talent, it’s unusual to be a prop/middle forward, playing big minutes each week at 20-22 years of age and it’s even more unusual to have 3 of them in the same side.

It’s the lack of faith in Bullock and Clark that really hurts us and then the lack of output from Big Tony when he does play. Those three plus the exit of Burgess has left us decimated really. Those first few three are cracking young players but I feel so sorry for them most weeks. They’re on a hiding to nothing at times.

For me, our most disappointing prop has been Singleton and by some considerable margin too.

I didn't expect anything of Clarke. Bullock has never really done it consistently and as for Clubb... the less said the better.

Wigan need Singleton to step up. He's the senior prop, but I'm not sure what he's offering? We talk about needing senior recruits, but this guy has 200+ 1st team games and has played for two of the biggest clubs in the country.

We don't need him to set the tone defensively. Isa and Bateman can do that. We need hard yards.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:39 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

We do need to leave spots for the lads we have coming through IMO. If we limit their opportunities too much then all this experience we have given them will end up being another team's gain. I'd say something like

8. Signing
10. Singleton
13. Partington

14. Signing (Mason?)
15. Havard/Byrne

19. Byrne/Havard
20. A project signing

Problem is players like Havard are going to leave after 2-3 years. Easy for Ethan to leave of course as we were willing for him to commit to only 2 years.

You could make the argument that Wigan may be better off releasing young players who aren't willing to commit long term. Fine if they leave at 25 (not ideal of course) but if its clear they'll they go at 21 it might not be worth keeping them to start with. Maybe it should be 4-5 year deal or nothing.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:56 pm  

MadDogg wrote:

Problem is players like Havard are going to leave after 2-3 years. Easy for Ethan to leave of course as we were willing for him to commit to only 2 years.

You could make the argument that Wigan may be better off releasing young players who aren't willing to commit long term. Fine if they leave at 25 (not ideal of course) but if its clear they'll they go at 21 it might not be worth keeping them to start with. Maybe it should be 4-5 year deal or nothing.

They can easily sign those long contracts and manoeuvre their way out early. I think we just need to accept losing players as a necessary evil and still plan as though players will want to stay, otherwise you end up with the ones the NRL won't want in the first place. I'd rather keep temporarily having better quality players.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jun 01, 2021 7:18 pm  

sergeant pepper wrote:

For me, our most disappointing prop has been Singleton and by some considerable margin too.

I didn't expect anything of Clarke. Bullock has never really done it consistently and as for Clubb... the less said the better.

Wigan need Singleton to step up. He's the senior prop, but I'm not sure what he's offering? We talk about needing senior recruits, but this guy has 200+ 1st team games and has played for two of the biggest clubs in the country.

We don't need him to set the tone defensively. Isa and Bateman can do that. We need hard yards.

It isn’t his game though and never has been. He can’t perform a role he just isn’t capable of doing (or hasn’t shown he can in his career to date). You personally may have said the same thing you’re saying now during those games he played at the end of last season but plenty were singing his praises but are now bagging him, yet he’s performing much to the same level. He is statistically pretty much of a muchness and even won us a game with a couple of try’s last week. I’m not saying he couldn’t do more but he’s a decent player performing to a decent level IMO. He won’t knock out World class performances because he’s not world class. He shouldn’t be a first choice prop at a club like Wigan IMO but it’s what we’ve left ourselves with. He should be seen as your 3rd/4th choice ideally.