Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Thu May 31, 2012 3:52 pm  

Offside Monkey wrote:

He'll do a job, has a decent boot, defends well enough. If you put him with a decent 6, the team will function well enough.

Exactly, too many people want unrealistic things. Lets sign Thurston and Cronk!

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Thu May 31, 2012 4:15 pm  

is this the same matty smith that tore wire apart a couple of years back in the play offs

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Thu May 31, 2012 4:22 pm  

I'd say Smith is perfect for Wigan. Good distribution and very good kicking game, put him alongside Tomkins and a good running 6 and I'd say he'd be creating tries left right and centre.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Thu May 31, 2012 4:23 pm  

cherryandwhitedavid06 wrote:

Exactly, too many people want unrealistic things. Lets sign Thurston and Cronk!

I agree.

I can't say I'm blown away by the prospect of signing Matty Smith, but I'm not sure which world-class scrum-half people were expecting us to sign.

Very few, if any, quality NRL players will come over here now. There's no enticement given the extra money in Aus, for which reason I'll be amazed if we get Soward. Dureau would have been nice, but prying him away from the sunny south of France could never have been easy, expecially as the Cats have a good chance of silverware at present.

Brough? Possibly a good option, but there are stories of attitude problems plus his age.

The lesson of recent years would seem to be that lesser-known players can still do a very good job for you if you give them the chance. But I don't think we've all learned that yet.

If I'd aim any criticism at the club, it would be over our apparent failure to keep Finch, though we don't know what money he's holding out for or how many years he wants.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Thu May 31, 2012 4:37 pm  

Dettoriman wrote:

Rangi Chase would command a buy out fee of at least 500k, Unfortunately for Cas, there isn't just yourselves interested. Hull Fc are also sniffing around.

Meanwhile Warrington had an approach for Daz Clark refused.

Clark is one I'd open the cheque book for, but not Chase.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Thu May 31, 2012 4:40 pm  

Cruncher wrote:

if I'd aim any criticism at the club, it would be over our apparent failure to keep Finch, though we don't know what money he's holding out for or how many years he wants.

I agree with this.

we have no idea if Finch is being at all reasonable. He could be asking for a good amount of money and a long term (3 year +) contract (both i would be happy to give).

At the same time he could be acting like a complete mercenary who is trying to squeeze the life out of the cap in order to cash in on his recent form.

Either way, i am happy that Smith is rumored to have signed. The whole Finch melodrama is becoming tiresome and the longer it drags out, the less i am bothered about him staying.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Thu May 31, 2012 4:46 pm  

tugglesf78 wrote:

we have no idea if Finch is being at all reasonable. He could be asking for a good amount of money and a long term (3 year +) contract (both i would be happy to give).

Really?

He'a been phenomenal this year, but will be 31 at the start of next year, so 34 when he finishes on that contract you'd give him.

I think this is where the deal is falling over, as I'd be amazed if IL offers him 3. We're more likely to offer him 1 year with an option for a 2nd in our favour, which isn't what he's looking for in the last big contract he's likely to negotiate.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Thu May 31, 2012 4:53 pm  

I don't think anyone was particularly blown away by the signing of Tommy Leuluai all them years ago from Harlequins & look how he turned out for us.

I'm happy to back Matty Smith. A young English halfback who can only improve. If it works out for us then we should have some stability in the halves which we so desperately crave. Playing halfback in this Wigan team is a lot different to playing in the halves for Salford. We're so regimented in our attack. As long as he has some pace, good distribution and a commendable kicking game then he'll fit in fine in this side the way we're coached to play. He's good mates with a few of the Wigan lads too.

Shame for Joe Mellor though. That shattered kneecap seems to have really halted his progress. I think he'll move on to Widnes now.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Thu May 31, 2012 4:59 pm  

Guerrier wrote:

Really?

He'a been phenomenal this year, but will be 31 at the start of next year, so 34 when he finishes on that contract you'd give him.

I think this is where the deal is falling over, as I'd be amazed if IL offers him 3. We're more likely to offer him 1 year with an option for a 2nd in our favour, which isn't what he's looking for in the last big contract he's likely to negotiate.

He is a halfback who relies on his head rather than his physical attributes. He has also been very robust since he has been here.

Personally i would have no problems with a 3 year deal. If we could include a coaching option in that then even better

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Thu May 31, 2012 5:00 pm  

Tommy was a good player pre-2010 but really went to top class when Maguire came. He's gone to another level. Lets not forget that 2010 year, Smith almost single handedly got Saints to the grand final that year.

As for Chase, Lenegan said in a fans forum in the past that he won't be paying ridiculous buy out fees and transfer fees for players because he wants us to be always making a profit. Last year was the first year we started making profit and he ain't gonna jeopardise that with a £500k fee for Chase