Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Nov 01, 2021 10:05 am  

Ruddy Duck wrote:

Already spent or will be spent?

Hopefully, it is the latter because the present first team squad only consists of twenty six players and not the normal near three dozen or so for Super League and Reserve Rugby.

If Reserve Rugby is to happen, I can only see a above normal number of players being promoted from the Under 19 Academy as IL has intimated that the club will be only making one more signing from outside the club.

As that signing has still not been made, is it only to replace French who is rumoured not to be returning or is it a replacement for Hardacre if he leaves?

NO team has yet released their 2022 squads. Last year we used twenty-nine players in the first team plus a full academy squad.

The academy and reserve games will I believe be played on alternative weekends so the reserve teams will be made up of the older academy lads plus members of the 1st team squad who are not selected or returning from injury.

I'm not sure on what is happening on the loan or dual reg schemes at the moment but Saints have loaned out a couple of players who were above academy age to Leigh.

Trainman makes a good point,

Show me any team that can match an U23 pack of Byrne, O'Neill, Partington, Pearce Paul, Smithies, Shorrocks, Havard, McDonnell and then add in NIcholson.

There's an awful lot of time and money invested in those young players, we have to at least give them the opportunities.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Nov 01, 2021 10:51 am  

Trainman wrote:

We have a significant amount of money invested in those in their early 20’s who between them are taking up a fair chunk of the cap. I suppose it is a question of balance, I’d guess we are spending more than any other team on squad players.

On the Thornley subject. We are running a reserve team again next season and need players for that. I don’t know how much he’s on but I’d hazard a guess he was signed as a squad player to provide cover and competition for the centre spots. I’d be surprised (unless one leaves) if our centres aren’t Bibby and Hardaker.

I don't think Thornley has left starting at Leigh to play reserves for Wigan. I'd love your optimism but realistically I think he will start the majority of games with Hardaker/Bibby often covering full back/wing as and when injuries occur. He might play a few games for the reserves if we have every back available, which history tells us is a rare circumstance.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Nov 01, 2021 11:06 am  

Grimmy wrote:

I don't think Thornley has left starting at Leigh to play reserves for Wigan. I'd love your optimism but realistically I think he will start the majority of games with Hardaker/Bibby often covering full back/wing as and when injuries occur. He might play a few games for the reserves if we have every back available, which history tells us is a rare circumstance.

Looking at 2021 Only Bibby in the back five played over twenty games.

French 4,
Manfredi ?
Hardaker 16,
Gildart 13,
Marshall 15,
Field 4
Bibby 25
Hanley 8,
Halsall 7.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Nov 01, 2021 2:16 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

Looking at 2021 Only Bibby in the back five played over twenty games.

French 4,
Manfredi ?
Hardaker 16,
Gildart 13,
Marshall 15,
Field 4
Bibby 25
Hanley 8,
Halsall 7.

Assuming its likely that Hankinson remains out on loan for 2022 (at London, if not elsewhere)? Which makes you beg, what was/is the point? Plus could history about to repeat itself where Thornley may not get a sniff in the first team and goes out on loan to the Championship? Three years signed 'allegedly' is a long time.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Nov 01, 2021 2:58 pm  

Ruddy Duck wrote:

Already spent or will be spent?

Hopefully, it is the latter because the present first team squad only consists of twenty six players and not the normal near three dozen or so for Super League and Reserve Rugby.

If Reserve Rugby is to happen, I can only see a above normal number of players being promoted from the Under 19 Academy as IL has intimated that the club will be only making one more signing from outside the club.

As that signing has still not been made, is it only to replace French who is rumoured not to be returning or is it a replacement for Hardacre if he leaves?

I don't know but the point I was making is that there can't be financial cutbacks regarding the playing staff if the Club is going to spend up to the cap. Likewise, I don't see a reduction in the budget for the coaching staff.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Nov 01, 2021 3:00 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

NO team has yet released their 2022 squads. Last year we used twenty-nine players in the first team plus a full academy squad.

The academy and reserve games will I believe be played on alternative weekends so the reserve teams will be made up of the older academy lads plus members of the 1st team squad who are not selected or returning from injury.

I'm not sure on what is happening on the loan or dual reg schemes at the moment but Saints have loaned out a couple of players who were above academy age to Leigh.

Trainman makes a good point,

Show me any team that can match an U23 pack of Byrne, O'Neill, Partington, Pearce Paul, Smithies, Shorrocks, Havard, McDonnell and then add in NIcholson.

There's an awful lot of time and money invested in those young players, we have to at least give them the opportunities.

The answer is that there isn't one, the trouble is that the Club has not signed the type of experienced player to aid the development of the youngsters.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Nov 01, 2021 3:19 pm  

Sweaty Betty's wrote:

The answer is that there isn't one, the trouble is that the Club has not signed the type of experienced player to aid the development of the youngsters.

thats up to the coaching staff in place to develop the players thats the first thing Matty Peet said that a few players were underperforming and they would have to be improved.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Nov 01, 2021 6:40 pm  

Sweaty Betty's wrote:

The answer is that there isn't one, the trouble is that the Club has not signed the type of experienced player to aid the development of the youngsters.

And that's exactly why the George Burgess saga was so disappointing, he should have been the leader to help develop what is prospectively an outstanding young group forwards.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Nov 01, 2021 7:49 pm  

With Hardaker being heavily rumoured to be leaving then further SC space will be available for signings. We had money for a half which presumably Tommy has taken but should a top NRL half become available then TL could retire from immediate effect.

Should Zac go then we need a right centre and goal kicker. Whether Hankinson would want to return for the last year of his contract I don't know but he fills both roles. Although there's misery around I simply don't share it.
One of my moans last season was our inability to get out of our own 30 mtr in yardage. In a Wigan tv interview Waney said that the matter had to be addressed. If he says it must be, then I believe it will. It is that which can put a team on the front foot from which the set and the game's intensity can be established. A back line of French, Miski, Hankinson, Thornley & Marshall can do that, no question. They have the pace, size and when scooting from DH can get a quick ptb which will put us on the front foot.

I still think that with French, Field & Marshall we'll have pace in numbers no other SL can match.

Last season was awful and there can be very few players, if any, who can say they were satisfied with their season's performance overall.
I therefore expect the whole playing staff to be looking to improve their own individual performances. We certainly have the talent and I don't think I'll be disappointed.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Nov 01, 2021 7:57 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

And that's exactly why the George Burgess saga was so disappointing, he should have been the leader to help develop what is prospectively an outstanding young group forwards.

Without a shadow of a doubt.

You then add in the baffling decisions to let Clubb go around again + signing Clarke, a guy with no real reputable CV or thing of note in his playing career.

It's not hindsight to ask what the club expected to get from those three.