Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Sep 08, 2021 7:10 pm  

nathan_rugby wrote:

Why?

The quota means that each club can have seven overseas players (non federation trained. Wigan has French, Field, Isa, Clark, Mago, Ellis and Miski on contract for next season (7). The situation regarding Tommy is unknown. So in order to sign another non-federation player, one of our current contracted players would have to leave.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Sep 08, 2021 7:11 pm  

Magic Superbeetle wrote:

It doesn’t matter, he is non federation trained.

Correct, Wigan would have to get one of their current non-federation players off their books.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Sep 08, 2021 7:22 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

The overall squad on paper might not look as strong but barring a year of disaster with injury again we should be stronger. The reason for that is that the lads who are leaving in the main haven’t been playing anyway, so we can only be stronger. Realistically the only out and out loss is Hastings. He’s not only a top player but he’s durable and plays games. The rest are a mixture of injury prones or Lam hasn’t rated them-

Manfredi-injured all season and retired.

Gildart-injured most of the season, so not much of a miss from this season.

Hastings-big loss.

Leuluai-great servant but best days are behind him.

Clubb-missed most of the season and dreadful when he plays.

Bullock-doesn’t get picked, plays 5 minutes when he plays.

Clark-as above

That lot will be replaced with Miski, Thornley, a halfback, Mago, Ellis and possibly Hankinson. Add in Field and French, who will both be like having a new signing and I don’t think we’re anything like worse off but I agree we could be stronger. I want us to be winning things but I look at our squad for next season and think it’ll be beyond us but relegation isn’t happening in any way, shape or form.

I’ve got to acknowledge and agree a number of your points and did consider a number of them before posting.
Another way to look at it could be
Miski - untested at the top level
Hankinson - deemed surplus to requirements in 2021
Field - untested at the top level and not really sure where to play him. If he was a tried and tested HB would we be after Miller?
Thornley_- deemed not good enough only a few years ago
Mago - yet another “impact” prop. I think you have questioned his fitness levels. Few senior appearances
Ellis - not sure if anyone has said anything really positive about him.other than he’s solid. Few senior appearances

Non of the signings resolve our 8 year problem of no consistant goal kicker in the squad. Hankinson won’t get a regular place if he stays unless Hardaker goes.

The 2022 squad has the look of an Uncle Maurice squad in his second spell, thrown together with little logic or planning.

I hope Peet is capable of bringing players on and getting senior players playing an acceptable standard week in week out which Powell, Bateman and Farrell have been way near in 2021.

Hand on heart do I really think that we could be in relegation battle? If the 4 Aussies (I include Field here as he will be like a new signing) “fail” then I think it will be a distinct possibility.
We will get nowhere near Saints, Catalan, Warrington and Leeds in 2022 unless Peet can work miracles.
After that every game will be an arm wrestle and no team can win every arm wrestle.
Until we see what Peet can do I think we are vulnerable.

A downbeat view hopefully scarred by Lam’s incompetence of which Peet can address most of the issues and resolve them quickly.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Sep 08, 2021 9:31 pm  

jonh wrote:

Not a chance would we sign another overseas fullback, especially one without any pedigree.

I can say first hand he does rip it up in the Championship. No sense signing another FB though like you say.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Sep 08, 2021 9:35 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

I can say first hand he does rip it up in the Championship. No sense signing another FB though like you say.

Unless French isn't going to be here next year (starts conspiracy theory)

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Sep 08, 2021 9:43 pm  

Looks to have played mostly on the wing over the last few months with Greg McNally at fullback. He has a very good try scoring record and kicks plenty of goals by the looks of him. I’ve seen links with Saints and Warrington also somewhere. The issue for us will be quota spots but I wouldn’t rule him out based on him being a fullback.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Sep 08, 2021 9:51 pm  

He was getting mentioned on the Wire board a few days back, someone was saying he'd signed for a so far unnamed SL team, bit of speculation going on whether it was Wire

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Sep 09, 2021 4:10 am  

Levrier wrote:

Scotland qualified apparently.

Should see him in the England squad then .

Regards EW

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Sep 09, 2021 8:44 am  

So we’d have; French, Field, Hardaker and Walmsley all primarily FB’s in our squad? Makes no sense whatsoever even if one of the aforementioned leave.

The future may be bright for Wigan (IMO) but damn it’s hard to keep seeing the brightness sometimes. Someone mentioned earlier about Uncle Mo’s second stint squad and I am inclined to agree. Signing another FB just screams “we’ve got some money to spend, sod it let’s sign him” instead of looking where we actually need money spending. For me I’d still be on the lookout for another prop and centre. Clubb, Clarke and Bullock all (hopefully) leaving, leaves a huge gaping experience hole as poor as all 3 are. We have Mago and Ellis inbound and Singleton, Havard, Byrne, Oli left behind. I still believe we need one more seasoned experienced prop in there.

We don’t need a FB and I’m half and half as to whether we really need a HB given Field will have a full pre season to fit in there. I’d still keep some money back in case it goes horribly wrong but I don’t see it as a priority and more spending because we can which isn’t how IFL has ever done business.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Sep 09, 2021 9:07 am  

100% Warrior wrote:

So we’d have; French, Field, Hardaker and Walmsley all primarily FB’s in our squad? Makes no sense whatsoever even if one of the aforementioned leave.

The future may be bright for Wigan (IMO) but damn it’s hard to keep seeing the brightness sometimes. Someone mentioned earlier about Uncle Mo’s second stint squad and I am inclined to agree. Signing another FB just screams “we’ve got some money to spend, sod it let’s sign him” instead of looking where we actually need money spending. For me I’d still be on the lookout for another prop and centre. Clubb, Clarke and Bullock all (hopefully) leaving, leaves a huge gaping experience hole as poor as all 3 are. We have Mago and Ellis inbound and Singleton, Havard, Byrne, Oli left behind. I still believe we need one more seasoned experienced prop in there.

We don’t need a FB and I’m half and half as to whether we really need a HB given Field will have a full pre season to fit in there. I’d still keep some money back in case it goes horribly wrong but I don’t see it as a priority and more spending because we can which isn’t how IFL has ever done business.

Add Hanley to the fullback list.

I am unsure of the truth in this rumour, the person who reported it on the othersite doesn't strike me as someone who is "in the know" and regularly provides updates to things before they happen.

But if true, he could be signed as primarily as a winger and a few have said that is where he is playing at present and we get the added bonus of his fullback flexibility.

Our haphazard approach is concerning though. We signed French when we didn't need him at the time (Hardaker was FB), we signed Field when we didn't need him (Slow salary? Forward planning for French or Hastings leaving?), we now may be signing another fullback to play on the wing?