: Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:24 pm
Tony Smith must obviously believe that he can bring out the best in Richie Mathers and that a change of clubs might be the start of it. If Mathers was to go , that would spell the end of Reardon and suggest that the club are trying to get rid of the trouble makers sooner rather than later - including Gleeson.
Darrell Goulding has a lot of promise about him and started the season off very well when he was given the number three shirt. His form dropped off a bit and he failed to play consistently at the "top level" week in week out and since then Noble has been a bit harsh on Goulding and I don't think the lad knows where he stands. One minute he is in the next minute he is out. You're never going to see a lad develop in a situation like that. I would have liked him to have seen out his contract at Wigan - even had that been a years loan deal at a super league like Saints have done with Ste Tyrer or at least given the chance a run of games to form a sufficient and more accurate opinion about his potential. Bailey has been inconsistent at centre this season yet is still named in the team every week. Can we honestly say the same has been applied to Goulding? It could work two ways if this rumour is true. Warrington could unearth a gem in Darrell Goulding or he could become another Martin Aspinwall type player.
Martin Gleeson should we sign him will in the short term benefit the side. We certainly lack creative flair in our side and he would add this. Apart from Feka Hock and maybe Carmont we are very limited in our attack, as was evident against Huddersfield and Martin Gleeson can give us another option in attack and in theory with his creativity bring out the best in Roberts and allow Bailey to go back to his better position at second row and we can finally have a proper centre for the rest of the season. At 28 he would be at a reasonable age but soon after you expect his form to drop as he gets older. He might not do but it would be a risk to hand him a big contract. 2 years MAX would be my option.
Short term it would certainly benefit the squad but in the long term it is a risk to let Darrell Goulding and to see how Martin Gleeson turns out at Wigan.