Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Sun Jun 03, 2012 10:24 am  

I was thinking more like a Sculthorpe type loose forward. He played more like a third pivot to great effect.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Sun Jun 03, 2012 10:35 am  

I would like gaskell and smith at wigan next year

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Sun Jun 03, 2012 11:29 am  

Tricky Dicky wrote:

I would like gaskell and smith at wigan next year

I wouldn't, particularly, but looking at who's available, we might have to settle for them or players of a similar standard.

Personally, I'd like Inglis, Cronk & Thurston...

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Sun Jun 03, 2012 1:14 pm  

St pete wrote:

Then you'd waste the most naturally gifted British stand off skills at #6. I can't speak highly enough of lee Gaskell and I'm totally shocked he's not getting picked!

I could understand mike rush turning to the senior players as we'd become to dependant on makinson, foster, Gaskell and lomax and it wasn't doing them any good but now we've got a little stability he should be back in.

Lee Gaskell is just what Saints need at the moment. Him and Makinson are the two youngsters I really do rate. Foster is vastly over rated by the Sky Team and so is Jonny Lomax to an extent. I have seen very little from Gary Wheeler to suggest he's anything particularly special either. Another lad who has been talked up so much by Saints fans over the past two years but has been an absolute turnstyle in defence & not done very much in attack. Francis Meli has provided more problems for us at centre than Wheeler.

Re: Matty Smith or Lee Gaskell? : Sun Jun 03, 2012 3:04 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

Smith is already a done deal. I can't see Saints releasing Gaskell, although I would like him at Wigan.

has it been made official?

Re: Matty Smith or Lee Gaskell? : Sun Jun 03, 2012 9:11 pm  

wigan pie man wrote:

has it been made official?

If Rogues says it, that's official enough for me. Bandit country mafia and all that

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Sun Jun 03, 2012 9:13 pm  

Mentioned on SL Full Time that we are just finishing negotiations with Smith at Salford. I think we can expect him to be our 7 next year.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Mon Jun 04, 2012 9:43 am  

WARRIORCRAIG wrote:

I'd be so underwhelmed if our HBs next year are Smith and Gaskell. One of them alongside someone of proven quality, yes, but not both.

I would agree 100% with this, but would be glad to be proved wrong. Bad enough Tommy going but if we can't hold on to Finch as well, to me that's the heart of the present side gone, and would take time to get the new heart beating as strong...that's saying that it ever could? but you never know..

Rock 'n' Roll.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Mon Jun 04, 2012 10:10 am  

http://www.wigantoday.net/sport/wigan-warriors/smith-will-join-wigan-1-4614234 MATTY Smith is set to be confirmed as Wigan Warriors’ first signing for next season. The Salford half-back has agreed a deal with the Warriors and an official announcement could be made within days, the Evening Post understands. It emerged last week that Shaun Wane had targeted the 24-year-old as a replacement for Thomas Leuluai, who is heading back to the NRL with New Zealand Warriors. And it is understood that Smith has agreed a two or three-year deal after rejecting offers from Salford, Widnes and former club St Helens. Though Wane would not be drawn on speculation, he gave an insight into the type of scrum-half he was chasing during an interview last week. “I’m one to think outside the box,” he said, revealing his preference for a “project” rather than a marquee recruit from Down Under. And Smith would appear to fit the bill, having shown glimpses of his ability at Salford this season after previous stints with Widnes and Crusaders when he struggled for opportunities at Saints behind Sean Long. Reports elsewhere linking Wigan with St Helens’ out of favour Lee Gaskell were wide of the mark. Wane is still hoping to persuade stand-off Brett Finch to stay at the club despite strong interest from Super League and NRL sides, including ex-coach Michael Maguire’s Souths. But he is resigned to losing George Carmont (retirement), Jeff Lima (Souths) and Leuluai (NZ), while injured prop Stuart Fielden is out of contract at the end of this season.

http://www.wigantoday.net/sport/wigan-warriors/smith-will-join-wigan-1-4614234 MATTY Smith is set to be confirmed as Wigan Warriors’ first signing for next season. The Salford half-back has agreed a deal with the Warriors and an official announcement could be made within days, the Evening Post understands. It emerged last week that Shaun Wane had targeted the 24-year-old as a replacement for Thomas Leuluai, who is heading back to the NRL with New Zealand Warriors. And it is understood that Smith has agreed a two or three-year deal after rejecting offers from Salford, Widnes and former club St Helens. Though Wane would not be drawn on speculation, he gave an insight into the type of scrum-half he was chasing during an interview last week. “I’m one to think outside the box,” he said, revealing his preference for a “project” rather than a marquee recruit from Down Under. And Smith would appear to fit the bill, having shown glimpses of his ability at Salford this season after previous stints with Widnes and Crusaders when he struggled for opportunities at Saints behind Sean Long. Reports elsewhere linking Wigan with St Helens’ out of favour Lee Gaskell were wide of the mark. Wane is still hoping to persuade stand-off Brett Finch to stay at the club despite strong interest from Super League and NRL sides, including ex-coach Michael Maguire’s Souths. But he is resigned to losing George Carmont (retirement), Jeff Lima (Souths) and Leuluai (NZ), while injured prop Stuart Fielden is out of contract at the end of this season.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Mon Jun 04, 2012 10:50 am  

I wan't thrilled when the Smith rumour first surfaced, but I am coming round to the idea more and more now. Not so much that I think he's a class player, but that Wane sees him as a "project"; someone that can be plugged in to our existing structure without necessarily relying too much on individual skill.