Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Sep 08, 2023 9:21 am  

Hi all…FC in peace..we are looking for a halfback to replace Clifford and Cust is available…I know he played well upto his injury…what are your thoughts p

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Sep 08, 2023 10:21 am  

The games afoot wrote:

Hi all…FC in peace..we are looking for a halfback to replace Clifford and Cust is available…I know he played well upto his injury…what are your thoughts p

Strongly linked with Leeds.

I think whoever gets him if they can get his confidence back will have a good player.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Sep 08, 2023 10:47 am  

Was informed from a good source within the club a few months ago that we was after Farrell. The way they talked was as if it was already done. I have kept my eyes on his contract situation since. On a lot of the Union sites it's reported he's been offered new bigger contracts several times the last one only this week and well over his previous one of 750k. I don't know if it's because of the information I had but I sort of linked the two things together, this is a 31year old who's probably at the back end career wise, but being offered the biggest money at this point.... are we the reason? I'm still not convinced it will happen and how I feel about it. 5 years ago yes with time and youth on his side now?
It would be a headliner and RL needs that but as to it actually happening or how successful it would be jury is very much out.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Sep 08, 2023 11:00 am  

Would certainly resolve the goal kicking issues

Would be a big statement for the club and the game. How well he would go would be in his hands. He looks like he could cope physically.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Sep 08, 2023 11:38 am  

Zig wrote:

I don’t think there is any doubt that Mike Danson will make money available for the right player.

The SC makes it more difficult to just think that huge amounts of money can be spent to improve the squad. What I’ve heard is that Danson wants to improve our very successful youth set up into the best academy in any sport. Add to that a couple of first class players from the nrl then we could be on a fantastic ride for the next ten years or so.
I’m sure the football team will also develop their youth set up and initially pick up ideas and philosophies from the rugby.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Sep 08, 2023 11:50 am  

I wish I could buy into the excitement around Owen Farrell.

Three or four years ago maybe, but he's really got to be well past his best by now, and yet the asking price seems to be going up and up (I'm aware that this is all speculation, but a few posters are talking as if they know stuff for certain).

Any price in the world of RL is likely to be a drop in the ocean to Mike Danson, but are we sure someone - i.e. Farrell himself - isn't taking the mickey here?

What could he could bring us that a top NRL talent, who'll probably be younger and better attuned to high-level RL, couldn't?

It would be be fun to wee on RU's bonfire, but that isn't much of a gain in the long-term.

I know that Origin-standard players almost never come to the UK while they're actually playing Origin, but there are lots of excellent players who aren't or don't qualify who I'm sure would be interested if we're talking the kind of money that Farrell apparently wants.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Sep 08, 2023 12:11 pm  

[quote="Cruncher"]I wish I could buy into the excitement around Owen Farrell.

Three or four years ago maybe, but he's really got to be well past his best by now, and yet the asking price seems to be going up and up (I'm aware that this is all speculation, but a few posters are talking as if they know stuff for certain).

Any price in the world of RL is likely to be a drop in the ocean to Mike Danson, but are we sure someone - i.e. Farrell himself - isn't taking the mickey here?

What could he could bring us that a top NRL talent, who'll probably be younger and better attuned to high-level RL, couldn't?

It would be be fun to wee on RU's bonfire, but that isn't much of a gain in the long-term.

I know that Origin-standard players almost never come to the UK while they're actually playing Origin, but there are lots of excellent players who aren't or don't qualify who I'm sure would be interested if we're talking the kind of money that Farrell apparently wants.[/quote]


I guess the signing of Owen Farrell would be more about it being a statement of the strength of the club and the sport. If the highly paid current captain of a Tier One nation can be signed by a Super League club at at time when he has just led his country in the World Cup then it hopefully lays down a marker for more players to consider jumping ship from RU to RL. His "signing" whatever your feelings about where he fits in or how good he is, would make much more of a splash than lesser lights at the end of their career (Andy Powell, Luther Burrell etc.) Rugby Union has been living precariously for some time and a Super League / NRL contract may look like an attractive alternative in an era when clubs like Wasps are going out of business. I realise I am talking about a very small number of Super League clubs here though

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Sep 08, 2023 12:13 pm  

It was reported that he's set to become the highest paid player in Union's history with a £1M contract. If that's true, then I don't see how (or why) RL would compete. As others have said, maybe a few years ago but at 31, and with at least a season to properly acclimatise back to what is essentially a different sport, I can't see the value on the playing front. Is he really that good? Better than French for example? I don't see it myself. Would have made a good goal kicking loose like his Dad a few years ago but nowhere near Andy's class (at least in League terms) imo.

The only real benefit I can see is to RL in general, rather than to the Wigan club in particular and, for that reason, it would be "no" from me unless the terms of his contract are a lot less than being touted in the Union press.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Sep 08, 2023 12:32 pm  

I think it would be an achievement for Farrell to come across and hold his own in rugby league imo, let alone be a good player or even one of the better players. If he’s being offered close to £1m a year in Union he would be stupid to accept much less in League imo, so I don’t see under any situation he would provide value for money. Yes he would be a statement signing for the wider press but I would rather us sign a top NRL star on a Marquee contract than Farrell, even with the wage dispensation.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Sep 08, 2023 12:43 pm  

If Danson wants to pay Farrell a huge amount of money, he can afford to, so it`s up to him.

The 1st year it won`t have any impact on Wigan`s Salary Cap at all, the 2nd year half of Farrell`s wage would count, so maybe the additional Marquee rule would need to be used?

The impact it would make on the business model for Wigan would be a massive positive, together with all the attention from the media.

Gone are the days when the super star NRL players were prepared to play Super League (Even at Farrell`s age).

Maybe we can resume the trend of signing the star RU players instead.

Farrell`s signing would definitely raise the profile of Rugby League in the British Press, which it currently needs.