Players you always wanted to make it at Wigan, but didn't. : Wed Oct 31, 2018 1:24 am  

As it says, who never made it that you thought (for whatever reason) that you thought had the potential to?

For me:

Nigel Wright, great rugby brain, he reminded me alot of Tony Myler. Was it an ankle injury that ruined him?

Barrie Mac, just didn't fit in unfortunately. Everyone could see he had ability and would do well.

Danny Sculthorpe - great ball skills, much better than he ever really got to show, having seen him as a young lad, he had the rugby brain and ball skills of a half. He was one of those whose body and running style were ungainly and made look knackered, even before the game kicked off.

Shem Tatupu, big athletic bloke who seemed to have all the physical attributes, he just didn't get the chance to develop and learn rugby league, maybe he just had too much to learn the club found out?

Re: Players you always wanted to make it at Wigan, but didn' : Wed Oct 31, 2018 5:00 am  

Greg florimo
Andy Powell
Mark reber
FPN
Gary Henley Smith
Paul koloi
Stephen holgate

To name a few

Re: Players you always wanted to make it at Wigan, but didn' : Wed Oct 31, 2018 10:43 am  

Andy Powell's a great shout. Convinced that if made the switch just a couple of years earlier he could've been an absolute monster in league.

Keeping on the Welsh theme, it's a shame that Gil Dudson hasn't ended up having the career that could've had. Not exactly a failure by any means, but looked such a powerful player in his early 20s and just never kicked on.

Re: Players you always wanted to make it at Wigan, but didn' : Wed Oct 31, 2018 11:37 am  

During my 20s, there were players at Wigan who were stars of that team by 1970s standards, but minnows compared to players of earlier decades.

They may still consider that they had good, satisfying careers, but if they'd played 10 years later, under Graham Lowe et al, I reckon they'd REALLY have fulfilled their potential.

I'm talking about men like George Fairbairn, David Willicombe, Bob Irving, Bill Ashurst, Jimmy Nulty, even Green Vigo (who could still run Saints ragged after several pints).

This thread is about players who should have made it at Wigan, and it could be argued that these men did, but none of them won silverware in the Cherry and White even though their talent was there to be seen.

Then, in the same era, there were guys like Stuart Wright, Eddie Cunningham and Kurt Sorenson, who should have been stars at Wigan, but left early to become stars at other clubs - and punished us royally for years afterwards.

More recently, I'll always wonder what happened to Simon Haughton. Never did a young forward promise so much - and deliver it for quite a few years - to then suddenly (in his mid-20s?) become so utterly ineffective.

[Pemps]

Re: Players you always wanted to make it at Wigan, but didn' : Wed Oct 31, 2018 12:31 pm  

Ray Mordt - A very powerful and direct S.A. winger.
Scott Quinell - Didn't have him long enough to make a big impact, but he could have been a great.

Re: Players you always wanted to make it at Wigan, but didn' : Wed Oct 31, 2018 12:39 pm  

ChrisA wrote:

As it says, who never made it that you thought (for whatever reason) that you thought had the potential to?

For me:

Nigel Wright, great rugby brain, he reminded me alot of Tony Myler. Was it an ankle injury that ruined him?

He had real talent, i remember him ripping us to pieces for Wakefield, at the time it was suggested that Wigan asked him to bulk up a bit which put more strain on his ankles.

Cruncher wrote:

More recently, I'll always wonder what happened to Simon Haughton. Never did a young forward promise so much - and deliver it for quite a few years - to then suddenly (in his mid-20s?) become so utterly ineffective.

Hes a fireman in Aus now, Rads talks about him in his book, says he had so much natural talent he found the game easy, and didn't love playing and as a result didn't work as hard as he should've to keep his career going. He was one of he most lethal 2nd rows I've seen, put him through a gap from anywhere and he'd score.


regarding players:

Rob Louwe (sp?), great ball playing forward

Re: Players you always wanted to make it at Wigan, but didn' : Wed Oct 31, 2018 1:38 pm  

Wally Lewis

Re: Players you always wanted to make it at Wigan, but didn' : Wed Oct 31, 2018 2:18 pm  

We brought through players in the early 00s who I tend to think would have kicked on if we had a better structure in place as well do now - Kevin Brown, Luke Robinson, Steven Wild. There were also signings I got excited about in that time who massively underdelivered such as Calderwood, Vaealiki, Moran, Seuseu and Tickle.

In more recent times - Karl Pryce, Shaun Ainscough, Ryan Hampshire, Lee Mossop and Nu'uauasala. I was disappointed Paleaaesina didn't work out under Maguire as well, he was brilliant to watch.

Re: Players you always wanted to make it at Wigan, but didn' : Wed Oct 31, 2018 6:29 pm  

I loved watching Ray Mordt. He would run straight over people rather than go round. I think knee injury ended his time here?

Danny Orr failed to live up to his promise after signing from Cas. We seemed to remove all his attacking flair.

Nick du Toit was another SA who was great to watch, real agressive 2nd row but seemed to disapear. Not sure what happened to him?

Re: Players you always wanted to make it at Wigan, but didn' : Wed Oct 31, 2018 6:49 pm  

Big Steve wrote:

I loved watching Ray Mordt. He would run straight over people rather than go round. I think knee injury ended his time here?

Danny Orr failed to live up to his promise after signing from Cas. We seemed to remove all his attacking flair.

Nick du Toit was another SA who was great to watch, real agressive 2nd row but seemed to disapear. Not sure what happened to him?

Sure Nick de Toit owned the traditionals pub fir a while?

Shaun Ainscough
Amos Roberts

And

Gaz hock...

Ha