Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:12 pm  

WARRIORCRAIG wrote:

I wonder whether we'll rekindle our interest in Larne Patrick for next season and use him in the back row. Players like Kirmond and Whitehead would also be worth a look to add competition to our back row.

Hoffman for another couple of seasons would be a brilliant option, unlikely as you say but he'd definitely be welcomed back with open arms!

Kirmond is not the player he was last year he is carrying too many knocks and I dont think that this season getting pummeled week in week out when not fully fit will only compound the problems long term for him.

I would take Whitehead although I would like experience we have the youth, wouldn't say no to him though another young quality player.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Apr 23, 2014 8:23 pm  

Father Ted wrote:

It's on the other board that Saints are looking at Hampshire and Williams with a view to making them an offer as they are OOC end of the year.
I can imagine any club with money looking at those two as they are the best half back pairing of their age group. We have plenty money too and need to invest in talent such as those two and more besides.
They could play hb for us for over a decade if they were handled right.
We have some incredible talent at that age group and I do hope IL/SW are in negotiations with them and their agent/s.
With Logan now at Salford for the season and able to play cup ties for them then he isn't coming back anytime soon. It looks like the bench backs place will be between Powell and Williams. Hampshire will no doubt get plenty game time against the table's lower end clubs with Bowen playing the bigger games.
These younger guys need signing up now and long term. We shouldn't be allowing our rivals to get anywhere near our best talent.

Isn't Burgess' contract up at the end of the season as well?

There will be some serious sniffing around those three. I'd imagine that their agents will be very busy.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Apr 23, 2014 8:28 pm  

Paul Youane wrote:

Isn't Burgess' contract up at the end of the season as well?

There will be some serious sniffing around those three. I'd imagine that their agents will be very busy.

Nothing to worry about.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Apr 23, 2014 8:42 pm  

Lenagan is a savvy businessman and he won't let the three top juniors in the country walk away for nowt. He'll get them tied down to long term deals and off them all options to move on at some point with the club making tidy sums.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Apr 23, 2014 9:16 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

Lenagan is a savvy businessman and he won't let the three top juniors in the country walk away for nowt. He'll get them tied down to long term deals and off them all options to move on at some point with the club making tidy sums.

He won't get these to sign on the cheap, their agents will have plenty of offers to trade off against what Wigan are offering. They will be on relatively pea-nuts now in the final year of their academy contracts compared to the rest of the first team squad.

I can see Warrington being very interested in Williams as he is just what we need in respect of a half-back who could steer the team around the pitch. They made big plays to sign him and Burgess when they were finishing the scholarship. I think Burgess is too much of a Wigan lad to sign elsewhere but I'm sure he'll get a decent contract for his age (well deserved it would be as well).

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Apr 24, 2014 11:20 am  

won't be a problem considering the new salary cap amendments.

[DaveO]

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Apr 24, 2014 12:06 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

Lenagan is a savvy businessman and he won't let the three top juniors in the country walk away for nowt. He'll get them tied down to long term deals and off them all options to move on at some point with the club making tidy sums.

He will have to be prepared to pay what they are worth now to do that.

He may have a view they are worth £X but if they can get £X+£20K or whatever that is what they are worth and if he wants Wigan to remain a top side he will just have to pay it.

The money should be there with the new regulations so if we lose Williams and Hampshire to Saints when it has always seemed to me to be the plan for them to become 1st team regulars around 2015/16 (given the short contracts the likes of Smith, Green and Bowen signed) IL will have been totally out manouvered. Lets hope he is as savvy as you think.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Apr 24, 2014 1:41 pm  

I've been supportive of what IL is trying to do at Wigan. I've no problem with how he handled Sam's move or other similar BUT if we don't keep the likes of Burgess, Williams and Hampshire I will be less then impressed.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Apr 24, 2014 1:52 pm  

Eastbourne Warrior wrote:

I've been supportive of what IL is trying to do at Wigan. I've no problem with how he handled Sam's move or other similar BUT if we don't keep the likes of Burgess, Williams and Hampshire I will be less then impressed.

I think everyone would agree, but on another thread someone points out that they've both still got two years on their contracts, in which case this whole thing's a bit of a non-starter.

Perhaps we ought to nip this one in the bud before a bit of wishful thinking by the Saints (and some trolling by a Wire) ends up causing arguments and disaffection among Wigan fans.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Apr 24, 2014 3:01 pm  

Cruncher wrote:

I think everyone would agree, but on another thread someone points out that they've both still got two years on their contracts, in which case this whole thing's a bit of a non-starter.

Perhaps we ought to nip this one in the bud before a bit of wishful thinking by the Saints (and some trolling by a Wire) ends up causing arguments and disaffection among Wigan fans.

Good news. Hopefully we'll improve and extend them.