Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Aug 11, 2020 12:59 am  

Grimmy wrote:

We have literally just come off our biggest spending spree in god knows how long, bringing in Hastings, G.Burgess and Bibby. We have also signed Bateman for next year. I don't know what you expect. Burgess may turn out to be a bust but there's no denying it was a massive signing on paper.

Under Maguire we only signed a 31 year old Paul Deacon and won the Grand Final. The following year we got lucky with Melbourne being over the salary cap, and still only signed similar level players to what we have signed recently.

^^ this

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Aug 11, 2020 6:56 am  

Wigan have tied up a move to sign Toronto and former Leeds prop Brad Singleton. Wigantoday revealed last week that the Warriors were chasing the 27-year-old following Wolfpacks' withdrawal from Super League. And League Express is reporting the Cumbrian has now signed a three-year deal, which will start in 2021. Singleton was a part of Leeds’ treble-winning side in 2015 and won another Grand Final in 2017, and has captained the Headingley giants. He will become the club's second capture for next season, having already secured John Bateman's signature. https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/rugby- ... 21-2937878

Wigan have tied up a move to sign Toronto and former Leeds prop Brad Singleton. Wigantoday revealed last week that the Warriors were chasing the 27-year-old following Wolfpacks' withdrawal from Super League. And League Express is reporting the Cumbrian has now signed a three-year deal, which will start in 2021. Singleton was a part of Leeds’ treble-winning side in 2015 and won another Grand Final in 2017, and has captained the Headingley giants. He will become the club's second capture for next season, having already secured John Bateman's signature. https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/rugby- ... 21-2937878

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Aug 11, 2020 7:15 am  

Give the lad a chance and just be grateful we can still sign players in this current climate. Nothing more to say really

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Aug 11, 2020 7:41 am  

Grimmy wrote:

We have literally just come off our biggest spending spree in god knows how long, bringing in Hastings, G.Burgess and Bibby. We have also signed Bateman for next year. I don't know what you expect. Burgess may turn out to be a bust but there's no denying it was a massive signing on paper.

Under Maguire we only signed a 31 year old Paul Deacon and won the Grand Final. The following year we got lucky with Melbourne being over the salary cap, and still only signed similar level players to what we have signed recently.

You’ll never please some people. I had a real issue last year that we couldn’t be spending up to the cap but not anymore. As you say on paper Burgess and Hastings were huge signings and Bateman is another. There will always need to be more realistic signings made alongside those guys to pad out the squad. In Singleton we get a guy in his prime years, who is experienced playing at a big club and is likely to be very affordable. He may not play every week or he may smash it and become a regular starter. Either way he will be an extra body to add depth and allow us to shield these young props when needed. I’d rather sign Tavita Pangai Jnr but we’ve got to be realistic.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Aug 11, 2020 8:29 am  

Ruddy Duck wrote:

Neither am I, especially after seeing a top club like Leeds allowing him to go to Toronto, the squad of which is full of cast offs of other clubs.

Another average or past it signing following in the wake of Jake Bibby, George Burgess, Joe Bullock, Chris Hankinson, Mitch Clarke etc.

Where are the great signings of the Madge era?

I'd say this is more of a reflection of the current state of the sport in this country rather than criticism of Wigan's recruitment choices. The fact is that the standard of play and the quality of players coming through in this country just isn't as good as it used to be. Couple that with NRL clubs now making moves for British academy players and I can only see things getting worse.

Singleton is a poor player, not good enough for a club with Wigan's ambitions. But his situation at Toronto may have made him worth a punt and it's probably slim pickings out there.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Aug 11, 2020 9:53 am  

Ruddy Duck wrote:

Neither am I, especially after seeing a top club like Leeds allowing him to go to Toronto, the squad of which is full of cast offs of other clubs.

Another average or past it signing following in the wake of Jake Bibby, George Burgess, Joe Bullock, Chris Hankinson, Mitch Clarke etc.

Where are the great signings of the Madge era?

Bateman, French, Hastings.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Aug 11, 2020 11:29 am  

Maybe Pangai Jnr might want a contract until the end of the season

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Aug 11, 2020 8:55 pm  

Sweaty Betty's wrote:

Bateman, French, Hastings.

Exactly, but Bibby, Burgess G, Bullock, Clarke, Hankinson, are hardly the class of signings which Lenagan made when he first bought the club.

Good job we keep producing good young players of our own!

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Aug 11, 2020 9:00 pm  

Ruddy Duck wrote:

Exactly, but Bibby, Burgess G, Bullock, Clarke, Hankinson, are hardly the class of signings which Lenagan made when he first bought the club.

Good job we keep producing good young players of our own!

Some of his first signings when he bought the club were Richie Mathers, Cameron Phelps and Karl Pryce.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Tue Aug 11, 2020 9:10 pm  

Ruddy Duck wrote:

Exactly, but Bibby, Burgess G, Bullock, Clarke, Hankinson, are hardly the class of signings which Lenagan made when he first bought the club.

Good job we keep producing good young players of our own!

G.Burgess was a top class signing, current England International prop. He's not living up to it in his five games so far (well, four of them, he was very good in one) but let's not rewrite history and pretend it wasn't a huge signing at the time that more or less everyone was excited about. IL isn't psychic.