Re: Jack Owens : Wed Oct 28, 2015 3:15 pm  

Allez wrote:

I 'think' he's OOC at the end of next season so it will be interesting to see where he ends up.

As part of his loan agreement to Cas his Wigan contract has been extended until 2018, with the last year being an option in Wigans favour.

Re: Jack Owens : Wed Oct 28, 2015 4:18 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

As part of his loan agreement to Cas his Wigan contract has been extended until 2018, with the last year being an option in Wigans favour.

Oki doki - make sense. I think next season will be a key one for him.

Re: Jack Owens : Wed Oct 28, 2015 4:53 pm  

Allez wrote:

Oki doki - make sense. I think next season will be a key one for him.

Not a cat in hells chance he'll get a game at Cas. Cas are arguably better stocked in terms of both quality and depth than Wigan in the positions he plays.

It's an absolute mystery to me why Wigan don't play Hampshire, Williams and Tomkins in the key positions next year. I'm not sure what Smith offers them at all.

Re: Jack Owens : Wed Oct 28, 2015 5:02 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

Not a cat in hells chance he'll get a game at Cas. Cas are arguably better stocked in terms of both quality and depth than Wigan in the positions he plays.

It's an absolute mystery to me why Wigan don't play Hampshire, Williams and Tomkins in the key positions next year. I'm not sure what Smith offers them at all.

Because playing two 21 year old halfbacks together has never worked at top level as Saints found out a few years back.

Re: Jack Owens : Wed Oct 28, 2015 5:07 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

Not a cat in hells chance he'll get a game at Cas. Cas are arguably better stocked in terms of both quality and depth than Wigan in the positions he plays.

It's an absolute mystery to me why Wigan don't play Hampshire, Williams and Tomkins in the key positions next year. I'm not sure what Smith offers them at all.

a) He'll play at Cas and is a far better prospect than anything else they have. He was always going to struggle at Wigan next year with Tomkins' return so a year in a side where he can have a lot of impact will do him the world of good and boost his confidence. He'll benefit from working with Daryl Powell too.

b) Because 6 & 7 are too key a position to risk. I suspect Smith may move on after 2016 and if Hampshire does well next year they have a great set of options. Good planning.

Re: Jack Owens : Wed Oct 28, 2015 5:12 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

Because playing two 21 year old halfbacks together has never worked at top level as Saints found out a few years back.

Are you Alan Hansen? This is Super League, you can win the competition with Paul Wellens and Mark Flanagan in the halves such is the poor quality of the opposition.

Williams is 21 in age, he doesn't play like that.

Re: Jack Owens : Wed Oct 28, 2015 5:35 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

Are you Alan Hansen? This is Super League, you can win the competition with Paul Wellens and Mark Flanagan in the halves such is the poor quality of the opposition.

Williams is 21 in age, he doesn't play like that.

Both Williams and Hampshire are still only 20, but they will be 21 before the start of next season, and like Saints did with Lomax and Gaskell, Wigan did with Brown and Robinson. We all know how that turned out, and it's not because they were poor players, quite the opposite.

Re: Jack Owens : Wed Oct 28, 2015 6:48 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

Both Williams and Hampshire are still only 20, but they will be 21 before the start of next season, and like Saints did with Lomax and Gaskell, Wigan did with Brown and Robinson. We all know how that turned out, and it's not because they were poor players, quite the opposite.

You are forgetting Sammy boy. He's vastly experienced now and with him and SOL and McIllorum you'd be fine with two young halves. I'm pretty pleased you've not gone for it to be honest.

Re: Jack Owens : Wed Oct 28, 2015 8:32 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

Both Williams and Hampshire are still only 20, but they will be 21 before the start of next season, and like Saints did with Lomax and Gaskell, Wigan did with Brown and Robinson. We all know how that turned out, and it's not because they were poor players, quite the opposite.

I agree, it's not ideal playing two 21yr olds in the halves together. Saints and Wigan both found thst out as did hull with cook and horne.

It's a good move for all parties. Hampshire gets game time at a good club with a good coach. Wigan will benefit from Hampshire playing regular first grade and cas might have a quality player for a year.

Re: Jack Owens : Wed Oct 28, 2015 9:45 pm  

St pete wrote:

Hampshire gets game time at a good club with a good coach. Wigan will benefit from Hampshire playing regular first grade and cas might have a quality player for a year.

People keep saying this, but where exactly is Hampshire going to start for Castleford? Surely he won't displace Dorn, Roberts or Gale?