NickyKiss wrote:
Yeah, the risk is pretty big due to a few factors. The injury record isn't great, there have been concussion problems, does he see this move as a step down from the NRL? (Our record isn't great in terms of getting lads back from the NRL) and is there a motivation (beyond money) to play for the great rivals of the club he came through at and supported as a lad? The talent is unquestionable but there is a lot to consider. As pointed out though, if it's good enough for Peet and co, he'll get my full support and if we get the best Luke Thompson, we'll be getting a cracking player.
I'm not especially bothered about the last bit. If he still has the hunger for the sport, then I'm sure he'll be just as motivated to do well in a Wigan jersey as anyone else's.
Agree with the rest though. I'm probably more uneasy than I am excited, which says a lot when you think of how good he is/was. You'd like to think that with Burgess in everyone's recent memory, that the club would have really done their due diligence with his fitness before committing to such a long and presumably lucrative contract, but then again there's only so much of that you can do.
One big difference between now and then is that there's no pressure on Thompson to carry the rest of our pack. Burgess had to compensate for a group of young forwards who were all enthusiasm and promise without power, and for Clubb and Flower who were past their best. This time our pack is coming into its own with or without Thompson, and so it's not a total disaster if he isn't back to his best. On the flip side, if he is somewhere near his best, that would probably enough to make our pack the best in the country.
