Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Mar 02, 2021 1:03 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

From what I read, Lam was saying it's they can use gyms out there but wouldn't be able to here as the training ground is/was shut. There's an article somewhere on Wigan Today. To be fair for all we know it may have swung the deal for them to sign on for another year if they were allowed a bit more time with their families during the off season.

I’ve read that and it all makes perfect sense and as I say from a fitness POV there is no issue with those two is there. The club have been great with them allowing them that extra time and apparently that time should’ve come to an end a few weeks ago now but was extended due to the training ground closure. The training ground is back open, the season is just over three weeks away and I think it’s absolutely fair that the club should expect them back soon to start preparations as a full squad for that opener. I’m sure it’s all in hand but the longer it drags, the less ideal it becomes.

[Pemps]

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Mar 03, 2021 11:53 am  

Personally I think they should be back with the squad now. It's not long before the season starts and they'll need to gel with the rest of the lads and get timings right. I appreciate that it's perhaps part of their contract, and with the Covid situation they probably feel better in Australia, but for me they should have been here weeks ago. Lam and Field are both here and French and Hastings should be too.

It is what it is though so we just need to make the best of it.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Mar 03, 2021 1:01 pm  

Kyle Eastmond signed for Leeds, bit of an out of the blue one there

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Mar 03, 2021 1:08 pm  

apollosghost wrote:

Kyle Eastmond signed for Leeds, bit of an out of the blue one there

Probably not so when you consider Walker now out for the season and Lui out for 3 months.
That along with Gale who might miss the start and McLelland recovering from an operation.
Eastmond in his League days was a top player not sure how he will go after so many years playing Union.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Mar 03, 2021 1:36 pm  

Bit of a no risk signing for Leeds.

Little to no expectation of him and he can cover halves and 1 where they have e issues.

If it goes well will be a “master stroke” if it goes poorly it will have been “worth a try” whilst others recovered.

He was top class as a junior so who knows?

Another more bizarre “signing” I noticed today was Lewis Heckford signing up to play pub rugby in the Wakefield amateur league for Westgate.

Quite some fall from grace for a lad of 23. His career never recovered from him the allocations and investigation that was levelled against him whilst at Wigan.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Mar 03, 2021 2:09 pm  

Eastmond wasn't exactly up to the rigours of League tackling when he was young. So, how he'd be at 31, heaven only knows.

That said, I wouldn't have minded seeing him at Wigan a couple of years ago. No so much now.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Mar 03, 2021 2:38 pm  

Cruncher wrote:

Eastmond wasn't exactly up to the rigours of League tackling when he was young. So, how he'd be at 31, heaven only knows.

That said, I wouldn't have minded seeing him at Wigan a couple of years ago. No so much now.

I'd completely forgotten he existed.

Did he ever manage to do anything of note in RU?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Mar 03, 2021 2:40 pm  

jonh wrote:

Bit of a no risk signing for Leeds.

Little to no expectation of him and he can cover halves and 1 where they have e issues.

If it goes well will be a “master stroke” if it goes poorly it will have been “worth a try” whilst others recovered.

He was top class as a junior so who knows?

Another more bizarre “signing” I noticed today was Lewis Heckford signing up to play pub rugby in the Wakefield amateur league for Westgate.

Quite some fall from grace for a lad of 23. His career never recovered from him the allocations and investigation that was levelled against him whilst at Wigan.

Such a shame that Jon, he was a very good young prospect at Wigan, but that investigation took far too long and was just dropped in the end!!!

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Mar 03, 2021 2:53 pm  

MattyB wrote:

I'd completely forgotten he existed.

Did he ever manage to do anything of note in RU?

Bagged a few England caps (6), but never stood out. He played for strong Bath and Wasps sides too, but didn't win anything.

Probably made some decent cash tho.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Mar 03, 2021 2:59 pm  

jonh wrote:

Bit of a no risk signing for Leeds.

Little to no expectation of him and he can cover halves and 1 where they have e issues.

If it goes well will be a “master stroke” if it goes poorly it will have been “worth a try” whilst others recovered.

He was top class as a junior so who knows?

Another more bizarre “signing” I noticed today was Lewis Heckford signing up to play pub rugby in the Wakefield amateur league for Westgate.

Quite some fall from grace for a lad of 23. His career never recovered from him the allocations and investigation that was levelled against him whilst at Wigan.

That's surprising, I wonder why he went there and not one of the NCL sides? I know there are at least a couple of good NCL sides there in Normanton and Cas Lock Lane