Re: Recruitment, rumours and links : Thu Jan 23, 2025 11:15 am  

BOSS HOG wrote:

Neither King or Tai offer that much to the Wire attack as individuals but are good defensively and make good yards in the early tackle count.

It`s a shame that we missed-out on getting Wardle from Huddersfield as there was a player exchange deal that should have been sewn up with King moving there. The players that Wigan sent there in the Wardle deal were both inferior to King. .

it's true what you say, but I feel we need more if we are to win a Grand Final which will involve us finishing #1 or #2 after the regular season. The attacks that involved Tai getting his hands on the ball typically ended with him running diagonally to the touchline, hitting the brakes and being tackled as he cut back in. King, whilst not a natural wingers centre, has a bit more of an idea but lacks pace. We also stopped the high kicks to him for some reason.

Perhaps you can have one yardage/defensive centre like that in a side, but not two. Our best side in decades (2011) had Matt King and Bridge as centres. Both potent attacking players.

I'm not sure Wardle was ever a long term opportunity for us, superb centre as he is - he does it all.

Re: Recruitment, rumours and links : Thu Jan 23, 2025 11:25 pm  

Kevin Turvey wrote:

If Tai, Musgrove and Vaughan go, which I think is quite likely, we’ll have at least 3 quota places available. I wonder if we’ve already got things lined up

It wouldn’t surprise me if we don’t fill our quota next season.

Re: Recruitment, rumours and links : Thu Jan 23, 2025 11:46 pm  

Byrne in and Vaughan out, so even if we did keep Musgrove (hope not) and Tai we'll have 2 quota spots, As Yates will not count on the quota if the new rules come in to affect next year.
I think King will have to take a pay cut next year regardless of where he goes so we very well might keep him. Unless as said in previous comments, Wrench and Lindop develop well this year and can take the centre spots. Will ease our Salary cap and fill our centre spots for quite awhile.
Also i still think Max Wood offers more than Musgrove in every game i've seen. Even though he's smaller he has a slightly better impact than musgrove, has much better skill and plays 2-3 times longer than musgrove, so it could well be Wood who takes his spot. And i hope Luke Thomas gets some game time this year, and can build on what we saw before his injury. And we have Green and Whitehead in the wings, so fingers crossed they continue to develop.
All in all i think we're looking good long term

Re: Recruitment, rumours and links : Fri Jan 24, 2025 12:07 am  

Spoke with Liam Byrne tonight, he confirmed that he has signed for Wire. The deal is the same he was offered at Wigan, so you have done well there.

Re: Recruitment, rumours and links : Fri Jan 24, 2025 12:09 am  

BOSS HOG wrote:

Neither King or Tai offer that much to the Wire attack as individuals but are good defensively and make good yards in the early tackle count.

It`s a shame that we missed-out on getting Wardle from Huddersfield as there was a player exchange deal that should have been sewn up with King moving there. The players that Wigan sent there in the Wardle deal were both inferior to King. .

Huddersfield and Warrington got mugged by Wigan. I can’t believe that neither club tied him down

Re: Recruitment, rumours and links : Fri Jan 24, 2025 7:13 am  

I'd start Wrench and Lindop now, but I'm not Sam Burgess who needs to win games, just a fan who likes exciting players.

King did fit perfectly into the Wigan system and they expected him to play a solid game, we expected him to be a world beater.

Re: Recruitment, rumours and links : Fri Jan 24, 2025 7:22 am  

Zig wrote:

Huddersfield and Warrington got mugged by Wigan. I can’t believe that neither club tied him down

It was wide spread media that Wardle had already agreed to go Wigan before he came to Warrington on that strange swap deal.
It was lightly rumoured Wire had tried to get Wardle out of his agreement to Wigan, how I don’t know.
Although Carvell managed it once.

Re: Recruitment, rumours and links : Fri Jan 24, 2025 8:14 am  

Zig wrote:

Spoke with Liam Byrne tonight, he confirmed that he has signed for Wire. The deal is the same he was offered at Wigan, so you have done well there.

I might get tied up in knots for this but....... I am Wire through and through but if i was in his position being offered the same between Warrington and Wigan currently i know who i would be choosing and what i would want to be part of, i hope he sees something us regular fans don't see. Glad he picked us i think he improves on any team in SL

Re: Recruitment, rumours and links : Fri Jan 24, 2025 8:17 am  

Zig wrote:

Huddersfield and Warrington got mugged by Wigan. I can’t believe that neither club tied him down

I believe we tried but you had already done a deal. I wish we could of kept him good honest player and as much as it pains me to see Wigan lift another SL trophy and CC seeing players like him lift it softens the blow

Re: Recruitment, rumours and links : Fri Jan 24, 2025 9:03 am  

Zig wrote:

Spoke with Liam Byrne tonight, he confirmed that he has signed for Wire. The deal is the same he was offered at Wigan, so you have done well there.

Correct. Believe Burgess was the big pull in the deal and Bryne wanting to play under him. Burgess referenced in an interview recently that the main reason he extended his deal was to lure players as recruiting was becoming difficult convincing players to sign with him having a short contract.