Ben Flower : Tue Nov 24, 2020 5:19 pm  

Appreciate he hasn’t been given much credit on here but I think his performances this season when he has played have made a difference, perhaps most notably when we beat Saints last time out.

I thought his experience and hard work really contributed to the strength of our forwards and I’m hoping he is available for selection in time for Friday.

Anybody know how bad his injury is?

Re: Ben Flower : Tue Nov 24, 2020 5:28 pm  

He’s out unfortunately. It was confirmed in the press conference today. He’s been a great servant for us. I would rather remember his development from a project sort of signing to a guy who has been our best prop in some years than ‘that incident’ and I hope that is how we speak about him in years to come. As a sport that isn’t really played in Wales, to get such a high quality Welshman playing for us and to such a high level has been great to see. It’s a sad way for him to bow out but let’s hope he along with Lockers can be paraded before spectators in 2021.

Re: Ben Flower : Tue Nov 24, 2020 5:45 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

He’s out unfortunately. It was confirmed in the press conference today. He’s been a great servant for us. I would rather remember his development from a project sort of signing to a guy who has been our best prop in some years than ‘that incident’ and I hope that is how we speak about him in years to come. As a sport that isn’t really played in Wales, to get such a high quality Welshman playing for us and to such a high level has been great to see. It’s a sad way for him to bow out but let’s hope he along with Lockers can be paraded before spectators in 2021.

That’s a shame, agree too that he proved to be a great signing for us.

Just hope our pack can get on top on Friday again.

Re: Ben Flower : Tue Nov 24, 2020 9:16 pm  

He didn’t deserve to bow out the way he has. He’s been a terrific servant to the club and up there with one of my favourite props.

Good luck in future endeavours Ben!

Re: Ben Flower : Tue Nov 24, 2020 11:19 pm  

Its funny, it does seem underwhelming for someone who's had 9(?) Good seasons with us to bow out like this but tbh I'm not that bothered.

I don't know if it's because of "the incident", the fact that he was never a top player, or that his time here has stuttered to a halt.

Can't deny that he has been a good servant to the club and deserves recognition when fans are allowed back. Definitely a Shame he can't go out playing on Friday.

Re: Ben Flower : Wed Nov 25, 2020 12:31 am  

He has been a very good player for us and will be missed. It’s a shame he has to go out watching a GF. Though it is the right time for Wigan to part ways with him I do think we will miss him on Friday. I think it leaves is a middle short.

Re: Ben Flower : Wed Nov 25, 2020 1:40 pm  

Choc Ice wrote:

Its funny, it does seem underwhelming for someone who's had 9(?) Good seasons with us to bow out like this but tbh I'm not that bothered.

I don't know if it's because of "the incident", the fact that he was never a top player, or that his time here has stuttered to a halt.

Can't deny that he has been a good servant to the club and deserves recognition when fans are allowed back. Definitely a Shame he can't go out playing on Friday.

9 Good seasons

Re: Ben Flower : Wed Nov 25, 2020 2:13 pm  

Judging Flower and his impact, will always be a hard one.

He's had 9 season, some of which have been great and some have been injury ravaged. There's obviously the 'incident" too which will forever be brought up when talking about him.

At the peak of his powers, I remember arguing he was in contention for being one of the top props in league. That period didn't seem to last that long however and the "incident" happened in 2014 - did he ever return to those heights after that?

Re: Ben Flower : Wed Nov 25, 2020 2:39 pm  

He has had bugger all help for a lot of his career here. Since he became a regular starter he has been accompanied by:

2012 off the bench with Lauaki/Lima
2013 Mossop (out of form)/Crosby
2014 Taylor (out of form)/Crosby
2015 banned half the season then Crosby
2016 Crosby
2017 Nuuasala then injured half the season
2018 Clubb/Navarette
2019 Clubb (out of form)/Bullock then injured half the season
2020 injured most of the season

If he had the kind of help other top teams have given their props then I think we would be talking about him a lot more favourably now. I don't think we make the 2013 Grand Final without his performances at loose during the play offs that year when Lockers was out injured.

Having said that, it never sat well with me that he got a standing ovation when he returned from his ban in 2015, and it wound me up that he was complaining in the papers during the pre season about losing his squad number when the club had stood by him prior to that.

Re: Ben Flower : Wed Nov 25, 2020 2:50 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

He has had bugger all help for a lot of his career here. Since he became a regular starter he has been accompanied by:

2012 off the bench with Lauaki/Lima
2013 Mossop (out of form)/Crosby
2014 Taylor (out of form)/Crosby
2015 banned half the season then Crosby
2016 Crosby
2017 Nuuasala then injured half the season
2018 Clubb/Navarette
2019 Clubb (out of form)/Bullock then injured half the season
2020 injured most of the season

If he had the kind of help other top teams have given their props then I think we would be talking about him a lot more favourably now. I don't think we make the 2013 Grand Final without his performances at loose during the play offs that year when Lockers was out injured.

Having said that, it never sat well with me that he got a standing ovation when he returned from his ban in 2015, and it wound me up that he was complaining in the papers during the pre season about losing his squad number when the club had stood by him prior to that.

That's a good summary tbf. I posted on another thread about us winning comps and cups, despite not having a genuine quality front row for much of that period. That being said we did see purple patches from Flower and even FPN too.

Interesting how many big injuries he's had. For me it just seems like he never got properly going again after 2015. That's probably an over simplification on my part, buy it's just how it feels.