Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jun 27, 2023 10:34 pm  

CobraCraig wrote:

I was thinking that, what is Hampshires contract status for next season? Could it maybe be a case of Keighran and Leeming replacing Cust, Hampshire and Thornley?

Quite possibly but I think Leeming and Keighran would be on more than them 3.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jun 27, 2023 10:36 pm  

I think there’s a bit to run on the King deal yet. Matty Peet today said there is a ‘chance’ he goes back, which by the same token would seem to indicate there is a chance he doesn’t. I think there is a bit of game playing going on at Wires end to try and force our hand. A third marquee player spot being used on a guy they loaned out this season does not fit in with the sort of ambition they’ve shown throughout Simon Morans time. There are some rumours of them making a couple of big name signings for next year and for that they might need those spots.

If we kept King I think people may be right in that Keighran might be a target to replace Cust. Looking at things overall the Outs to ins could be along the lines of-

Outs Ins
Cust Keighran
Powell Leeming
KPP Walters
Mago Chan
Singleton New prop/second rower

Other exits may free up room further to look at another forward as well, especially when they can works things around this third marquee spot if needed. Maybe I’m dreaming but it feels like there is a really ambitious feel about the place.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jun 27, 2023 10:43 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

I think there’s a bit to run on the King deal yet. Matty Peet today said there is a ‘chance’ he goes back, which by the same token would seem to indicate there is a chance he doesn’t. I think there is a bit of game playing going on at Wires end to try and force our hand. A third marquee player spot being used on a guy they loaned out this season does not fit in with the sort of ambition they’ve shown throughout Simon Morans time. There are some rumours of them making a couple of big name signings for next year and for that they might need those spots.

If we kept King I think people may be right in that Keighran might be a target to replace Cust. Looking at things overall the Outs to ins could be along the lines of-

Outs Ins
Cust Keighran
Powell Leeming
KPP Walters
Mago Chan
Singleton New prop/second rower

Other exits may free up room further to look at another forward as well, especially when they can works things around this third marquee spot if needed. Maybe I’m dreaming but it feels like there is a really ambitious feel about the place.

I don’t see a club where Powell and King can be together unless the coach who has already lost authority loses more.

If Wire sack King I think he goes back.

If they don’t and they take him back I see further disruption in 2024 at Warrington, which ultimately sees the same end result of Powell getting sacked.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Jun 27, 2023 10:58 pm  

jonh wrote:

I don’t see a club where Powell and King can be together unless the coach who has already lost authority loses more.

If Wire sack King I think he goes back.

If they don’t and they take him back I see further disruption in 2024 at Warrington, which ultimately sees the same end result of Powell getting sacked.

The reports in the press about King going back to Wire all feel a bit ‘Fitzpatricky’. It isn’t hard for him to get that story out there to try and force Wigans hand. Him going back on the basis of this third marquee allowance doesn’t make much sense to me.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jun 28, 2023 12:56 am  

On the French/Field debate, I'm not sure why we're over complicating it. Field defends best at 1 and French best at 6 so let them do that. In attack, French is best from 1 and Field seems equally adept from either so attack with French 1 and Field 6. Most turnover ball is from kicks or restarts so the positional transition shouldn't be an issue.

Why are we not utilising two of the best players in superleague to make the most of their strengths? It seems ludicrous to me that we appear to not want to play Field at 6 because he's not good defending there. Then don't ask him to!!

He could be as good a running 6 as we have in the competition. Was it Brierly who said he's a nightmare to defend against when running the ball? Here's a bizarre thought then...let's do what the opposition don't want! Alternatively we can keep faffing about chopping and changing and end up nullifying the best attacking threats in the competition. Or even, as Jonh suggests (God forbid), losing one of the best players we've had to watch in decades.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jun 28, 2023 7:52 am  

You've 3 more signings to come yet

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jun 28, 2023 8:14 am  

I prefer Field at fullback with French at 2 if we had to have both in the side, French at 2 needs supplementing with big centres to help gain metres.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jun 28, 2023 8:24 am  

Stu M wrote:

You've 3 more signings to come yet

Intriguing, would be the biggest overhaul for quite a few years. Even more so when we start to find out who's leaving as well.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jun 28, 2023 8:37 am  

Stu M wrote:

You've 3 more signings to come yet

Two NRL forwards and Adam Keighran hopefully.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Wed Jun 28, 2023 9:47 am  

CobraCraig wrote:

Not amazing really, a fair bit better than Smith this season but I bet Smith had a better percentage last season.

Considerably better, i posted the stats a couple of weeks ago

Ratchford - 85% successful conversions, 75 attempts
Harry Smith - 82% successful conversions, 110 attempts
Chris Hankinson - 82% successful conversions, 77 attempts

I would still be happy with us signing Keighran btw, i like what i have seen of him and am intrigued if we would see him as a 6. But we shouldn't (and don't seem to be) signing him solely for his goal kicking. If he ends up kicking better then Smith then so be it, but there is an excellent kicker in there somewhere as he has proved previously, at minimum Keighran would provide a bit of extra goal-kicking competition for Smith.