Re: The Big Axe : Sat Oct 05, 2019 3:23 pm  

RichieS wrote:

I am told quite reliably from a current member of the backroom staff at Wigan that I still work with there was a lot of discord among the group over the last week, I was told a few of the younger players felt agitated that the seniors didn't contribute enough in the St Helens game and something was said that created a bit of tension/division. Lam stayed out of it and the performance last night showed how that masterstroke played out.

As much as I was told from the 'horses mouth' there is no truth in the return home for Zak, I am becoming more and more sure Bevan was signed as a replacement for him next year. I don't want to delve into it, I just honestly can't see him wearing Cherry & White next year. Cas now have the cap space to bring him back. I would expect an announcement not long after the Grand Final, if not before given neither clubs have any involvement. Hull KR, Huddersfield and Toronto were all very interested in Bevan French offering him guaranteed first team footie at full back, be a bit strange if he signed for us to happily play utility or back up.

Joe Greenwood looks odds-on to be out, the player/club relationship soured over him being officially cleared to play but refusing as he didn't feel right after his last concussion, his balance is off massively and he is getting migraines. I am not the biggest Tony Clubb fan, but what I do know is he agreed heavily reduced terms and it is a good deal for the club for a back-up player. I think this will be reflected in the squad numbers for next year.

Is it me or just a coincidence since Lockers and Flower came back in the side we seem to have gone backwards. We learned to play without Lockers can see the unrest as both Lockers walked back into the team. On the other hand both Smithies and Partington gave their all but seemed to have burned themselves out or if there is unrest not playing to their full capacity.

Re: The Big Axe : Sat Oct 05, 2019 3:27 pm  

Tricky Dicky wrote:

L

French
Marshall
Zak
Gilly
Budgy
????
hastings

Looks terrible to me.

French at fullback would be awful. His tackling is terrible. God help him in a one on one. Can he even take a high bomb? He does not seem to have any one position nailed down but looks most suited to the wing.

Hardaker is not a centre. Yes he can fill in there but he has never shown anything to suggest that he should play there full time.

Budgy is finished as a top class winger. He has become lazy, looks lethargic, runs sideways more than forwards and has lost his speed which was what made him a great winger. He should be nowhere near the team once Manfredi and Davies are fit.

Marshall always looks to be carrying an injury. Either that or he has also lost a yard of pace.

Re: The Big Axe : Sat Oct 05, 2019 3:28 pm  

KingRoss11 wrote:

What a ridiculous comment, it’s been medically proven that too many head knocks can lead to brain damage, rugby is a very short career, risking physical damage to the head permanently isn’t worth it

How many RL players from the past have suffered brain damage?

Re: The Big Axe : Sat Oct 05, 2019 3:58 pm  

The_Enforcer wrote:

Looks terrible to me.

French at fullback would be awful. His tackling is terrible. God help him in a one on one. Can he even take a high bomb? He does not seem to have any one position nailed down but looks most suited to the wing.

This just shows you have absolutely no clue what you’re talking about.

Either a troll or just have no clue about RL.

Re: The Big Axe : Sat Oct 05, 2019 3:59 pm  

Pie_Eyter wrote:

Yep i agree regarding Hardaker Richie. I think he will be on his way. He has been decent but i dont think he will be a huge loss. We need more strike from FB as in Tomkins MK 1. Hardaker is steady in defence but not much more. lost his zip and just doesnt seem like he wants to be here. I am glad we signed him but wont be heartbroken if he leaves.

More rubbish.

Re: The Big Axe : Sat Oct 05, 2019 4:12 pm  

The_Enforcer wrote:

Whats with players and head knocks these days?

I never remember players crying off so frequently in the 80s and 90s with head knocks.They would get KO'd and get up and play on. Nowadays, a head merely has to go back in a hard tackle and they are off the field and out of the next game.

Could anybody imagine Andy Gregory or Andy Platt being kept out for weeks because he got a bang on the head?

A good film to watch that would explain this is called Concussion with Will Smith.

It explains that every time you get a concussion you have very small bleeds on the brain, if you get another knock soon after it’s that knock that causes brain damage as the brain is fragile. Watch the film, I didn’t understand it before that.

Re: The Big Axe : Sat Oct 05, 2019 4:19 pm  

The_Enforcer wrote:

How many RL players from the past have suffered brain damage?

I don’t know,but I suspect there are some lawyers who do and are taking a very long look at RL..

Re: The Big Axe : Sat Oct 05, 2019 4:52 pm  

One player no one has mentioned yet is Jake Bibby from Salford, I’m sure he ain’t coming to play in our reserves, I was impressed with him last night,

Re: The Big Axe : Sat Oct 05, 2019 5:05 pm  

post wrote:

A good film to watch that would explain this is called Concussion with Will Smith.

It explains that every time you get a concussion you have very small bleeds on the brain, if you get another knock soon after it’s that knock that causes brain damage as the brain is fragile. Watch the film, I didn’t understand it before that.

I get the medical aspects of it, im just wondering why there are not any cases of ex RL players with brain damage since this rule is is fairly recent.

Re: The Big Axe : Sat Oct 05, 2019 5:26 pm  

The_Enforcer wrote: I get the medical aspects of it, im just wondering why there are not any cases of ex RL players with brain damage since this rule is is fairly recent. On issue is that some of the brain damage can only be seen post mortem and those tests were rarely carried out in the past. There are frequent references to ex-players exhibiting behaviour that we might recognise as being consistent with brain trauma injuries who have been simply been labelled as being mad/bad. It would be useful to run all professional players through the MRI scanner to see if damage was taking place. At the moment there are 4500 ex-American footballers suing the NFL. In that game one college player was measured as suffering the equivalent of 60plus 30 mph car crashes in a single game. I imagine that the stress is not so severe in Rugby League but we need to be aware of what the cumulative damage is over a career of maybe 20 years. It was interesting to see a player sent off this morning for a tackle on Owen Farrell in the Rugby Union and showed how they are trying to reduce the level of trauma. Those who bemoan the softness of modern rugby union/league should perhaps have a look at this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5ubuaDND5k

The_Enforcer wrote: I get the medical aspects of it, im just wondering why there are not any cases of ex RL players with brain damage since this rule is is fairly recent. On issue is that some of the brain damage can only be seen post mortem and those tests were rarely carried out in the past. There are frequent references to ex-players exhibiting behaviour that we might recognise as being consistent with brain trauma injuries who have been simply been labelled as being mad/bad. It would be useful to run all professional players through the MRI scanner to see if damage was taking place. At the moment there are 4500 ex-American footballers suing the NFL. In that game one college player was measured as suffering the equivalent of 60plus 30 mph car crashes in a single game. I imagine that the stress is not so severe in Rugby League but we need to be aware of what the cumulative damage is over a career of maybe 20 years. It was interesting to see a player sent off this morning for a tackle on Owen Farrell in the Rugby Union and showed how they are trying to reduce the level of trauma. Those who bemoan the softness of modern rugby union/league should perhaps have a look at this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5ubuaDND5k