Gary Wheeler : Mon Jan 12, 2015 12:45 am  

I know its old news and I'm sure I will get shot down for this, but hey-ho.

I'm very sorry to see the lad go as I feel he had genuine quality but who was unlucky with injuries and when he recovered from these spent a lot of time on the sideline as he wasn't a big name signing who would get his place back automatically, no matter how well he was doing prior the injury(s).

When he did come back in the team he was usually put in another position.

Early days yet and plenty of time time to get injured again I'm sure but he seems to have fitted in well at Warrington.

But Smith, who has recruited former Hull and Wakefield boss Richard Agar as his new assistant, is equally excited by the signing of former St Helens utility back Gary Wheeler, who caught the eye in the Wolves' 16-0 friendly win over Widnes on Wednesday night.

"I think we've made three really good buys," Smith said. "Gary Wheeler is going to be terrific for us. I think he will prove to be a very good signing.

"He suits our style of play. He's a great attacking player and I think he's going to score some tries and set up some tries."

and

"I've been a big admirer of Gary's ability for some time. He's extremely versatile and will add real depth to the squad," said head coach Tony Smith.

"At times he's had some bad luck with injuries but we've assessed the situation and look forward to him contributing to the 2015 season."

Tony Smith doesn't sign many duffers so I hope he does well but doesn't come back to haunt us for rejecting him as per Matty Smith.
Let's see how often (or not) he gets injured (providing he gets a regular place in the 17)

Re: Gary Wheeler : Mon Jan 12, 2015 8:51 am  

Good luck to the lad, he deserves a break, (no pun intended)

Re: Gary Wheeler : Mon Jan 12, 2015 8:58 am  

saint at wire wrote:

I know its old news and I'm sure I will get shot down for this, but hey-ho.

I'm very sorry to see the lad go as I feel he had genuine quality but who was unlucky with injuries and when he recovered from these spent a lot of time on the sideline as he wasn't a big name signing who would get his place back automatically, no matter how well he was doing prior the injury(s).

When he did come back in the team he was usually put in another position.

Early days yet and plenty of time time to get injured again I'm sure but he seems to have fitted in well at Warrington.

and
Tony Smith doesn't sign many duffers so I hope he does well but doesn't come back to haunt us for rejecting him as per Matty Smith.
Let's see how often (or not) he gets injured (providing he gets a regular place in the 17)

I like Gary wheeler and he was a player with great potential but he could never live up to his potential because of his injuries which is big shame for saints and him.

We couidnt keep paying him to sit on the sidelines in a salary cap sport. I think we did the correct thing and I hope his luck changes at Warrington and he becomes what we thought he would.

Re: Gary Wheeler : Mon Jan 12, 2015 9:59 am  

saint at wire wrote:

I know its old news and I'm sure I will get shot down for this, but hey-ho.

I'm very sorry to see the lad go as I feel he had genuine quality but who was unlucky with injuries and when he recovered from these spent a lot of time on the sideline as he wasn't a big name signing who would get his place back automatically, no matter how well he was doing prior the injury(s).

When he did come back in the team he was usually put in another position.

Early days yet and plenty of time time to get injured again I'm sure but he seems to have fitted in well at Warrington.

and
Tony Smith doesn't sign many duffers so I hope he does well but doesn't come back to haunt us for rejecting him as per Matty Smith.
Let's see how often (or not) he gets injured (providing he gets a regular place in the 17)

when has Matty Smith haunted us? Sure, we could probably have done with him at times last year, but I cant see any reason why we would want him in the squad now.

If Wheelar can get fit, he will do fine at Wire. There was no justification for giving him another deal though.

Re: Gary Wheeler : Mon Jan 12, 2015 10:38 am  

It's not like we had a choice is it? If he does turn out good and lets face it there were absolutely no indicators of that at Saints, then fine. But there is no way people can say it's come back to bite us as he did nothing to warrant a new contract.

The only run of games he ever made for us was at centre and he was bang average there. Good luck to him, but I don't see how we could have done anything else bar release him.

Re: Gary Wheeler : Mon Jan 12, 2015 10:40 am  

T'was good money after bad with Wheeler. We had to call I a day at some point.

I hope he makes it ork, as I would with any Saints youngster. IF he does turn around his injury curse it could be one of a host of reasons -
A) Getting cut by Saints and signed on a pay as you play for Wire has forced him to get his booty in gear and look after himself.
B) The Wire S&C team are better than their saints equivalent
C) His body has finally developed to resist injury problems
D) His luck has changed

If and when it happens, saints can decide on how they could have worked better to get him playing regularly. If not, then we we're right to let him go.
I was a keen defender of Wheels, but the way it was going, he was going to be due a testimonial before he'd played 100 games.

Re: Gary Wheeler : Mon Jan 12, 2015 11:06 am  

Good riddance to him. Couldn't cut it at Saints so he's been shipped out to a lesser club. Couldn't care less.

Re: Gary Wheeler : Mon Jan 12, 2015 12:55 pm  

As has been said above you have to call time at some point.

It's always hit and miss and something of a gamble. But given the quality at halfback we now have and the lack of any impressive games at halfback for Wheeler. Then it was time for us to look to the future.

I can't recall many player to have played so little but had such a long period with a club since professionalism began.

I think both parties did what they could, but I don't think he will haunt us in a big way. I would doubt he is going to become the next big name in RL. If Wire had signed Longy, Eastmond, Cunningham, Roby, Graham in years gone by, then you could say you are losing a match winner.

In Wheeler they have signed a player with talent, but I don't think he is going to be a similar loss as say when Saints signed Scully from Warrington and took one of their best players for a generation.

Re: Gary Wheeler : Mon Jan 12, 2015 10:36 pm  

EHW wrote:

when has Matty Smith haunted us? Sure, we could probably have done with him at times last year, but I cant see any reason why we would want him in the squad now.

If Wheelar can get fit, he will do fine at Wire. There was no justification for giving him another deal though.

When Smith was available at Salford, we very much wanted him back, but he said no thanks.
A bit like Longy did to wigoon.

[Uncle Rico]

Re: Gary Wheeler : Tue Jan 13, 2015 4:21 pm  

SLS wrote:

Good riddance to him. Couldn't cut it at Saints so he's been shipped out to a lesser club. Couldn't care less.

You obviously cared enough to post