Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Feb 24, 2014 10:28 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

Taylor should stay at Wigan until he's a regular international and then go. He would make a lot more money that way and will have great experience under his belt.

From our point of view though if Leeds can keep Hall, Watkins as well as tempting Briscoe to sign then we should be able to keep more player then we are doing.

But we're not. Plan and simple. Why stay at Wigan when you could play in front of bigger crowds in Union or the NRL, develop more of a profile and take home much more money?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Feb 25, 2014 7:56 am  

Last Son of Wigan wrote:

But we're not. Plan and simple. Why stay at Wigan when you could play in front of bigger crowds in Union or the NRL, develop more of a profile and take home much more money?

I agree but what's baffling me is why are players staying at Leeds? What are they doing? I always use Leeds as an example because they have two or three lads I'm sure NRL clubs would want whereas there's not too many at other clubs in truth bar Roby at Saints and some up and coming young players at a few clubs.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Feb 25, 2014 8:59 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

I agree but what's baffling me is why are players staying at Leeds? What are they doing? I always use Leeds as an example because they have two or three lads I'm sure NRL clubs would want whereas there's not too many at other clubs in truth bar Roby at Saints and some up and coming young players at a few clubs.

A Leeds supporter of my acquaintance responded to this question with "they just love it at Leeds". Which I didn't buy for one second.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Feb 25, 2014 9:06 am  

Maybe Hetherington makes them sign a contract and honour it and tells then if they want to play elsewhere don't sign for longer and don't expect us to roll over when the NRL comes knocking.

We in rugby are a bit soft like that, now granted he's not a player in the upper echelons but Cooper was allowed to go to St George because we didn't want to stand in the way of his short career, would football do that? would they stuff do that.

I imagine Gary just says to the NRL "you want X player? Ok that will be either X amount of pounds or his contract ends on this date come back then".

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Feb 25, 2014 11:34 am  

Exactly what Liverpool did with Suarez. He was desperate for a move over the summer. All of the usual stuff was trotted out about keeping an unsettled player etc. They stuck to their guns. And have been rewarded.

Previously I argued that IL was doing what is best for Wigan. But I can't help thinking that Wigan should have done the same as Liverpool did, and insisted that Sam honour his contract - as no doubt Hetherington does at Leeds.

And I think it is really that simple.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Feb 25, 2014 12:13 pm  

Aboveusonlypie wrote:

Exactly what Liverpool did with Suarez. He was desperate for a move over the summer. All of the usual stuff was trotted out about keeping an unsettled player etc. They stuck to their guns. And have been rewarded.

Previously I argued that IL was doing what is best for Wigan. But I can't help thinking that Wigan should have done the same as Liverpool did, and insisted that Sam honour his contract - as no doubt Hetherington does at Leeds.

And I think it is really that simple.

I agree. We need to draw a line in the sand on this now.

It's becoming obvious that our gentlemanly approach to players and their agents is being exploited.

If Sam's departure wasn't enough, we've heard unsubstantiated rumours that both Charnley and Taylor were looking to use the WCC to showcase their talents to the NRL, and while they could hardly have impressed anyone of note, that in itself annoys me - this apparent "we are here, please come and buy us" attitude.

It frustrates the Wigan fans and weakens the Wigan brand.

Some kind of message needs to go out from IL that requests to break contracts early will not be regarded favourably from this point on. It may even be worth having a player sulking on the bench all season, because that might get the message through to some of the others that Wigan Warriors are not just here for their bloody convenience.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Feb 25, 2014 12:46 pm  

Cruncher wrote:

I agree. We need to draw a line in the sand on this now.

It's becoming obvious that our gentlemanly approach to players and their agents is being exploited.

If Sam's departure wasn't enough, we've heard unsubstantiated rumours that both Charnley and Taylor were looking to use the WCC to showcase their talents to the NRL, and while they could hardly have impressed anyone of note, that in itself annoys me - this apparent "we are here, please come and buy us" attitude.

It frustrates the Wigan fans and weakens the Wigan brand.

Some kind of message needs to go out from IL that requests to break contracts early will not be regarded favourably from this point on. It may even be worth having a player sulking on the bench all season, because that might get the message through to some of the others that Wigan Warriors are not just here for their bloody convenience.

Spot on.

Taylor has only been with us for one season and hasn't even been capped yet.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Feb 25, 2014 1:23 pm  

Wire Yed wrote:

Maybe Hetherington makes them sign a contract and honour it and tells then if they want to play elsewhere don't sign for longer and don't expect us to roll over when the NRL comes knocking.

".

Is exactly what I'm thinking they do and it's exactly what we should be doing but we won't because we then won't receive a transfer fee.

The issue I have is the lack of honesty on our part. We come out with all this spin about the players wanting a challenge, that they will come back to Wigan if they come back to British rugby league and so on. IMO the cold hard facts are we've sold them to make a profit to keep the club ticking over financially.

I have no issue with that but just admit it! Tomkins has already said his next move will be Union and Mossop has said he's at Parra for the long haul (not the 2 years that Lenagan made out).

Be honest and admit it's our business plan to make profits. That has made us a selling club which people don't think Wigan should be but as long as we re-invest and have success everyone will appreciate the honesty.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Feb 25, 2014 2:12 pm  

Leeds don't lose their players as we do but are they in demand?

Hardaker, has been trouble, NRL clubs wouldn't want to know.
Briscoe, was rumoured to Cronullla before they imploded.
Watkins, Ball in hand brilliant, defensively very poor.
Moon, in SL because he couldn't get an NRL shirt.
Hall, has stayed and would be in demand. Fits the theory about Leeds.
Sinfield and McGuire,most NRL clubs have better halves than them.
As for the forwards, Burgess went but was it his outstanding calibre as a player or other reasons? Peacock, could perhaps have stayed when he went over. I can't see any of the rest being in demand in the NRL.

Wigan players may well be in demand but that game last Saturday won't have started a queue.
IL now needs experienced players more than he needs transfer fees. If the WCC showed us anything it is that we need a couple of very big, mobile, experienced, rugby league forwards. Where we might get them from I'm not too sure but we need to start looking.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Feb 25, 2014 2:19 pm  

Father Ted wrote:

Leeds don't lose their players as we do but are they in demand?

Hardaker, has been trouble, NRL clubs wouldn't want to know.
Briscoe, was rumoured to Cronullla before they imploded.
Watkins, Ball in hand brilliant, defensively very poor.
Moon, in SL because he couldn't get an NRL shirt.
Hall, has stayed and would be in demand. Fits the theory about Leeds.
Sinfield and McGuire,most NRL clubs have better halves than them.
As for the forwards, Burgess went but was it his outstanding calibre as a player or other reasons? Peacock, could perhaps have stayed when he went over. I can't see any of the rest being in demand in the NRL.

Wigan players may well be in demand but that game last Saturday won't have started a queue.
IL now needs experienced players more than he needs transfer fees. If the WCC showed us anything it is that we need a couple of very big, mobile, experienced, rugby league forwards. Where we might get them from I'm not too sure but we need to start looking.

Disagree with your assessment of Watkins. Defensively he often occupies the second row spot. The thing is, Leeds are keeping Watkins and Hall and they must have had offers. Not sure what you mean about Peacock, are you confusing him with Morley?