Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jun 01, 2021 8:06 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.

Thats ok as long as you don’t criticise the club when theynsign for other clubs whom would allow them tomsign a 2 year deal?

Personally i just hope we continue to produce players good enough to be poached by the nrl. As if we dont we will be even worse than we are now.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jun 01, 2021 9:49 pm  

Sweaty Betty's wrote:

Joseph Leilua for me.

He’s dreadful.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jun 01, 2021 9:53 pm  

George Burgess ringing round NRL clubs wanting a deal. Hip feels great, informal talks with St George

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jun 02, 2021 7:06 am  

NSW wrote:

George Burgess ringing round NRL clubs wanting a deal. Hip feels great, informal talks with St George

To be fair I expected he would. The same surgeon he saw oversaw a South African RU player with the same injury (I forget his name). Within a year he was back playing internationally. We had to let GB go off the huge contract he had but I wonder if the shrewd move would have been to offer him a ‘post operative’ deal on much reduced terms.

I’m not criticising the club here btw, I understand why it wasn’t done at the time

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jun 02, 2021 8:04 am  

It’ll be typical of he ends up in the NRL and finds top gear again. I’d say it’s doubtful he’ll be the same player in truth but a version 50% of him at his best is far better than anything we have.

There must be an awful long way to go in all this though before he signs for anybody.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jun 02, 2021 9:47 am  

Nathan Mason replacing Bullock I’m comfortable with. Similar size, similar role, fringe squad player. It probably shows we are juggling cap space freeing up some money as I’m sure Bullock would be pushing for a raise if he has others interested.

This is only though if we have 2 other proven quality props coming in.

Williams would be fantastic but if we intend on surrounding him with a team of bang average centres and no props we really would be wasting our time and his.

Time will tell, so doing my best not to judge on any of these rumours till the squad is finalised which obviously won’t be for some time yet.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jun 02, 2021 10:14 am  

Manfredi being offered to other clubs.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jun 02, 2021 10:30 am  

Our backs look very poor for next year now.

As it stands we have:

Field - injured for most (all?) of the season
Hardaker - form all over the place
Marshall - coming back from a bad injury
Bibby
Hanley - struggled to make any impact
Halsall - can't get picked even infront of Shorrocks at centre
Hankinson - can't even get recalled from London during an injury crisis
Leuluai? - will be 36/37 so probably retiring
Smith

To go from what we had in 2018 to that is shocking management by the club. I think Farrell and Powell (and Bateman by chance) will be the only ones left from that first team squad which is unbelievable.

No doubt we will make a couple of signings but either way the turnover is staggering.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jun 02, 2021 10:38 am  

MadDogg wrote:

Manfredi being offered to other clubs.

I'll make a call on this one now, letting him go will be a mistake. He's been more than good enough since he returned. There's no real person chomping at the bit to take his spot and there's other areas of the squad that need improving.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jun 02, 2021 11:20 am  

sergeant pepper wrote:

I'll make a call on this one now, letting him go will be a mistake. He's been more than good enough since he returned. There's no real person chomping at the bit to take his spot and there's other areas of the squad that need improving.

Possibly but is it not likely that one of his knees will go again? He’s a massive risk and he seems to have lost a lot of speed.
I think it’s a real shame and without injuries I have no doubt he’d be getting international honours.