: Tue Jul 21, 2009 7:26 pm  

Nobody knows the full facts about this rumoured signing. it may only be for a season until we have the fielden money to play with.

It also may not even happen now we have Hocks wages available for 2 seasons so we now can look at better quality.

But i also believe the packs stronger with Griffin in than O'Carroll at this moment in time. A years loan would do him no harm and he would come back a better player. I REALLY RATE O'CARROLL BTW. but with fielden being 15% the player he was we cant play both O'Carroll and prescott just yet.

Fielden
Feka
rumoured import
Prescott
Griffin

Is IMO stronger than this season

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 7:32 pm  

If we signed 2 props for next year and kept Coley Fielden would only be my 6th choice prop tbh and he'd have to play very well to get a place in the 17 when everyone is fit.

The thing is with Fielden once that motivation is there to earn a new deal or a deal with another club i expect to see a totally different player.

He could be like a new signing in himself.

rl : Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:00 pm  

If Griffin and a top class NRL prop are coming to Wigan then the pack could well be sorted after a number of years being underpowered.
Last week there was a rumour put on here that a brother of a current player may be signing. Chris Bailey was the most touted with Leon Pryce a very distant second and last.

If the club could announce the signings soon and say that's all that we are bringing in, we could put the "signings for next year" to bed and concentrate on this year.
That could help the team and the club!

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:01 pm  

MadDogg wrote: I believe he is - clearly not of the standard of the three you put forward but by 'best' I was referring to the top 7 or 8.


James Graham
Jamie Peacock
Adrian Morley
Tony Puletua
Sam Burgess
Andy Lynch
Jason Ryles
Jerome Guissett
David Ferriol
Gareth Carvell
Mick Vella

He doesn't come close.

I see what you're saying, but as far as English players go, there are only 5 on that list (Carvell being Welsh). Morley is 32, Peacock is 32 later this year and Andy Lynch is 30.

As a club we need to be looking at the best English players that are available and with Griffin having just turned 28 he should be entering his prime as a forward should the experts be believed.

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:15 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

If we signed 2 props for next year and kept Coley Fielden would only be my 6th choice prop tbh and he'd have to play very well to get a place in the 17 when everyone is fit.

The thing is with Fielden once that motivation is there to earn a new deal or a deal with another club i expect to see a totally different player.

He could be like a new signing in himself.

If we sign 2 props and keep Coley, Bailey is going and Coley is moving to the 2nd row to help replace Hock.

[Wigan6/Leeds1 Andy]

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:42 pm  

thepriestman85 wrote:

I've think you've missed the point here.

No one is saying they want Griffin as our main prop signing but IF we sign a top Aussie prop AND Griffin it will be a good piece of Business as Griffin will only be playing as our 4th choice prop.

As far as I can see in the league there are very few fourth choice props who are better than him imo (Bailey at Leeds is gash as is Hargreaves etc).

I’d liken his signing to that of Fozzard at Saints as no one ever rated him but he’s a tough no nonsense guy who will rattle some feathers which is what we desperately need.

But then some fans will never be happy and think we can sign superstars in every position.

I'm not missing the point at all. Griffin offers nothing different to what we've already got that has underachieved over the last few years. We gain nothing so what's the point? We need to move forward and we won't do that with Griffin. We can't sign superstars in every position but we need to add better than what we've got. THAT'S THE POINT.

[Wigan6/Leeds1 Andy]

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:50 pm  

jonh wrote:

He is big and aggressive, a pack containing Coley, Feka, Griffin, our potential NRL recruit would finally have some size yard making capability in it.

Griffin stats show he doesn't make the yards of the key forwards we already have and his marker defence makes Feka look like a workaholic

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 9:03 pm  

cadoo wrote:

Not top quality at all and certainly no better than Coley. Will bring nothing more than what Prescott, O'carroll and Coley does for us.

Waste of cap space and waste of time. A signing that would take us backwards.

Please let's not try and talk him up.

add to that he is cocky and arrogant as well as an average player and theres a pretty good picture of the guy

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:29 pm  

lothlorian wrote:

he is cocky and arrogant

What does that have to do with anything, out of interest?

: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:31 pm  

AJ wrote:

What does that have to do with anything, out of interest?

i personally think that's what we're missing in our pack to be honest. We've no-one who's going to get in the faces of the opposition, Peacock does it, Morley can do it for wire etc etc