Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Jun 06, 2022 6:54 pm  

mwindass wrote:

Would love for us to get French over the line. Did he say something along the lines of he's glad he won something before he left? After winning the cup. Maybe I'm reading too much into it... or making up quotes.

You've been linked with Fonua reading bits and bobs online, but he'd be completely the wrong fit. Lazy and not reached the hights of 16/17. The flip side is uf anyone can sort him out it's probably Wigan

I think we've spent enough time trying to sort out troublemakers.

We suddenly end up with 2 near-perfect finished articles, and our response is to send one of them to you guys?

No offence, mate, but I can't think of a worse idea.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Jun 06, 2022 7:09 pm  

Cruncher wrote:

I think we've spent enough time trying to sort out troublemakers.

We suddenly end up with 2 near-perfect finished articles, and our response is to send one of them to you guys?

No offence, mate, but I can't think of a worse idea.

At the end of the day it seems like he wants to play at 1. We have our 1 signed on for 2 years after this, and Hull will throw marquee money on the hope of building a team around him.

He is a wonderful player but he isn’t as good a 1 at Field and his impact is diminished as a winger, although he is still very good.

We have mismanaged the overseas quota and we desperately need a centre as a priority I don’t think there is one non quota centre up to the standard we would like available. Halsall I believe will be the long term replacement for Thornley not Bibby.

It’s a real shame but it’s a bit of a perfect storm against him staying.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Jun 06, 2022 7:55 pm  

jonh wrote:

At the end of the day it seems like he wants to play at 1. We have our 1 signed on for 2 years after this, and Hull will throw marquee money on the hope of building a team around him.

He is a wonderful player but he isn’t as good a 1 at Field

I disagree - I think he brings a more effective passing game from 1 as well as his pace. Field in time can be just as dangerous from 6. I'd like to think we'll see just how well it could work over the coming weeks.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Jun 06, 2022 8:01 pm  

MadDogg wrote:

I disagree - I think he brings a more effective passing game from 1 as well as his pace. Field in time can be just as dangerous from 6. I'd like to think we'll see just how well it could work over the coming weeks.

Would be a bloody shame if it was too late by then, wouldn't it?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Jun 06, 2022 8:02 pm  

MadDogg wrote:

I disagree - I think he brings a more effective passing game from 1 as well as his pace. Field in time can be just as dangerous from 6. I'd like to think we'll see just how well it could work over the coming weeks.

But even if it did work out - what happens to Cust?

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Jun 06, 2022 8:48 pm  

sergeant pepper wrote:

But even if it did work out - what happens to Cust?

I don't really see Cust as a big issue - even if Leuluai stays on next year he's already made it clear he's happy to play a back up role these days. So then you have French and Field as your two possible fullbacks and Field, Cust and Smith as your three possible halfbacks. Leuluai would also come in on occasion or maybe in that scenario that would be the time for Tommy to call it a career.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Jun 06, 2022 9:00 pm  

A big part of this is what we do with French’s money.

For example, if Miski replaces French and we manage to retain Havard and KPP with the money then good luck to him wherever he goes.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Jun 06, 2022 10:02 pm  

Trainman wrote:

A big part of this is what we do with French’s money.

For example, if Miski replaces French and we manage to retain Havard and KPP with the money then good luck to him wherever he goes.

Havard has been retained, I wouldn’t bank on KPP being here next season.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jun 07, 2022 7:21 am  

Cruncher wrote:

Have people seriously forgotten Billy Boston, Martin Offiah, Henderson Gill, Jason Robinson, Green Vigo, John Ferguson ... ?

Lethal wingers, who the crowds packed Central Park to watch.

I appreciate we didn't have the salary cap back then, but to suddenly decide that having deadly wingers is a luxury we can't afford is staggering to me.

But French isn’t as good a winger as any of the players mentioned and as you say the salary cap wasn’t an issue then. We will likely end up paying French as by far the highest paid winger in the league when he isn’t the best winger in the league, does having him there to step in if Field gets injured or has to move to the halves make it worth it? And also does he want to stay at Wigan in this current role?
The other option which I wanted to see earlier in the season (before Smith hit form) was Field to 6 and French at 1 and see how that goes but there doesn’t seem room for Field in the halves currently as we have 3 halves in good form (take away injuries). Maybe there is scope to rotate Cust at 9? I know it was mentioned when we signed him that Manly played him as a 9 mainly? (Could be wrong), he certainly seems like that would suit him. Maybe the call would be to not extend Powells contract and move Cust to 9 and re-sign French? But I don’t see that happening in a month of Tuesdays.

What I’m trying to say is I don’t think it’s cut and dry that we should re-sign French at all costs, it would be a tough one to stomach seeing him smash it at Hull or any Superleague club but the move could still be beneficial for Wigan.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jun 07, 2022 7:22 am  

Zig wrote:

Havard has been retained, I wouldn’t bank on KPP being here next season.

Has Havard agreed to extend after next season?