Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Dec 29, 2023 11:28 am  

Field and French both out of contract this year. Will be a challenge to hold on to them both.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Dec 29, 2023 11:40 am  

Tricky Dicky wrote:

Field and French both out of contract this year. Will be a challenge to hold on to them both.

Maybe I’m too optimistic but I think we’ll keep both.


French will be 29 at the start of 2025. Can’t see an NRL club really pushing to bring over a small player at that age, when he can still earn a big salary with us.

Field will be 27, think we’ve established his only position is full back. Can’t see an NRL club picking a 5 foot 10 13 stone full back (they are struggling for half backs but full backs they have loads).

What I can’t predict is they perosnal reasons for wanting to return but think Wigan balance it nicely with allowing them to spend a lot of the Australian summer at home and during the year they have Europe on their doorstep and are making very good money.

French will have played for us for 6 and a bit years. We’ve had the prime of his career and likely his best years.

They both have options on their contracts too so sorting extension, should the players want them, will be easy.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Dec 29, 2023 12:24 pm  

The later in to their careers that they’re here, the greater the chances are we keep them IMO. It’s crazy to think that they’d probably only get offers as squad players in the NRL and in the case of French, he’d probably go from being the starting stand off at a title challenging club in the UK, to becoming a back up winger for a basement club in Oz.

The fact Wigan are letting them stay in Oz for 3 months or so every year is likely to be really helping push the clubs case. Getting extensions announced in the run up to the WCC would be a real boost.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Dec 29, 2023 1:11 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

Only seen bits and bobs of him but he’s looked pretty good. He’s behind a lot of players here and certainly doesn’t seem to be as highly thought of as Hill or Makin. It’s always sad to see a young player go and especially to a rival but it’s not like losing Matty Nicholson. That was losing a guaranteed future international IMO, whereas this is losing a lad who may or may not end up as a first team quality superleague player.

Good luck to him.

If Matty had stayed at Wigan he would have been our loose forward next season.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sun Dec 31, 2023 11:48 am  

Zig wrote:

If Matty had stayed at Wigan he would have been our loose forward next season.

And would have been a downgrade on Smithies if so (imo if course).

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Jan 01, 2024 10:41 pm  

Phuzzy wrote:

And would have been a downgrade on Smithies if so (imo if course).

Anybody is a downgrade on Smithies however, I agree with Nicky that the lad will become an international.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jan 02, 2024 1:10 am  

Zig wrote:

Anybody is a downgrade on Smithies however, I agree with Nicky that the lad will become an international.

I think he'll be a peripheral figure on the international stage at best. I know he still has time to fill out but I don't think he has the size, or alternatively exceptional skill set, to flourish at international level in his position.

As ever, it's just imo of course.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jan 02, 2024 1:28 am  

Phuzzy wrote:

I think he'll be a peripheral figure on the international stage at best. I know he still has time to fill out but I don't think he has the size, or alternatively exceptional skill set, to flourish at international level in his position.

As ever, it's just imo of course.

No problem mate it is always interesting to read somebody else’s view. I suppose we will just have to wait and see.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jan 02, 2024 10:46 pm  

Harvey Wilson gone on loan to Widnes for 2024.

Is he a good prospect?

I remember he looked good in some preseaon games.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jan 03, 2024 4:02 pm  

NSW wrote:

Harvey Wilson gone on loan to Widnes for 2024.

Is he a good prospect?

I remember he looked good in some preseaon games.

Makin season long loan at Barrow too