Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Tue Jun 12, 2012 10:23 pm  

To pay a large transfer fee for an import would be insane, the club would be completely at their mercy. Look how many times we have seen imports (and their wives) get itchy feet and sod off back down under reasoning 'family commitments'.

Stay well clear Wigan.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Tue Jun 12, 2012 11:40 pm  

MattyB wrote:

To pay a large transfer fee for an import would be insane, the club would be completely at their mercy. Look how many times we have seen imports (and their wives) get itchy feet and sod off back down under reasoning 'family commitments'.

Stay well clear Wigan.

Agreed.

We havn't been able to stick with the same pairing at 6 and 7 since the 90's! We have been chopping and changing for too long. I want a settled partnership and the only way to do that is to get British players.

Brough and Smith would be my choice. Smith is a must IMO. Still young with bags of talent. He was asked to organise the saints team and make breaks by himself. At Wigan he will play a part in a well oiled machine and he will play his role very well. He showed at the weekend that he can put a man through a gap like Finch can, he has just as good a kicking game as anyone in our team, he is quicker than both our current 6 and 7.

Like I said, brough would be my choice to be his partner because I can't see Soward coming.

If we can only bring in one half-back then we will be forced to move Sam to 6 and put Russell at 1. Sam has looked unreal at 1 recently but he is good enough to be just as good from 6 if we needed him to.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Tue Jun 12, 2012 11:49 pm  

Odem wrote:

Agreed.

We havn't been able to stick with the same pairing at 6 and 7 since the 90's! We have been chopping and changing for too long. I want a settled partnership and the only way to do that is to get British players.

Brough and Smith would be my choice. Smith is a must IMO. Still young with bags of talent. He was asked to organise the saints team and make breaks by himself. At Wigan he will play a part in a well oiled machine and he will play his role very well. He showed at the weekend that he can put a man through a gap like Finch can, he has just as good a kicking game as anyone in our team, he is quicker than both our current 6 and 7.

Like I said, brough would be my choice to be his partner because I can't see Soward coming.

If we can only bring in one half-back then we will be forced to move Sam to 6 and put Russell at 1. Sam has looked unreal at 1 recently but he is good enough to be just as good from 6 if we needed him to.

Brough and Smith are two genuine 7's and would be too similar to play together IMO.

This salary cap money has to be spent on someone, the NRL deal will stop AS MANY decent aussies coming over but it shouldn't mean an end to all of them. This year is the first time in a while where we should have a fair amount to spend with not too many players needed to be brought in.

If I were Lenegan I'd throw whatever's left after Locker's/McIlorum's/youngster's contracts have been upgraded at Soward, if the Dragons are looking at freeing up cap space then no fee should be required. If he doesn't come we look at other options, next would probably be Chase but IL won't get held to ransom to pay a massive fee IMO.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Wed Jun 13, 2012 12:12 am  

DaveO wrote:

So apart from Matty Smith is it fair to say there aren't really any strong rumours of who our other new half back might be?

Seems like just load of names being bandied about without much substance.

If I am wrong in that who is top of the favourite leader board after M Smith?

We just don't know what enquiries and negotiations are going on behind the scenes..IL has repeatedly said that he won't comment on potential signings until they're finalised...quite rightly, IMO. He hasn't made many mistakes, even with ones that weren't exactly greeted with enthusiasm by us "knowledgeable fans"...

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:57 am  

The WEP is reporting this morning that Wigan are strongly considering Chase and that 'sources' have told them Cas will take 250k for him.

At that price it would be a gamble. I have no doubts he's good enough but we'd have a bloke who gets abuse anyway for playing for England when he's a kiwi signing for the side everybody loves to hate. If his England career goes up in smoke what's to say he won't run off to Australia/NZ with his tale between his legs!

I'd consider player exchanges but who? Guys like Marsh and Mellor are off contract anyway so won't hold any weight. I can't think of other players I'd be prepared to let go.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:59 am  

cherryandwhitedavid06 wrote:

Soward or Brough for me. If its any of the others rumoured its not good enough

I can't see any way that a current Origin player will come to England, especially with loads more money now available. Soward is a pipe-dream, as far as I can see.

I agree that Brough would be worth a punt, but has it been written anywhere that he is looking to leave Huddersfield?

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Wed Jun 13, 2012 7:12 am  

if the worst comes to the worst Lockers may have to fill in at 6 and Farrell to 13........not the end of the world.....

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Wed Jun 13, 2012 7:13 am  

pie.warrior wrote:

if the worst comes to the worst Lockers may have to fill in at 6 and Farrell to 13........not the end of the world.....

I have thought this, but be prepared to be burned at the stake for suggesting it...

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Wed Jun 13, 2012 7:14 am  

Smith is signing so it's pointless speculating over any other scrum halfs. Wigan were ready to pay a fee for Brown before Widnes blew their offer out of the water so wouldn't surprise me to see them make a play for Chase.

Re: Rumours and signings v8 : Wed Jun 13, 2012 7:29 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

If his England career goes up in smoke what's to say he won't run off to Australia/NZ with his tale between his legs!

His English wife and child? I wouldn't be suprised if he is able to claim British citizenship in the not to distant future so that would see any work permit issues disappear at that point.


A few months back Rugby League World had a feature and interview on Chase focusing on his background and childhood especially his relationship with Wellar Hauraki and his family. It was a tale of extreme hardship and a person with a will to acheive and improve himself. Chase came across very well and appeared very committed to a future based in the UK.