Re: Wingers : Thu Apr 08, 2021 9:01 pm  

sergeant pepper wrote:

Not sure how you can quantity that he was more of a somebody than Hastings? Both are the same age & played around the same amount of NRL games, but Hastings also played U20s SOO and Aussie rep at that level too.

French played in the all stars game at a senior level

Re: Wingers : Thu Apr 08, 2021 9:03 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

French had been dropped to the reserves in the NRL and was used off the bench here in the important games in his first year. His market rate would have been that of a fringe player. Fast forward to his current deal and he was starting every week, our main attacking threat, and one of the best players in the league. Clearly his stock massively improved.

When Hastings signed for us he was already starting every week as the main man at Salford. His market rate would have been that of a starting key player. Not yet the Man of Steel he went on to become afterwards though. His stock improved but not as much as French's did.

Hastings also was demoted to reserve grade in the NRL.....

Re: Wingers : Thu Apr 08, 2021 10:32 pm  

Bring realistic neither were stars and if they were they wouldn’t be playing in SL it’s not that difficult a concept to grasp is it.

French was considered too small and lacking impact despite the highlight reel he has managed to put together in 16 (or so games). The NRL uses wingers as meter makers and he couldn’t get a spot at 1.

Hastings was a mercurial talent as a youth with quality in his blood line. He also carried the reputation of being a trouble causer.

Both players were thrown a lifeline to come to the UK and play in SL.

If their stock was valued in the NRL they would never have come to SL.

Both will leave us with an opportunity to restart their NRL careers. Will both manage it? I have my doubts.

Interesting to read from some of the legends of the game that Hastings is being hailed as a potential saviour of West’s but they regard him as a big risk with a lot to prove. I think the lack of depth at 6 and 7 guarantees him a reasonable crack at it.

French I think may struggle. Most of the NRL teams like monsters and meter makers in the back 3 and whilst I am sure he will get an opportunity I’m not sure his style compliments the NRL.

I’ve said it a few times I genuinely believe some less than top notch SL players would have a half decent career in the NRL because their game is suited to it much in the same way some bang average NRL players are probably more suited to SL.

You only need to look at Luke Burgess as an example of a fairly average SL prop who made a much bigger impact than most would think in the NRL.

I always said Williams had a style that suited the NRL over SL.

If Manfredi could have stayed fit he’d have made a good go of it.

Watkins goes over and is at best average.

One I thought would have done better in the NRL was Sarg.

Back to the original point though. If either French or Hastings had stock in the NRL they would never have left and both owe SL a debt of thanks for reigniting their careers.

Re: Wingers : Thu Apr 08, 2021 10:40 pm  

Pieman wrote:

Hastings also was demoted to reserve grade in the NRL.....

No idea how that is relevant. Hastings was Salford's starting halfback when we signed him to start at halfback for us, what he did in the NRL before that is irrelevant. He went on to have a brilliant year with Salford, and a decent year for us, so I can see how his value would have improved, but not by loads, as he was already performing consistently well at SL level before the deal was signed.

French, on the other hand, was an NRL reserve when we signed him as a squad player. Realistically I think hopes would have been for him to nail down a starting spot. No one predicted that he would light up the way he did. His value would have rocketed inbetween the two deals.

Re: Wingers : Fri Apr 09, 2021 7:07 am  

Mad thing is that Hastings played most his nrl at 9. He was a massive up and coming superstar over there and made a few poor choices. As for the signings, the problem was that we signed Field as French made it clear to the club he was returning home. Then there was a u-turn which led to French staying. Also what people need to calculate is that some of our players last year are running about in grand finals being paid absolue peanuts, less than stacking shelves at Tesco. Somatbsome point they get better deals, they might go from 15k to 45k but that 30 has to come from somewhere and obviously counts on the cap.its only when you sitbdown and punch the numbers in as imhave done before you think bloody hell this salary cap money doesn’t spread massively well over 25 shirts.

Re: Wingers : Fri Apr 09, 2021 8:29 am  

Grimmy wrote:

No idea how that is relevant. Hastings was Salford's starting halfback when we signed him to start at halfback for us, what he did in the NRL before that is irrelevant. He went on to have a brilliant year with Salford, and a decent year for us, so I can see how his value would have improved, but not by loads, as he was already performing consistently well at SL level before the deal was signed.

French, on the other hand, was an NRL reserve when we signed him as a squad player. Realistically I think hopes would have been for him to nail down a starting spot. No one predicted that he would light up the way he did. His value would have rocketed inbetween the two deals.

so Hastings being dropped to reserve grade is irrelevant but French being dropped there is?

Re: Wingers : Fri Apr 09, 2021 8:34 am  

Pieman wrote:

so Hastings being dropped to reserve grade is irrelevant but French being dropped there is?

Have you even taken the time to read what he said?

Hastings signed a deal with Wigan from a position of power i.e half way through his MOS season

French signed for a deal with Wigan from a position of playing reserve grade NRL.

Whether Hastings had previously played reserve grade is irrelevant to what he's trying to say.

Re: Wingers : Fri Apr 09, 2021 8:59 am  

sergeant pepper wrote:

Have you even taken the time to read what he said?

Hastings signed a deal with Wigan from a position of power i.e half way through his MOS season

French signed for a deal with Wigan from a position of playing reserve grade NRL.

Whether Hastings had previously played reserve grade is irrelevant to what he's trying to say.

what im saying is and have from the start is that French wasnt a nobody when we signed him far from it

Re: Wingers : Fri Apr 09, 2021 9:09 am  

Just checked they both have 47 nrl appearances. So not much in it really is there

Re: Wingers : Fri Apr 09, 2021 9:17 am  

Pieman wrote:

so Hastings being dropped to reserve grade is irrelevant but French being dropped there is?

Yes! Hastings was the best halfback in the Super League when we signed him, his NRL career before that would have been pretty much irrelevant in terms of his value. French was an NRL reserve when we signed him, that would have dictated his value.