Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Oct 29, 2014 2:05 pm  

Rocky was going nowhere about a month ago, despite interest from Saints, Salford, Cas, Wakefield and Hull KR. It is interesting now the Brough rumour surfaces that he is being linked with a loan move to KR.

I see no merit in him dropping down a level he needs to be playing top flight rugby.

The concern Wane has about him at 6 is that he is too off the cuff as I understand it and will struggle to lead our structures. Brough in relation to this would be the ideal short term signing and get the team used to a spontaneous half who is still able and experienced enough to work to a structured game plan also.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Oct 29, 2014 2:17 pm  

jonh wrote:

Rocky was going nowhere about a month ago, despite interest from Saints, Salford, Cas, Wakefield and Hull KR. It is interesting now the Brough rumour surfaces that he is being linked with a loan move to KR.

I see no merit in him dropping down a level he needs to be playing top flight rugby.

The concern Wane has about him at 6 is that he is too off the cuff as I understand it and will struggle to lead our structures. Brough in relation to this would be the ideal short term signing and get the team used to a spontaneous half who is still able and experienced enough to work to a structured game plan also.

Off the cuff could be good for us IMO. In games we're struggling in to have a lad that could pull a rabbit out of a hat could be invaluable.

I hope we don't hold this kid back because of concerns like that. He's obviously supremely talented and if we don't use him right somebody will.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Oct 29, 2014 3:32 pm  

The mole on twitter has said this week that both The Eels and Canberra are both in for Dudson which adds weight to the Patrick deal especially with Flowers absence. Still hoping Taylor stays. Not sure how I feel about Brough. When it matters he goes missing but can be sensational week in week out in regular season games.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Oct 29, 2014 6:19 pm  

Hope we don't send Rocky out on loan, he is too good to leave out IMO. I'd have him at 6 this year then maybe 1 the year after depending on who progresses better between Tierney, Williams and Powell. The Brough rumour seems to come around every year, definitely don't think it will happen

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Oct 29, 2014 6:36 pm  

I'd love us to go for Martin Kennedy after he's just been released by Brisbane.

12.months ago he was the next big thing and was pushing for an origin spot. At 6ft 3 and just shy of 19stone he'd be a big addition to our pack and a good replacreplacement for Taylor.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Oct 29, 2014 9:37 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

Hope we don't send Rocky out on loan, he is too good to leave out IMO. I'd have him at 6 this year then maybe 1 the year after depending on who progresses better between Tierney, Williams and Powell. The Brough rumour seems to come around every year, definitely don't think it will happen

I am just coming in on here not as a reply to Grimmy's post , but just to give you my feelings regarding the last few posts.

Ryan Hampshire is the most natural standoff that Wigan have produced during the last 30 years, what makes me cringe is all this talk that he is being groomed for the fullback spot to take over from Bowen. All because he is quick and agile and can be devastating when he joins the line.
Rocky has shown in the past that he can be dodgy under the high ball, so can Bowen. Sam proved to be very good at fullback but even he had and still does have his moments under the bomb.

But the statement put on this thread by someone that Wane believes that Rockys off the cuff style disrupts the structure makes me despair, I am starting to think that Rocky will get fed up of all this and will ask out.
The sad and tragic part off that last comment is I do not think Wane would be bothered. Long live the structure.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Oct 30, 2014 1:30 am  

Hes better than Edwards and Tomkins at 6?...he'd better be special and a half

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Oct 30, 2014 1:58 am  

stillinthepast wrote:

I am just coming in on here not as a reply to Grimmy's post , but just to give you my feelings regarding the last few posts.

Ryan Hampshire is the most natural standoff that Wigan have produced during the last 30 years, what makes me cringe is all this talk that he is being groomed for the fullback spot to take over from Bowen. All because he is quick and agile and can be devastating when he joins the line.
Rocky has shown in the past that he can be dodgy under the high ball, so can Bowen. Sam proved to be very good at fullback but even he had and still does have his moments under the bomb.

But the statement put on this thread by someone that Wane believes that Rockys off the cuff style disrupts the structure makes me despair, I am starting to think that Rocky will get fed up of all this and will ask out.
The sad and tragic part off that last comment is I do not think Wane would be bothered. Long live the structure.

Going off Rocky's return at the back of last season, he played all his games at FB, shifting the regular FB, Oliver Gildart, into the centres. It's quite apparent he's seen as a FB rather than a SO. You have to remember, as good as he is, he's still only 19, and whilst he's an exciting player, his talent needs to be nurtured.

The modern FB role is like an extra pivot anyway. Sam Tomkins was dodgy at best under the high ball, but he's still got the #1 shirt for England and in an NRL side. The amount of tries his perceived liability under the high ball may cost us, he'll more than likely make up for in attack.

I'd love to see Rocky go out on loan for a year to a SL club. An extended run in a SL team would give him the experience needed to slot in from 2016 onwards.

[DaveO]

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Oct 30, 2014 11:57 am  

Jeff the God of Biscuits wrote:

Going off Rocky's return at the back of last season, he played all his games at FB, shifting the regular FB, Oliver Gildart, into the centres. It's quite apparent he's seen as a FB rather than a SO.

Which in the opinion of some, is wrong. The fact he might be too off the cuff for Wane if true really is depressing. It's not as if the structured play Wane wants is perfect. While he has the excuse of Flower's dismissal in the GF we fell at the first half decent hurdle in the CC and throughout the course of the season put in some very drab performances crying out for something different.

[Pemps]

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Oct 30, 2014 3:21 pm  

Do people not think that the modern fullback is more like a traditional standoff? All teams tend to play with a bit of structure and, if they've got the players, seem to play with split halves with the full back given a license to roam.

When Sam was our full back he probably had a hand in most set pieces anyway and I'm sure Hampshire would be the same. If that's the way we play then he's a fullback for mine.