Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Feb 21, 2020 12:20 am  

KingRoss11 wrote:

That’s why I said it would be very hard, we’d probably have to offer a transfer fee and that’s where it ends most likely. Our best bet is someone unknown from the NRL like Gabe Hamlin but there’s some good prospects in the super league that we should be looking at

Simple answer is; Cas wouldn’t let him go unless for a handsome fee.
One that IL would pay out.

The other issue is that he’d likely command marquee status (more to be able to afford his salary). Therefore that means the release of Hastings or G Burgess. If not, the immediate release of Flower, Nav, Escare and Greenwood.

A very high price

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Feb 21, 2020 8:02 am  

post wrote:

We need a decent prop or a big second rower. Knowing the club they’ll go and buy a 5ft 7 ex winger prop who’s 14 stone. Or a big fat Feka who can’t run 10 yards without being out of breath.

We have five experienced props, plus Byrne, Partington and Havard, all of whom have decent SL experience. How many more props do we need?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Feb 21, 2020 8:29 am  

adi wrote:

We have five experienced props, plus Byrne, Partington and Havard, all of whom have decent SL experience. How many more props do we need?

How many of those 5 are a) any good and/or b) not injury prone

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Feb 21, 2020 9:44 am  

It's a tricky one. I can see all of those players listed leaving. Gildart will be heading to Australia at the end of the season I would imagine. As much as I want Greenwood to succeed it's apparent that he either doesn't have the desire or Lam doesn't rate him or a combination of the two. If we were to sign anyone I would like us to go for a right sided second rower. Would love Watts here to bolster the pack but I get the feeling he is Yorkshire through and through and will be one of those players who will never make the switch over the pennines. I rate him over Thompson. Real star quality prop Cas have got there.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sun Feb 23, 2020 8:33 pm  

adi wrote:

We have five experienced props, plus Byrne, Partington and Havard, all of whom have decent SL experience. How many more props do we need?

Clubb ain’t good enough, Flower hasn’t featured, Burgess isn’t fit, Bullock is a project and so is Clarke.

Byrne, Partington and Havard are young lads.

I’d happily lose Clubb and Escare to bring in a proper prop.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sun Feb 23, 2020 9:06 pm  

post wrote:

Clubb ain’t good enough, Flower hasn’t featured, Burgess isn’t fit, Bullock is a project and so is Clarke.

Byrne, Partington and Havard are young lads.

I’d happily lose Clubb and Escare to bring in a proper prop.

Clubb isn’t good enough

Flower and G Burgess should be back soon

Bullock is currently the best prop at the club

Clarke is exactly the type of prop we needed - solid.

Bryne and Havard have far exceeded expectations

Partington should be a back rower.

Out of that 7 I’d happily lose one - Clubb. That looks a decent pack to me.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sun Feb 23, 2020 9:20 pm  

Clubb is clearly playing whilst injured. Credit to him he did 20 mins in his first stint.
Partington and Byrne did long minutes, Bullock and Clark made their presence felt plus Smithies played it tough.
We looked far better with Powell back again.
I thought the pack held their own against Hull's forwards and our better backs made the quality tell.
A good win by the lads, a very well done!

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Sun Feb 23, 2020 9:32 pm  

I cannot really see why it took so long for Clarke to get a gig. He has looked solid so far. I agree that Smithies and Partington could benefit from hitting the line wider out. Bullock is the forward most likely to punch a hole down the middle but he still has a few mistakes in him. There is plenty of time this season for the other youngsters to get game time but at the moment we look a better balanced side. I think that giving Smith a cameo was a wise move and he brings a solid kicking game as shown by the slightly fortunate try, he really looks a natural with the ball in hand.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Feb 24, 2020 10:58 am  

100% Warrior wrote:

Clubb isn’t good enough

Flower and G Burgess should be back soon

Bullock is currently the best prop at the club

Clarke is exactly the type of prop we needed - solid.

Bryne and Havard have far exceeded expectations

Partington should be a back rower.

Out of that 7 I’d happily lose one - Clubb. That looks a decent pack to me.

I might be on my own but I hope we don't renew Flower's contract next year. Had a big tittylip a few months ago cause he lost his 10 Jersey yet these days he's only ever out due to injury or playing with an injury. Time to get rid, heard Catalans are sniffing.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Feb 24, 2020 12:07 pm  

MattyB wrote:

I might be on my own but I hope we don't renew Flower's contract next year. Had a big tittylip a few months ago cause he lost his 10 Jersey yet these days he's only ever out due to injury or playing with an injury. Time to get rid, heard Catalans are sniffing.

Sadly, I feel that Ben is more notable these days for his absence than his presence. He seems to be constantly injured, which puts him at a big selection disadvantage with so many young forwards jostling for position.

He didn't help himself, either, with that whinge in the newspapers. He didn't keep his shirt number because he hadn't earned it. No fan I know thought that he had, so I don't know who he was appealing to.

I can't help feeling that he'll have left Wigan long before this season is over.