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WWW.RLFANS.COM • View topic - Top 10 groundbreaking signings
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Re: Top 10 groundbreaking signings : Fri May 22, 2020 12:35 pm  
King, Monaghan and Hicks have to be the best signings we have made in a long time that we signed at the same time. I know King and MM Took time to hit there strides but can you think of any year since where we've signed more players in 1 year that have gone on to be quality and have such an impact?
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Re: Top 10 groundbreaking signings : Fri May 22, 2020 12:49 pm  
That's a good question. The 2008 signings seem like a special crop: I missed out Louie Anderson who also signed that year!

We had a really golden spell of recruitment for a few years:
2007: Morley, V Anderson, Paul Johnson
2008: M Monaghan, King, Hicks, L Anderson
2009: Carvell, Higham, Mathers
2010: Atkins, Myler, Solomona
2011: Hodgson, J Monaghan
2012: Hill, Waterhouse, Ratchford
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Re: Top 10 groundbreaking signings : Fri May 22, 2020 1:18 pm  
2012 weren't bad either!
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Re: Top 10 groundbreaking signings : Fri May 22, 2020 1:31 pm  
Some inspirational signings mentioned here but arguably the signing that was the one that knitted it all together was Tony Smith. Should he be in on the list ?
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Re: Top 10 groundbreaking signings : Fri May 22, 2020 2:15 pm  
The Railwayman wrote:
Some inspirational signings mentioned here but arguably the signing that was the one that knitted it all together was Tony Smith. Should he be in on the list ?

Agree he should be.he sorted a few players out got them playing to there potential and gave us fans some fantastic rugby to watch and with the bonus of silverware...
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Re: Top 10 groundbreaking signings : Fri May 22, 2020 3:07 pm  
The Railwayman wrote:
Some inspirational signings mentioned here but arguably the signing that was the one that knitted it all together was Tony Smith. Should he be in on the list ?


Probably the biggest coach signing that we have brought in: 2 Super League titles, a WCC and GB/England coach before taking over.

Before that the biggest (of my time watching) was probably Dorahy.
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Re: Top 10 groundbreaking signings : Fri May 22, 2020 4:43 pm  
Actually as a statement of intent I would include Henry Fa’afili, it signalled a significant step up.
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Re: Top 10 groundbreaking signings : Fri May 22, 2020 5:52 pm  
Yes Fa'afili was an important signing because it followed quickly after Gleeson. It gave credibility to the things we were saying when Gleeson was signed - this is just the start, we're looking at bringing in a number of international calibre players etc. Also, he was signed mid-season to come over straight away, whereas Gleeson was suspended till the next season.

Fa'afili was a current NZ international winger who was known over here from getting a hat-trick against GB, so it was a big signing at the time. I got a NZ Warriors shirt off ebay to wear for the rest of that season.

The Gleeson and Fa'afili signings kept momentum going at an important time for us in our first season in the new stadium as these stadium moves don't always go right. Wigan's crowds dropped when they went to the JJB and the atmosphere was awful for a while, same with West Ham going to the Olympic Stadium. It can take years to recover from that as fans just start saying its not the same as the old ground. We had momentum in the second half of 2003 and Wilderspool was rocking in that last game when Appo got a hat-trick, then it carried over to the start of 2004 when we opened the HJ with that win over Wakefield. By mid season we'd stalled though because of some bad results and the old feeling of negativity, another false dawn was creeping over the club, then we signed Gleeson, backed it up with Fa'afili and then announced Logan Swann and the return of Toa (which was incredibly popular) for 2005, and it really helped create excitement which made the move to the HJ a success. The club did a great job of building a brand along with the move to the HJ, from that first season we were always an aspirational club. So much of that was of course due to Simon Moran's increased involvement.

Before we got Gleeson, the rumours had already started around agents and journalists that Warrington were looking to make a big splash. The whisper on the grapevine was that Iestyn Harris was coming back from RU and Leeds might not take up their preference option on him. Someone sent a fake press release around, with a picture where they photoshopped Harris' head on Mark Hilton's body and it made some reputable news outlets that Wire had signed Harris. :lol:
Last edited by sally cinnamon on Fri May 22, 2020 5:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Top 10 groundbreaking signings : Fri May 22, 2020 5:55 pm  
I’m surprised no one has mentioned Boyd, we made stir when we signed him (not a particularly positive stir) but he helped improve the culture of the club and brought the best out of an exciting crop of young forwards.
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Re: Top 10 groundbreaking signings : Fri May 22, 2020 5:58 pm  
He was before my time so I didn't put him in my top 10, but signing one of the "1982 Invincibles" must have been on par with the Langer/Inglis signings at least.
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