Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 05, 2021 1:03 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

That seems to have come about because some seem to think Hastings is unduly criticised for his conduct but this situation isn’t a Hastings thing, a French thing or about any individual. Having a group of players in training for months but allowing two guys to stay at home until a couple of weeks before the start is a risky strategy IMO. As a one off given the issues everyone has faced over the last 12 months then people will accept it but there’s no way the club can allow this every year. It just leaves them wide open to players in the future always seeking the same privileges and to criticising if we get off to poor starts.

I don't think it will be a regular thing.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 05, 2021 1:15 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

I don't think anyone is saying that ideally they wouldn't be here, but even when things are normal it's pretty standard for antipodean players to spend more time back home over the off season. I can definitely remember friendlies where Leuluai etc were unavailable because they had only just returned to the country.

I just think all the drama online (not necessarily on this forum) being created about them not coming back is way over the top. A mate sent me a couple of screenshots from Hastings twitter and you can see him getting wound up by it and random fans demanding he make a statement. It's definitely partly his own fault for interacting with them so much but I do think there's an element of fans driving him away to an extent. I think in a decade we'll look back and think it was mad that the club accepted/ignored players getting into arguments with fans on social media. They're bound to wise up and start putting firmer rules in place at some point.

In a normal year the pre season for the senior players is around 4-6 weeks but this time it’s run from before Christmas until nearly the end of March, so we can’t pretend French and Hastings are just being allowed the usual overseas players additional time off. They’ve been back down under for over 3 months and in my opinion should’ve been back before now but as long as we get a couple of weeks out of them prior to the start, then as a one off it’s ok.

As for Hastings, I’ve said before his manner away from the field in dealing with people (usually kids or adults with the mental age of a child trying to interact with him) on social media leaves a bit to be desired but that’s him and that’s his choice. If people bother him by asking questions just ignore them. It’s that easy. The guys a dream on the field and a fantastic player but the extra scrutiny (aka mithering) he gets at Wigan seems to trouble him and I don’t get why he wastes the skin on his fingertips even replying.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 05, 2021 1:48 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

In a normal year the pre season for the senior players is around 4-6 weeks but this time it’s run from before Christmas until nearly the end of March, so we can’t pretend French and Hastings are just being allowed the usual overseas players additional time off. They’ve been back down under for over 3 months and in my opinion should’ve been back before now but as long as we get a couple of weeks out of them prior to the start, then as a one off it’s ok.

As for Hastings, I’ve said before his manner away from the field in dealing with people (usually kids or adults with the mental age of a child trying to interact with him) on social media leaves a bit to be desired but that’s him and that’s his choice. If people bother him by asking questions just ignore them. It’s that easy. The guys a dream on the field and a fantastic player but the extra scrutiny (aka mithering) he gets at Wigan seems to trouble him and I don’t get why he wastes the skin on his fingertips even replying.

Dont forget that Bevan has an agreement that he can go back home for a break mid-season as well. To some degree I can appreciate the club coming up with creative ways to keep him here but it feels in recent years like Wigan are clinging on to their better players by their fingernails (in fairness just about managing it in most cases).

Jai Field is another example - he's only just got here and he's talking about going back.

None of this is helped by the level of interest shown in Wigan's home grown players (only going to be intensified by the success of Bateman, Williams and Sutton). It can feel like half of the squad may leave in any one year with all of the speculation but as Iv said it hasn't happened yet.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 05, 2021 2:06 pm  

MadDogg wrote:

Dont forget that Bevan has an agreement that he can go back home for a break mid-season as well. To some degree I can appreciate the club coming up with creative ways to keep him here but it feels in recent years like Wigan are clinging on to their better players by their fingernails (in fairness just about managing it in most cases).

Jai Field is another example - he's only just got here and he's talking about going back.

None of this is helped by the level of interest shown in Wigan's home grown players (only going to be intensified by the success of Bateman, Williams and Sutton). It can feel like half of the squad may leave in any one year with all of the speculation but as Iv said it hasn't happened yet.

I think the club have had to be creative at points as you say and in the current climate fair play to them. If we’d have lost French and Hastings at the end of last season then who knows where you go for replacements because lads of that quality are thin on the ground, so I understand that they’ve had to step outside what would usually be acceptable to facilitate keeping a couple of top class players. It’s been an unsettling couple of years for the club without any doubt. We’ve had the Edwards/Lam scenario, then Lam staying on but only year to year, players coming and going and then as it’s settling Covid hits and things still feel a bit hectic.

I know one thing, I’m looking forward to some rugby. Come that first game we should be all set, with a good looking side on paper and we should be able to play some exciting stuff.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 05, 2021 2:17 pm  

If Bevan French who is here on his own minus his family has to pop home and miss a couple of games to stay here so be it. (Especially given the current climate)

You can't compare that to players moving from Yorkshire or comuting every day.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 05, 2021 2:25 pm  

Egg Chasing wrote:

If Bevan French who is here on his own minus his family has to pop home and miss a couple of games to stay here so be it. (Especially given the current climate)

You can't compare that to players moving from Yorkshire or comuting every day.

remember the one about the homesick humbersider....

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 05, 2021 2:26 pm  

Egg Chasing wrote:

If Bevan French who is here on his own minus his family has to pop home and miss a couple of games to stay here so be it. (Especially given the current climate)

You can't compare that to players moving from Yorkshire or comuting every day.

I don’t think anyone has from what I’ve seen.

Players should always be allowed to miss games for personal reasons/family emergencies. A club would be a disgrace if they were to block that. It’s a bit different to allowing them to have two months+ extra leave than other players get in between seasons though. Spending over a quarter of the year back home isn’t exactly ‘popping home’.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 05, 2021 2:42 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

I don’t think anyone has from what I’ve seen.

Players should always be allowed to miss games for personal reasons/family emergencies. A club would be a disgrace if they were to block that. It’s a bit different to allowing them to have two months+ extra leave than other players get in between seasons though. Spending over a quarter of the year back home isn’t exactly ‘popping home’.

The point i'm making is if he has said that he misses his family and finds it hard being here without them, then if the club have found a way around it to keep him then I have no issue with that.

If he misses a few games mid season that mean very little in the grand scheme and comes back refreshed and with his head screwed on ready for the playoffs then so be it.

Forget the fact he is a sportsman, he is an employee of the club and a bloody good asset and the club need to look after him to get the best out of him.

The other option was telling him tough, he signs for an NRL club and we lose a top top player.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 05, 2021 2:50 pm  

Egg Chasing wrote:

The point i'm making is if he has said that he misses his family and finds it hard being here without them, then if the club have found a way around it to keep him then I have no issue with that.

If he misses a few games mid season that mean very little in the grand scheme and comes back refreshed and with his head screwed on ready for the playoffs then so be it.

Forget the fact he is a sportsman, he is an employee of the club and a bloody good asset and the club need to look after him to get the best out of him.

The other option was telling him tough, he signs for an NRL club and we lose a top top player.

I agree with you on the general sentiment behind it. Personally I think this break has been longer than it should’ve been but when the guy is running in ridiculous try’s again next month, it’ll matter very little. The club just need to be careful with the balance they strike between being compassionate and understanding against being too accommodating, to a point where it causes issues elsewhere. The players seem a close knit bunch though and I’m sure others would’ve got the same support if it were needed and hopefully that works the other way and the general feeling is ‘let’s pay back Radlinski and co for their support’.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 05, 2021 3:07 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

The club just need to be careful with the balance they strike between being compassionate and understanding against being too accommodating, to a point where it causes issues elsewhere.

I'm sure they will